The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Future is here: Body cameras coming to Pasco

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Many law enforcement agencies around the country continue to debate whether they should have patrol officers wear body cameras — but the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office isn’t waiting any longer.

More than 400 deputies and investigators will be equipped with body cameras in February, a movie Sheriff Chris Nocco said would make neighborhoods safer for deputies and the people who live in them.

Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy and field training officer Kristina Perez, right, demonstrates the new body camera that other deputies in Sheriff Chris Nocco’ department will be equipped with beginning in February. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy and field training officer Kristina Perez, right, demonstrates the new body camera that other deputies in Sheriff Chris Nocco’ department will be equipped with beginning in February. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“This is not the panacea,” Nocco said during a news conference last week. “This is not going to be the cure-all for all the issues of our world. But it’s a tool, just like any other tool that we use in law enforcement.”

The sheriff’s office is in the process of ordering 415 sets of Taser Axon cameras, which can be mounted on glasses, hats, shirt fronts, collars, lapels and other locations on a deputy. They record up to four hours of video and audio, and have a battery that lasts 12 hours.

Deputies will turn it on whenever they get out of their patrol car to interact with the public or investigate a crime, Nocco said. At the end of each shift, deputies connect their camera to a docking station to upload each video. Once it’s in the system, they cannot be manipulated, and deputies will not be able to edit them.

It’s the kind of system that will not only provide transparency in how deputies interact with people inside Pasco County, but it also could streamline the court system significantly.

“The criminal justice system’s job is to get to the truth,” said Craig Laporte, an attorney with Proly Laporte & Mulligan in Port Richey, who represents one of the deputy unions. “If an individual has, in fact, committed a crime, this provides evidence of that. This could reduce the number of jury trials … because the state attorney will immediately have information they can use.”

Cameras also could significantly reduce the complaints filed against deputies, each one of which must be investigated. By having an unedited video and audio record of the encounter, internal investigations would not have to rely on witness accounts alone, discouraging people from making false claims against the officer.

It also could stop a deputy from crossing any lines, making some of the problems police are experiencing in New York City and Ferguson, Missouri, a lot less likely to happen.

While the use of body cameras is something some observers have suggested after the officer-involved deaths in those cities, Nocco said Pasco’s plan has been in motion for quite some time, with field testing beginning last October.

“This started months ago because citizens are constantly pulling their phones out and taping deputies,” Nocco said. Those deputies were “looking on their own to get body cameras, and they were talking about buying them on their own. But I said to wait, because we have to come up with a policy.”

That policy includes when deputies are expected to have the cameras on, and how long videos will be stored before they’re deleted. The policy also makes it clear that the cameras can’t be used as “Big Brother,” Nocco said, referring to the novel “1984,” where supervisors can’t pull up random video just for the sake of disciplining a deputy.

The entire program will cost $400,000 a year — far less than what other neighboring agencies like the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is considering, Nocco said. Initial funds will come from federal forfeiture dollars, but future years will require funding through tax dollars controlled by the Pasco County Commission.

The cameras bring their own controversies to the table, primarily when it comes to privacy rights, Fourth Amendment protections of search and seizure through the U.S. Constitution, and how footage is used, and what is made available to the public. Nocco says he hopes lawmakers in Tallahassee will address body cameras this coming year, but in the meantime, he’s moving forward.

So far for the upcoming legislative session, only one bill has been filed in Tallahassee regarding body cameras. State Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, filed H.B. 57 on Dec. 4 that, if passed, would require every uniformed law enforcement officer primarily assigned to patrol duties to be equipped with a body camera by Jan. 1, 2016.

“We’re not fearful of being a leader out there,” Nocco said. “There’s always going to be bumps in the road, and there is always going to be tweaks.”

Cameras like this already are in use in different parts of the United Kingdom, and those police departments provided a significant amount of data on how the cameras were used. For example, one town in Scotland found that 70 percent of cases that involved body cameras were less likely to go to trial. Closer to home in Rialto, California, complaints against law enforcement officers dropped from 24 to just three.

Published December 17, 2014

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Bringing history to life: Dade’s Battle

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Those who enjoy history and the spectacle of re-enactments may want to make their way to Bushnell in early January to watch the dramatization of a battle that sparked the beginning of the Second Seminole War.

Re-enactors will take to the Historic Dade Battlefield to assume the roles of Seminole warriors and American soldiers during the 32nd annual commemoration of Dade’s Battle.

U.S. troops charge during Dade’s Battle, an annual re-enactment that occurs at the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. (Courtesy of Dade Battlefield Historic State Park)
U.S. troops charge during Dade’s Battle, an annual re-enactment that occurs at the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park in Bushnell. (Courtesy of Dade Battlefield Historic State Park)

The actual battle took place on Dec. 28, 1835 — 10 years before Florida even became a state, said Bill Gruber, park manager at the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park.

While the re-enactment is a condensed version of the actual battle, it is authentic in many respects, Gruber said. The re-enactors wear uniforms and clothing that resemble those used during that period, and many fire blank cartridges from weapons that are reproductions of the kind that were used in the battle.

Re-enactors from throughout Florida and beyond gather in Bushnell to dramatize the conflict, Gruber said, and a couple of thousand people typically watch.

About 100 re-enactors take part in the dramatization, said Paul Remis, president of the Dade Battlefield Society Inc. Re-enactors come from all over the country, as well as from Canada and overseas.

The event is the largest Seminole re-enactment and has been taking place longer than any other Seminole re-enactment, Remis said.

The annual event began as a small memorial service at the site, which includes a portion of the historic battlefield, Gruber said, and has evolved over time into a major re-enactment.

The event marks an important historic battle that many people know little or nothing about, the park manager said. The Dade Battle sparked the longest, costliest and deadliest war between the United States and Native Americans.

When Florida became a U.S. territory and settlers began moving here, the Native Americans were forced to move south, according to the DadeBattlefield.com website.

By the 1830s, there was significant conflict between Seminoles and white settlers. The conflict intensified because of the Seminole practice of giving refuge to fugitive slaves, the website says.

When the Treaty of Payne’s Landing was signed in 1832, some chiefs agreed to move to territory west of the Mississippi River. But there was widespread opposition to this treaty, led by a Seminole chief named Osceola, and that resulted in the outbreak of the Second Seminole War.

In December 1835, more than 100 U.S. troops and officers were marching from Fort Brooke in what is now Tampa to reinforce Fort King, Gruber said, which is in present-day Ocala.

At the site where the park now stands, 180 Seminole warriors ambushed the U.S. troops, killing all but three, Gruber said. One died a short time later, leaving only two survivors.

The soldiers had expected to be attacked during their march, but had believed it would come earlier, Gruber said, so they had let down their guard.

Remis agreed that the soldiers thought the danger was behind them.

“They figured if they’re going to get us, they’re going to burn a bridge and we’re going to be trapped, we’re not going to have anywhere to go,” Remis said.

Visitors to the 80-acre state can stop by the visitor center to see displays about the historic battle, Gruber said, and watch an informative 12-minute video about it, called “This Land, These Men.”

They also can walk a short battlefield trail, which actually follows a stretch of the historic Fort King Military Road. It displays interpretive labels, along with monuments to Dade and his command.

Besides its historic significance, the park also offers visitors a chance to see a variety of wildlife such as white-tailed deer, gray squirrels, gopher tortoises, eastern cottontails, red-shouldered hawks and pileated woodpeckers.

In addition to the annual re-enactment of Dade’s Battle, there are other special events during the year, Gruber said. The park also features picnic areas, a playground and other amenities.

If you go
WHAT: Dade’s Battle
WHY: A re-enactment of the battle that sparked the Second Seminole War, as well as period soldier, Seminole and civilian camps, historic arts and crafts demonstrations, full-scale firing, tree cutting, barricade building, 19th century games and activities for children and vendors.
WHEN: Jan. 3 and Jan. 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Re-enactment of Dade’s Battle each day at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Dade Battlefield Historic State Park, 7200 County Road 603, Bushnell
COST: $5 per person, with children younger than 6 free. Parking is $3.
INFO: (352) 793-4781, or FloridaStateParks.org

Published December 17, 2014

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Business Digest 12-17-14

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(Courtesy of Jessica Griffin)
(Courtesy of Jessica Griffin)

Jobs on the go
CareerSource Pasco Hernando has reintroduced its Mobile One Stop, a 38-foot bus retrofitted with 13 computer stations. It’s complete with satellite Internet, telecommunications, printing, copying and scanning — everything anyone would need to find a job. It provides service to more than 100 people every month with stops that include the New River Branch Library in Zephyrhills among others. For details on where Mobile One Stop will be, visit CareerSourcePascoHernando.com.

Brandon investor buys Lutz 7-Eleven
Drivers on State Road 54 going by 7-Eleven on Livingston Road may have noticed the 7-Eleven signs are gone.

The corporate parent of the convenience store chain, 7-Eleven Inc. — through its Southland Corp. affiliate — sold the 27-year-old store late last month to Sailfish Real Estate LLC of Brandon. The owner of that company, William McKnight, owns several convenience stores around the region, primarily using Circle K branding.

McKnight owns the much larger Automated Petroleum and Energy Co., which purchases and leases convenience store locations all over the state.

It’s not clear how McKnight will handle the new location, except that it will no longer be a 7-Eleven. McKnight did not return a request for comment last week.

The sale by 7-Eleven was part of a national effort to cut ties with 75 of the stores.

“There are many nice sites in this package that simply do not fit 7-Eleven’s current business model,” company vice president Robbie Radant said in a release last May. “All of those stores have solid merchandise sales, and should provide good opportunities for the right buyers.”

The store and land sold for $750,000, compared to the $225,000 Southland paid for the vacant land back in 1986. Back then, State Road 54 was just two lanes, and far less competition was nearby. Now, however, a RaceTrac is located on just the other side of Livingston.

Famous Tate plans Lutz location
The Tampa-based appliance and mattress store Famous Tate is looking to build its 10th location in central Pasco County, within arm’s reach of Walmart along U.S. 41.

Executives of the small retail chain were scheduled to meet with county officials behind closed doors earlier this month to discuss opening a 14,000-square-foot store on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, in an outparcel just south of Walmart, not far from where Dale Mabry Highway begins.

Hagman Properties Inc., of Tarpon Springs owns the 1.6-acre parcel, and was the land’s only deed-holder, according to county property records.

This would be Pasco’s third Famous Tate store. The closest current one is at 5419 Village Market in Wesley Chapel, with a second one in Port Richey.

The company was founded in 1954, and employs more than 200 people in six counties, according to the company’s website. Aspire Engineering Inc., of Tampa will take the lead on the project.

Tony Trovato
Tony Trovato

Gulfside Hospice has new CFO
Tony Trovato is the new chief financial officer for Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care.

In his new position, Trovato will be in charge of directing the financial and business functions of the organization, as well as provide oversight of departments like finance, business technology, physical plant, and the organization’s thrift stores.

Trovato has more than 25 years experience in the health care and hospice industry, previously spending 24 years with Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where he would eventually become its president and chief executive.

Originally from Chicago, Trovato graduated from Illinois Benedictine College in Lisle, Illinois.

Gulfside Hospice was originally licensed in 1989, and serves more than 350 patients daily, employing more than 250 people, with assistance from 550 volunteers.

Townhomes planned for Lake Patience
Ariel Homes has waited long enough to start development a small stitch of land off Lake Patience Road, where the developer hopes to build 51 townhomes.

The Odessa-based builder was scheduled to meet with Pasco County officials Dec. 15 to build the units on nearly 7 acres of land not far from where Lake Patience and Drexel roads intersect, north of Glendale Villas, not far from Vienna Lake.

Ariel Homes, as A-Investments Development Corp., bought the land in 2004 for $250,000. It already is zoned for multifamily.

Ariel only owns a handful of property in Pasco through A-Investments, primarily single lots in Wilderness Lake Preserve. The townhomes planned for this larger piece of land would be single-story, created by Tampa Civil Design, according to documents filed with the county.

Ariel Homes is primarily a smaller-scale developer, founded by Ariel Quintela in 1990, according to the company’s website. Quintela has lived in Tampa since 1972, and concentrates most of his work in Hillsborough County. However, the lots his company owns in Wilderness Lake Preserve are listed as high as $500,000.

Kumquat tours
Pasco-Hernando State College’s Encore Academy will offer tours of a kumquat grove and processing plant ahead of Dade City’s annual Kumquat Festival Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon at Kumquat Growers of Saint Joseph, 31647 Gude Road, in St. Joseph.

The Encore Academy is a service of the school that provides lifelong learning opportunities to adults of all ages, with membership benefits and discounts available to those 50 and older.

The two-hour workshop is $12, and is open to the public.

For information, visit PHSC.edu/encore.

New Mercedes dealership wants more space
It’s not even finished yet, but a new Mercedes-Benz dealership in Wesley Chapel is looking to add a little more space.

Thomas Engineering Group had scheduled a meeting with Pasco County officials Dec. 15 to increase the already 45,000-square-foot facility by another 2,000 square feet. That would bring the total space to above 47,000 square feet.

AutoNation is building the dealership on State Road 56 near Interstate 75 for $17 million. It was originally expected to open in December, but likely will not start selling its first cars until spring at the earliest.

 

On The Agenda 12-17-14

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(Courtesy of Ed Moore)
(Courtesy of Ed Moore)

A tall order
Amy Moore, left, joins her supervisor Christine Kearney and barista Kelsey Mattox in welcoming Gov. Rick Scott to their Starbucks on State Road 54 near Suncoast Parkway during a recent visit to the area.

Pasco DEC elects officers … mostly
A new chair won’t be elected until Jan. 12, but in the meantime, the Pasco Democratic Executive Committee elected a new slate of officers unanimously Dec. 9 that included Karen Ford as vice chair, Nola Branche as secretary and Calvin Branche as treasurer.

Ford was a neighborhood team leader for Barack Obama in 2010, and is a founding member of the Trinity Democratic Club. She also worked on the two successful campaigns of Democratic state representative Amanda Murphy.

Nola Branche has been a teacher for 23 years, and served as a Democratic town committee chair. She has been the DEC’s secretary since 2006.

Cal Branche taught school for 28 years, and has spent the past 15 years as a licensed community association manager. He has served as vice chair of the DEC for nine years, and has been treasurer the past four years.

Pasco holiday closings
Pasco County government offices, including the constitutional offices and the courts, will be closed Dec. 25 and Dec. 26 in observance of the Christmas holiday season.

All government offices and courts will reopen Dec. 29.

The Pasco County Tax Collector’s office also will be closed Dec. 27, reopening Dec. 29.

Libraries run by the county will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 24, but will reopen Dec. 27 at their regularly scheduled times. County parks and recreation centers will be closed Dec. 27 as well.

Pasco County Animal Services will have an animal control officer available for emergencies only during the holiday, with the adoption center reopening Dec. 27 from noon to 6:30 p.m. The administration office there will reopen Dec. 29 at 8 a.m.

Pasco County Public Transportation will not provide transportation services over the holiday, resuming service on Dec. 27.

The Pasco County Resource Recovery Facility and the East Pasco Transfer Station will be closed to the general public on Dec. 26, but remain open to licensed commercial haulers. All those stations will reopen to the public on Dec. 27.

Hillsborough selects CIO
The Hillsborough County Commission is expected to confirm Ramin Kouzehkanani as the county’s new chief information and innovation officer during a meeting Dec. 17.

Kouzehkanani has more than 20 years experience in organizational management and leadership of large-scale information technology programs. He is currently the chief deputy clerk for strategic planning and technology for Florida’s 13th Judicial Circuit.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Brighton in the United Kingdom, and a Master of Business Administration from Western New England University.

If confirmed, Kouzehkanani would begin Jan. 5 with a salary of $175,000.

Massive Quail Hollow land grab raises eyebrows

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A developer who had originally planned to build a 260-acre corporate park near the Suncoast Parkway before selling the land last year hasn’t quite given up on Pasco County.

Charles Bruck, the owner of Tampa’s SoHo Capital, is among the buyers of more than 1,000 acres of land just west of Quail Hollow in Wesley Chapel. Bruck’s SoHo Dayflower LLC company and some other partners completed the purchase just before Thanksgiving for $4.2 million.

Armenian Acres, a small rural gated community off Mangrove Drive, could be the most affected by any planned development of more than 1,000 acres that surround the community on the western side. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Armenian Acres, a small rural gated community off Mangrove Drive, could be the most affected by any planned development of more than 1,000 acres that surround the community on the western side. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

But what does Bruck have in store for the land? He’s not talking quite yet. However, it’s not necessarily far-fetched to believe he’s planning to turn hundreds of acres of agricultural land into a brand new development.

Except that’s not what he’s doing, at least according to one prominent land broker. Bill Eshenbaugh, known in the industry as “The Dirt Dog” and owner of Eshenbaugh Land Co., wasn’t involved in this particular land sale, but has worked in the past for Bruck, as well as his partners in this particular purchase — J. Aprile Properties LLC, D. Aprile Properties LLC and R. Aprile Properties LLC.

The plan? Leave the land just the way it is. At least for now.

“The Apriles are good dairymen, and they can work that land just the way it’s been for the past few decades,” Eshenbaugh said. “They really have nothing to lose on this. It’s one of the lowest prices I’ve seen.”

The purchase was most likely part of what is known in the land industry as a 1031 exchange, Eshenbaugh said. That refers to a portion of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code where a property owner can sell land, and then reinvest those proceeds in a similar property purchase elsewhere to defer the capital gains taxes he would have to pay otherwise.

The Apriles, for example, recently sold one of Hillsborough County’s last dairy farms off Cowley Road in the Riverview area, Eshenbaugh said. The family could reinvest that money in the Pasco land to avoid paying federal taxes on the profit.

Two foreign companies have owned the land Bruck’s group purchased since the 1980s. The largest parcel of more than 600 acres, located west of Mangrove Drive, surrounds a small block of homes on Armenian Lane behind a rural gate known as Armenian Acres.

Gazas N.V. Inc., a company located in the former Netherlands Antilles, bought that land in 1981 for $1.1 million, according to county property records, or what would be $2.9 million today.

The second parcel is located north of it, along Quail Hollow Boulevard, just below Apple Blossom Lane. Lexel Establishment Ltd. of Israel purchased that land in 1980 for $520,000, or $1.5 million when adjusted for inflation.

Just two years ago, the property owners approached Pasco County officials about potentially developing the land to build up to 1,000 homes. However, building officials resisted the idea, according to notes from that meeting, citing the need to vastly improve what are primarily rural roads connecting that land to the major throughways.

Bruck could come back and work with the county on possibly developing that land again in the future, Eshenbaugh said, and would have the necessary experience to get it done. Or, Bruck and the Apriles could flip the land in a few years, and likely make a hefty profit since they likely could make far more than they paid.

Bruck wanted to build what he was calling the Suncoast Employment Village, some 260 acres of land he bought in 2011 for nearly $1.8 million along State Road 54 just east of the Suncoast Parkway. However, Bruck flipped that land just two years later to Newland Communities LLC for $6 million, which would then become a part of that developer’s much larger Bexley Ranch project.

When the land was sold, it was entitled to build 780 townhomes, 1.8 million square feet of office space, and 440,000 square feet of retail, according to published reports.

The Suncoast Employment Village was another example of Bruck buying land cheap — at less than $7,000 an acre. But in this particular case, instead of developing it as he had planned, Bruck instead was able to sell for $23,000 an acre, more than triple what he originally paid.

So far, no one has approached the county again about developing the land into a residential or commercial site, said Michele Crary of the county’s planning and development department. If Bruck and the Apriles do set up a meeting, however, they would still be hampered by the need to vastly upgrade roads like Quail Hollow Boulevard to make such a project feasible.

Bruck did not return requests for comment made through his primary company, SoHo Capital.

Published December 10, 2014

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Old Lutz School delivers old-time Christmas

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The Old Lutz School taught area students for decades. Now, as a recognized historic site, it’s delivering another kind of lesson during the holidays.

The 18th annual Christmas at the Old Lutz School, 18819 U.S. 41 N., has all the things residents might expect from a traditional holiday event: Music, cookies, hot chocolate, trains, and plenty of Christmas-themed decorations including nutcrackers and trees.

Suzin Carr adjusts a tree decorated by the Steinbrenner High School Student Ambassadors. It’s just one of many on display at the Old Lutz School during Christmas season. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Suzin Carr adjusts a tree decorated by the Steinbrenner High School Student Ambassadors. It’s just one of many on display at the Old Lutz School during Christmas season. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“We never miss it. We make it part of our holiday,” said Suzin Carr, a two-time Lutz Guv’na.

Her family has attended the event since they moved to the area in 2003, and it had such a positive effect on her when they arrived, she wanted to do more for the community. As a result, she ended up a multi-term winner of the ceremonial title.

While it might not make everyone run for Lutz Guv’na, Carr said there’s a lot to enjoy at the school’s holiday event. One room is devoted to a pair of private train collections with elaborate figures and scenes that took weeks to set up. Another room showcases a variety of Christmas trees, decorated by members of the community and different organizations.

Outside, refreshments will be served free of charge. The school also will have collection barrels for people to donate food or toys to brighten up the holidays for the less fortunate.

It takes a lot of work to put together a holiday event spanning several nights, but the school has a dedicated group of volunteers who make things happen. The Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building work year-round to keep the landmark looking nice, and prepare it for special events where residents can enjoy part of community history.

“You get such a feel for the hard work volunteers put in to make it so special for people,” Carr said. “There’s no event without them.”

In addition to the school’s regular supporters, newer faces have been chipping in to make the event special as well. She singled out students at nearby Steinbrenner High School as active participants, and said it’s good to see younger people helping the regular volunteers to make the holiday event a success.

Breakfast with Santa is one part of the Christmas program at the Old Lutz School that’s always a success. This year, it will be from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., on Dec. 13.

There will be food and crafts available for purchase, activities, and a chance for children to meet Santa, of course.

While people tend to file in and out of the regular Christmas event, and attendance can vary based on live performances, there’s no doubt of the drawing power of Kris Kringle — even in the morning.

“Breakfast with Santa is huge,” Carr said.

Whether it’s a holiday-themed breakfast, or a casual stroll through a piece of Lutz history, Carr said the annual event is a good way to visit an important part of the community, and spend an evening enjoying a more traditional celebration of the holiday season. Some people drop by on several evenings because of the variety of musicians and singing groups who appear throughout the event.

“The great thing about it is there’s different entertainment every night,” Carr said. “It’s a chance to step back and enjoy some very simple pleasures in the community.”

The school will be open from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., each night of the event. Christmas at the Old Lutz School will run Dec. 11, Dec. 13-14, Dec. 16, Dec. 18, Dec. 20-21, Dec. 26-28.

For more information, visit OldLutzSchool.com, or call Phyllis Hoedt at (813) 949-1937.

Published December 10, 2014

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Going weekly in East Pasco further proves bright future

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We hear talk all the time that newspapers are failing everywhere, and that no one under age 30 will ever read an old-fashioned print paper like the one in your hands.

Our readers are proof that these doom-and-gloom predictions are wrong, at least when it comes to community papers like The Laker/Lutz News.

There are more than 60,000 people who read our papers every week, and another 13,000 unique visitors to our website and 2,000 Facebook likes. That’s a lot of people in Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Dade City — a number that represents 79 percent of the households in the ZIP codes we serve.

We’re so optimistic about the future of newspapers that we’ve made significant investments in recent months to improve the quality of our papers in order to attract even more readers and advertisers.

The biggest and most noticeable change was last August, when we increased our page size by 30 percent to become the same size as most daily papers.

Today we are announcing another major investment — this one for our readers in Zephyrhills and Dade City. Beginning in January, the East Pasco edition of The Laker will once again be a weekly paper — publishing every Wednesday just like our editions in Lutz, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

We’ve been publishing a Laker for East Pasco residents for 10 years, beginning as a weekly and then changing to an every-other-week format in late 2011 during the height of the economic crisis. Back then, local businesses could only afford to advertise every other week, and we adjusted our business plan accordingly. But now, with our economy getting better every day, we’re ready to return to a weekly format.

Going weekly means we will include our new B Section in our East Pasco edition, a section that adds eight more pages of feature stores, photos, contests and puzzles. It also organizes all of our classified products in one section to make them easier to find.

This addition will give East Pasco readers 22 to 24 pages to read, instead of the 14 to 16 pages they receive now.

Going weekly also means that Publix will begin inserting its grocery circular in our East Pasco edition. This is in addition to circulars from Publix Liquors, SmartSource coupons, Michaels Stores — and beginning in March, Lowe’s.

It’s a big deal for most readers to get their weekly Publix circular inside their Laker so they can plan their shopping a day or two before the store’s weekly sales begin. We are thrilled to be able to provide this circular to our readers in East Pasco, especially since Publix is building its first store in Dade City in 2015.

And it’s a big deal for our company to have Publix choose our papers for its circular program. Publix is a huge testament to the effectiveness of advertising in our papers, and to the loyalty of our readers to support our advertisers and shop local.

As we get ready to go weekly in Zephyrhills, you’ll begin to see new bylines from reporters who are helping us expand our news coverage. While my staff already does a fine job writing about issues that impact readers in East Pasco, publishing weekly will obviously allow us to publish more stories on a more timely basis.

East Pasco readers also will see more stories in their paper from Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes and Lutz. After all, residents of Zephyrhills and Dade City do not live in a bubble and are part of the greater Pasco community.

We know you care about what happens in neighboring towns because you shop, worship, attend school, and have friends and relatives who live there.

And that is what makes us different from other community newspapers, which only report news about happenings in Zephyrhills and Dade City. We believe East Pasco residents have much broader interests and want to read well-written stories about things that affect their lives, and read about the many good things happening in all communities of Central Pasco and East Pasco.

My staff and I are excited to take our East Pasco edition weekly in just a few weeks. We recognize this big step for our business would not be possible without the loyalty of our readers and the support of our advertisers, and we thank you for that.

We truly look forward to becoming an even more vital part of your routine — not just twice a month, but every week.

Published December 10, 2014

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Zephyrhills wants respect on State Road 56 expansion

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Just about every road leading to Zephyrhills is two lanes. And for what is soon to become the largest incorporated city in Pasco County, leaders there says it’s time for that to change.

Yet, whether it’s U.S. 301 from the south, State Road 54 from the west, or now the new extension of State Road 56 into the airport business park area, Zephyrhills just can’t get any respect.

Steve Spina
Steve Spina

“The rest of (State Road) 54 has been widened in the county, but not Zephyrhills,” one resident and local businessman, Nils Lenz, shared in a recent letter. “Why is Zephyrhills being left out? The population within the city limits of Zephyrhills — with all of the recent annexing in the last few years — (is) only about 200 less in population than New Port Richey.”

Lenz, the owner of B & N Lenz Enterprises, was reacting to news last week that the Florida Department of Transportation was cutting funding of the State Road 56 extension project from $60 million to $35 million. While the 6.7-mile road will connect Wesley Chapel’s Wiregrass Ranch area with U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills, it is no longer a four-lane project.

Cone & Graham, the last contractor standing in the bidding process, will still have to convince property owners along the route to donate 250 feet of right of way, room enough to build up to six lanes. However, that won’t be built until traffic studies require it and additional funding becomes available.

Zephyrhills city manager Steve Spina expressed local frustration to state lawmakers, including former mayor and new House District 38 representative Danny Burgess, during a legislative delegation last week in Land O’ Lakes.

“We believe it’s vital to southeast Pasco County and Zephyrhills to the municipal airport to have four lanes of funding as it’s built initially, and not piecemeal as we go forward,” Spina said.

State Sen. John Legg said he and Burgess want to have a town hall meeting to discuss some of the city’s transportation issues in January or February. The east-west corridor of the county, the Lutz Republican said, is becoming more congested because of the residential growth there.

The meeting, Legg said, could help the lawmakers decide how to move forward, and possibly move some projects up on the list, including the possibility of making the State Road 56 extension four lanes.

The Zephyrhills City Council may not wait that long. It was scheduled to vote on a resolution during its regular Monday meeting imploring state lawmakers to back the expansion of State Road 56 to the city now, rather than later. The resolution cited, among other things, the residential growth in the city, as well as $5 million in facility improvements at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, which also serves as an industrial park for the city.

Councilmembers want FDOT to revisit its construction schedules, and based on new budget priorities from state lawmakers, fund the four-lane expansion.

Lenz doesn’t want the transportation discussion to stop at State Road 56, however. He feels it’s time the state look at finally widening State Road 54 — something that has been talked about for more than a half-century — and which has been widened everywhere except one last major stretch between the eastern side of Wesley Chapel to Zephyrhills.

FDOT has approved widening that road to where it meets Morris Bridge Road and Eiland Boulevard, but still won’t take that final leap into downtown Zephyrhills.

“In comparison to the other ideas … (State Road) 54 is absolutely the best option,” Lenz said. “It will be less expensive than all the other options suggested” as rights of way have already been acquired, usually a costly and time-consuming process in building a new road.

Published December 10, 2014

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Applications pouring in for Pasco’s first magnet school

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Pasco County Schools received more than 860 applications within the first four days of finding students for its first magnet facility, Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School.

Applications for Sanders — a school that focuses on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics — will be accepted through Jan. 15.

Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning says that Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School, Pasco’s first magnet school, is evidence the school district knows it needs to expand its educational choices. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning says that Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School, Pasco’s first magnet school, is evidence the school district knows it needs to expand its educational choices. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Lindsey Davis submitted the first application at 12:01 a.m., on Dec. 1, in hopes of securing a space for her 7-year-old son, Grant, to attend the school at 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes.

Davis and her husband, Quentin, were at a news conference later that day where Superintendent Kurt Browning talked about the need for the school district to expand its educational options.

“As a district, we know that we must compete for the students we serve,” Browning said.

Davis believes that Sanders would be a good fit for her son.

“This is more his niche,” she said. “He loves science. He loves math. He loves basically everything this school is going to offer.

“I’m crossing my fingers that he gets picked.”

The school is set to open in August for the 2015-16 school year. It will serve 762 students in kindergarten through fifth grade, including a mix of children from throughout Pasco County reflecting the diverse nature of Pasco’s public schools.

The school district plans to provide bus transportation within a five-mile radius of the school. For those living farther away, the district will establish transportation hubs at Veterans, Moonlake and Trinity elementary schools where the kids can board a bus to ride to Sanders in the morning and will return to their hub after school.

Students will be selected through a weighted lottery system, with pupils from nearby Connerton and Oakstead elementary schools as well as children of Sander’s staff members given additional weight. Connerton and Oakstead are both operating with enrollments well beyond capacity.

Siblings of students accepted to Sanders also will be given extra weight in the lottery.

Once a student has been accepted, he or she student will be able to attend the school through fifth grade.

Although the standards for the students will be the same, the learning approaches will be different.

The design of the school also will foster a greater degree of collaboration between students, and between students and teachers. A wetlands area with a boardwalk also will give students a chance to get up close with nature, creating opportunities for outdoor learning.

Sanders will have materials that are similar to those in traditional schools, but there will be differences. For one thing, each student will have some type of device allowing them to use technology to help solve problems and enhance learning. They also will have the arts infused into a curriculum that aims to create independent thinkers and learners.

Sanders’ design aims to encourage collaborative learning. When construction is completed, the school will have individual classrooms that are flanked on both sides of a large space where students can work together on projects, where groups of children can work with teachers, and where larger presentations can be given.

Classrooms will have wireless technology. They also are set up to accommodate experiments. Space also will be provided within the school to allow students to store projects they are working on.

Jason Petry has been named the school’s principal, effective Jan. 6, and he’s excited about leading the district’s first magnet school. He said Sanders will emphasize collaboration, critical thinking and communication.

It will encourage children to “pose and answer questions for themselves,” he said.

Teachers and staff should be hired by early summer.

The construction is taking place on a site that was previously occupied by Sanders Memorial Elementary School. Four new buildings are being added, and three old buildings are being reconstructed at the site.

When it opens, Sanders will have a wall showcasing its history, which dates back to 1948. The display will include plaques from the original building, as well as historic photographs.

Correction
Sanders Memorial Elementary School opened in 1948. The Dec. 10 issue of The Laker/Lutz News reported an incorrect year.

Published December 10, 2014

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Charter school for 1,000 students proposed for Lutz

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A proposed charter school for up to 1,020 elementary school children in Lutz is drawing opposition from the Lutz Citizens Coalition and area residents.

Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton has filed a request with Hillsborough County for a special use permit to allow a school on 8.4 acres of agricultural land at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton has filed a request with Hillsborough County to use an 8.4-acre parcel at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard for an elementary charter school that would accommodate up to 1,020 students. Opposition to that plan is mounting, said Michael White of the Lutz Citizens Coalition. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton has filed a request with Hillsborough County to use an 8.4-acre parcel at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard for an elementary charter school that would accommodate up to 1,020 students. Opposition to that plan is mounting, said Michael White of the Lutz Citizens Coalition. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

A public hearing on the request has been delayed from Dec. 15 to Jan. 20.

Plans show a two-phase project. The first phase includes a two-story building with 33 classrooms for 650 students. The second phase calls for a two-story building, with 20 classrooms for 370 children. The school would serve kindergarten through eighth grade.

The plans also show a storm water pond, a playground, and areas for parking for both vehicles and bicycles. Plans also call for basketball courts.

The application notes that any spillage of light from recreational areas will be kept to a minimum.

Public water and sewer lines are located within the Sunlake Boulevard right of way, according to the application.

Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said opposition to the proposal is mounting.

“It’s an inappropriate location,” White said. “It’s cramming 10 pounds into a five-pound bag.”

The coalition is a volunteer organization that works with neighborhood and community groups on zoning, environmental and other issues. It played a leading role in fighting Learning Gate’s proposed use of a site near U.S. 41 and Sunset Lane for a middle and high school.

Much like the site at Sunset, the proposed site at Sunlake and Lutz Lake Fern is not a good choice for a school, White said. Both roads are two lanes, which are not equipped to handle the kind of traffic that the project would produce.

Beyond traffic, there are concerns about flooding and the other impacts that a school would have on nearby residential development, White said.

“There’s going to be a huge fight on this,” he said.

Despite their opposition to the Learning Gate proposal and to the proposed location of the charter elementary school, the coalition is not against schools in general, White said. If the applicant chose an appropriate spot for a school, they would wholeheartedly support it.

Representatives for the applicant did not respond to a request to comment as of press time.

Published December 10, 2014

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