The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Task forces looking for traffic solutions for State Road 54/56

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A private development plan to build an elevated toll road along the State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor fell apart more than a year ago. But, the experience left lingering ill feelings because of a lack of public input on the project.

County officials now plan to start discussions again on how to deal with a major traffic headache on a corridor with exploding growth from rooftops to shops, especially from Land O’ Lakes to Wesley Chapel. More growth is anticipated from Wesley Chapel to Zephyrhills.

At the same time the county wants to give residents a role in the decision-making.

Motorists navigate the intersection where Wesley Chapel Boulevard meets the State Road 54 and State Road 56 junction. In the background, Tampa Premium Outlets is under construction, nearing the Oct. 29 opening day. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Motorists navigate the intersection where Wesley Chapel Boulevard meets the State Road 54 and State Road 56 junction. In the background, Tampa Premium Outlets is under construction, nearing the Oct. 29 opening day.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

“There was no public engagement, no strong grassroots support,” said James Edwards, the transportation manager for Pasco’s Metropolitan Planning Organization. “We’re going to change that in this particular study.”

Two task forces will discuss options, with each presenting five to six recommendations to the Pasco County Commission.

One group will focus on State Road 54 from U.S. 19, in west Pasco, to U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes. Another will look at State Road 54/State Road 56, from U.S. 41 to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, east of Interstate 75.

In the future, a separate study will consider State Road 56 from Bruce B. Downs to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

Committee members are from the MPO’s Citizens Advisory Committee, local chambers of commerce, community leaders, developers or their representatives, and residents from west and east Pasco.

Their work is scheduled for completion within eight months to nine months.

The kickoff meetings, open to the public, will be on Sept. 24 (East Task Force) and on Sept. 29 (West Task Force) at 5:45 p.m., at Rasmussen College at the Land O’ Lakes campus at 18600 Fernview Street.

Two years ago International Infrastructure Partners LLC proposed building a 33-mile elevated toll road from U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills to U.S. 19 in New Port Richey at an estimated cost to the company of $2.2 billion.

The deal collapsed when company representatives later requested public assistance to build the toll road.

Pasco County commissioners recently approved about $144,000 for consulting services for the task forces from Tampa-based, Tindale Oliver. The funds are from grants to the MPO.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore queried Edwards on the role Tindale Oliver would play.

Edwards said consultants and county staff members are there in supporting, not leadership, roles.

“We want the committees to really drive this process,” he said. “We’re there to provide education and some direction.” Representatives of the Florida Department of Transportation are doing their own study and also monitoring the county’s efforts.

“They’re interested in having some documents to come out of this, giving them some guidance,” Edwards said.

Whatever plan emerges will be done in phases over several years, he added. “Most (work) will be done with federal monies.”

Published August 19, 2015

Did President Calvin Coolidge have lunch in Dade City?

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That’s a local legend, but the facts dispute that claim

Not a single historic marker — among more than 50 posted across Pasco County — refers to it, but there’s a longstanding legend that President Calvin Coolidge had lunch at the Gray Moss Inn in Dade City, during his visit to Florida to dedicate Bok Tower Gardens in Polk County.

Numerous sources document Dade City’s 126-year history.

Edward Bok and his wife, Mary Louise, are shown here with President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, on Feb. 1, 1929, the day that Coolidge spoke at the dedication ceremony at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. (Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)
Edward Bok and his wife, Mary Louise, are shown here with President Calvin Coolidge and his wife, Grace, on Feb. 1, 1929, the day that Coolidge spoke at the dedication ceremony at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales.
(Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)

Those accounts detail the world’s largest citrus processing plant (formerly Lykes Pasco Packing); Bill Larkin’s patented cattle underpass; and namesake Major Francis Langhorne Dade, who died on Dec. 28, 1835, when he and 100 of his men were ambushed, resulting in the first battle of the Second Seminole War.

But there is no record to substantiate Coolidge’s reputed visit to Dade City.

Here are facts that can be documented about Coolidge’s visit to Central Florida.

On Feb. 1, 1929, some 60 miles from Dade City, Coolidge dedicated Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida.

According to published reports, he had spent the previous evening at a private dinner party hosted by the Godfrey family, close relatives to First Lady Grace Anna Coolidge. The President departed on the morning of the dedication from 335 Ponce de Leon Place in Orlando.

Legend has it that President Calvin Coolidge ate lunch at the Gray Moss Inn in Dade City, but no documentation can be found to verify that claim (Courtesy of Helen Eck Sparkman Collection)
Legend has it that President Calvin Coolidge ate lunch at the Gray Moss Inn in Dade City, but no documentation can be found to verify that claim
(Courtesy of Helen Eck Sparkman Collection)

Known in the press as “Silent Cal,” a Commander-in-Chief of few words, the President told reporters: “(Bok) is dedicating it as a bird sanctuary and putting up these bells to interest the birds in music.”

Large crowds stopped the Presidential Train in Sanford to present gifts of citrus, and in Winter Park to present floral arrangements, according to published accounts.

Approximately 75,000 people came out to hear Coolidge dedicate Bok Tower Gardens, a gift to the American people from Edward Bok, the editor of the Ladies’ Home Journal and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his autobiography.

The evening of the dedication, Florida Gov. Doyle E. Carlton attended a dinner in honor of the President and First Lady at Bok’s home.

Hours later, Coolidge and his wife headed back overnight to Washington on an Atlantic Coast Railway special.

Despite exhaustive research, it appears there are no records to prove that Coolidge ever set foot in Dade City.

Mittie Roberts Sumner with family members seated on the family porch, around 1908. (Courtesy of Susan Sumner Shelton)
Mittie Roberts Sumner with family members seated on the family porch, around 1908.
(Courtesy of Susan Sumner Shelton)

Julie Bartlett Nelson is the archivist for a collection of Coolidge documents and memorabilia, kept at Forbes Library in Northampton, Massachusetts. She was unable to find any travel logs or newspaper clippings about Dade City or the Gray Moss Inn in her archives.

Eve Bacon, who is now deceased, was a Central Florida historian who owned and edited her own newspaper during the 1950s in Orange County.

She published extensive documentation of Coolidge’s visit, tracking him from the Godfrey home in Orlando, to his departure from Bok’s home for a return trip to the nation’s capital.

That account is included in Bacon’s two-volume book, “Orlando, A Centennial History.” She describes everything from frontier gun battles to Cracker underworld kings to gators and buffaloes on Orange Avenue. But, there’s no mention of Coolidge visiting Dade City.

There are references to Coolidge’s visit in a book compiled for the Pasco County Historical Preservation Committee in 1992, and also a reference by Madonna Wise that was published in 2014.

Yet local newspaper accounts — in the Tampa Morning Tribune and the Dade City Banner — that were published during the period of Coolidge’s trip to Bok Tower do not mention the President making a detour to Dade City.

There also were unconfirmed “tips” that proved interesting.

This photograph is believed to be from the dedication day of Bok Tower Gardens on Feb. 1, 1929. (Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)
This photograph is believed to be from the dedication day of Bok Tower Gardens on Feb. 1, 1929.
(Courtesy of Bok Tower Gardens)

One was that the old guest registry of the Gray Moss Inn, purportedly signed by Coolidge, wound up in the hands of Dr. R. D. Sistrunk, who lived next door.

Another was that Coolidge had befriended the Dudley family and secretly made a trip to visit with them as the owners of the Gray Moss Inn.

But those could not be verified.

Interestingly enough, though, there was another link between Dade City and Edward Bok.

LeHeup Hill, south of Dade City, was one of the early sites considered by Bok along Fort King Road. At 240 feet above sea level, the hill named for the family that moved there in 1911, was among the leading candidates.

But negotiations with Bok broke down.

Fred T. Himmelwright proceeded with plans for an observation tower at LeHeup Hill. He spent nearly $8,000 in 1926 to erect his structure, which he opened as a public attraction.

Tourists enjoyed “a comfortable room, all glassed in, for cool or stormy weather,” the Dade City Banner reported. The room was “fitted up with chairs so that visitors may enjoy rest and the glorious scenery at the same time,” according to the newspaper.

And, tourists could purchase orange juice at “5 cents a glass,” the newspaper says.

While the rumor of a Coolidge visit persists, Gordon and Phyllis Gill, who have been managers of the Gray Moss Inn since the 1990s, have found no record of “Silent Cal” visiting there.

Before he died in 1933, Coolidge did return to Florida to spend a month at the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora.

As it turns out, George W. Bush is the only confirmed President who visited Pasco County during his presidency.

Bush was running for re-election and made a campaign stop in New Port Richey in October 2004. “W” shared the stage at Sims Park with his younger brother, then Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

By Doug Sanders

Local Sources
June Booth Farmer, now 83, was a little girl when her father worked as a citrus grove planter for Fred T. Himmelwright. She still has memories of Edward Bok ending his negotiations for LeHeup Hill.

  • Jeff Miller has maintained a website for the history of Pasco County at Fivay.org since 2001. He has scanned more than 1,500 articles from the Dade City Banner.
  • Susan Sumner Shelton is one of many descendants of the Sumner family. She is currently a board member of the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village in Dade City.

Coolidge facts
President Calvin “Silent Cal” Coolidge was the first sitting president to:

  • Fly in an airplane
  • Visit Cuba
  • Give a speech broadcast over the radio

 

Gray Moss Inn
The Gray Moss Inn, built in 1905, was initially a five-room cottage for Jefferson Davis “J.D.” Sumner and his family of nine children. One of that family’s descendants was Robert D. Sumner, a former county attorney. The structure, which is located in what is now the historic Church Street District in Dade City, still has its original stucco version of the Mediterranean Revival Style.

 

Bok Tower Gardens facts
Located in Lake Wales, Bok Tower Gardens is deemed one of America’s finest gardens. Its 205-foot Singing Tower, the architectural centerpiece of the gardens, offers daily carillon music concerts. Visitors can meander through spacious grounds of oaks, palms, azaleas, irises and camellias. The gardens and carillon tower are situated on Iron Mountain, which is one of the highest points in Florida at an estimated 295 feet above sea level.

Doug Sanders has a penchant for unearthing interesting stories about local history. His sleuthing skills have been developed through his experiences in newspaper and government work. If you have an idea for a future history column, contact Doug at .

 

Published August 19, 2015

 

New Catholic school opens in Lutz

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Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School had its first day of classes in its new home on Aug. 17.

The school is operating in a new structure on the campus of St. Timothy Catholic Church, at 17524 Lakeshore Road in Lutz.

Most Holy Redeemer, which was founded in 1954, took on its new name last year, but didn’t move to its new campus until this academic year.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School had its first day of classes in its new home on the campus of Saint Timothy Catholic Church on Aug. 17. This photo was taken just days before classes began. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School had its first day of classes in its new home on the campus of Saint Timothy Catholic Church on Aug. 17. This photo was taken just days before classes began.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The school, for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, has an enrollment of 355 students, said Principal Johnnathan Combs.

That’s up from the enrollment at the Most Holy Redeemer campus last year, which finished out last school year with 239 students.

All but two of those students are attending classes on the new campus. The two that aren’t moved away to Orlando, Combs said.

The students are coming to the school from St. Timothy, St. Paul, Our Lady of the Rosary, St. Mary and Most Holy Redeemer parishes, he said.

Four classrooms at the school are still under construction, Combs said. But when they are finished, the school will have a capacity for 600 students.

Construction costs for the school are around $8 million, said Dr. Michael Tkacik, secretary for ministries for the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

The school will be celebrating a mass and a dedication ceremony on Sept. 10 at 2 p.m., he said.

Tkacik said enrollment in the Diocese’s Catholic schools has been holding steady for the past couple of years.

As he looks to the future, Tkacik said he is “guardedly optimistic.”

He points to projects such as Tampa Premium Outlets and other construction activity as a sign that the economy — stalled for several years — is showing new signs of life.

The school on Saint Timothy’s campus is inspired by Mother Teresa of Calcutta and is rooted in the Catholic faith, according to its website. Its mission is “to develop young people who strive for academic excellence, recognize the dignity of each individual and foster service to others,” the website says.

Its fundamental reason for existence is to help children learn about Jesus and to develop their Catholic faith, Combs said. Of course, he added, academics are important.

The Pope John Paul II Youth Center, also on St. Timothy’s campus, has already opened.

The facility will be used by the school during the school day and also will be used for athletics.

Published August 19, 2015

Eatery trio in the serving line at Tampa Premium Outlets’ food court

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A trio of food court restaurants at the Tampa Premium Outlets is slated for completion by Oct. 5, about three weeks before the mall’s opening day.

Green Leafs, Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt, and South Philly Steaks & Fries are a package deal for Eclipse Building Corp. The South Florida-based company, with additional locations in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, is a frequent contractor at malls built by Simon Property Group, the developers behind the outlet mall at State Road 56 and the Interstate 75 interchange.

Eclipse Building Corp. is in charge of construction of 40 percent of the food court at Tampa Premium Outlets including Green Leafs and Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt. (Courtesy of Eclipse Corp.)
Eclipse Building Corp. is in charge of construction of 40 percent of the food court at Tampa Premium Outlets including Green Leafs and Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt.
(Courtesy of Eclipse Corp.)

The mall will have 110 outlet stores including Michael Kors, Gymboree, J. Crew, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and PacSun.

Franchisee Raitom LLC hired Eclipse to build the three gourmet eateries in the mall’s food court, which represent about 40 percent of the mall’s food court.

The grouping of these particular eateries is a first for Raitom, which hopes to market them similarly at other malls.

“They all kind of complement each other,” said Todd Whalen, founder and president of Eclipse.

Green Leafs specializes in fast food, healthy dining with fresh made-to-order and signature salads, wraps, grilled paninis and homemade soups. Bananas Smoothies creates fruit smoothies and nonfat yogurt treats. South Philly serves a heartier menu with classic cheese steaks, salads, loaded potatoes and potato skins.

Eclipse is bidding on contracts for retail vendors at the outlet mall as well as an Asian-themed food court eatery, also part of Raitom’s franchises. With that contract, Eclipse would be responsible for 65 percent of the food court.

Other Eclipse clients include For Eyes, J. McLaughlin, Build-A-Bear, Fresh Healthy Café and Perfumania.

Whalen said his company takes a unique approach in its bidding by offering a two-year warranty including maintenance services. The industry standard generally is for one-year warranties, he said.

“We just keep the place looking brand new,” Whalen said.

The Oct. 5 completion date for the eateries allows time to stock the restaurants and train employees, he added.

“It’s going to be a very, very exciting shopping experience for everyone,” Whalen said.

Published August 19, 2015

Saint Leo welcomes its first Fulbright Scholar in Residence

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Students at Saint Leo University will be learning about different languages, culture and music this fall.

That type of education isn’t new for the university. But the type of educator delivering it is unprecedented in the university’s history.

Dr. Vasumathi Badrinathan is Saint Leo’s first Fulbright Scholar in Residence to teach at the university. Her curriculum will include language, culture and communication, and her music background also will be highlighted during her stay. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)
Dr. Vasumathi Badrinathan is Saint Leo’s first Fulbright Scholar in Residence to teach at the university. Her curriculum will include language, culture and communication, and her music background also will be highlighted during her stay.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Dr. Vasumathi Badrinathan will be the university’s first Fulbright Scholar in Residence. She has left her native India, where she’s taught for nearly three decades, to spend a semester educating students in her areas of expertise.

And while she’s only recently made it to Florida, she’s already impressed with what she’s seen.

“I’m delighted to be a part of this really old university with this beautiful, green campus. I’m discovering something new every day,” Badrinathan said. “I’m very, very happy to be here.”

Saint Leo is very happy to have her, too.

The school made the formal request to bring her to campus under the Fulbright program, which offers cultural exchange opportunities for students, educators and institutions. Badrinathan teaches French at Ramnarain Ruia College, University of Mumbai, and is fluent in a half-dozen languages, including several spoken in India. She’s also a vocalist of southern Indian classical music and has performed in international music festivals.

Those qualifications made her an attractive educational and cultural asset for a university looking to enhance its students’ learning experiences. And the Fulbright program offered exactly that kind of opportunity.

The Fulbright program was founded in 1946 by J. William Fulbright, a United States Senator and the longest serving chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with a tenure of nearly 16 years.

The program provides grants to send students and educators from the United States to foreign countries to learn and share cultural ideas, and it brings foreign students and educators to the United States.

The program provides 8,000 grants per year, with more than 160 countries participating. Since its inception, more than 360,000 participants have taken advantage of the opportunity to visit another country and culture.

Those statistics now include Badrinathan, who is looking forward to getting in the classroom and teaching a curriculum that includes language, culture and communication. But she isn’t bringing a rigid teaching method with her. Instead, she wants to learn about her students, and find the best ways to educate them based on how they react and interact with the curriculum.

“Flexibility is one of the cornerstones of an educator. You need to be flexible, you need to be adaptable, and you need to bear in mind that you’re dealing with human beings, after all,” she explained. “Absolutely, flexibility is the name of the game.”

For Badrinathan, that means not only sharing her personal experiences and knowledge with lessons, but also with music. She’s collaborating with the university’s music department to perform a special concert in October that will contain elements of both western and Indian music. Being entrenched in India’s culture and music as a performer enhances her ability to communicate those experiences as an educator, she said.

The teacher isn’t just here to teach. She’s also here to learn.

While Badrinathan has traveled around the world learning, teaching and performing (she earned her doctorate in French while studying in France), this is her first trip to the United States. And she expects to not only share her experiences and knowledge in the cultural exchange, but to also partake in the exchange.

“It’s going to be very enriching, because when you’re in a new scenario, you’re always open to new things,” Badrinathan said. “I think it’s going to be a great learning experience for me as well.”

Published August 19, 2015

Legislative delegation to weigh in on charter

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Fish or cut bait?

Members of the Municipal Association of Pasco County, which represents the six cities in Pasco, want a final decision on whether the county should alter its form of government.

Calvin Branche, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization, told the charter panel during public comment that a charter government isn’t needed. (Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)
Calvin Branche, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization, told the charter panel during public comment that a charter government isn’t needed.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

They likely will get their wish on Aug. 24 when the county’s appointed charter review panel has scheduled a vote on the matter. A previously scheduled vote on Aug. 10 was postponed until the charter panel could hear from Pasco’s legislative delegation.

State Representatives Richard Corcoran and Amanda Murphy, and State Senators John Legg and Wilton Simpson have confirmed they will attend the Aug. 24 meeting which will begin at 1 p.m., in the first floor board room, at the West Pasco Government Center in New Port Richey.

Pasco’s cities have expressed opposition to a charter.

“We are very concerned at the implications a charter would have on our cities,” said Lance Smith, a Zephyrhills’ city councilman. He and St. Leo Mayor Pro Tem James Hallett addressed panel members at their Aug. 10 meeting in Dade City.

Among issues of concern, according to Smith, would be whether cities would retain control over establishing special tax districts, known as community redevelopment areas.

“We need this decision one way or another,” he said. “Fish or cut bait.”

Zephyrhills is one of six cities in the municipal association. Others are Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey, St. Leo and San Antonio.

The municipal association members met recently and approved a resolution opposing charter government.

The resolution urges panel members “to reconsider this…effort, and to provide for a more balanced and transparent review of our county government in the future.”

There also is concern that a charter “would infringe on the rights and duties of municipal elected officials and the citizens they represent,” according to the resolution.

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

Twenty of the state’s 67 counties operate with charters, including Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Commissioners appointed the 15-member panel in May after Corcoran lobbied them earlier in the year to establish a charter commission.

Dade City resident Judy Geiger spoke during public comment at the Aug. 10 charter panel meeting. She opposes charter government.
Dade City resident Judy Geiger spoke during public comment at the Aug. 10 charter panel meeting. She opposes charter government.

However, the Pasco commissioners’ nonbinding panel has the option of approving or rejecting a charter-style government.

In contrast, state law requires that a charter commission, once formed, must produce a charter that voters would accept or reject.

An activist group, the Pasco County Citizens Charter Coalition, announced in June that it would partner with Corcoran in a petition campaign to secure a required 45,000 signatures needed to establish such a commission.

Corcoran has said in the past that charters give more power to residents.

“That’s sort of the idea,” said panel member, Randy Maggard. “The people have more say.”

Maggard said the panel should explore specific elements of charters, such as single-member districts and term limits, before shutting the door on a charter.

“We’re going to make a decision without discussing these other things?” he said. “Everybody has made their minds up?”

If the panel votes on Aug. 24 not to pursue a charter, then the panel can disband. It would take 10 votes to support a charter, but if that is the decision then, members would have to buckle down for months of additional study and work.

They would have to produce a document detailing the operations of government including possible adoption of single-member districts, term limits, a recall process, an elected county administrator or elected county mayor. Pasco voters would approve or reject the panel’s recommendation in the November 2016 election.

Regardless of the panel’s decision, the grassroots charter coalition can move forward on its own to seek to establish the desired charter commission.

Residents who spoke during public comment at the Aug. 10 meeting were skeptical of a charter.

“Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should,” said Calvin Branche, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization. “I think it’s a very wrong way to approach the citizens about this thing.”

Branche told panel members he had attended some meetings of the charter coalition group, and doubted that it would get the required petition signatures.

No one from the charter coalition spoke during public comment.

Dade City resident Judy Geiger worried that a charter with single-member districts would work against east Pasco, which has fewer residents than the more developed west Pasco.

“I believe the current government works very well,” she said “To spend more time on a charter I think would be a waste.”

Published August 19, 2015

 

Sales tax holiday means savings

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Families gearing up for a new school year can get a little help from the state of Florida, during the 2015 Back-to-School Tax Holiday.

During the tax holiday, which runs through Aug. 16, shoppers can purchase scores of items without paying state sales tax.

Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said that shop operators were expecting a good back-to-school shopping season. He said the state’s sales tax holiday is a plus. (File Photo)
Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said that shop operators were expecting a good back-to-school shopping season. He said the state’s sales tax holiday is a plus.
(File Photo)

For example, no Florida sales tax will be collected on sales of certain clothing, footwear, and certain accessories with a selling price of $100 or less per item. No sales tax will be charged on certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item. And, no taxes will be charged on the first $750 of the sales price for computers and certain computer-related accessories, when they are being purchased for noncommercial home or personal use.

Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said he expected an increase in mall traffic as stores and shops offer back-to-school sales, and special promotions to attract customers.

The tax-free holiday is a plus, Lenners said.

While he didn’t have hard statistics, he said shop owners told him that sales were going well.

  1. Craig Shearman, a spokesman for the National Retail Federation, said sales tax holidays, in general, tend to motivate shoppers.

“From what we’ve heard from our member companies, sales tax holidays have been tremendously successful at getting customers into the store and putting them in the frame of mind to shop,” Shearman said.

“Consumers are smart. Consumers know a sale is 25 percent off, or 50 percent off,” he said.

If retailers told consumers that they’d be offering a sale with everything being 7 percent off — the sales tax rate in Pasco and Hillsborough counties — shoppers would laugh at them, Shearman said.

Not so, when it comes to a tax holiday, Shearman said.

“There’s a psychological appeal that goes far beyond the amount of money involved,” the retail expert explained.

“Americans have hated taxes back to the Boston Tea Party, so a sales tax holiday feeds into that very same sort of thinking,” he said.

Sales tax holidays began in the mid-1990s, Shearman said.

There are now 18 states with sales tax holidays, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators.

Retailers will have back-to-school sales with or without a sales tax holiday, Shearman said.

So, he said: “The sales tax holiday, from a retailer point-of-view, is sort of icing on the cake.”

For consumers, though, the tax savings can make a real difference, Shearman added.

The tax holiday helps families, he noted.

“There are still a lot of families who are struggling to make ends meet and trying to stretch the dollar.

“There are families out there this time of year who are worried about where are they going to come up with the money that it takes to equip their children to go back to school in the fall and get their education.

“School clothing, backpacks, all of that — can be a stretch for some families.

“The savings from this (tax holiday) can be significant,” he said.

His organization’s Back-to-School Spending Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, found that the average family — with children in kindergarten through grade 12 — plans to spend $630.36 on electronics, apparel and other school needs. That’s down from $669.28 last year.

With that in mind, savings from a tax holiday can be significant.

“For a lot of families, this is more than just psychological appeal or more retail sales, this can make the difference in giving their children what they need,” Shearman said.

In adopting the sale tax holiday, the Florida Legislature provided specific details about what is tax-free and what isn’t, during the tax-free period.

The Florida Department of Revenue provides detailed information on its website about what’s exempt and what isn’t. For more information on the sales tax holiday, visit DOR.MyFlorida.com.

Published August 12, 2015

Residential recycling tosses blue bags

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That blue bag stuffed with household recyclables and plopped at the curbside is on its way out.

Beginning Oct. 1, residents must set sturdy containers at the curb if they expect haulers to pick up the cans, plastic bottles, yogurt cups, glass bottles and jars that qualify for recycling.

And more change could be coming down the road.

Pasco County plans to stop allowing blue bags to be used to contain recyclables for residential pickups, effective Oct. 1. (File Photo)
Pasco County plans to stop allowing blue bags to be used to contain recyclables for residential pickups, effective Oct. 1.
(File Photo)

The Pasco County Commission is expected to consider eliminating glass from the list of accepted recyclables.

Commissioners voted Aug. 4 to shift away from using blue bags to instead use plastic or aluminum containers. They put off a decision on glass while a solid waste master plan is pending. But, county officials say they are facing a new reality in the marketplace.

With the current contract set to expire Sept. 30, the county found no takers among recycling processors when it comes to the blue bags. Plastic bags can grind machinery to a halt.

There were three no-bids, and one bid that was deemed “non-responsive,” according to Jennifer Seney, Pasco’s recycling coordinator.

The county is looking at “piggy-backing” on a contract with another jurisdiction, which has not yet been identified.

“Nobody wants the bags,” Seney told commissioners. “That would be anybody processing the bags.”

And the news on glass is just as bad.

The cost of hauling away glass is a negative $17.50 a ton, Seney said.

“Glass has no value and might actually add a cost to recyclables,” she added. “Glass is going to have to come up in future discussions.”

Seney said she knows that will be a touchy subject with residents who want to recycle their glass.

“It’s a very popular item to recycle,” she said. “It’s not always dollars and cents that speak to the public.”

Recycling glass dates back decades. For some, returning empty soda bottles to a grocery store for nickels and dimes was a rite of childhood passage. Currently, 10 states have bottle laws that add refundable deposit fees to beverage containers. Florida lawmakers, on several occasions, have rejected bottle bills, which have not been popular with retailers.

But, the value of glass to processors is in decline. Industry experts place the blame on declining oil prices that can make it more expensive to recycle items, such as plastic, than to produce new product.

Glass presents its own unique problems.

Seney said the accepted practice is for single-stream collection of recyclables, rather than the old way of separating out glass from other items.

That method is considered more efficient and safer, she said.

Pasco County accepts clear, brown and green glass.

But, as part of a stream of waste, broken and crushed glass becomes a contaminant, embedding itself into everything it touches. It becomes what Seney describes as “broken three-mix glass” that is difficult and expensive to extract.

Glass also is much heavier to ship, increasing the costs of recycling.

Strategic Materials Inc., based in Texas, is the country’s largest glass recycling company.

Seney said the company only recycles about 50 percent of the glass it receives because of contamination. Some of what they recycle is used to produce Fiberglas, she said.

The blue bag program is more than two decades old. But, two years ago, the county began reducing use of the bags through its “choose and use” program.

Residents still could use blue or clear bags. But they were encouraged to buy a container or use an existing one, and identify it to haulers with a sticker.

That program began with an educational awareness campaign. And county officials plan to do the same for the blue bag’s demise.

County officials anticipate rolling out a social media blitz on Facebook and Twitter. Advertisements, media press releases, cable television and Pasco TV also will get the word out, Seney said.

“I think we’ll be able to transition to no bags pretty quickly,” Seney said.

Also, area grocers that are selling the blue bags have been notified so they can consider whether to keep selling them or not. “We have no control over them,” Seney said. “But, I think we’ll get their cooperation.”

Published August 12, 2015

Wesley Chapel teenager paddles dragon boat for USA

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A field trip with her Girl Scout troop brought an unexpected opportunity for 13-year-old Kaitlyn Robinson.

Kaitlyn Robinson, 13, kneels as she prepares to board the dragon boat for an hour-long practice on the Hillsborough River. Her coach, David Nelson, watches. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Kaitlyn Robinson, 13, kneels as she prepares to board the dragon boat for an hour-long practice on the Hillsborough River. Her coach, David Nelson, watches.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

The John Long Middle School eighth grader also found a passion – a love for dragon boat racing.

On Aug. 15, she and her mother, Dawn Robinson, will fly to Welland Ontario Canada where Kaitlyn will compete in the World National Dragon Boat Championships from Aug. 19 to Aug. 23.

She is a member of the youth dragon boat team.

Her coach, David Nelson, plans to use her, at least for some races, as a drummer. She will sit in the front of the boat, beating a drum in rhythm with the paddle strokes of her teammates and cheering them on to victory.

At a feather-light 72 pounds, Kaitlyn is a natural choice for chief cheerleader in a boat that must skim over the water swiftly.

But she’ll have to do something that doesn’t come easily to this shy — at least with first-time strangers — and soft-spoken teenager.

“You’ll have to get loud,” Nelson told her at an afternoon practice at Rick’s on the River in Tampa.

The trade-off is a promise that she also will get the chance to paddle in other races. Paddling is what she likes most.

“I kind of like the water,” Kaitlyn said. “I’m looking forward to doing my best and helping my team finish well.”

Kaitlyn had never been in a dragon boat when her Girl Scout troop set out on a field trip two years ago, from Wesley Chapel to Rick’s on the River. She took to the water sport with a purpose.

She paddled in her first race in 2014, and is an active member of the Blade Runners Youth Dragon Boat Team of Tampa.

Kaitlyn Robinson, 13, partially hidden, paddle in unison with the dragon boat crew as they get ready for a power stroke. She is near the rear of the boat.
Kaitlyn Robinson, 13, partially hidden, paddle in unison with the dragon boat crew as they get ready for a power stroke. She is near the rear of the boat.

The Girl Scouts who went to Rick’s on the River were all children adopted from Asian countries. Kaitlyn was adopted from China when she was eight months old.

Her mother said troop activities sometimes highlighted cultural connections, such as dragon boat racing or Chinese cooking.

“It was something we wanted to do, and we thought it would be fun,” Kaitlyn said.

Dragon boat racing dates back 2000 years, to southern China and folk rituals, as well as to religious ceremonies. Dragon boats had ornate dragon heads painted on the front of the boats with the tails in the stern. Paddles represented the dragon’s claws.

In the past 10 years, modern dragon boat racing has zoomed in popularity.

“Anyone can paddle. I don’t care how old you are,” said Nelson, Kaitlyn’s coach.

The races often are linked to fundraising for good causes, he said.

Last year St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation was beneficiary of the Tampa Bay Dragon Boat Classic. This year’s races, on Oct. 10, will benefit the Lowry Park Zoo.

In Ontario, about 4,000 competitors from around the world will battle for top speeds in the World Championships. Race divisions include youth, senior, coed, men and women.

Kaitlyn will be in the division for ages 12 through 17. Nelson will be the youth team coach and also will compete in the senior U50 division, from ages 40 to 49.

There will be three heats in the 200- and 500-meter races, and “one-and-done” races in the 1000- and 2000-meter races.

Kaitlyn briefly took up golf, but the camaraderie of team sports, and water, is more to her liking.

“It’s a great experience for her especially being in a dragon boat because it’s a true team effort,” her mother said.

Published August 12, 2015

Spare your wallet and bowl for free

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The great thing about On The Cheap is I get to tell you about a variety of fun things you can do without spending a lot of money. Maybe it’s catching a movie. Maybe it’s a trip to a zoo or aquarium. Maybe it’s watching a professional sports team.

Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills has nightly specials and is hosting ‘Bowl Fest’ later this month. That means plenty of cheap (and free) opportunities to bowl. (Photos courtesy of Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills)
Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills has nightly specials and is hosting ‘Bowl Fest’ later this month. That means plenty of cheap (and free) opportunities to bowl.
(Photos courtesy of Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills)

Or, maybe it’s bowling.

Wait.

Bowling?

Like “putting on different shoes and throwing a ball down a lane” bowling?

Yes, bowling.

Everyone’s gone bowling before, but maybe it’s been a while since you gave it a try.

So, whether you’re in a league or haven’t played it in years, you have a few chances to play some games at a big discount. And on some days, it’s absolutely free.

The venue is Pin Chasers, 6816 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

I don’t have to spend a lot of time describing a bowling alley, do I? It’s really big (32 lanes), it’s clean, and it has automated scoring. But I’d like to point out that it’s also indoors, which means you won’t be subjected to blazing hot temperatures or a sudden downpour while you play. There’s no chance of bowling getting rained out or ruining your clothes, and I consider that a pretty big advantage these days.

A typical game of bowling costs around $6 to $7 (shoe rental is free), and that’s not a bad deal.

You can bowl with friends, family or anyone who likes to throw a heavy ball and knock things down. And, on certain days, you can do it for free.
You can bowl with friends, family or anyone who likes to throw a heavy ball and knock things down. And, on certain days, you can do it for free.

But this is On The Cheap, so we’re looking for bigger bargains. And we’ve found them this month during what they call “Bowl Fest.”

On Aug. 22, students in kindergarten through 12th grade can bowl absolutely free from 10 a.m. until noon. That’s two hours of games at no cost whatsoever. If a child hasn’t played before, the staff can help teach them. And they’ll even have face painting for the youngest players.

You don’t have to paint your face to bowl, of course. But it probably doesn’t hurt, either. Maybe the pins will get intimidated and fall down on their own.

Free bowling is a great way to have a fun morning with a child or grandchild, or for friends to get together over the summer.

But what about older players?

Well, on Aug. 19, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., women can bowl for free. And it’s the guys’ turn on Aug. 27 during those same hours.

So if you want a night out with friends, while remaining friendly with your budget, keep those dates in mind. No face painting, but they’ll have snacks and beverages, too.

Those are great deals, and if you want to bowl at other times (or just want to play more), Pin Chasers has specials just about every night as well.

On Mondays, you can buy a $5 wristband and play for just $1 per game, with $1 drafts, soda and hot dogs. On Thursdays, they have unlimited bowling from 9 p.m. until closing for just $10, with drink specials as well. On Sunday nights, it’s the same deal, but it’s $9.33. On Tuesdays, unlimited bowling starts at 9:30 p.m., for $9.99 and includes free pizza. Then they have cyber bowling on the weekends and buy-one-get-one-free games starting Aug. 22 and running through Sept. 6. That’s a lot of bowling.

Oh, there’s one more: On Labor Day (Sept. 7), you can bowl from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., for $10. That’s 12 hours of unlimited bowling. I admit that staying there the whole time might be a little much. Maybe you’d like to see your family and eat lunch that day. But it’s nice to know that you can play as many games as you want for one low price.

Whether you play every few weeks or haven’t been inside a bowling alley in years, the next few weeks are perfect for grabbing a ball (don’t worry, they have plenty) and having some fun.

They’re open every day, rain or shine. And in Florida, it’s probably rain and shine. So maybe it’s best to stay inside, and work on your strikes and spares instead.

For more information, call (813) 782-5511 or visit PinChasers.net.

Published August 12, 2015