The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

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

Tampa homebuilder plans luxury homes on Lake Padgett

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It’s a grassy tract with trees now, but luxury homes are slated for construction on more than 9 acres on Carson Drive, east of U.S. 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

Tampa homebuilder Timothy Mobley of Mobley Homes wants to build the Manors on Lake Padgett, a gated enclave of eight homes on waterfront lots.

A vacant parcel off Carson Drive is the proposed site for eight luxury houses that will be sold and built by Tampa-based Mobley Homes. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
A vacant parcel off Carson Drive is the proposed site for eight luxury houses that will be sold and built by Tampa-based Mobley Homes.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

The project is in early stages, with plans to file for approvals with Pasco County, likely by the end of summer, said Renee Riordan, sales agent with Mobley Homes.

“They are beautiful lake frontage,” said Riordan. “You can’t always find sites like this.”

The lots are priced at about $200,000 each. The website for Mobley Homes, MobleyHousing.com, pegs home prices as starting in the upper $500,000 range. Mobley Homes would have several design plans available for houses of about 3,000 square feet, according to the website.

Riordan said Mobley Homes is fielding inquiries from prospective homebuyers.

The site is located across from the Countryside Montessori Academy on Carson Drive. The road is north of the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41, also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. It dead-ends behind the Village Lakes Shopping Center.

Carson Drive is a two-lane roadway and a frequent cut-through for motorists who want to avoid the busy intersection at State Road 54 and U.S. 41.

Pasco County records list the taxable value of the property as about $852,000. Mobley is a partner in BCL Florida LLC, which owns the property.

Published July 15, 2015

 

Wesley Chapel company expects to expand to new markets

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KeriCure Inc., a Wesley Chapel company, has secured a patent that is expected to open new doors for partnerships with pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

“Our foundation of the company was actually built around this nanoparticle drug delivery technology that I helped to create at the University of South Florida,” said Kerriann Greenhalgh, who operates the company from her Wesley Chapel home.

Kerriann Greenhalgh shows off the products her company has developed which are sold online and in stores. She expects a much broader array of uses for her product, now that she has secured a new patent. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Kerriann Greenhalgh shows off the products her company has developed which are sold online and in stores. She expects a much broader array of uses for her product, now that she has secured a new patent.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The company, which launched in 2011, has been offering consumer products to help promote the healing of cuts and wounds on people and pets, through liquid bandages sprayed on the skin.

The polymer retains its elasticity, protecting the wound and allowing the cut to heal.

The products for people are sold under the names Natural Seal Liquid Bandage, Natural Seal and Natural Seal on the Go, and are available at Publix, Kroger, Price Choppers, Marsh and Meijer, and in natural product stores throughout the United States.

The pet products are known as Tough Seal for Pets and Champion Seal, and are available online and at some feed stores.

The company also has a professional line of liquid bandage products, under the name of KeriCure’s Advanced Seal — Rx for Medical Use. That formulation is used by physicians in various cosmetic, dermatological, burn, wound care and post-surgical applications.

With a patent granted in June, Greenhalgh expects her unique polymer to be used in a much broader array of applications.

The patent “gives us the opportunity to talk to larger pharmaceutical companies — who have products, drugs, bioactives that they want to deliver topically — and tell them we have a great, FDA-cleared system in place now, and that we can incorporate their drug into and provide very sustained release with our product,” Greenhalgh explained.

“One area that we’re looking at is in the anti-cancer area,” she said.

“We would incorporate a very well-known anti-cancer drug into our polymer system,” she said. Or, her product could be used to apply radiation seeds topically.

Patients could benefit from her company’s product, she said.

“The beauty of this is that they wouldn’t have to be getting exposed to massive amounts of radiation. It would be extremely targeted,” she said. “So, you would get rid of a lot of the side effects that happen with radiation.

“That is a very serious opportunity,” she said.

KeriCure is currently talking to various companies that have an interest in its technology, Greenhalgh said, including 3M. “They have a couple of projects that they’re interested in having us collaborate on.”

Greenhalgh said she launched the company as a consumer products company because it was the smoothest way to raise revenue.

“We really want to grow in the biotech space and create products for advanced wound care, like chronic wounds and burn wounds,” Greenhalgh said. “We’re actually in talks with a couple of large wound care companies, as a private label. We do have a very interesting opportunity in front of us right now.”

“We’ve just been asked to go to CVS and present to its private label group of buyers, so they’re interested in bringing the product on as a CVS product,” she said.

“We just got picked up by Cardinal Health. They’re the largest medical product distributor in the U.S.,” she said, adding her company will be attending Cardinal Health’s trade show in Las Vegas this month.

It also is presenting at Winn-Dixie’s local buyer division this week.

Greenhalgh grew up in New Tampa and graduated from Wharton High School before obtaining her bachelor’s degree and doctorate from USF.

The scientist lives with her husband, Daniel Opp, and their son, Nolan Opp, near Quail Hollow.

Published July 15, 2015

Local mom’s website highlights family friendly fun

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As a mother with two young children, Miriam Cook wanted to find inexpensive, family friendly things to do. The Land O’ Lakes resident would search the Internet for fun places to go, but was frustrated that it wasn’t as easy as it should have been.

“I was watching online and couldn’t really find anything that was what I wanted, with events and stuff like that,” Cook said. “So I thought, I have to create my own.”

A side benefit of running a website about family friendly events is that there are places to visit. Daughters Hazel, left, and Jasmine approved of the outing to The Potter's House Studio in south Tampa, which was running a special. (Courtesy of Miriam Cook)
A side benefit of running a website about family friendly events is that there are places to visit. Daughters Hazel, left, and Jasmine approved of the outing to The Potter’s House Studio in south Tampa, which was running a special.
(Courtesy of Miriam Cook)

Around eight months ago, she did just that. Now, FamilyFriendlyTampaBay.com is a destination for thousands of users each week, highlighting local freebies, cheap movies and other low-cost activities that everyone in the family can enjoy.

Cook takes her job as event seeker seriously, with specific criteria in mind when she’s looking for places to go. She’s looking for places that appeal to all family members, so children of all ages can have fun. Alcohol can’t be the focus of the event, she said, and accommodations like restroom facilities are important.

Price matters, too, of course.

Cook uses her own family as a template. She has two sisters with children who are in the education field, and she wants to highlight events that families like theirs can afford.

As a former preschool teacher herself, she knows that families often have to stick to a tight budget, and the event has to be something that fits, or is worth saving for if it’s pricier.

Her website is finding an audience. She records about 225,000 page views a month, with about 54,000 different users in that time frame.

And they’re sharing their opinions too, which Cook says makes her project unique.

“There are a couple sites that are similar to mine, but none of them have reviews.” Readers can find ideas on the website, then go on the Facebook page and share their opinions about what they did.

Cook brings her own review committee with her when she attends events. If daughters Jasmine, 5, and Hazel, 3, want to go back to a destination, Cook knows she has a winner. And on weekends, husband Ben joins in as well.

Still, it takes work to keep a popular website running and current with the latest happenings. She spends time each day researching deals in the area, and her email inbox is full of messages from different businesses and public relations companies. She filters through the offerings and compiles the list she thinks represents the best of Tampa Bay.

The site isn’t a moneymaker yet, but Cook can see it growing into a business in the future. She’s already planning expansions into other markets such as Orlando and Miami.

But for now she’s working toward building the site’s popularity and gaining the trust of local families. And the positive feedback she’s received from friends and people at her church is an indication that she’s on the right track.

“My focus has really just been trying to get the word out that my website’s here to help people out,” Cook said.

Cook also wants those families who visit the site to attend and support as many events as possible, which will encourage companies to take note of the demand for events that go easy on a budget and everyone can enjoy.

“If we go and participate in these events, then they’re more likely to cater to families and make sure that their events or their location is more family friendly,” Cook said.

For more information, visit FamilyFriendlyTampaBay.com.

Published July 15, 2015