The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Making wonderful memories at the holidays

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I have many wonderful Christmas memories, but two in particular stand out.

Getting together for a hayride was always a fantastic way to get into the holiday mood. We held these rides during the holidays for years in our Wesley Chapel neighborhood.
Getting together for a hayride was always a fantastic way to get into the holiday mood. We held these rides during the holidays for years in our Wesley Chapel neighborhood.

The first was when I was in college. My family had moved to Florida from Ohio a few years earlier, and when we went back to visit for the holidays, our family had grown too large for all of us to stay at my grandparents’ house.

My parents had this great idea and rented two cabins at Mohican State Park. They drove up early, and since we were only staying there a few days, my mom brought just a handful of small Christmas decorations to make the cabin look a little festive before the rest of the family arrived.

They didn’t have room to bring a tree, so my mom jokingly said that if we saw a tree lying in the road to bring it with us.

My sister, brother and I were driving up to the cabin, and sure enough, there was a beautiful blue spruce tree on the side of the road.

My mom couldn’t believe it.

We put the tree up and hung a few ornaments on its branches. It was such a simple tree, but it meant so much to all of us to have it for our Christmas celebration.

It was a cold winter that year, and the blanket of fresh snow on the ground outside the cabins was absolutely gorgeous.

I will never forget how beautiful it was for our family to be in those cabins in the middle of the woods, as if we had the whole place to ourselves.

There were no stores or restaurants nearby, just our family spending time together creating wonderful memories.

My other favorite Christmas memory is from when my daughter was little. My husband had this terrific idea of having a hayride from our house in Wesley Chapel.

It was a great way to bring lots of family and friends together the week before Christmas to just have some fun.

After we decorated the trailer with garland, the kids had an awesome time breaking the bales apart and spreading hay everywhere. Sometimes it seemed like there was more hay on our driveway than on the trailer, but it was great to see them have so much fun.

We wore Santa hats, rang our jingle bells, and sang Christmas carols while we rode the streets of our neighborhood.

Each year it got bigger, and we even had to add another trailer so everyone could ride. After the hayride, we had a big cookout, and to make it even more special, Santa arrived and handed out gifts to all the children.

It was such a huge success that we had it for several years.

It was a fantastic way to spread holiday cheer. It was intended for the children, but I am pretty sure that the adults had just as much fun.

I know I did.

– Mary Eberhard

Mary Eberhard joined The Laker/Lutz News in 2003. She is the accounting manager and handles invoicing, accounts payable and accounts receivable.

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A crazy cold, yet warm Christmas

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Anyone remember Christmas Eve 1989 here in Tampa Bay?

My husband Gary and I were married for only two years, and it was the first year in our new home in Lutz.

It was crazy cold that year. As people switched on their electric heaters, plugged in their Christmas lights, and turned on their electric stoves, the resulting power shortage caused rolling blackouts.

The house would be full of light and warmth for about an hour, and then poof — everything was dark. There was no way to know how long we would be without light.

Typically the power would be out for an hour or two, but sometimes it would be out for three.

We were forced to sit and relax by candlelight, and we found ourselves engaged in pleasant conversation. We had no idea when we would receive the glorious gift of electrical power again.

When the power went back on, we would jump up and do as many tasks as we could that required electricity. I ran the vacuum, cranked up the heat, used multiple burners on the stove, and heated the big oven and the toaster oven at the same time.

We didn’t know how much time we had before cold darkness would return. Just as abruptly as lights went on, they’d go out again, and we’d be back in the darkness, fumbling around in a search for lighters, candles and flashlights.

While in the throes of it, it felt like the rolling blackouts during the holidays were a curse. Looking back, however, it’s easy to see that the loss of power was not a burden, but a gift.

It was a blessing to spend those interludes between our frantic bursts of activity savoring the company of each other.

– Suzanne Beauchaine

Suzanne Beauchaine is an account manager with The Laker/Lutz News, joining the paper in 2013. She seeks to listen to customers to ensure their advertising meets their marketing needs.

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Connerton in early planning stages for 150-bed hospital

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Florida Hospital is inching closer to eventually building a new hospital in the Connerton community after developers there got initial approval for a 150-bed facility.

Pasco County’s Development Review Committee gave the initial OK last week for Connerton to begin planning its second phase of the project, which could include 3,600 more homes, 190,000 square feet of retail and 725,000 square feet of government space.

As Connerton continues to grow just north of Land O’ Lakes, entrances from U.S. 41 and State Road 52 will have to be improved, Pasco County officials say. (File Photo)
As Connerton continues to grow just north of Land O’ Lakes, entrances from U.S. 41 and State Road 52 will have to be improved, Pasco County officials say. (File Photo)

The revised plan adds another 110,000 square feet of medical office space, bringing that total to 200,000, doubling the nursing home beds to 100, and adding 150 beds for a hospital.

Despite the move, Connerton representative Stew Gibbons tells The Laker/Lutz News there aren’t any immediate plans to build a hospital at the Land O’ Lakes Boulevard community, located just south of State Road 52.

“What we’re doing with now is securing approval of the entitlement limits so that can decide what they can put there, depending on the market at the time,” Gibbons said. “It’s a great location, especially when Ridge Road goes through, which will give you access across the county. “

Florida Hospital — which operates local hospitals in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and the University of South Florida area of Tampa — owns about 34 acres of land in the county, purchased by University Community Hospital Inc., before that hospital chain was acquired by Florida Hospital’s parent. It was part of a $5.1 million land deal the hospital put together in October 2007, just as the housing market was starting to come apart.

For the second phase of Pasco’s “new town,” Connerton is looking to focus a little more on multifamily, with about a third of the proposed residential in that phase taking that route. The first phase was primarily single-family homes, with approvals for nearly 4,000 homes.

The second phase also would include Connerton’s employment center, which will be a mix of government, office, industrial and medical.

“This is an example of how Connerton always has been designed,” said Andrea Zelman, an attorney who represents the community. “We are on the road to creating those jobs.”

But to do that, some of the roads in and around Connerton will need to be upgraded. That would include turn lanes for the entrances off U.S. 41 and State Road 52, and also finishing the link with Collier Parkway that has been on the drawing board for years.

Pasco’s chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein put emphasis on the stretch of Collier Parkway, proposed to link from Ehren Cutoff, calling it a “crucial piece of roadway that we cannot ignore much longer.”

“I wanted to make sure the county people up here understand the importance of doing something about Collier Parkway,” Goldstein told the committee. “We have to find a way to build that missing gap of Collier, and get that connected up to the employment center.”

However, not everyone is for expanding Collier. Stephen Coogle, who owns a 6-acre home on Ehren Cutoff bordering the Connerton project, said neighbors to the development deserve more attention to ensure they don’t lose value in their homes.

“We need to have buffers,” Coogle said, which could come primarily by preserving existing tree lines that border his property. Also, drainage from a Collier Parkway extension would need to be properly taken care of, so that it doesn’t flood his property instead.

“Our property and wetlands are not being taken into consideration,” Coogle said. “Progress needs to happen, but we should not have to sacrifice what we paid for.”

Gibbons said Connerton developers are working to address concerns of neighbors, but that many of Coogle’s concerns are premature.

“We are in the timing and phasing process, and we haven’t even designed anything yet,” Gibbons said.

When that process does begin, surrounding neighbors would be notified, and have a chance to express concern while those plans are drawn up.

Roadway improvements will be funded in part by a nearly $30 million contribution by Connerton, along with another $7.7 million in county incentives.

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Business Digest 12-24-14

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New Maaco coming to Land O’ Lakes
Come January, yet another shop will open where Land O’ Lakes residents can get car work done.

New franchise owner Kristen Andreani is opening her first Maaco location at 4107 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., according to company spokeswoman Betsy McDonald.

Maaco, founded in 1972, has more than 450 franchises across North America through its Charlotte, North Carolina-based Maaco Franchising LLC.

It would become Pasco’s second Maaco location, joining one on U.S. 19 in New Port Richey. The only other close Maaco location is at East Fowler Avenue in Tampa.

New retail planned for U.S. 41
Property along Land O’ Lakes Boulevard that has been vacant for more than 30 years may soon get a tenant.

Robert Sharp has requested a meeting with Pasco County building officials to discuss a 5,100-square-foot retail building for 3714 Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. That’s property located just north of Copperstone Executive Suites, across the street from the RaceTrac gas station.

Sharp didn’t share details on what he had planned for that space, but did ask for drive aisles.

The land is a little more than a half-acre, and was sold to the Fay B. Norton Family Trust in 2005 for $375,000. Late last year, the estate of Brendan Norton transferred the land to three members of the Norton family through an executor’s deed. That estate picked up the land through a trustee’s deed in 2012.

The land itself is on the market, listed through Bales Properties Inc., for $199,000.

Buffalo Wild Wings on its way
Land is getting pretty expensive along State Road 56, which is exactly what the owner of the Buffalo Wild Wings chain found out late last month.

AMC Wesley Chapel Real Estate Inc., a company affiliated with Buffalo Wild Wings owner Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc., purchased a little more than 2.5 acres of land along State Road 56 just east of Cypress Ridge Boulevard for $2.3 million. That’s a price just north of $903,000 an acre.

The developer has plans to put the land to good use, however. AMC is seeking final approval to build a 6,400-square-foot restaurant on the site, with an 800-foot patio, with direct access to State Road 56. Buffalo Wild Wings got initial approval from the Pasco County Planning Commission earlier this month, and will seek to get the same from the full Pasco County Commission in January.

This would become the second Buffalo Wild Wings in Pasco County after the State Road 54 location in New Port Richey. Other locations are in Ybor City and Tampa’s Westchase area, according to the restaurant’s website.

Developers have not said when construction will begin, or when the restaurant would open.

Orthodontist looks to build at Wesley Chapel hospital
Developers are looking to build a three-story office building just in front of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel on land connected to a local orthodontist.

Armando Cabre, of Cabre Engineering LLC, is set to meet with county officials behind closed doors next week to discuss plans to build a 16,000-square-foot medical office building on 1.8 acres of land just north of State Road 56 along Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

Cabre doesn’t mention who is interested in developing the land, but it’s owned by Lismark Holdings LLC, a company connected to New Tampa orthodontist Mark Farina, the owner of Farina Orthodontics located on Amberly Drive, as well as a second location in South Tampa.

Lismark, according to county property records, purchased the land in November 2013 for $1.28 million.

The vacant land currently is zoned for commercial, and is part of a larger sector of land the Porter family — who control the Wiregrass Ranch development — have designated for primarily medical uses to help complement the Wesley Chapel hospital.

No other details were shared about the facility, except that some of the project would be set aside to construct a drive-thru ATM somewhere in the future.

It’s not clear if Farina plans to use space in the office himself, or if he’s building to attract other medical professionals. He did not return an email request for comment last week.

It’s likely too early to talk a construction start date just yet, since meeting with county officials typically is a preliminary step in the development process.

In-home nutrition business opens
Living Path Nutrition has opened in Wesley Chapel, providing in-home nutrition consultations for individuals, families and groups. Services there include individual and group nutrition coaching, pantry makeovers, and clean-eating parties.

A registered and licensed dietitian and nutritionist provides the service.

For information, call Kim Chism at (813) 344-6534, or visit LivingPathNutrition.com.

West Winds now Rosecastle of Zephyrhills
Just two months after picking up a new owner, West Winds Assisted Living Facility in Zephyrhills is no more.

The 75-bed for-profit facility is now called Rosecastle of Zephyrhills, according to a posting on the facility’s Facebook page.

Rosecastle, located at 37411 Eiland Blvd., was sold Oct. 1 to Sabra Health Care Holdings III, which lists its address in Irvine, California, according to Pasco County property records. West Winds Prime LLC was the seller, and managed the property through carious companies since West Winds opened in 2008.

Sabra is a real estate investment trust that acquires senior citizen housing, memory care and skilled nursing facilities around the country. It purchased West Winds for $10.2 million, adding it to six skilled nursing facilities and three senior housing facilities Sabra purchased through the first half of 2014 for $141.5 million, according to filings at the time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

It remains Pasco’s third-largest real estate transaction. Topping that list was the $36.1 million sale of the Arlington at Northwood apartment complex in Wesley Chapel, followed by the $16 million sale of more than 330 acres of land in Wiregrass Ranch to make way for a proposed 550-home subdivision.

Volunteer tax preparers needed
United Way of Pasco County is looking for help this coming tax season with volunteer tax preparers.

Last year, more than 8,000 county residents used United Way’s tax preparation service, and received more than $8 million in total refunds.

Those interested in being a tax preparer does not require experience, and comes with comprehensive training.

For more information, visit UnitedWayPasco.org.

 

On The Agenda 12-24-14

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Democratic women to get Hillary connection
The Democratic Women’s Club of Pasco County will host its regular meeting and lunch Jan. 10 at 11 a.m., at the Jasmine Lakes Civic Center, 7137 Jasmine Blvd., in Port Richey.

Guest speaker is Aaron Darr, founding member and Florida state coordinator for the Ready for Hillary campaign, and effort to “draft” former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton into the presidential race.

Cost is $5.

To RSVP, email , or call (727) 372-9321.

Ananth Prasad leaving FDOT
Ananth Prasad, who has led the Florida Department of Transportation since Rick Scott was first elected governor, will step down from that job Jan. 2.

“Secretary Prasad … has been pivotal to making sure we could make a record investment of over $10 billion in our transportation system this year,” Scott said, in a release. “Secretary Prasad has also helped Florida become a major force in international trade because of his commitment to expanding our Florida ports and airports.”

The Florida Transportation Commission is being tasked with recommending Prasad’s replacement, expected next year.

Republican Women welcome Ted Schrader
The Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club will host a luncheon Jan. 9 at 11:30 a.m., at Ciao Italian Bistro, located in The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel. Joining the club is Pasco County commissioner Ted Schrader as the guest speaker.

Cost is $20.

To reserve a seat, call Fran Scerbo at (727) 597-3727, or email her at .

Scott makes cabinet, agency appointments
Gov. Rick Scott is getting ready for his second term by making some appointments among his cabinet and supporting agencies.

  • Mike Carroll will become secretary for the Department of Children and Families, after serving as interim secretary since April. He has nearly 25 years of experience with DCF, including work as the regional manager of the organization’s Suncoast region, which spans from Pasco to Collier counties.
  • Barbara Palmer will remain director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Palmer was first appointed to that job in August 2012 after spending nearly a year as chief of staff. Before all that, Palmer was assistant secretary for administration at the Department of Children and Families.
  • Julie Jones will become secretary for the Florida Department of Corrections. She was the executive director at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles since 2009, and spent 26 years prior to that at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  • Dr. John Armstrong will remain the state surgeon general and secretary of the Florida Department of Health. Scott first appointed Armstrong to the role in 2012 after serving as chief medical officer of the USF Health Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation at Tampa’s University of South Florida.
  • Timothy Cerio will become general counsel effective Jan. 5, with Pete Antonacci serving as special counsel during the transition period. Cerio is an attorney at GrayRobinson, and was a general counsel to the Florida Department of Health from 2005 to 2007.
  • Ken Lawson will remain the secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Lawson first earned that appointment in 2011, and previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida.
  • Chad Poppell will become secretary of the Department of Management Services. Poppell has served as the chief of staff of for the Department of Economic Opportunity since January 2013, and previously was director of employee services for a utility provider in Jacksonville.
  • Rick Swearingen will become the interim commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He has been with FDLE since 1984, and has served as the director of the capitol police since June 2013.
  • Ken Detzner will remain secretary of the Department of State. Detzner was first appointed to the position in 2012 after spending 30 years in both public and private settings, including the Department of State office.
  • Cynthia O’Connell will remain secretary of the Florida Lottery. O’Connell, a former communications executive, was first appointed to the position in 2011.

Miscarriage: Often a hidden grief for families

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Reina Flores-Robinson said she and her husband had not been trying to start a family when she learned she was pregnant. But as soon as they found out, they began making future plans for their baby.

The infant’s due date was Dec. 24, but Flores-Robinson had a miscarriage last June.

Reina Flores-Robinson says that despite the support of her husband, family and friends, going through a miscarriage is ‘one of the loneliest feelings.’ She’s holding a candle that she and her husband plan to light on the anniversary of their child’s due date each year, and a sonogram picture of the baby. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Reina Flores-Robinson says that despite the support of her husband, family and friends, going through a miscarriage is ‘one of the loneliest feelings.’ She’s holding a candle that she and her husband plan to light on the anniversary of their child’s due date each year, and a sonogram picture of the baby. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

There had been complications early in her pregnancy, Flores-Robinson said, but she’d been to the emergency room and had checked out OK.

Because of those previous complications, though, Flores-Robinson was nervous when she and her husband, Tim Robinson, went in for their first scheduled ultrasound in June.

It was a supposed to be a happy occasion. Her mom and her grandmother came along and waited outside, while Flores-Robinson and her husband made sure everything was fine.

Once the technician got started, though, Flores-Robinson knew something was wrong. The technician confirmed there was no heartbeat.

“I just tell people, ‘It’s one of the most painful silences you’ll ever hear,’” Flores-Robinson said.

The couple had pictured this Christmas Eve as a joyous time, celebrating the holiday with their new baby, she said. Instead, they found themselves faced with enormous grief.

“At first, it was just hard to even understand, just the initial shock,” she said. “I have an amazing doctor. He told me, ‘You’re going to recount every step you took because you’re going to try and figure out what you did wrong.’ He said, ‘I’m going to tell you there’s nothing you could have changed and nothing you could have done differently. You’re never going to find an answer to it.’

“That, I have to remind myself time and time again,” Flores-Robinson said.

She has gone through various emotions, including sadness, guilt and anger. While some people never talk about it, Flores-Robinson said she and her husband wanted to share their story. They want to help others who are suffering in silence.

Flores-Robinson said she found help at her church, Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz. She has talked with women there — her age and older — who have experienced miscarriages.

They understand the sense of loss, Flores-Robinson said. As one put it, “Once women find out they are pregnant, they already have that baby in their arms.”

The same is true for men, Flores-Robinson said.

“It’s very easy to forget that men also grieve,” she said. Her husband also had pictured their future life with their child.

And, Robinson has been a source of strength for her.

“My husband is an amazing, Godly man,” she said. “He was that rock for me for several weeks. He stayed strong.”

When he finally broke down, Flores-Robinson was relieved that he could release his feelings. Having experienced a miscarriage has given her new insight about the questions she asks to married couples.

“I know myself, before I miscarried, I may have been one of those women who asked the question. ‘Are you guys going to have kids?’” Flores-Robinson asked.

Now, she realizes that may be a sensitive subject. She recalls her response to a woman who had experienced a miscarriage shortly before she had her own. She told the woman: “I can’t even imagine.”

That turned out to be true, Flores-Robinson couldn’t imagine the pain and grief she would feel.

“Going through a miscarriage, I can say, is one of the loneliest feelings,” Flores-Robinson said.

She said a booklet she received from Peter Castellani, executive director of Oasis Pregnancy Care Centers, was a big source of help. Called “Embracing Hope: Comfort & Encouragement After Miscarriage,” it was produced by Focus on the Family.

The booklet “goes through how to handle the hurtful comments that come up, and the clichés that people say, well-meaning things that people will say,” said Debbie Hamby, client services director at Oasis.

People who have suffered a miscarriage are hurting, Castellani said.

“I’ve had a lot of people confide in me that they’ve had miscarriages, and it’s very difficult to deal with,” Castellani said. “I’ve had at least a half a dozen people or more — through the Christian Business Connections or the (Central Pasco) Chamber, or just when I’m networking.

“We want them to heal,” he said.

Besides the booklet, his office has a DVD that can help people who have experienced a miscarriage to process their grief.

Some people who have received help at the pregnancy care center are reluctant to come back to a place they associate with their baby, Hamby said, to receive help for processing their grief from a miscarriage.

One of the things that the Focus on the Family booklet discusses is the idea of creating a memento box that may include items such as a sonogram picture, the results of their pregnancy test, or other items, Hamby said.

Flores-Robinson and her husband have kept the sonogram picture and a small stuffed bear they bought shortly after learning they were expecting. They plan to light a candle every Dec. 24 to remember the baby they lost.

As difficult as it has been, the loss also has yielded blessings, Flores-Robinson said.

“My husband and I have grown so much in our marriage,” she said. “We literally would hold each other and cry. Both of our walks with God grew tremendously.

“When the miscarriage happened, we stood in that parking lot and said, ‘All glory go to God, in the good times and the bad.’”

December has been a tough month, she said. “Once it hit Dec. 1, I was just thinking about Dec. 24.”

“I think about Dec. 24, and I think about how I’m going to be that day,” Flores-Robinson said. “Am I going to be OK? I think about the baby I wanted to have in my arms.”

But then, she also thinks about the true meaning of Christmas.

“It’s so special to think about what that does mean, with a savior being born,” Flores-Robinson said. “That image in my head is what I have been clinging to.”

Published December 17, 2014

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Contract proposal includes pay raises, more planning time

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Negotiators for Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco have hammered out a deal that includes pay raises and increased instructional planning time. But it also calls for the end of smoking on all district properties and for the end of a district early retirement program.

Teachers and school-related employees, on average, would receive a 3 percent increase under the proposal, union president Kenny Blankenship said.

Kenny Blankenship (File Photo)
Kenny Blankenship says the pay raises in the proposed contract between Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco are ‘among the best in the state.’ (File photo)

Kenny Blankenship says the pay raises in the proposed contract between Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco are ‘among the best in the state.’

Kenny Blankenship says the pay raises in the proposed contract between Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco are ‘among the best in the state.’

Kenny Blankenship says the pay raises in the proposed contract between Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco are ‘among the best in the state.’

Kenny Blankenship says the pay raises in the proposed contract between Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco are ‘among the best in the state.’

“That’s one of the best in the state,” he said.

The proposed contract also calls for increasing teachers’ instructional planning time from the current 100 minutes a day, to 150. The increased planning time probably is the most significant item in the agreement, Blankenship said.

“Our teachers really need it with all of the changes that we’ve been going through,” Blankenship said.

The proposed contract also calls for the end of smoking on district properties, effective July 1, 2016. It’s a provision Superintendent Kurt Browning says is important to the school district.

“We want a healthier work force, and we felt very strongly that that was a way to at least move in that direction,” Browning said.

There’s time between now and when the policy takes effect that will give employees a chance to participate in smoking cessation programs, the superintendent added. Beyond employee health, the district thought that allowing smoking at its sites sent a mixed message.

The ban on smoking is in keeping with similar bans in public places across the nation, Blankenship said.

“That’s probably an idea that’s come to its time,” he said.

Another portion of the proposed contract calls for eliminating new entrants to the district’s early retirement program, effective June 30, 2018.

By having that program phased out, Browning said, the district can use the $1.6 million typically spent there for other purposes.

The people currently participating in the program will not be affected,” Blankenship said. Those who qualify and opt to take advantage of the program still have some time to do so.

Both sides have agreed to create a compensation task force that will talk about proposed changes to how teachers are paid. The options being considered are teachers receiving 20 paychecks during the 10-month teacher work year, with five checks paid on the last teacher work day, and a last check two weeks later; or teachers receiving 26 equal paychecks, paid out every two weeks year round.

Another plus of the proposed contract, Blankenship said, is that there’s still a free health care plan option available for employees.

All together the district is providing almost $12 million of new funding toward employee compensation and benefits, according to a district news release.

A general settlement explanation meeting open to all bargaining unit members is scheduled for Jan. 13, where union building representatives will vote whether to recommend the settlement to the full bargaining unit. A ratification vote has been scheduled for Jan. 14.

Provided that the settlement is ratified, the Pasco County School Board is schedule to vote on Jan. 20.

Any applicable retroactive pay should be reflected in paychecks by the end of February.

Published December 17, 2014

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If you’re looking for holiday cheer, check this out

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There are plenty of local holiday happenings to appeal to young and old, but there’s a wide assortment of regional attractions to help brighten the season as well.

Experience the charm of an old-fashioned Christmas at the 33rd annual Victorian Christmas Stroll at the Henry B. Plant Museum. (Courtesy of Henry B. Plant Museum)
Experience the charm of an old-fashioned Christmas at the 33rd annual Victorian Christmas Stroll at the Henry B. Plant Museum. (Courtesy of Henry B. Plant Museum)

If you’re looking for something fun and affordable to do, here’s a list of possibilities.

TAMPA
The 33rd annual Victorian Christmas Stroll at the Henry B. Plant Museum, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd. — Beneath the towering silver minarets of the former Tampa Bay Hotel, visitors have the chance to peek at 14 rooms decked out in 19th century themes for the holidays.

Carolers sing in the evenings in front of a 15-foot tree, and visitors are invited to sing along. Complimentary spiced cider and cookies are served on the veranda.

The stroll is being offered daily through Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for senior citizens, and $9 for kids between 4 and 18.

Wild Wonderland at Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W. Sligh Ave. — Enjoy a holiday stroll around the zoo and see a dazzling display of lights synchronized to holiday music, see lighted animal figures and possible snow flurries, enjoy rides, and see some penguins.

Admission is $15 for adults, 
$13 for children between 3 and 11, and free for children younger than 3.

Ice Palace at International Plaza, 2223 N. West Shore Blvd. — The mall transforms into the Ice Palace, a 30-foot dome with snow, a light show, and interactive snow globes depicting scenes from the Disney movie “Frozen.”

Entertainment includes an icy handprint experience, size comparisons with Sven and Olaf — characters from the movie — and photos with Olaf on an ice throne.

The attractions run through Dec. 24 during mall hours.

For information, visit ShopInternationalPlaza.com.

Tampa’s Downtown on Ice at Curtis Hixon Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive — Skaters can enjoy an outdoor rink in the park. Each 90-minute session, including skate rental, is $10.

DOVER
Nights of Shimmering Lights at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, 215 Sydney Washer Road — Drive through two miles of dazzling displays, illuminated tunnels, and dancing light-emitting diodes, while listening to holiday tunes on your radio.

The attraction includes more than 2,000 sculpted light displays.

After you drive through the light tunnels, stop at Christmas Village, where you can drink hot chocolate, watch holiday movies, and have a picture taken with Santa.

Admission is $15 per car Monday through Wednesday evenings, and $20 per car Thursday through Sunday evenings.

LARGO
Holiday Lights in the Gardens at the Florida Botanical Gardens, 12520 Ulmerton Road — Every evening through Dec. 31, visitors can stroll through the gardens from 5:30 to 9:30, enjoying laser lights, flora and fauna displays, decorated trees, a 7-foot gingerbread house, and more.

There’s free entertainment, and visits from Santa Claus.

Admission is $4 for those 13 and older

WESLEY CHAPEL
Symphony in Lights at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive — The shopping center offers nightly synchronized music and light shows on the hour, from 6 p.m. through 9 p.m., through Dec. 31.

The free attraction features a 55-foot tree with more than 250,000 lights and snow flurries. 

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH
Holiday Lighted Boat Parade at the Holiday Inn Harbourside, 401 Second St. — Come watch a parade of all kinds of boats decked out for the holidays.

The parade is open for all kinds of boats, including canoes and rowboats. It begins at 7 p.m. on Dec. 20, and starts and ends at the Holiday Inn at Harbourside.

SPRING HILL
The Celebration of Lights, at Safety Town 15325 Alric Pottberg Road — Drive along a mile-long route to see a dazzling display of animated lights.

The event was the vision of Dave Parrish, a community leader in West Pasco County, who died before his vision could come to life.

The event is open at dusk through Jan. 4. Entry fees are $20 per car, and $40 for a 14-passenger van.

Published December 17, 2014

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Bull Run: Wiregrass Ranch soccer team still undefeated

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Sunlake High School is considered a powerhouse boys soccer program in Pasco County.

And for good reason: The Seahawks have a long track record of success, a winning coach, and they’re undefeated so far this season.

But they’re not the only ones.

Brendan Duran and his soccer teammates at Wiregrass Ranch High School are off to a perfect start. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Brendan Duran and his soccer teammates at Wiregrass Ranch High School are off to a perfect start. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Wiregrass Ranch High School has had five straight winning seasons, and the sixth already is in the bag after just 13 regular season games.

The Bulls are 13-0, including 5-0 in Class 4A-District 8. They’ve scored 62 goals compared to just five against, with nine shutouts. Their closest opponent in the district standings, Mitchell High School, lost 2-0 to Wiregrass Ranch last week.

And according to coach David Wilson, they don’t need to be micromanaged to succeed.

“They’ll run the first 25 minutes of practice without me having to do anything,” he said. “I say one thing to them, and they’ll be gone. They go on their run, they come out and stretch, they do their preliminary practice stuff and their preparation stuff.

“There’s expectations that we’ve set and these kids know what to do when they come in.”

Part of knowing what to do comes from playing at the local club level, Wilson said. Including the junior varsity team — which also undefeated — around 90 percent of their players participate in club soccer.

While the Bulls are dominating offensively and defensively, the coach said their strength lies in their depth. Injuries, sickness and club soccer commitments have required the team to dig deep into the roster frequently, and their bench players are able and ready to perform at a high level when called to the pitch.

“There’s not a drop-off when we have to go to the bench,” Wilson said. “You can wear teams down if you can go to your 20th player and have the kid not drop off too much from your No. 11 player.”

There isn’t any drop-off when they switch goalkeepers, either. While the shutouts and low goals against are impressive, it doesn’t come from one standout player. The Bulls actually rotate dominating goalkeepers, including Wilson’s son, Payton.

They have another goalie getting work at the junior varsity level, so an area that causes some teams to struggle is a very deep position at Wiregrass Ranch.

Wilson hopes that depth helps the team go farther than they did last year, even though it was a successful season. They reached the regional semifinals before falling to district rival Mitchell, 5-1.

That loss — at home, no less — stung some of the players. Providing a little payback with a 2-0 victory on Dec. 9 was an important win for them.

“That felt great. It was sweet revenge,” said Brendan Duran, the team’s assist leader.

After not playing their best in their final game last year, he said it’s important to start out this year strong and keep expectations high so they can advance farther.

But expectations alone won’t get it done, and Duran believes the team has the skill to reach the state finals. But even skill isn’t enough, and he knows what else is required to reach their potential.

“It’s going to have to take dedication,” Duran said. “And definitely hard work.”

His coach agrees that the team has the ability to compete for a state title, but he won’t be running around on the sidelines and screaming at his team to get there. Wilson isn’t that kind of coach, preferring to keep things in perspective and build strong foundations that aren’t swayed by the emotions of one game.

But he’s proud of the program, noting that alumni frequently come to games or practices to support the current players and reminisce with him about previous seasons.

Wilson, who also coaches tennis and is the school’s athletic director, has been coaching soccer for 26 years. But if other schools are hoping he might hang it up soon and give them a chance to topple Wiregrass Ranch, they’ll probably have a long wait.

“There’s really nothing else I want to do,” Wilson said. “I still really enjoy it.”

Published December 17, 2014

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No-cost Christmas fun for the entire family

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It’s Christmas season, and families will spend a lot of time doing holiday-themed activities together.

Nutcrackers of all sizes are just part of the Christmas decorations at the Old Lutz School. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Nutcrackers of all sizes are just part of the Christmas decorations at the Old Lutz School. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

But what does that really mean in 2014? Going to a crowded mall to buy more things? Waiting for an hour to get into a chain restaurant? Stringing up half-broken lights on the house that will stay up until well past the Super Bowl in February?

Sure, you can do all of that. But may I suggest you also spend at least one evening enjoying some of the local holiday fare?

There are activities going on where you live that provide nice entertainment without a naughty hit to your wallet.

If you want to enjoy some family-fun activities without a long drive or big price tag, consider these options:

Christmas at the Old Lutz School
The school is an area treasure, faithfully preserved and looking much like it did over the past eight decades. And naturally, they do an old-style Christmas at 18819 U.S. 41 N.

One room is full of Christmas trees, decorated by area organizations. No crazy-looking, post-modern decorations here. If you have a fond memory of a Christmas tree in your youth, it probably looked a lot like these: Simple, elegant and festive.

Another room is dedicated to a couple of train collections, with intricate details and scenery you could study for quite a while. And really, what’s a better reminder of the Christmas season than model trains? They just kind of go together.

There’s also a room full of nutcrackers. I mean, a lot of them. The hallways are decorated, too. Outside, you’re treated to some hot chocolate and a cookie.

You can visit with your neighbors, visit a historical landmark, and enjoy the kinds of refreshments people have loved since, well, since the school opened in 1927.

Did I mention this is free? You won’t pay a penny for anything. They do have barrels to collect toys and food for the less-fortunate over the holidays. But that’s part of the Christmas spirit, too.

If you miss this, you’re missing out.

Symphony in Lights at The Shops at Wiregrass
What has a quarter-million lights and 2,000 watts of holiday cheer?

Hopefully it’s not your neighbor’s Christmas decorations. But it is the Symphony in Lights at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel.

Every night in its center court, the center coordinates its sizeable Christmas display to the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. If you haven’t heard of this orchestra, you’ve probably heard their music. Their bombastic, elaborate sound mixes rock and classical music, and is used at high-energy holiday, fireworks and sporting events, as well as a bunch of holiday commercials.

And it just happens to be perfect for coordinated Christmas light displays.

What’s great about this event is the fact that they do it four times a night, so you can get there when you want. Every hour on the hour, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., they play three holiday-inspired instrumentals to go with their light display.

It’s not too long, but they alternate two different sets of songs. All you have to do is stay for the next one and hear a different trio.

By the way, this also is free. You can do some shopping while you’re there, of course. But they don’t charge a thing to come and enjoy their display. Just fit it into your schedule and enjoy.

If you time it right, you can hit both of these events in the same evening, and still get the kids home by bedtime. With a traditional Christmas at the school, and a fun, modern take at the shops, you’ll find something for everyone to enjoy. If you can’t get into the holiday spirit after these local displays, you just might be a Grinch.

Besides, all it costs is a little time and enough gas to get there. You won’t find a better deal than that in December.

The Old Lutz School is open from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 18, Dec. 20, Dec. 21 and Dec. 26-28. The display at The Shops at Wiregrass runs every night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. through Dec. 31.

For more information, visit OldLutzSchool.com or TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.

Published December 17, 2014

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