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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Bexley Ranch divided in two

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The Land O’ Lakes property will be developed as Bexley North and Bexley South

 

The Pasco Commission has made it official.

The sprawling Bexley Ranch property, off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, has been split into rezoned tracts known as Bexley North and Bexley South.

Interior roads are being constructed for the development of Bexley South, a Land O’ Lakes community being developed by Newland Communities. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Interior roads are being constructed for the development of Bexley South, a Land O’ Lakes community being developed by Newland Communities.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Commissioners voted April 21 to allow the developer to do away with the original 2006 development agreement in favor of the two redrawn subdivisions.

Bexley South is under ownership and control of Newland Communities that is developing a master-planned community, similar in scale to the company’s Fishhawk Ranch and Westchase communities in Hillsborough County.

The Newland property is about 1,733 acres and includes the acquired properties of Ashley Glen and Suncoast Commercial on the north side of State Road 54, east of the Suncoast Parkway, and on north and south sides of Tower Road.

The Bexley family will retain ownership of Bexley North, which contains about 5,400 acres. The property is on the north and south of Tower Road, extending east to Suncoast and the CSX rail corridor. The planned subdivision is allowed about 11,000 single-family homes, 1,000 apartments and townhomes, about 295,000 square feet of commercial and retail, and about 537,000 square feet of offices.

Meanwhile, development preparation work continues in Bexley South.

“Newland (Communities) which has begun developing the southern portion is very excited to be in Pasco County,” said attorney Andrea Zelman, who represented both Newland and the Bexley family at the April 21 public hearing.

Site preparation and construction on the main entrance into the mixed use, residential and commercial community of Bexley South began last summer.

No buildings have yet been constructed. The community will be built in phases over 20 years.

The project includes construction of elementary, middle and high schools, an 80-acre district park and the option of an 18-hole golf course.

Bexley South’s master plan sharply reduces office space from a one-time high of about 2 million square feet to about 562,000 square feet. However, the county would allow up to 1.8 million square feet of offices, if needed.

In addition Bexley South is approved for 1,200 single-family homes, 520 apartments and townhomes, and more than 94,000 square feet of commercial and retail.

The vision also includes triggers for design and construction of roadway improvements based on housing volume and traffic analyses for both Bexley North and South. Among the developer’s obligations would be phased extensions of Tower Road and Sunlake Boulevard, linkage of Bexley Village Drive from State Road 54 to Mentmore Boulevard, a roundabout at Mentmore and Bexley Village, and construction of the intersection at Tower and Ballantrae Road.

The master plan anticipates neighborhood centers and pedestrian-friendly amenities including common areas, green spaces and trails.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey made a plea that developers design trails that “meander” and don’t merely follow a roadway, such as Tower Road, in a straight line.

Put it far enough from the curb that it is safe for families, she said.

“When a trail meanders,” Starkey said, “it’s a much better experience.”

Published May 6, 2015

Geocaching is elaborate game of hide and seek

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If you want to visit the Tampa Bay Geocaching Store in Land O’ Lakes, it’s easy to find. Just go to

N 028 13.552

W 082 27.421

And, you’re there.

If using a geographic coordinate system to find a local business seems unusual, it is.

But if you’re geocaching, it’s actually the best way to find where you’re going.

Caches usually have a logbook documenting who found it and when. Elaine Erickson can look through one of her own caches and see a record of how many people have been there. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Caches usually have a logbook documenting who found it and when. Elaine Erickson can look through one of her own caches and see a record of how many people have been there.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

So, as a tribute to the hobby they serve, the store lists its coordinates on its website, along with its traditional address, 4710 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Geocaching isn’t easy to describe by comparing it to other outdoor activities.

Part treasure hunt, part sightseeing trek and part community bonding experience, it’s a game you can play close to home or just about anywhere in the world.

“It’s fun to do and gives you a chance to get out of the house, get into nature and see different things,” said Elaine Erickson, owner of the Tampa Bay Geocaching Store.

Erickson has found around 1,200 caches from more than a dozen states during the last seven years, and she never tires of the thrill of finding a new one.

Participants leave small geocaches (waterproof containers) at random locations across the planet. They’re hidden, but only to people who aren’t geocaching. The goal is to make them available to other players, so they post the coordinates on list sites and mobile phone apps used by those who want to find them. Players then input those coordinates, and after a little snooping, usually find the geocache and the logbook that’s placed inside. The logbook reveals how often the site has been visited and how far people have traveled to find it. And, once you find the geocache, you can record your name in the logbook.

There’s also usually a small prize associated with finding a geocache.

It’s customary to take an inexpensive trinket from the site when you find it, and leave a small trinket for the next person who finds it. The items can be as creative as the locations in which they’re found.

There are a few rules, though.

For instance, you can’t plant them on private property and you can’t place them near a school or anywhere else where activity near the cache may prompt concerns about suspicious behavior.

You can’t litter, either. In fact, many geocachers take the time to clean up litter in the cache area when they see it. It’s part of the community philosophy, Erickson explained.

Not surprisingly, geocaching took hold only when technology allowed everyday people to find specific locations across the globe with relative ease.

In the past 15 years, it’s grown to include millions of people around the world, with several websites and clubs devoted to playing.

There are more guidelines and details, and it’s not surprising that it’s unfamiliar territory for many people.

“I get people all the time coming in here going, what’s geocasing?” Erickson said, noting their inability to pronounce the hobby’s name. People also think it has something to do with rocks, she said.

To help explain things better, Erickson is hosting a free geocaching class on May 9 at her location from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. She’ll go over the basics, answer questions and even take the group to their first cache.

She’s hopeful that new geocachers come out of the group and participate in the activity. Erickson goes geocaching with friends and on her own, sometimes finding just one in a day and other times dozens — her record is more than 50.

It’s a pursuit that appeals to people of all age groups, abilities and schedules, and is only limited by a person’s free time and interest in looking.

“It’s a family friendly activity,” she said. “Anybody can do it.”

For more information about geocaching or the free class, call (813) 335-6787 or visit TampaBayGeocaching.biz.

Published May 6, 2015

 

Kohl’s and Culver’s submit site plans for Cypress Creek Town Center

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Kohl’s is the latest retailer to schedule a sit-down with Pasco planners as a future tenant at the Cypress Creek Town Center at State Road 56 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

The store’s conceptual plan on file with the county shows a 55,000- square-foot building at the same intersection where construction crews are hard at work on the 1.1 million square-foot Tampa Premium Outlets.

Cypress Creek Town Center at the interchange of Interstate 75 and State Road 56 is getting tenant interest from Kohl’s department store, Chick-fil-A, Cheddar’s Casual Café and Culver’s. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Cypress Creek Town Center at the interchange of Interstate 75 and State Road 56 is getting tenant interest from Kohl’s department store, Chick-fil-A, Cheddar’s Casual Café and Culver’s.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

According to county records, representatives of the national department store chain were expected to attend a pre-application meeting scheduled for April 28.

No official announcement on Kohl’s presence at the proposed outdoor mall has been made. Kohl’s has stores in Brandon, Lutz and New Port Richey.

A Kohl’s representative wasn’t available for comment.

Other tenants who have indicated intentions to open at the mall are Costco, Chick-fi-A, Cheddar’s Casual Café and Culver’s.

Chick-fil-A plans a 4,791-square-foot fast-food restaurant at Cypress Creek with 132 seats. And Cheddar’s Casual Café is proposing an 8,066-square-foot restaurant with its signature fresh, made-from-scratch menu items including croissants, salmon filets and hamburgers.

Costco Wholesale Inc., filed its plans in December for a 153,000-square-foot discount membership warehouse club. The retail giant was second behind Walmart in 2013 among the top 10 of 250 global retailers.

Culver’s likely will have a mid-June groundbreaking and a fall opening timed with the opening of the outlet mall.

This will be a second location for franchise owner Marty Roeske, who opened his first restaurant in Wisconsin nearly 15 years ago. He and his wife are moving to Wesley Chapel, while their son operates the Wisconsin restaurant.

“When I dream of a location, I’m thinking about access, population and incomes,” Roeske said. “I can’t think of any characteristic that isn’t there.”

The employment base, with area high schools nearby, also is strong, said Roeske, who has searched for more than two years for a Florida location.

Tampa was on the radar, but Wesley Chapel won out.

“We warmed up to Wesley Chapel quickly,” he said. “It’s so new and has so much energy. It’s only going to go up.”

He is proposing a 4,235-square-foot restaurant at Cypress Creek with 110 seats. A bicycle rack and a covered patio also are part of the plans.

The fast-food chain offers its signatures “Butterburgers,” fried chicken, sandwiches and salads.

In addition to this location, a different Culver’s franchise owner also has submitted plans for a 4,242-square-foot restaurant at The Shoppes at Trinity Lakes. A pre-application meeting took place on April 6, according to county records.

Currently Culver’s has 541 restaurants in 22 states. The Wisconsin-based chain is expanding its operations in Florida. In the past two years, 11 franchised locations have opened in the state. The first was in Naples; two are in Tampa.

“It’s a hot bed,” said Paul Pitas, Culver’s spokesman. “We have a lot of folks who are transplants from the Midwest. They’ve moved there, or they are snowbirds, but they definitely know the brand.”

Published May 6, 2015

Hillsborough faces huge traffic challenges

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Go Hillsborough is an initiative aimed at engaging the public to find solutions for deteriorating infrastructure and traffic-clogged roads.

The effort is a collaboration involving the Hillsborough County Commission, the mayors of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City, and the chairman of the board for the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit system.

Those visiting a community open house could learn about the transportation challenges facing Hillsborough County and jot down potential solutions. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Those visiting a community open house could learn about the transportation challenges facing Hillsborough County and jot down potential solutions.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Organizers have been making the rounds to places across Hillsborough County for months, inviting the public to help pinpoint the problems and weigh in on potential solutions.

On April 30, they made a stop at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz.

At this session, they invited members of the public to look at informational placards throughout the room, to watch a video on a continuous loop, to ask questions of people stationed throughout the room and to offer their input in writing.

At this session, the focus was on making choices.

The next series of workshops will focus on finding consensus.

The idea is to invite public participation in both identifying problems and suggesting solutions.

Both the slideshow and placards set up around the room made it clear that the county has no shortage of problems, when it comes to its transportation network.

For one thing, it’s a big job.

In Hillsborough County alone, for instance, there are more than 7,000 lane miles of road, as well as 254 bridges and 315 signalized intersections.

And, of that, “more than 30 percent of county roads are at or approaching poor condition,” according to information on display.

Lack of transit is another issue.

“As of today, 58 percent of county residents and 38 percent of our jobs are not served by transit,” a display says.

Paying for improvements won’t be cheap, either.

The county is facing $750 million in transportation backlogs.

So far, feedback has shown that different parts of the county have different priorities.

For instance, transit ranks as a top priority in West Tampa, while new roads ranks as a top priority in South County. In Northwest Hillsborough, new roads and wider roads are the top priority, while resurfacing ranks second.

There’s no easy solution for funding improvements, either.

Choices include user fees, such as gas taxes or tolls; charging developers a fair share; and a sales tax.

The next set of meetings will focus on attempting to build a community consensus on which problems to attack and how to pay for them.

In addition to four meetings that are scheduled around the county, there will be a telephone town hall on May 21 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Call (877) 229-8493. The Pin number is 11031.

For more information, visit GoHillsborough.org.

Published May 6, 2015

This coffee shop serves more than coffee

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The coffee shop at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch calls itself a Dash of Salt ‘n Pepper, but its customers say the foods this shop offers go far beyond those basic spices.

Tawnika Green, a 20-year-old full-time student at the Porter Campus, set to graduate May 6, said she has enjoyed the convenience of being able to grab a meal on campus.

Kelly Ramos, playing the role of Pepper, and Ghada Jadallah, chef for Dash of Salt ‘n Pepper, celebrate at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch last month. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Kelly Ramos, playing the role of Pepper, and Ghada Jadallah, chef for Dash of Salt ‘n Pepper, celebrate at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch last month.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She had two classes on campus, so she didn’t want to leave to go get something to eat, because she would miss her other class.

The young woman, who plans to pursue a career in nursing, gave high marks to the coffee shop’s mac ‘n cheese.

Desiree Harding, who works at the campus, said she routinely gets breakfast at the coffee shop.

“Oh, my gosh, the food is delicious,” Harding said.

Biko Claxton, who works as a trainer, said the menu has plenty of healthy options.

“How many trainers do you know that send people to a restaurant?” Claxon asked.

Stan Giannet, provost of the Porter Campus, said the coffee shop opened earlier this year and has been a welcome addition.

“We’ve received very positive feedback from students, staff and faculty,” Giannet said. “It’s going very well. They have a good variety of healthy, fresh meals for students.

“We’re happy to have them on our campus,” Giannet said.

Chef Ghada Jadallah is delighted to offer her company’s foods at the Porter Campus.

“It’s an amazing experience,” she said. “It seems like this is the nicest thing that’s ever happened to us.”

She and her husband, Lutfi, own Dash of Salt ‘n Pepper, which has its main location at 10353 Cross Creek Blvd., in New Tampa.

Their son, Sami, manages the coffee shop at the college, and their daughter, Elyanna, is the head baker at the company’s main location. Kelly Ramos also works for the company, creating customized cookies.

Dash of Salt ‘n Pepper does catering for occasions up to 800 people. It has a private party room, which can accommodate 50 people.

The company also offers a service that allows customers to choose meals from a menu, which the company prepares and customers pick up. Some entrees are heat and serve. Others may require a short cooking time.

To find out more about Dash of Salt ‘n Pepper, visit DashOfSaltnPepper.com, or call (813) 376-6689.

Published May 6, 2015

Wiregrass Ranch graduate gets Ivy League offers

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Antonio Medina wanted to give himself the best chance he could to attend the college of his choice, so he applied to several places.

“You can be a top candidate but still, it’s really tough to get in. They get more top candidates than they can accept. Sometimes, it comes down to luck,” said Medina, who will be graduating soon from Wiregrass Ranch High.

Sandra, Antonio and Alfredo Medina pose for a photo after Antonio is named salutatorian of the class of 2015 at Wiregrass Ranch High School. (Courtesy of the Medina family)
Sandra, Antonio and Alfredo Medina pose for a photo after Antonio is named salutatorian of the class of 2015 at Wiregrass Ranch High School.
(Courtesy of the Medina family)

So, he applied to scores of schools, including the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, as well as to such colleges as Princeton, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Harvard and Yale.

Brown University sent him a letter saying he would likely be accepted, Medina said.

“We were so excited about the letter. That was so amazing. We were happy with that,” he said.

On the day that the colleges announce their decisions, Medina and his mom, Sandra, were sitting at three computers, waiting.

“So, I checked Brown. I got accepted, so I was happy,” Medina said.

“We checked Penn and Columbia and Princeton. None of those.

“Then I checked Yale and got in. I was super surprised.

“I checked Harvard last. I was like, ‘Let’s just see.’ ”

And he got into Harvard, too.

“I was speechless,” his mom said. “I’m never going to forget that day.”

Medina also received full-ride offers from USF, UCF and UF.

So, then it was a matter of choosing where he would go.

He and his dad, Alfredo, visited Harvard and Yale.

Then, Medina made his final choice.

“They’re both great schools. You can’t go wrong with either school,” Medina said. “It came down to, which school did I feel better at?”

He chose Yale.

“I was more at home there,” said the Wesley Chapel resident.

He is excited about his academic future.

“The caliber of education is through the roof,” said Medina. “You have world-class professors. I could be a roommate with a future president.”

Medina ranked second in the class of 2015 at Wiregrass and also was named the school’s Most Outstanding Senior.

In addition to his academic accomplishments, he was catcher on the school’s baseball team, drum major for the marching band and a member of the jazz band.

On top of all that, he has worked for his mom and dad’s business, Gator Fred’s, a fun and party center in Carrollwood.

“I helped them since I was 7. I’ve seen what it is like to manage a business, to work in a service — entrepreneurial, all that stuff, since I was a child,” Medina said.

That work has left an indelible impression on him.

“Probably because of the influence of my family, I want to go my own way, work for myself, create something that could be my own business, or create something new that would be completely under my wing,” he said.

He describes what he has gained by working in the family business in one of the essays he wrote for his college applications.

He details how the business started at the family’s home and has evolved into its own location, Gator Fred’s, a fun and party center in Carrollwood. He then explains the impact that working in the family business has had on him.

“The establishment of Gator Fred’s didn’t just enhance what my childhood had been. The store engraved in me a vital essence of my character,” he wrote.

“With my own bare hands, I helped my family turn an enormous, empty shell of what was once a Bealls Outlet into a beautiful playground of colors and bounce houses and train rides and joy.

“This experience taught me how to manage a business before I was even a teenager. “More importantly, it showed me how to take pride in building something bigger than myself.

“Every weekend that I spent there, instead of with friends, I remained aware that this place was what provided for our food, our house, our lives.

“I never took for granted what I had. I knew the value of hard work and persistence.

“My parents taught me the dangers of taking risks but also the courage needed to make the leap. For them, I will always be grateful,” Medina’s essay says.

The young man’s success in academics began when he was young.

He said he’s always been a good student, except for during kindergarten.

“We had just moved here (from Venezuela). I was 5 and I just learned English.

“The only problem was now, I wouldn’t shut up. I just kept talking. I’d get in trouble for being too talkative,” he recalled.

His mom recalls finding out about the problem.

“The lady called me and said, ‘He is too talkative,’ ” she said. “He would talk with an empty chair.”

His mom decided to nip the problem in the bud.

She put his toys in a bag and pretended to throw them out.

“I did better in school,” Medina said. “And my toys magically reappeared.”

Apparently, the lesson stuck.

“Being good in school is good. Learning for the sake of learning is good,” he said.

Medina is graduating from Wiregrass Ranch on May 31. His younger brother, Andres, will be attending the high school next year.

Medina’s mom is clearly ecstatic about her son’s academic accomplishments.

His dad is proud, too.

“My dad has worn the same Yale shirt for the past four days,” Medina said. “It says ‘Yale Dad’.”

Published May 6, 2015

Business Digest 05-06-15

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New law partner
Rogers Towers, one of Florida’s oldest full-service commercial law firms, is expanding its Tampa Bay office to include attorney and shareholder J. Scott Slater. He joins L. Gavan Grant, the firm’s resident shareholder and manager, and shareholder Gregory F. Lunny.

The law office, at 29152 Chapel Park Drive in Wesley Chapel, opened in 2014. Slater practices in litigation and civil trial work.

Rogers Tower was founded in 1905 and has eight Florida locations including in Jacksonville, Orlando and St. Augustine.

For information, call the law office at (813) 995-6444.

Spanish dining
100 Montaditos Wiregrass is serving up a taste of Spain at The Shops at Wiregrass. The restaurant recreates the 19th century feel of a Spanish tavern, serving its signature Montaditos – a crunchy Spanish roll filled with traditional ingredients such as Serrano ham, tortillas and chorizo sauce. The company was founded in 2000 and has locations in Miami, West Palm Beach and Orlando.

100 Montaditos is located at 2000 Piazza Ave., at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel.

For information, visit us.100montaditos.com.

New business
Campus Gear will be hosting a grand opening and ribbon cutting on May 7 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 32745 State Road 52 in San Antonio. The new business will offer Saint Leo University Official products along with other collegiate items. The ribbon cutting is set for 5:45 p.m.

For information, call Campus Gear at (813) 783-4364.

Lennar promotion
Lennar has promoted building executive Jeffrey A. Morin to vice president of sales for its Tampa division. Morin will develop strategies for achieving sales goals and manage the sales teams in Lennar’s Pasco County communities.

Morin has more than 17 years of business management experience, with 12 years in the homebuilding industry. He has had key positions at Lennar for more than five years in marketing, purchasing and most recently as planning manager creating a department that oversaw land development and grand openings in more than 50 new communities in central Florida.

Lennar’s Tampa division, which builds new single-family and townhomes priced from the $100,000 to the $400,000, is currently building in 39 communities in the Tampa Bay market.

Chamber breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly breakfast meeting on May 7 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at the Golden Corral, 6855 Gall Blvd. Zephyrhills Economic Development Council is the sponsor.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 782-1913.

Open house
Oasis Pregnancy Center Wesley Chapel will have an open house on May 11 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., to celebrate the center’s second anniversary. There will be tours, food, fun and friends. Bring business cards for special drawings.

Oasis is located at 5854 Argerian Drive, Suite 103, Wesley Chapel.

For information, call the center at (813) 618-5037.

Dade City Optimist
The Optimist Club of Dade City will meet on May 12 at 6 p.m., at the First National of Pasco, 13315 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

For information, call (352) 206-9370, or email to .

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet May 12 at Rose’s Café at 38426 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills.

Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

Kurt Browning, Pasco County’s school superintendent, is the guest speaker.

For information, call Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491, or email him at .

Business tips
Anyone looking for tips to improve their business is invited to Business Link on May 13 at 7:30 a.m., at Quality Inn & Suites, 6815 Gall Blvd., Zephyrhills. The gathering offers tools, tips and networking to strengthen your business. A complimentary breakfast will be provided.

For information, contact Rebecca at (352) 588-1356, or email .

Business seminar
The Pasco-Hernando State College will host BizGROW2.0 on May 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass. The half-day conference is for entrepreneurs, start up business owners and established business owners, and will include panel discussions, advice and inspiration on growing your business and lots of networking.

The cost is $30 per person, or $35 per person after May 12. Registration is required. For information, visit PascoEdc.com/events.

Breakfast meeting
Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will host its Wednesday Morning Networking on May 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que, 3116 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The cost is $7 and includes breakfast.

There will be a short networking presentation followed by an opportunity for each attendee to do a “30- second commercial.”

For information, call the chamber office at (813) 909-2722.

Taste of Boston relocates
Taste of Boston plans to relocate from 1944 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in the Wiregrass area, to a shopping plaza at 1930 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Lutz. The seafood restaurant will close its location on Bruce B. Downs on May 31, according to manager Ashley Walker.

By mid-June, Taste of Boston will reopen on Land O’ Lakes with more space, an outdoor patio and live music on weekends.

Wesley Chapel networking group
Networking for Your Success meets every Thursday at 8 a.m., at Lexington Oaks Country Club, 2615 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Cost is $5, and annual membership to the group is $79.

Phonographs, flowers and antique Fords

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You’ll find them all at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates

If you’re looking for a family friendly place to spend a day, or want to show out-of-town guests a side of Florida other than an amusement park, the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers is worth the trip.

On the 20 acres of this attraction, you’ll find historic buildings, botanical gardens, the Edison Botanic Research Lab and the Edison Ford Museum.

Visitors to the Edison & Ford Winter Estates can enjoy the attraction’s beautiful grounds, historic estates, antique cars, museum and labs. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Visitors to the Edison & Ford Winter Estates can enjoy the attraction’s beautiful grounds, historic estates, antique cars, museum and labs.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

You can meander around the property on your own, take self-guided audio tours or join a tour led by a historian.

You can peek into buildings and see where Thomas Edison and Henry Ford spent their winters and can imagine the two of them, joined by Harvey Firestone, of Firestone tire fame, discussing the need to find a new source of rubber.

In fact, the trio was so concerned about America’s dependence on foreign sources for rubber that they formed the Edison Botanic Research Corporation in 1927.

Under Edison’s leadership, the corporation sought a source of rubber that could be grown and produced quickly in the U.S., in the event of a shortage in the foreign supply.

The banyan tree was among the more than 17,000 plant samples that were tested for Edison’s research.

One of those banyan trees still standing on the property today was planted in 1927. It is understood to be one of the largest banyan trees in the continental United State.

For those who are more drawn to nature than to inventions, the spacious grounds feature orchids, bougainvillea and other flowering plants, as well as towering bamboos and palms. The estate straddles the Caloosahatchee River.

Of special note is a Moonlight Garden designed in 1928 by renowned landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman. The garden features fragrant white flowers and a small pool, intended to reflect the night sky’s moonlight.

The Edison Ford Museum includes galleries that interpret the lives and inventions of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and their families. It is chock full of photographs, inventions, special exhibits and artifacts from the inventors’ days at their winter retreat in Fort Myers.

The Edison & Ford Winter Estates
When: Open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving and Christmas. The last guided tour starts at 4 p.m. There are self-guided audio tours and maps available in several languages.
What: A 20-acre attraction including the historic winter estates of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, botanical gardens, labs and the Edison Ford Museum.
Where: 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, Florida 33901
How much: $20 for adults and $11 for children ages 6 to 11, includes audio tour and admission to the museum and lab.
More info: EdisonFordWinterEstates.org

Published April 29, 2015

Baby Autumn’s visit inspires this column

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It’s been a while since I’ve written a personal column. The last one was at Thanksgiving when I wrote about my many blessings in 2014, including my son’s renewal of vows a year after his wedding and his deployment to Afghanistan.

I have written about Andy many times.

(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

I wrote about him when he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and again when he became engaged to Erin, a sweet schoolteacher from Wisconsin. I wrote about their marriage a few months later, before Andy left for his deployment, and again when they renewed their vows after Andy returned home.

I figured the column about the ceremony where Andy and Erin renewed their vows would be the last column about my son for some time. As my father often advises, I am wary of overdoing family columns because I don’t want readers to think of my columns as one of those dreaded Christmas newsletters that go on and on and on about their kids, their pets and travel.

So, when I learned in December that Andy and Erin were expecting and I would become a grandmother for the first time, I deliberately decided not to write about it — despite my excitement.

But I can’t hold back any longer.

And, I blame it all on Autumn Nicole Bennett, the adorable, three-month-old granddaughter of Carolyn Bennett, my friend and longtime employee in sales support.

Carolyn took some time off recently because Autumn was here from Kentucky with her father, Travis, who is Carolyn’s son, and her mother, Lindsey.

It was the first time Carolyn met her granddaughter and she had a glorious week taking care of the baby and relishing the time together with Travis, Lindsey and the rest of her family.

On one of the days they were here, Autumn and her entourage came to the office at the insistence of her grandmother’s co-workers.

We took turns passing the baby around and going on and on about how beautiful and good-natured she is.

When Autumn starting cooing as I held her, that was it for me. Andy and Erin’s baby is due at the end of July, and holding Autumn crystallized for me that soon I would be holding my own grandchild in my arms.

Once I learned that I’d be a grandmother, I began getting all sorts of advice about assuming that role from those who already have.

I fully anticipate that this child will do nothing wrong as far as grandma is concerned, and that the love I will feel will even surpass the love that I felt when my own children were born.

To make this joyous occasion even better, my niece, Natalie Kortus, and her fiancé, Paul Smith, are having a baby three weeks after Andy and Erin.

Natalie is the daughter of my brother, Jimmy, who lives in Gainesville. Natalie and Andy grew up spending just about every holiday together. It is thrilling for our families to have two babies on the way at the same time.

So, be forewarned: In less than four months, I will be a grandmother, and I expect you will be hearing a lot about this baby and my great-nephew.

But don’t worry. I will do my best to not overdo it with baby columns.

Of course, I can’t promise that.

According to every grandparent I know, there is nothing more amazing and worthy of talking about than your grandchildren.

Published April 29, 2015

Meals On Wheels keeps delivering for East Pasco

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East Pasco Meals on Wheels attracts a lot of good people to the cause of preparing and delivering meals to the homes of those who need them.

The group includes hardworking and community-minded volunteers, and is led by a former postmaster.

“I just prayed that God would put me somewhere I could be used. When this (opportunity) opened, it was ideal for me,” said Beth Aker, who left her position as postmaster of the Saint Leo post office a few months ago to take the position of executive director.

These Meals On Wheels ‘doghouses’ are receptacles stationed throughout Zephyrhills where residents can bring recyclables for the organization. The recycling helps fund the organization’s operations, which are approaching $200,000 a year. (Courtesy of East Pasco Meals on Wheels)
These Meals On Wheels ‘doghouses’ are receptacles stationed throughout Zephyrhills where residents can bring recyclables for the organization. The recycling helps fund the organization’s operations, which are approaching $200,000 a year.
(Courtesy of East Pasco Meals on Wheels)

Aker was already familiar with the organization, since she had volunteered for them in the past.

In her new role, she’s tasked with trying to expand the program, reach people who need their services and raise enough money to keep things running smoothly.

Achieving those goals starts with education, Aker said.

Many people think Meals On Wheels is just for the invalid or homebound.

They do serve people in those situations.

But they also serve many people who temporarily prefer to have a meal delivered.

People in that category include individuals recovering from surgery or recovering from the loss of a spouse.

If there’s a need, Meals On Wheels can deliver each weekday for just $4 a meal.

There’s a board-reviewed program that considers financial hardship cases as well.

Another misconception is the type of food they deliver. These aren’t simple, frozen meals cobbled together from donations.

Considerable care goes into making sure customers get a variety of meals, and they’re never frozen.

“Our meals are cooked fresh every single day here,” Aker said. “Every meal comes home-cooked.”

A recent menu offered barbecue pulled pork, potato salad and baked beans one day, and sliced ham with oven-roasted potatoes and applesauce on the next. They also come with other sides and a dessert.

Meals On Wheels also makes accommodations for dietary restrictions for vegetarians and those with diabetes or allergies.

It also provides a varied menu.

Customers might go two months without seeing the same meal repeated, Aker said.

Each day the organization serves between 110 and 120 meals, with that number dropping a bit when the snowbirds leave town. Serving that many meals around lunchtime is a challenging task, and Meals On Wheels relies on a team of volunteers to make sure the meals get to their intended recipients in time.

Two of those volunteers drive their route together.

After 63 years of marriage, Dick and Kate Rudnicki are used to doing things as a team. They’re retired, but still enjoy doing one route a week, and sometimes more when Meals On Wheels is short-staffed.

“We like to volunteer, and we know people need things. It’s something we enjoy doing,” Dick said. On a busy day they’ve delivered as many as 21 meals, starting in the late morning and finishing up around noon.

The Rudnickis are from Michigan, and were snowbirds until recently, when they decided to become full-time residents. They’ve been volunteering for Meals On Wheels for years, and believe it’s an important service for many people in the area.

“I think it’s a great organization,” Dick said. “It really serves a desperate need.”

Serving that need is valuable, and it’s also expensive. Operating costs approach $200,000 per year, and the East Pasco chapter doesn’t get any state or government funds. Their money comes from donations from individuals and businesses, and a recycling program that allows residents to donate what they would leave on the curb anyway.

East Pasco Meals on Wheels has receptacles (they call them “doghouses”) in various locations around the Zephyrhills area, including parks. Residents who are interested in donating to their cause can leave cardboard, aluminum cans and newspapers, which will then be picked up by the organization. Meals On Wheels receives the proceeds from those recyclables.

That money goes to help fund their day-to-day operations, which they hope to expand in the future.

There’s a need for expansion.

Meals On Wheels has had to turn away people in the Wesley Chapel area because they don’t have the volunteers to serve them.

And, if they have to turn away people who need their meals, Aker feels like they’re not doing their job.

“Everything that we do, we hope to grow to be able to help more people,” she said. “Because there is such a need out there for lots of different reasons.”

And when those needs are met, the people who receive meals are very grateful.

The Rudnickis, who are in their 80s, plan to keep continue delivering meals as long as they’re able.

Part of the satisfaction of volunteering, Kate said, is the response they receive from customers.

“You get hugs and you get thanks, and it’s very rewarding,” she said.

East Pasco Meals On Wheels is located at 38145 15th Ave., in Zephyrhills. The organization is always in need of driver and kitchen help. For more information, call (813) 782-2793.

Published April 29, 2015