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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Historian sheds light on German POWs in Dade City

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The recent death of Eva Martha (Goddard) Knapp has sparked memories of the work she did to trace the history of German prisoners of war who lived and worked in the Dade City area during World War II.

Knapp, who died on June 20, 2015 in St. Petersburg, was a noted historian in the Pasco County Historical Society.

This photo was taken during the 1995 dedication of a historic marker to record the fact that German prisoners of war lived in Dade City during World War II and served as laborers. They were paid the prevailing wages, but the U.S. government deducted money to cover expenses for housing and feeding them. (Courtesy of Fivay.org)
This photo was taken during the 1995 dedication of a historic marker to record the fact that German prisoners of war lived in Dade City during World War II and served as laborers. They were paid the prevailing wages, but the U.S. government deducted money to cover expenses for housing and feeding them.
(Courtesy of Fivay.org)

She was particularly known for the research she did about the German POW camps, including a camp housed in an area now known as Pyracantha/Naomi Jones Park.

Knapp donated many of her materials to the University of South Florida, according to local historians Madonna Wise and Eddie Herrmann, who put together some background information about Knapp, following her death, which they shared with The Laker/Lutz News.

According to their research, a biographical excerpt on Knapp in the USF collection details Knapp’s involvement in collecting information about the German POWs.

The USF excerpt says that during the 1991-1992 school year, Knapp was teaching English at Hernando High School in Brooksville, and her 10th-grade class read Betty Greene’s novel, “The Summer of My German Soldier.”

Eva Martha Knapp, former president of the Pasco Historical Society, did extensive work to trace the history of the German prisoners of war who lived in Dade City during World War II. (Courtesy of Madonna Wise)
Eva Martha Knapp, former president of the Pasco Historical Society, did extensive work to trace the history of the German prisoners of war who lived in Dade City during World War II.
(Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

After reading the book, Knapp’s students interviewed family members and acquaintances that were old enough to remember World War II to see if they knew if German prisoners of war had been held in Pasco County, the excerpt says.

During those interviews, they heard that some German prisoners had worked at the Pasco Packing Company, the excerpt adds.

So, two students visited the company and learned from company executives that German POWs indeed had worked there.

The class also was able to locate some of the men who had been prisoners in Florida camps, and who had remained in Florida after the war.

The class received a letter from a former prisoner, detailing some of his experiences.

Ludeke Herder, a prisoner who was a Protestant, shares his memories of one Christmas in a letter dated Jan. 9, 1992.

Because it was Christmas, the prisoners were allowed to go to a “Protestant-Lutheran Church in Tampa,” he writes.

“Our guards were inside the church too, without guns. After the worship, our guard told us to leave the church through the same door, like we came in, but the vicar told us to go through the door at the side of the church. Our guard was mad, but allowed us to take the other door,” he adds.

The story of the German prisoners of war who lived in Dade City is recorded on this historic marker. (Courtesy of Fivay.org)
The story of the German prisoners of war who lived in Dade City is recorded on this historic marker.
(Courtesy of Fivay.org)

As they came through a small door, he continues, “the people gave us cakes, candy and coffee and it was a wonderful Christmas day and I never can forget such a kind gesture.”

Letters such as this one are the types of items contained in the collection at USF, which resulted from the students’ and Knapp’s research efforts.

The archive also contains photocopies of material gathered by Knapp during her research, including copies of official documents from the National Archives, correspondence with former German prisoners of war, photocopies of Der P.O.W. Zeit-Spiegel (a publication) and other materials.

Knapp worked extensively with Herrmann to archive the information.

Herrmann shared some of his knowledge about the German prisoners during a recent interview.

The men lived in the Dade City camp, but went out to do jobs, Herrmann recalled.

“They went out every day. They rode a bus to go to work in Brooksville,” he said. They dug lime rock at a mine that was used in building construction.

“They worked in the orange groves,” Herrmann added. “They got to be friendly with people. They even worked in people’s yards.”

Additional details of the prisoners’ experiences in Dade City are contained on a historical marker Branch Camp No. 7, placed there in 1995 by the Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee.

The marker explains that the demands of World War II created a shortage of agricultural workers here at home.

To reduce that problem, the United States Army established about 500 prisoner-of-war camps to supply laborers.

Camp Blanding, near Starke, was headquarters for the 22 camps in Florida, with the Dade City camp being designated Branch Camp No. 7, according to the marker.

The Dade City camp began in March 1944 and housed about 250 men, many who had been involved with Rommel’s famed AfrikaKorps.

The camp was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It had a three-tent mess hall, which was also used for church services, classes and movies.

It also had a canteen attached to a small day room; a larger day room with table tennis and a piano; sleeping quarters and latrines, according to the marker.

The prisoners handled a variety of jobs, according to the marker. They worked at the McDonald Mine in Brooksville, where they made limestone bricks for Pasco Packing Building No. 7, and at Cummer Sons Cypress Mill in Lacoochee.

The prisoners’ spiritual needs were attended to by a minister of the Zion Lutheran Church of Tampa and by priests from nearby Saint Leo Abbey.

Knapp developed lasting friendships with the prisoners and even traveled to Germany to visit them.

She was long-time member of the Pasco Historical Society, where she served as president of the society in 2002.

She presented to the society in May of 1995 on her research about the prisoner of war camp and Pasco Packing.

She also participated as a costumed docent, demonstrating, and teaching spinning and weaving skills at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village.

She is survived by two sisters, Margaret Allen and Jane McDavitt; three children, Diana Neff, Roberta Stalvey and Howard Knapp; eleven grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Memorial donations may be made to the Pasco Historical Society or the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village.

More information is available at EastPascoHistoricalSociety.com/pascomurals.html or WarLinks.com/memories/knapp.

Published July 22, 2015

Score one for the girls!

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Team USA Women’s World Cup 5-2 victory over Japan drew an estimated 22.8 million viewers, shattering television ratings records for a soccer game in the United States.

The Wesley Chapel Soccer Club wants to give girls a chance to learn about soccer. In this exercise, the girls are practicing dribbling skills. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
The Wesley Chapel Soccer Club wants to give girls a chance to learn about soccer. In this exercise, the girls are practicing dribbling skills.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

And, in interviews leading up to the game, moms of the soccer players often told commentators that their daughter had been dreaming of playing in a World Cup final since they were little girls.

World Cup has focused more attention on women’s soccer, but the number of boys playing the game still far outnumbers girls’ participation, said Altin Ndrita, of the Wesley Chapel Soccer Club.

Ndrita hopes a free program offered on Saturday mornings this summer can help to begin to change that.

The program is geared toward teaching girls, between the ages of 5 and 7, the fundamentals of the game. The sessions are from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., at Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road.

Seven-year-old Kate Henderson loves soccer. Her mom, Leanne Henderson, does, too. She attended college in Mississippi on a soccer scholarship.
Seven-year-old Kate Henderson loves soccer. Her mom, Leanne Henderson, does, too. She attended college in Mississippi on a soccer scholarship.

Ndrita, a former professional soccer player, leads the sessions.

“We try to make it fun. We try to make it enjoyable for them. And, at the same time, teach them fundamental skills that will make them successful later on,” he said.

“When you don’t know what the game is, you might have a wrong perception, and you think you don’t like it,” he said.

Ndrita teaches the girls skills such as dribbling, passing, changing direction and shooting.

But, he uses a series of age-appropriate games to help the girls learn the fundamentals, while still having fun.

For example, he teaches the girls how to keep the ball moving, while keeping it under close control, in a game he calls Park Ranger.

Ndrita believes in encouraging the girls to take an interest in the sport.

“All of them, at this age — as long as they are athletic, they are promising prospects. We can add the skills that they need. We can complete them,” he said.

Seven-year-old Kayla Leonard is pleased with a kick that knocked over a cone during a game aimed at teaching the girls soccer passing skills.
Seven-year-old Kayla Leonard is pleased with a kick that knocked over a cone during a game aimed at teaching the girls soccer passing skills.

The pace is active, but Ndrita gives the girls frequent water and rest breaks.

There’s no stress involved. Players come to the session if they can.

So far, about 30 different girls have shown up. Some have come back every week. Others haven’t.

The program gets high marks from parents.

Kristen Leonard said her 7-year-old daughter, Kayla, loves the sessions.

“She’s getting to play with girls. That’s really important to us. A lot of the programs around here are coed. We want her to play with girls,” she said.

Leonard said her older daughter, Emily, has played on coed teams, and she has observed that girls can be treated differently by their male counterparts.

“We noticed with her (Emily’s teams), sometimes the boys don’t want to pass to the girls. Or they don’t realize that girls can play. They underestimate their skills.

“That would frustrate her a lot.

“I think from a confidence standpoint, it’s important that they (girls) get to play with girls,” Leonard said.

Nadia Gonzalez is developing a real love for soccer, says her mother, Ginger Gonzalez. Her first introduction to the game came earlier this summer at free Saturday morning sessions offered by the Wesley Chapel Soccer Club.
Nadia Gonzalez is developing a real love for soccer, says her mother, Ginger Gonzalez. Her first introduction to the game came earlier this summer at free Saturday morning sessions offered by the Wesley Chapel Soccer Club.

Emily Leonard, who was there with her mom, said that coaches sometimes underestimate girls, too — choosing to leave them on the bench more often, or to sub them out more frequently than the boys.

Leanne Henderson, of Wesley Chapel, is pleased that her 7-year-old daughter, Kate, is taking advantage of the opportunity.

“I started when I was this age. It just became my life,” said Henderson, who attended college on a soccer scholarship in Mississippi. “It’s a great sport.”

Eight-year-old Nadia Gonzalez and her 6-year-old sister, Neleia, wanted to try out a new sport, so came to the first free session, said their mom, Ginger Gonzalez, of Wesley Chapel.

“We came out, and they absolutely fell in love with it,” she said. They liked it so much, they signed up for a soccer camp, too.

Two dads were also out watching their daughters at the session.

Kevin Sowles said his daughter, Lexi, is learning skills he didn’t learn until he was 14 or 15.

“These are the girls that want to be here. These girls are really focused, and they’re listening, and they’re really engaged,” he said.

Robert Licciardello, whose daughter Olivia, was on the field, agreed.

“They get good training. They get the basics down, first.

“I love it,” Licciardello said.

Ndrita said the whole idea is to give girls a chance to find out what soccer is all about.

He doesn’t care what program they join, but he hopes they’ll keep playing.

“As long as they play soccer, that is our goal. As long as they know the game is beautiful,” he said.

Soccer training for girls
What: Wesley Chapel Soccer Club is offering free soccer lessons on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Why: To give girls a chance to learn about soccer.
Who: The program is for girls, age 5 through age 7
Where: Wesley Chapel District Park, 7727 Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel
How much: Free
For information, visit WesleyChapelSC.com.

Published July 22, 2015

Higher school impact fees coming to Pasco?

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A discussion has begun in Pasco County that could lead to higher impact fees paid by new residential development to address growing demands for school construction.

Increased school impact fees might provide a source of revenue that could help plug the growing gap between the revenue the district receives and its construction needs, according to district officials.

But the idea of an increased school impact fee is a long way from reality.

The swarm of students passing through school corridors at Wiregrass Ranch High School is like a traffic jam. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch HIgh School)
The swarm of students passing through school corridors at Wiregrass Ranch High School is like a traffic jam.
(Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch HIgh School)

Any increase would have to be recommended by the Pasco School Board and adopted by the Pasco County Commission.

The last time the school board sought a school impact fee increase in 2007 it fell flat.

The current rate is $4,356 per single-family unit. A recommendation was made in 2007 to increase the single-family home impact feet to $8,606.

That proposed increase was rejected.

No new rate has been proposed yet, but the district has hired Tischler Bise, to conduct an impact fee update study.

Tischler Bise has done work on these issues for a number of Florida school districts, including DeSoto, Lee, Manatee and Seminole counties. It also did the Pasco school district’s study in 2007.

Carson Bise of Tischler Bise gave school board members an overview of the current situation at a July 7 workshop.

The district’s school construction funding has been declining for a variety of reasons, Bise said.

Property value declines have led to lower revenues, he said. For instance, in 2007-2008, the district received $42.3 million for capital projects, compared to the $32.4 million in 2014-2015, Bise said.

Other sources of state funding have been cut drastically, or eliminated entirely, he added.

The sluggish economy also reduced Penny for Pasco proceeds, Bise said.

The first time the optional penny sales tax passed, the school district’s share yielded $145.1 million.

The second penny, which took effect in 2015, is expected to generate about $226 million. But, that money cannot be spent on new school construction. It can only be spent on maintenance and new technology.

School impact fees, which are collected only from new residential development, can be spent to purchase land, to buy buses, furniture and portables, to construct facilities or for debt service.

As of the end of 2014, the district has collected $120 million in school impact fees.

Since 2002, however, the district has built 22 new schools at a cost of $301 million, Bise said.

Oakstead Elementary, Dr. John Long Middle, Double Branch Elementary, Charles S. Rushe Middle, Wiregrass Ranch High, Sunlake High, New River Elementary, Veterans Elementary, Watergrass Elementary and Connerton Elementary schools are the new schools that have opened in The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area since 2002.

Elementary School W in Wiregrass Ranch is slated to open in 2016, and Elementary B in Bexley Ranch South and High School GGG on Old Pasco Road are scheduled to open in 2017.

Bise told officials that impact fee revenue must earmark money for specific capital projects, which encourages disciplined capital improvement planning.

He also noted that the revenues help to ensure adequate public facilities, which is a plus for homebuilders who are seeking to attract buyers to a particular market.

“In our experience, the smart developers like impact fees because it (the fee) guarantees that they’re going to be in business,” Bise said. “They get the fact that having a great school system, or a great road network or a great park system makes the community attractive and makes their product marketable, and also helps from an economic development perspective, as well.”

It’s not difficult to see that more schools will be needed, as growth ramps up in Pasco County.

During a discussion of the district’s construction plan, immediately prior to the impact fee workshop, school board member Alison Crumbley voiced concerns about providing schools for children who will be living in the new subdivisions that are on the drawing boards, or sprouting up in the county’s State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor.

Superintendent Kurt Browning echoed those sentiments.

Even without that new construction, the district is feeling the squeeze.

This fall, Wiregrass Ranch High School is expected to have around 2,500 students. It is going to a 10-period day to help manage the number of students on its campus. The entire student body will be there just three periods of the day, with the impacts lessened because roughly 500 of those students will be eating lunch during any particular time.

Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd told school board members that district already is making efforts to ensure that the building community is part of the impact fee discussion.

Bise also reminded school board members that even their support would not be enough.

“Although you are your own taxing entity, you don’t control your destiny in terms of impact fees. The Board of County Commissioners sets that rate for you,” he said.

He also noted that Florida is the only state where his firm does impact fee studies where that’s the case.

Published July 22, 2015

Pasco gushes with ideas for spending BP oil money

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Pasco County is set to receive $7.4 million as its share of an $18.7 billion federal and multi-state settlement with BP Oil for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The payout could be a partial answer to the budget woes facing Pasco County commissioners. They have a $1.3 billion proposed budget for 2016, but not enough money to fund all of the county’s needs.

There were plenty of ideas on how to spend the windfall during the commission’s July 14 meeting in Dade City.

Commissioners met in a closed-door session before approving the proposed settlement.

A portion of the settlement, which should arrive within three months, would go for attorneys’ fees.

Commissioners wasted no time in tossing out ideas on how to spend the money.

“Let me give you my ideas,” said Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

Her suggestions include providing about $3 million to the sheriff’s department and $1 million to parks and recreation. She also wants to spend money on water and sewer projects.

Those ideas came after commissioners spent a long day reviewing next year’s budget, which is set for final approval in September.

During their budget discussion, they heard pleas from Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco for a $6.5 million budget increase primarily to cover pay hikes to his deputies. As it stands now, the budget calls for covering only $2.7 million of Nocco’s request.

Nocco has repeatedly said the funds are critical in making Pasco competitive in salary and benefits with other counties.

Commissioner Mike Wells suggested the BP money could be used to give all county employees a pay raise.

“If it’s 5 percent, that’s great,” he said.

BP recently agreed to what is the largest environmental payout in U.S. history for penalties and natural resource damages. Nearly five years ago, an explosion on the offshore oilrig – Deepwater Horizon – killed 11 people and spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf for months.

Florida will receive more than $3.2 billion as one of five Gulf States that sued BP. Louisiana received the largest amount at $6.8 billion. Other states were Mississippi, Alabama and Texas.

Florida still has pending lawsuits against Haliburton and Transocean.

Pasco is one of about 400 local governments that are included in the settlement agreement.

The city of Tampa agreed to accept $27.4 million in damages. Hillsborough County will receive about $28.5 million, and Pinellas about $9.5 million.

Chairman Ted Schrader suggested the money go into the county’s reserves, at least for a while.

“It’s one-time money,” he said. “I don’t think we should be spending it hastily.”

As commissioners ran down their wish lists, Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker drew a laugh when she said, “We don’t have it yet.”

Published July 22, 2015

Charter committee faces crucial vote

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A panel that was appointed to examine whether Pasco County needs a new structure could be headed toward a conclusion, if panel members decide to reject a charter-style government.

On the other hand, a favorable decision would mean the panel has more work to do to craft the details of how that charter government would operate.

A vote is tentatively set for Aug. 10, on the same day the county’s legislative delegation is expected to weigh in on the topic.

Ted Schrader said he doesn’t think Pasco County needs to adopt term limits for commissioners. ‘We have term limits. It’s called elections.’ (File Photo)
Ted Schrader said he doesn’t think Pasco County needs to adopt term limits for commissioners. ‘We have term limits. It’s called elections.’
(File Photo)

The charter process began two months ago in response to a request in January from State Rep. Richard Corcoran, who supports adoption of a charter.

“It’s a pretty important topic you all are jumping into,” Pasco County Chairman Ted Schrader said, at the panel’s July 13 meeting in New Port Richey.

Schrader, and Pasco County commissioners Kathryn Starkey and Michael Moore, were invited to the charter panel’s meeting to discuss issues related to the Pasco County Commission’s duties and functions.

But panel members largely zoned in on term limits, single-member districts, and whether to have an elected administrator or mayor.

Pasco County currently is governed under home rule with five districts, each with a representative elected by countywide vote.

Moore and Starkey supported term limits ranging from 12 years to 16 years.

Starkey said commissioners need that much time to develop institutional knowledge and a thorough understanding of how government functions.

But she said, “I don’t think anyone should be in office for 50 years.”

Schrader took a different view.

“We have term limits. It’s called elections,” he said.

Commissioners generally agreed that despite Pasco’s growth spurt, there aren’t enough residents to justify a shift from countywide voting to single-member districts.

That might change in five to 10 years, but for now Starkey said,

“I feel more powerful as a voter, voting for all five.”

Weighing the pros and cons, Schrader said the advantage would be in creating the potential for a minority candidate to be elected.

“But other than that, I don’t see any real benefit from single-member districts,” he said.

Moore said the idea is worth a look.

“I don’t have a problem with single-member districts,” he said. “I think a minority district is worth investigating,” he added.

However, increasing from five to seven commissioners wouldn’t make sense now based on Pasco’s population. “We’re not there yet,” he said.

On electing an administrator, Starkey is no fan.

“It shouldn’t be a political job,” she said.

Schrader also is adamantly opposed to what he described as a “hot button issue.”

He said making it elective would invite outside financing from people “who never set foot in Pasco.”

Moore was less committal. “There’s many ways to look at this,” he said.

Commissioners appointed the 15-member charter panel in May. Members can choose to adopt a charter or not.

In contrast, state law requires that a charter commission, once formed, must produce a charter. Pasco County commissioners would not be able to amend the charter document, and voters have the final say on adoption.

Corcoran favored the commission rather than the nonbinding panel. An activist group, the Pasco County Citizens Charter Coalition, is partnering with the lawmaker in a petition campaign to secure a required 45,000 signatures needed to establish such a commission.

“I think they’ve put a great weight on you, and it’s going to take some courage,” said Dan Callaghan of the charter coalition group. He spoke to the panel during public comment.

Pasco County commissioners initially said they created a panel to have more control over the outcome. But, they also have said that they will accept whatever choice the panel makes. If a charter were chosen, then the matter would be on the ballot in November 2016.

“We’re not making any changes. We all agreed to it,” Moore said. “Whatever comes to us, we’ll abide by it.”

Published July 22, 2015

Pasco’s budget approaches $1.3 billion

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Pasco County’s budget for fiscal year 2016 will be about $1.3 billion. But that outsized number won’t stretch far enough to meet all the county’s needs, including a pay hike requested by Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.

Pasco County commissioners were scheduled to set a tentative millage rate, on July 21 — after our deadline for going to press.

However, the budget is still open for discussion and won’t be approved until September.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco might not get the money he requested for pay hikes. (File Photo)
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco might not get the money he requested for pay hikes. (File Photo)

As it stands now, Nocco will get about $2.7 million of the $6.5 million increase he requested. His overall request of $104 million was about 6.7 percent higher than the budget approved by Pasco County commissioners last year.

The additional funds were meant to cover pay raises and benefits, as well as ongoing expenses for body cameras and helicopter maintenance.

According to Nocco, County Administrator Michele Baker’s proposed budget only provides enough money to give his employees a 1 percent pay boost.

But Baker said the budget proposal provides a 3 percent pay raise for all county employees, without raising the millage rate.

Nocco’s supporters are clearly not satisfied with the county administrator’s proposed budget.

On July 14, employees from the sheriff’s office and fire rescue packed the Dade City Courthouse meeting room as the commissioners received their first public briefing on the budget.

“We’re out here fighting for the sheriff’s budget,” said Sgt. Justin Ross, the department’s union representative.

According to data collected by the sheriff’s department, the starting pay for a Pasco County deputy is just under $40,000. With five years’ experience, pay rises to more than $42,000.

However, the average starting pay in surrounding counties is nearly $43,000. At the Tampa Police Department, a deputy would start at about $47,000. With five years’ experience, pay increases by nearly $10,000.

“You have a bunch of deputies out there unhappy,” said Ross. “They are looking to go elsewhere. Really, we need to start now. It’s imperative.”

Nocco told the commission members he expects to lose up to 60 deputies by the end of the year. That’s an increase over the 44 deputies who left last year.

To meet all of Nocco’s needs, the millage rate would have to be increased about a quarter percent over its current rate of 8.9, according to Assistant County Administrator Heather Grimes.

That equates to a tax bill increase of about $28.50 a year for a homeowner with a $150,000 house.

The total $1.3 billion budget is about $90 million more than the current budget. But, the operating budget of about $450 million is a decrease of just under 1 percent.

The county has had modest growth of about 4.5 percent. Property valuations rose by about $1 billion, translating to an additional $7.7 million in county coffers. But much of that is from new construction.

Existing homes are protected by the state’s Save Our Homes provision that pegs increases to the Consumer Price Index, which is less than 1 percent. The index periodically measures the prices for goods and services paid by households.

“Revenue is not going to recover at the same rate as property valuations,” said Baker.

The county could run out of its general fund reserves – currently about $8.5 million – within three years based on increasing expenses year to year. And, operating reserves of about $24 million would only cover about six weeks of expenses during a natural disaster such as a hurricane.

Baker said the county’s budget is focused on more efficiencies and eliminating waste.

“Money may not be there for a lot of things that we want to do,” she said.

Among highlights in the budget are $1.4 million for a one-time purchase of security cameras at the jail, and maintenance for the helicopter unit. Funds also are allocated for two pilot programs for an inmate work program and a unit that goes after unlicensed contractors.

An annual storm water fee to upgrade failing drainage systems will increase from $47 to $57.

The county will cover the costs of eliminating a $10 recreation fee for each child who plays in noncompetitive sports leagues.

Unless a tax hike is approved, vehicles for three fire stations and construction of a station on Overpass Road in the Watergrass subdivision in Wesley Chapel will remain unfunded. Money is available for those one-time expenditures, Baker said, but there are no funds for recurring personnel costs.

That didn’t sit well with Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “I’m a little unhappy,” she said. “Who made the decision?”

Baker took responsibility. “We just couldn’t get it done without making cuts somewhere else,” she said. “It was too big a nut to be funded.”

Published July 22, 2015

Natural Market keeps it fresh and in the family

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A thriving business in Carrollwood prompted the Kim family to open Natural Market II in Land O’ Lakes.

Now nearing its first anniversary, the store is settling into its new community and giving customers another choice for locally grown fruits and vegetables.

The store also stocks an eclectic mix of Asian, Latin and American grocery staples.

Jeff Kim, right, and his son, Yong Son, sell organic and fresh fruits and vegetables at Natural Market II. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Jeff Kim, right, and his son, Yong Son, sell organic and fresh fruits and vegetables at Natural Market II.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

A recurring plea from Carrollwood customers who had moved to Pasco County prompted Jeff Kim to search for a second location for Natural Market.

That, and the chance for a new beginning in a high-growth area like Pasco.

“They’ve been asking us to open,” said Kim. “Finally, it’s time.”

On a drive down Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, Kim spotted a vacant gas station at 4204 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., at the Bell Lake Road intersection.

It was not in the best of shape, he recalled. “Everything had to be cleaned out.”

From the start, the grocery business has been a family affair.

Kim and his family came to Tampa from Korea nearly 30 years ago when he was a teenager.

The family opened its Carrollwood market, at 4441 Gunn Highway, about 18 years ago.

Natural Market’s green roof helps draw attention to the shop, which sells fresh food, produce and flowers. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Natural Market’s green roof helps draw attention to the shop, which sells fresh food, produce and flowers.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Kim divides his time between Carrollwood and Land O’ Lakes. His son, Yong Son, is manager of the Land O’ Lakes store.

Customers say they appreciate the family friendly atmosphere.

“We love that it’s local and a lot of the veggies come from local farmers,” said Diane Polson, who stopped by recently to pick up fresh tomatoes. “That’s my No. 1 biggie.”

She also likes the purified water system that Kim has recently installed. “It’s another bonus,” she said.

The bins at Natural Market are filled with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Some are familiar such as cantaloupe, tomatoes and apples. But it is a place to find the unfamiliar as well, including dragon fruit, sapota fruit, rambutan and longan.

Freshness and uniqueness is what Natural Market strives for. Raw honey, bee pollen, herbs, fresh-squeezed juices and farm-fresh eggs are a small part of the foods stocked on shelves and in refrigerators.

Kim also points with pride at the freshly cut flowers and flower arrangements.

Shopping for the market is always a pleasure, he said.

“It’s from experience. You go to the market every day. You see all the unique produce. It is something that connects with me,” he said.

Published July 15, 2015

Tennis app serves up statistics

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Lutz resident John Straumann was playing tennis several months ago and was trying to keep statistics on how his shots were going during a match.

It wasn’t going well.

John Straumann's work center in his Lutz home is more like a command station, with desktop computers, laptops and smartphones working together on his projects. It's where he developed the ScoreIt! sports apps for the Apple iWatch in his spare time. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
John Straumann’s work center in his Lutz home is more like a command station, with desktop computers, laptops and smartphones working together on his projects. It’s where he developed the ScoreIt! sports apps for the Apple Watch in his spare time.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“One of the biggest things was trying to track unforced errors versus winners, and I was trying to do it in my head. It was impossible,” said Straumann, who was then living in Washington. “I started thinking, well, this new Apple Watch is coming out. I wonder if I could do something so I could track the stuff myself.”

Like many people, Straumann thought he had come up with a pretty good idea for a mobile device application. But unlike the vast majority of those people, he actually designed the app, tested it and brought it to market.

ScoreIt! Tennis is now available in Apple’s iTunes App Store.

Straumann graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in computer science and engineering, and works in software sales, so it might sound like designing an app would be easy for Straumann.

After all, he’d been doing it for years.

There was just one problem: All his experience was with the Microsoft Windows platform. Apple’s operating system is different, and he didn’t own an Apple computer or an iPhone. He didn’t even own the watch that was supposed to be the platform for his new app.

So, he invested about $5,000 in the current technology and taught himself the ins and outs of Apple hardware and software.

He spent a couple of hours in the evenings after work and got up early on Saturday mornings to write and test the app before his family woke up.

The app is designed to be utilized on the court during a game. Straumann said it should only take about a second to input the necessary data.
The app is designed to be utilized on the court during a game. Straumann said it should only take about a second to input the necessary data.

During the same time frame, the family also was moving from Washington to Lutz.

It may sound like a lot of sacrifice and effort but, for Straumann, it was a form of challenging fun.

“It was almost more interesting to me because it was new. It was learning something new, taking on a new project, a new technology,” he said.

In less than two months, he had an app ready to go.

Wearing an Apple Watch, a tennis player can record his or her statistics during a match. With a couple of swipes after each point, players can record what type of shots they hit and how they fared. If there’s an unforced error, the player can log it was a forehand, backhand or serve return, for example. For winners, slices, drop shots, lobs and other types of shots can be recorded instantly and analyzed later.

Designing an app is one thing, but making it useful is another. And Straumann wanted to make sure it would work as well on the court as it did on his computer.

“The biggest things were ease of input and connectivity,” he said.

Because the watch has to be in constant communication with a companion iPhone for the app to work, he had to make sure the connection would be strong from various distances on a tennis court. And he didn’t want recording each shot to interfere with the natural flow of a game. Once a player learns how to use the app, recording statistics should take about a second, he said.

Once he had a useful app, he obtained a developer program membership and sent it to Apple for their testing and review. If they approve it, it’s ready to go. But if there’s a problem, Straumann said they don’t offer much insight into what’s wrong.

He had to wait a couple of weeks to get the verdict.

Apple responded with the green light. So it was ready for market, right?

Not quite. It turns out that Straumann was a harsher critic than Apple itself.

“I wasn’t happy with what I had done, so I rejected it myself and then submitted it again,” he said. After a couple more tweaks, and a little more back and forth, both sides were happy, and he felt good about what he had produced.

The app has only been out for a matter of weeks, but Straumann is happy with the response he’s seen so far. At $1.99 (with no ads), Apple gets about 25 percent of the tennis app revenue, allowing Straumann to see a little monetary compensation for his efforts as well.

And the ScoreIt! app family has already grown. A golf app for the Apple Watch is designed to help players keep score on their watches and input data based on the particular course they’re playing. An update to the tennis app also lets players use it to keep score if they’d prefer to do that instead. Another feature allows a parent or coach to track tennis stats via a non-watch device while the player is on the court.

The new app business is a family affair for the Straumanns. The website introduces daughters Alex (marketing and social media) and Avery (gameplay consultant), as well as wife Patti (graphics) as important team partners.

And while he considers designing apps for Apple devices to be a fun project (he’s now a fan of their products), Straumann said the tennis app has real-world uses for people looking to improve their game.

By analyzing the statistics, trends will develop that show what areas are strengths for a player and what areas need more work in practice, he said.

“I think if they really use it, they can look at things they can improve,” he said.

For more information, visit ScoreIt-app.com, or look up ScoreIt! Tennis in Apple’s App Store.

Published July 15, 2015

Land O’ Lakes’ honorary mayor begins his term

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Tariq Zidan ponied up more than $1,000 and was named the honorary Mayor of Land O’ Lakes.

He didn’t win the title through a shady deal in a smoke-filled room or making bribes to fix an election.

Zidan won the honorary title fair and square.

Tariq Zidan is given the mayor's sash by outgoing mayor Terri Dusek at the Central Pasco Chamber's awards and installation banquet on June 26. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
Tariq Zidan is given the mayor’s sash by outgoing mayor Terri Dusek at the Central Pasco Chamber’s awards and installation banquet on June 26.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

He raised the most money during the campaign which ran from early March until late June. The funds go to the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, and the mayor’s sash went to Zidan.

“It feels fantastic,” said Zidan. “This was my first shot at fundraising, so I’m not a heavy-hitter. But I’m very satisfied with my first efforts on my way to becoming a heavy-hitter with fundraising.”

Zidan succeeded in his first fundraising effort by putting together a trio of successful events at area venues: A Bunco game night at Copperstone Executive Suites, a trivia night at Stage Left and a karaoke night at City Grill. Together, they raised the amount that earned him the win. He credits April Saland and Elisabeth Butterfield with making the Bunco and karaoke events successful.

Zidan, who runs Zidan Marketing & Media, an online marketing and web design company, was honored with the title at the chamber’s awards and installation banquet on June 26. It was also a celebration of the organization’s 40th anniversary, and included the installation ceremony for the chamber’s new officers.

As the new mayor, Zidan can look forward to ceremonial events such as ribbon cuttings and other appearances.

Zidan also gets to direct some of the money he raised to the charity of his choice. He chose the Bubba The Love Sponge Foundation, which was founded by the popular radio personality. The charity assists the surviving family members of fallen officers and first responders.

For Zidan, it’s a chance to help families who have lost loved ones serving the community.

“It’s what makes our country great,” he said. “We’ve got to pay it forward to the people who make it all possible.”

Zidan joined the Central Pasco Chamber last October. The Lutz resident has been a member for just a small part of the chamber’s 40 years, but said it’s already done a lot for him.

“It has presented the opportunities to create some great relationships and foster those relationships on a business and personal level,” he said.

One of those relationships is the reason he’s the mayor today. The now former mayor, Terri Dusek, convinced Zidan that he’d be a good replacement for her when her term ended. Now that he’s the mayor, Zidan said he’ll be active in finding more people to run for the office.

Each mayor is different, and Zidan wasted no time in putting his own stamp on the office. He’s already updated the traditional sash by adding a large clock to it. It’s a tribute to rapper Flavor Flav, who is known for wearing clocks at appearances and concerts. Zidan believes the accessory gives the sash a needed bit of flash.

“I figured I’d give it an untraditional spark. Bling it out a little bit,” he said.

While the mayor title doesn’t come with any real responsibilities or tangible duties, Zidan said the benefit of having the race is very real for the chamber and its goals.

“It creates attention and gets people interested, which is always a good thing,” Zidan said. “I think that chambers that don’t do it are missing out on an opportunity for an organic degree of exposure that they can only benefit from, and the Central Pasco Chamber has done that,” Zidan said.

Published July 15, 2015

Centennial Bank will acquire Bay Cities Bank

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Home BancShares Inc., the parent company of Centennial Bank, and Florida Business BancGroup Inc., parent company of Bay Cities Bank, are merging.

Home BancShares will acquire FBBI for $101.6 million, an amount that is the second largest paid for a Florida bank since 2007. The bank in the past three years has also bought Heritage Bank of Florida in Lutz, and Florida Traditions Bank in Dade City.

A closing date on the purchase will be in October.

It is not yet clear whether any Bay Cities Bank locations will close as a result a merger between Home BancShares Inc., the parent company of Centennial Bank, and Florida Business BancGroup Inc, the parent company of Bay Cities Bank. This Bay Cities Bank is located in Lutz. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
It is not yet clear whether any Bay Cities Bank locations will close as a result a merger between Home BancShares Inc., the parent company of Centennial Bank, and Florida Business BancGroup Inc, the parent company of Bay Cities Bank. This Bay Cities Bank is located in Lutz.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“I think it is a good thing for our shareholders,” said Gregory Bryant, Bay Cities’ president and chief executive officer.

Customers also should benefit from more services and products that can be offered by the resulting larger company.

After the acquisition, Home BancShares will have about $8.5 billion in total assets. Headquartered in Arkansas, the banking corporation has locations there and in Florida, Alabama and New York City.

“We look forward to adding Bay Cities’ experienced bankers to our team and to serving the customers of Bay Cities by providing the same friendly, local service they have grown accustomed to, while also providing increased resources through the combined franchise,” Centennial Chief Executive Officer Tracy French, said in a news release.

The Tampa-based Bay Cities brings more than $540 million in total assets, $391 million in loans and $461 million in deposits into the deal, the release states.

“We built a franchise in a good market,” Bryant said. “I think the price reflects that.”

The bank currently has six branch locations in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and in Sarasota. There also is a loan company in Clearwater.

Details on the transition are being worked out, and it is not clear yet if any locations will close, Bryant said.

The merger is part of a trend that has emerged since the financial crisis of more than five years ago, he said.

One reason is that low interest rates are affecting banks’ operating margins. But another issue is the increase in banking regulations in response to the crisis. Smaller banks, in particular, are burdened with absorbing regulatory costs, Bryant said.

“I think there is some pressure on the banking sector that would suggest consolidation is going to continue,” he said.

Published July 15, 2015