Local News

New coach, no problem: Wiregrass Ranch baseball team keeps winning

April 3, 2014 By Michael Murillo

For the past five seasons, the Wiregrass Ranch Bulls boys baseball team has finished the year with a winning record. Last year, they reached the playoffs for the first time in school history and made it all the way to the regional final.

Zachary Drury, one of Wiregrass Ranch’s seniors, said that new coach Marshall McDougall has been a great fit for the Bulls as they build on last year’s success. (Courtesy of Michael Drury) — Zachary Drury, one of Wiregrass Ranch’s seniors, said that new coach Marshall McDougall has been a great fit for the Bulls as they build on last year’s success.
(Courtesy of Michael Drury)

But this year, they entered the season with a coach who wasn’t involved in the team’s previous success. Marshall McDougall had not only never coached at Wiregrass Ranch before, he had never coached at the high school level before.

For a team on the rise, it might seem like a risky move to put the team’s future in such inexperienced hands. But about halfway through the season, that move looks like a brilliant one.

Wiregrass Ranch currently has a 10-4 record, and is in the hunt for the Class 7A District 8 title with a 4-2 record. That mark includes an impressive 12-2 win over district foe Steinbrenner on March 25, and their new coach is pleased with the team’s strong start.

“As a whole, our team is pretty solid all the way through,” McDougall said. “It’s a matter of keep pushing the kids, keep improving and keep playing hard, and I think our kids can go a long way.”

While he hasn’t spent much time as a coach, McDougall makes up for it in real-world baseball experience. He played professional baseball for more than a dozen years, including a stint with the Texas Rangers. And his baseball days aren’t far behind him: At 35 and retired from the game for just two years, he’s able to not only instruct the team verbally, but go out on the field and show them exactly what he means.

McDougall believes the ability to participate with his team allows them to learn in non-verbal ways and buy into his system since it’s coming from someone who can still play the game at a high level.

And his players agree.

“Sometimes he’ll go out there and show us we’re not as good as we think we are,” said senior Ryan Girard, who pitches and plays first base for the team. “He’s definitely still got all the skills, and he passes them on to us as best he can.”

The team sees that McDougall knows what he’s doing, Girard said, and they can follow his lead knowing it comes from experience and knowledge of the game.

Zachary Drury, a senior who is a pitcher and plays third base for Wiregrass Ranch, also believes that McDougall’s ability to show the team how to execute plays is an advantage. But he said that his coaching style also helps the team succeed by allowing them to grow without over-the-top yelling and unproductive pressure.

“He doesn’t really get mad. I mean, he gets mad, but he doesn’t make you afraid to make a mistake,” Drury said. “He’s a really cool guy and we enjoy having him.”

And while the Bulls are enjoying a winning record, McDougall doesn’t want them getting complacent. The coach sets up individual competitions in practice so the players get used to trying to win on a regular basis regardless of record.

And there are small consequences for losing, such as a few laps or cleaning up after practice. Just enough, McDougall said, to keep them from being OK with losing or not hungry enough to continue improving.

While he believes Wiregrass Ranch can go far this year, McDougall is adamant that his goals don’t really matter. It’s the players, not the coaches, who must have the drive to set high objectives and then find the will to achieve them.

“My goal is to help them reach their goal. That’s the best way I can put it,” he said. “We (the coaches) are not playing. It’s up to them to decide what they want. My job is to teach them small things and try to make them reach the goal they want.”

Wiregrass Ranch baseball, at a glance
Feb. 7 – Win vs. Strawberry Crest, 4-2
Feb. 13 – Win vs. Hudson, 13-0
Feb. 18 – Win at Freedom, 8-2
Feb. 21 – Win vs. Steinbrenner, 4-2
Feb. 25 – Win at Sickles, 4-2
Feb. 28 – Win vs. Mitchell, 4-1
March 4 – Loss vs. Gaither, 3-1
March 13 – Win vs. Zephyrhills, 5-0
March 18 – Win at Weeki Wachee, 15-1
March 19 – Loss vs. Springstead, 3-2
March 20 – Win vs. Bishop McLaughlin, 8-4
March 25 – Win at Steinbrenner, 12-2
March 27 – Loss at Sunlake, 6-5
March 28 – Loss at Sickles, 2-0
March 31 – at Pasco, late
April 1 – vs. Ridgewood, late
– Courtesy of MaxPreps

Published April 2, 2014

City manager merry-go-round returning Spina to job?

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

If Jim Drumm believes some of the rumors he’s heard, then former Zephyrhills city manager Steve Spina might become the Jay Leno of local government.

Zephyrhills city manager Jim Drumm is facing a very uncertain future in his government job, something he said could be because of unsubstantiated rumors that his predecessor, Steve Spina, wants to return. (File Photo) — Zephyrhills city manager Jim Drumm is facing a very uncertain future in his government job, something he said could be because of unsubstantiated rumors that his predecessor, Steve Spina, wants to return.
(File Photo)

The late-night comedian stepped aside from “The Tonight Show” in 2009, but returned to the job a short time later after replacement host Conan O’Brien fell out of favor.

The same might be happening in Zephyrhills, Drumm told the city council last week. Hearing reports that Spina might be looking to return to city management after some time teaching, Drumm said some council members might be hoping they can get Spina to take his old job back.

In fact, it’s one of the few things Drumm says makes sense on why the council would suddenly be talking about letting him go as city manager after three years.

“I have great respect for Dr. Spina,” Drumm said in a prepared letter to the council March 24. “I have not had his long tenure to compete with his knowledge and his many contacts. If it is not the intent of the city council to hire Dr. Spina, then I remain perplexed by the issues that warrant me to not continue working together to improve Zephyrhills.”

Spina, who retired as city manager in 2011, told The Laker after last week’s meeting that he wasn’t commenting on such rumors, except to say that they are not accurate.

Three city council members have expressed a desire to part ways with Drumm, and feel now is the best time since his contract runs out in May. To renew that contract would require a supermajority on the council — four votes — they say, and those votes just aren’t there.

Drumm disagrees with that interpretation of the city’s charter. His contract might have a set beginning and end date, but the charter is clear that it takes four votes to appoint a city manager, and four votes to remove him. And whether Drumm has a contract or not, without those four votes, the council can’t force him out.

“My take is that I would remain a city manager without a contract,” Drumm said, adding that there were times in Spina’s 15-year tenure where he worked without a contract, too, protected by the four-votes clause of the city charter.

Both City Attorney Joe Poblick and outside labor attorney Brian Koji agreed that Drumm has a finite contract with the city. If four council members don’t vote to renew it, then Drumm is out of a job.

Councilman Kenneth Compton, however, doesn’t have a lot of confidence in the track record of the city attorney and lawyers he may consult when it comes to labor issues. Compton, who has pushed for more discussion on Drumm’s employment situation, said the city took heavy financial losses from two recent labor disputes. He fears that forcing Drumm out could result in another legal dispute, one that could be yet another loss for Zephyrhills in front of a judge.

“The contract has a term limit, but the charter doesn’t,” Compton said, adding that the charter would supersede any contract the council writes, since the charter is essentially Zephyrhills’ constitution. “I don’t like ending this, but if we’re going to do it, I want to make sure we are as accurate as possible.”

The battle lines over Drumm have been drawn, it seems, as far as the council is concerned. Lance Smith and Ken Burgess originally recommended cutting Drumm loose, and last week, had Charles Proctor join their side. That leaves just Compton and Jodi Wilkeson in support of Drumm, or at the very least, gathering more information on making sure the city is protected legally.

Wilkeson suggested a third legal opinion be sought, something Mayor Danny Burgess was against.

“How much weight are we going to give this third opinion?” Burgess asked. “We had two attorneys that we paid for opinions who are very qualified and very good at what they do. And here we’re just going with a firm (for a third opinion) based on name recognition.”

Compton and Wilkeson picked out the Tampa firm Fowler White as one they recognized from a list of potential firms Poblick shared at the council meeting, and chose that firm for the third opinion.

Seeking that additional legal counsel does buy Drumm more time as it delayed a decision to the April 14 council meeting. However, that pushes the meeting until after the upcoming municipal election where Wilkeson is defending her seat against former high school football coach Alan Knight.

If Knight wins the election and decides against retaining Drumm, he would be the fourth vote and would likely make any legal questions moot.

Published April 2, 2014

Browning has concerns about recommended state test

April 3, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Students across Florida will face a new standardized test next year to replace the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test 2.0.

Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart has selected a replacement test, but not everyone is embracing it.

“I don’t agree with the choice that she’s made,” Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning said.

Florida has joined a host of other states in the pursuit of Common Core Standards — now known as the Florida Standards — which define what students should know as they proceed through school in order to graduate from high school fully prepared to enter college and the work force. Browning has been making the rounds for more than a year, talking to parents, teachers, administrators and civic groups about the importance of adopting the more rigorous standards, and also of the importance of being able to measure the district students’ progress against students across the nation.

The test Stewart has selected won’t allow those national comparisons, Browning said.

With the FCAT, the district could compare itself to other Florida districts, but that’s where it stopped, Browning notes.

“With this new assessment, we still can’t compare ourselves to other states,” he said.

The superintendent said he’s also concerned that the field-testing for the new assessment is being done in Utah.

“Utah is nothing like Florida,” Browning said. “In addition to that, we find out that it’s not the entire assessment that’s being field-tested, but just questions that are being field-tested.

“Right now, we’re just going in there saying, ‘Well, if it’s good enough for Utah, it’s good enough for Florida.’ I disagree with that.”

Stewart selected the not-for-profit American Institutes for Research to provide the new English language arts and mathematics assessment.

Browning noted the new assessment is not a done deal until it gains approval from the state Board of Education.

“The Legislature certainly has the opportunity to chime in on what assessment is used,” Browning said. And if state lawmakers do, Browning asks them to approve “an assessment that provides transparency, that truly measures student growth,” and that would allow for comparability with performance by students in other states.

Pasco School Board member Cynthia Armstrong agrees with Browning’s objections. Armstrong is concerned the test doesn’t allow comparisons across the nation, and she also is worried about the field-testing being done in Utah, which is much less diverse than Florida.

When Stewart announced her selection of the assessment, she posted prepared letters to teachers and parents.

In the March 17 letter to teachers, the education commissioner noted she has heard repeatedly from teachers that they want “tests that provide a more authentic assessment of our students’ grasp of Florida Standards.

“These assessments will do that,” Stewart said, “because they will include more than multiple choice questions. Students will be asked to create graphs, interact with test content, and write and respond in different ways than on traditional tests.”

The education commissioner also told teachers the “new question types will assess students’ higher-order thinking skills, which is in keeping with the higher expectations of the Florida Standards.

In a March 17 letter to parents, Stewart explained the new Florida Standards, upon which the new test will be based.

“As many of you know, your children will have new goals to meet with the adoption of the Florida Standards,” Stewart wrote. Simply put, these standards are the detailed expectations of what every child should be able to do at each grade level.

“The new standards were developed with unprecedented input from Florida teachers, educators and the public,” Stewart wrote. “The emphasis with these standards is for your children to think critically and analytically and go beyond memorization.”

Published April 2, 2014

Zephyrhills tests whether everybody knows your name

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Finding success in politics most definitely is a game of “who you know,” or at the very least when a voter is looking at a long list of names, “who has heard of you.”

If familiarity is key to winning a seat on the Zephyrhills city council, former Pasco County educator Alan Knight may have this one in the bag.

The moment people drive into Zephyrhills, they know there’s an election brewing between Alan Knight and incumbent Jodi Wilkeson. Who will win is decided April 8. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

“Being in education, I would honestly think I have touched the lives of at least 75 percent of the people of this town — either as students, athletes, church members, etc.,” Knight said. “I know the people of Zephyrhills, and I know their feelings.”

However, while Knight may have worked as an administrator and even a head football coach for Zephyrhills High School in the mid-1970s, he hasn’t been working on the city council during the past six years like Jodi Wilkeson. As a councilwoman and a business owner — as well as someone who likes to stay active — there is rarely a Zephyrhills event that she’s not a part of.

“On the campaign trail, no one ever says to me, ‘Where have you been?’” Wilkeson said. “They know I’m always just a phone call away. When they have a problem, I know who to call and how to get it solved.”

Knight fears spending too much time on the council can create a stale look at the problems. To him, a fresh face brings fresh ideas and proposals, and gets away from “we have always done it that way.”

Wilkeson, however, says she’s never stuck to the status quo.

“’Fresh perspective’ shouldn’t be synonymous with ‘little relevant experience’ when competing for a position as an elected municipal official,” Wilkeson said. “There’s a steep learning curve when taking office. I prefer to see folks run for office only after they’ve invested a year or more in service as a volunteer city board member.”

And Knight, she says, has done just that, getting a “good start” with his work on the Parks & Recreation Board dealing with what to do with the closed Hercules Park on County Road 54.

One thing both seem to agree on, however, is that neither wants to rush to judgment on embattled city manager Jim Drumm. Wilkeson has publicly sought to hold off any decisions while more information is gathered, and Knight feels the same way.

“I have often been asked about the Drumm issue, and my response is that until elected, I can make no judgment,” he said. “Once there, I will totally scrutinize the situation, seek advice from the citizens, (and) talk to Mr. Drumm and all involved. In other words, I do not take this lightly, but as a situation that not only has to be addressed, but one that must be addressed with close, well-defined facts.”

Knight’s primary platform focuses on communication inside the government and with residents, something he says has fallen to “a new low.” Wilkeson, on the other hand, wants more attention paid to the Zephyrhills Police Department, where low wages can’t compete with neighboring communities.

“Our citizens want a strong, well-trained police force, but we continue to lose talent to bigger communities offering better wages and benefits,” Wilkeson said. She may have voted against a tax increase that would’ve funded a new detective position with the police department, but that hasn’t stopped her from voting for pay increases to entry-level patrol officers.

Knight said he agrees, and expands that a step further.

“I feel that support of all our city workers is a must,” he said, “from the chiefs of fire and police, to the man riding on the garbage truck.”

For other parts in our Experience vs. New Blood story package, click here.

Published April 2, 2014

St. Leo election is all about one thing: Lake Jovita

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

A bill sits in a committee in Tallahassee that would remove part of the Lake Jovita community from St. Leo. Yet, that hasn’t stopped Raphael Davis from challenging longtime commissioner Donna DeWitt for her seat in the St. Leo government.

St. Leo is such a small town that a community that’s complained about taxes, nearby Saint Leo University and other issues, is literally right on the town hall’s doorstep. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

While Davis talks almost exclusively about the plight of Lake Jovita residents in the town, he has nothing to say about the de-annexation itself, saying he doesn’t “comment on pending legislation or speculation.”

“Since the beginning of the Lake Jovita community, a small portion has allegiance to the Town of St. Leo,” Davis said. “These Lake Jovita residents have, up to this point, quietly gone along about their lives and paid town taxes knowing they were receiving little or no services in return.”

Town taxes, Davis said, are out of line with what Pasco County charges to live in an unincorporated area, and have accumulated more than $1.2 million in cash and reserves because of it.

“I believe a more business-type approach would benefit all of the residents, reduce the current tax burden on all of our residents, and still maintain the town on a sound financial basis,” Davis said.

DeWitt, however, calls Davis’ candidacy just a continuation of the battle the town has had with some Lake Jovita residents since 2006. While she has heard complaints about taxes, she feels the bigger reasons have to do with Saint Leo University itself, a school that predates Lake Jovita by a century or so.

“When we make decisions, we try to be a voice for everybody in the town, not just for Lake Jovita,” said DeWitt, a nun with nearby Holy Name Monastery, who was first elected to the commission in 1997. “They get upset when the university puts up a tree or a light. They knew what was there when they built the community.”

Losing part of Lake Jovita won’t hurt St. Leo at all, DeWitt said, except create some changes on the commission itself when two members will be forced to resign.

“St. Leo will be fine,” she said. “We did it 100 years without them, we’ll continue to do it without them.”

For other parts in our Experience vs. New Blood story package, click here.

Published April 2, 2014

Herrera claims Black has ‘lost touch’ with Dade City

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

When Scott Black first took his seat on the Dade City Commission, Iraq had not yet invaded Kuwait to ignite the first Gulf War, George Bush (the first one) was still president, and spending more than a dollar for a gallon of gas probably meant it was premium.

Signs supporting both Angelica Herrera and longtime commissioner Scott Black have populated yards and streets around Dade City ahead of next week’s election. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

A lot has changed in 24 years, and Angelica Herrera feels Black has not kept up. And that’s why she’s facing off against him next week.

“Mr. Black has had his chance,” she said. “But after (more than) 20 years, he has lost touch with the voters.”

That was most evident, Herrera said, when Black approved physically expanding a sewage plant into a neighboring athletic field in the Mickens-Harper neighborhood.

“This was most insensitive and not necessary, since the city had other options,” she said.

However, if Herrera wants any chance to beat Black, she not only faces a commissioner that has strong name recognition in Dade City, but she may need to overcome some of her eyebrow-raising actions, including walking out of a candidate debate last week.

This, Black said, has hurt Herrera’s position, because she has not “presented anything of consideration relating to either experience or fresh perspective.”

“She has not attended any city commission meetings or public events to make any effort to educate herself on the current issues,” Black said of Herrera. Quoting the late Gov. Lawton Chiles, Black said elected officials can either “grow” or “swell” in their positions, and he chooses to grow.

“It is very important to me that I enjoy and embrace the many challenges that come with the position, and continue to grow with it,” Black said. “As well, someone purporting to be only a fresh infusion of energy is usually not the best option, while a knowledgeable proven force is always better, and should be preferred.”

Dade City’s commission earned some unwanted publicity late last year when Commissioner Jim Shive surprised his colleagues in the middle of a workshop last October, pushing to separate the position of city clerk and city finance — which was then held by longtime city employee Jim Class.

Black spoke out against the move, saying a workshop was not the right forum to bring up such an issue unannounced. But his protests fell on deaf ears, and the move later prompted Class to resign.

“The process of dividing the position of city clerk and finance director was flawed and misguided from the start,” Black said. “It was deceptively billed as ‘progress’ when there was no present need to make the personnel change in a smoothly running department — especially in the first month of the new tightly constrained budget year.”

Herrera, however, remembers all of it differently, and says Black has misrepresented what happened.

“The fact is that numerous city commission meetings document that this matter was discussed publicly,” she said. “It did not just come up at the workshop for the first time as my opponent would like us to believe. It (really) has been overblown.”

Black said his primary regret was not speaking out more loudly, and drawing residents into the conversation.

“I wish that the community could have been more aware and alarmed, and willing to stand up and question this continued gradual abuse of power, and demand better of us,” Black said.

Both Herrera and Black have combined to raise $6,500 in this race, more than any other municipal election in Pasco County this cycle. And it seems both may need every penny.

For other parts in our Experience vs. New Blood story package, click here.

Published April 2, 2014

Free cordless telephones for people with a hearing loss

April 3, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Most of us know the feeling.

We’re on the telephone, and suddenly we lose the connection with the person we’re talking to.

People who have certified hearing losses or speech difficulties can receive a free cordless telephone like this to help them communicate. (Courtesy of Florida Telecommunications Relay) — People who have certified hearing losses or speech difficulties can receive a free cordless telephone like this to help them communicate.
(Courtesy of Florida Telecommunications Relay)

But imagine if you always had trouble hearing the person on the other end of the line. For people who are hard of hearing, talking on the telephone can be a tremendous challenge.

Life can get easier, now, through some new telephones offered for free to people who have been certified with a hearing loss or have speech difficulties. They are being offered by Michael Sutter, an outreach specialist for Florida Telecommunications Relay Inc., a nonprofit distributor of specialized telecommunications equipment for people with hearing loss and speech difficulties.

The cordless phones can amplify incoming sounds so that people receiving the call can hear the equivalent of someone talking to them from less than 5 feet away, Sutter said.

The telephones are purchased with funds secured from taxes people and businesses pay for telephone lines intended to serve people with communications difficulties, Sutter said. The available telephone, the XLC2, was developed by Clarity, a division of Plantronics Inc.

Features of the XLC2 include a talking caller ID, which announces the incoming caller, and a talking dial pad that reads the numbers as they are dialed. The large, easy-to-read buttons also are backlit to help senior citizens who have low vision. The buttons on the handset are spaced apart to be easily accessible for those with dexterity issues or arthritis.

To qualify for a telephone, the recipient must be a Florida resident and certified as having a speech loss or hearing difficulty.

“Our target demographic is Boomer and up,” Sutter said, but recipients can be young or old, as long as they have documentation of their hearing or speech issues.

A hearing aid specialist or audiologist typically provides the information, but there are other avenues that can be used as well to get the certification, Sutter said.

For additional information, visit FTRI.org, or call (800) 222-3448.

Free cordless telephones are available to Florida residents who have a documented hearing loss or speech difficulty. The phones can be obtained by filling out an application and visiting a Florida Telecommunications Relay Inc. office.
An office can be found at Self Reliance for Independent Living, 8901 N. Armenia Ave. in Tampa.

Published April 2, 2014

Chalk Talk 04-02-14

April 3, 2014 By Mary Rathman

Young thespians receive accolades at festival
A team of 28 middle school performers from Corbett Preparatory School of IDS took honors in every category the students entered at the Florida Junior Thespians State Festival. Corbett Prep Thespian Troupe 88622 received superior ratings and two best in show awards at the festival in Melbourne Feb. 7 and Feb. 8. (Courtesy of Blythe Sobel)

WRHS scholarship opportunity
Wiregrass Ranch High School’s PTSA will award six $350 scholarships to the school’s seniors or PTSA members.

There will be three academic and three citizenship scholarships awarded. Applications and information can be found at WiregrassPTSA.org.

Deadline to submit an application is April 4 at 2:30 p.m.

HCC open houses
Hillsborough Community College will host several upcoming campus open houses. Each event will have refreshments and giveaways.

• Plant City Campus, 1206 N. Park Road: April 8, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Guests can tour environmental science, advanced water treatment and other programs. Admissions, financial aid and career opportunity information will be available.
For information, email .

• SouthShore Campus, 551 24th St., N.E., in Ruskin: April 15, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Guests can pick up program information, tour the campus, view nursing lab demos and more. Financial aid and admissions materials will be available.
For information, email ">.

• Brandon Campus, 10414 E. Columbus Drive in Tampa: April 16, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Program, admissions and financial aid information will be available.
For information, email .

JLMS carnival
The John Long Middle School Parent-Teacher-Student Association will host its seventh annual Round Up Carnival April 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the school, 2025 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The event will include food, games, prizes, rides, inflatable obstacle courses, human hamster ball, laser tag, 4D video game van and more. Armbands and tickets will be sold in the cafeteria the week of April 7 during student lunches.

For information, call Jill Nasso at (813) 235-6699.

Pine View band event
The Pine View Middle School band will present its seventh annual Night Under the Stars April 12 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes High School’s John Benedetto Stadium, 20325 Gator Lane.

There will be music, food, a silent basket auction, drum line battle, and a battle of the bands.

For information, call (813) 794-4800.

Students named to All-Florida Academic Team
Eight Pasco-Hernando State College students were nominated to the 2014 Phi Theta Kappa All-Florida Academic Team. Students were selected based on academic achievement, leadership and community service.

Students representing PHSC are Sasha Stanek and Michael Wilson of Dade City, Ana Chambers and Melissa Espinosa of Spring Hill, Jasmine Frey and Hongyan Lu of Hudson, Leanore Masi of Brooksville, and Tonya Mason of Dunedin.

Corrections and Law Enforcement Academy
Pasco-Hernando State College is now accepting applications for Law Enforcement Academy programs for summer and fall at East Campus, 36727 Blanton Road in Dade City.

A new part-time evening Law Enforcement Academy will begin May 12. Application deadline is April 7.

The next daytime program will be offered in the fall term, starting Aug. 18. Application deadline is June 23.

The programs prepare cadets for work in the field as certified police officers, and are based on 770 hours of training.

For information, call (352) 518-1364, or visit PHSC.edu.

Shelton honored in Tallahassee
Jacquelynn Shelton of Pasco County, a Take Stock in Children high school senior, was recently honored with a 2014 Leaders for Life Fellowship.

The fellowship rewards scholars for excellence in leadership, academics, community involvement and good citizenship. With tuition costs covered through Take Stock in Children, the Leaders for Life Fellowship ensures the student’s freedom from non-tuition related expenses of attending college, according to organizers.

Extension pesticide session
University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension of Pasco County will offer a free open pesticide exam session April 17 from 9 a.m. to noon in Clayton Hall on the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

All categories will be offered except pesticide control operator and limited.

A valid pesticide license is required for those who apply or supervise the application of restricted-use pesticides.

To RSVP, call (352) 793-2728, ext. 234, by April 15.

For information, email Cami Esmel McAvoy at .

Nurse assistant scholarships
The American Red Cross St. Petersburg office has been selected to receive 10 nurse assistant training program scholarships for training service members and veterans, or their immediate family or caregivers.

The St. Petersburg Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training Center is one of seven sites in the country selected to receive the scholarships from a partnership between the Wounded Warrior Project and the American Red Cross.

Students who complete the Red Cross nurse assistant training course are qualified to take the state exam to become a certified nurse assistant.

For information, or to be considered for a scholarship, call (727) 898-3111, ext. 7562.

‘Bee Bully-Free’ in Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills area schools are encouraging students, teachers and staff to wear black and yellow on the last Friday of each month as part of the “Bee Bully-Free Initiative.” The initiative provides stickers and coloring book pages for schools that request them, participates in the Great American Teach-in, and provides certificates and awards for students who transform from bullies into kinder versions of themselves.

Upcoming black and yellow Fridays are April 25 and May 30.

For information on the initiative, visit Facebook.com/beebullyfree.

Political Agenda 04-02-14

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Deadline here for mail ballots
Any voter wishing to avoid having to head to a precinct on election day April 8 has until April 2 to request a vote-by-mail ballot in Pasco County.

After that, beginning April 3, voters who wish to vote a paper ballot prior to election day can pick up their ballot at any of the three supervisor of elections offices in the county, or at their respective city halls.

Local elections are taking place in three municipalities: Dade City, St. Leo and Zephyrhills.

Those picking up ballots on behalf of someone else will need a written request from the voter, designating them as the person authorized to carry out that ballot, the Pasco County elections office said in a release. The designee will be asked to provide photo ID, and to complete an affidavit before the ballot can be released.

Designees are limited to picking up two ballots in addition to their own, unless the additional ballots are for immediate family members.

Elections office locations locally are at 14236 Sixth St., Suite 200, in Dade City, as well as 4111 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Room 105, in Land O’ Lakes.

For information, visit PascoVotes.com.

Burgess, Diaz to speak at Republican club
Republican Florida House candidates Danny Burgess and Minnie Diaz are set to speak at the Wesley Chapel Republican Club April 10 beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Hyundai, 27000 Wesley Chapel Blvd.

For information, email Mike Moore at .

East Pasco Democrats meet
The East Pasco Democratic Club will meet April 21 at 7 p.m. at The Commons, 38130 Pretty Pond Road in Zephyrhills.

The speaker will be Lynn Providence of Legal Shield talking about identity theft.

For information, call (813) 838-0767.

Poll workers needed for August, November elections
Energetic? Service-oriented? Then the Pasco County supervisor of elections may be looking for you.

Poll workers are needed for both the primary election Aug. 26 and the general election Nov. 4. Positions are paid, but potential candidates will need to be able to stand, bend, stoop, lift approximately 30 pounds, and have normal vision and manual and physical dexterity.

Applicants also need to write and read English, have an email address, and be able to work the entire day from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

All positions receive mandatory paid training the month preceding both the primary and general elections.

For information, call (800) 851-8754, or visit PascoVotes.com.

Bill would make gas pumping easier for some
State Rep. Mark Danish, D-Tampa has joined forces with state Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, to ensure those with disabilities can get the appropriate help they need at the gas pump.

H.B. 185 and S.B. 1184 are modeled after a Hillsborough County ordinance that requires decals on pumps that provide information on how to “call for assistance.” Hillsborough passed its bill in 2012, and other counties have followed suit.

“This is a cost-effective option that will assist countless persons with disabilities across the state who struggle to refuel their gas,” Danish said in a release.

The bill has received support from several organizations, including the Florida Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, Paralyzed Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans and AARP, according to a release.

Last week, H.B. 185 cleared its last committee hurdle before heading to the floor.

Danish is seeking re-election in District 63 against former state Rep. Shawn Harrison, who has outraised Danish just under $72,000 to $61,000 through February, according to state election records.

Burgess leads February fundraising
Zephyrhills mayor Danny Burgess is $9,000 closer to winning the state House seat currently held by Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, after leading fundraising efforts in February.

The latest influx of cash brings Burgess to $35,135 for his campaign so far. That’s well ahead of his Republican primary opponent Minerva Diaz, who has a campaign chest of just under $2,500 after pulling in $160 in February.

Although she’s nowhere near the level Burgess is, the lone Democrat who has filed to run for the seat so far — Beverly Anne Ledbetter — raised just over $1,600 in February, bringing her total to $4,081.

For Burgess, $2,500 of his February haul came from outside his district, including $1,000 from OD-EyePAC, a political action committee representing optometrists. Contributing $500 each were the Committee for an Innovative Florida founded by former Republican State Rep. Shawn Harrison, government relations firm Robert M. Levy & Associates out of Miami, and the Rebuild Florida political action committee, also out of Miami.

Burgess also has apparently received an endorsement from the Zephyrhills News, that newspaper taking the unusual step of writing a $500 check to the candidate. Media companies typically avoid financially supporting political candidates.

Ledbetter’s largest donation came from out of her district as well. Kim McLaughlin, described in campaign finance filings as a union representative from Burbank, Calif., donated $200 to the Democrat.

Ross releases campaign video
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, released his first Web video for the 2014 re-election campaign, featuring footage from his announcement tour Jan. 21. It also highlights the work he has done in Congress over the last three years, as well as his future legislative priorities.

“It’s been an honor and privilege to represent my friends and neighbors in Washington these past three years,” Ross said. “I first ran for Congress because Washington was broken. While we have made some progress, there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. I’m asking the people of Hillsborough and Polk counties to send me back to Congress for another term so we can continue working to get our country back on track.”

The video also highlights Ross’ work to help cut the federal budget, simplify the tax code, and reduce the size of government to stimulate the economy.

So far, Ross is facing Democrat Alan Cohn in the general election, and neither has yet to draw a primary challenger.

Browning throws support behind Burgess
Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning endorsed outgoing Zephyrhills mayor Danny Burgess in his run for the Florida House seat currently held by Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.

“Danny grew up in East Pasco like I did, and is a product of the Pasco County School system,” Browning said in a release. “He has an energetic and humble demeanor about him that doesn’t come around too often.”

Burgess faces Minerva Diaz in the Republican primary in August, the winner set to run against Democrat Beverly Ledbetter in November.

Business Digest 04-02-14

April 3, 2014 By Michael Hinman

A ribbon cutting that computes
The training division of Computers Etc. at the Dade City Business Center recently had a ribbon cutting and grand opening, sponsored by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. Partners Ken Buzzie, Kristin Pelletier and staffer Michael Tauber cut the ribbon for the new center. The new center will help customers with Microsoft Office Suite, Windows 7, Window 8 and Windows 8.1, as well as accounting software.
(Courtesy of Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce)

Open house at SmartStart
SmartStart Dade City will host an open house April 4 from noon to 3 p.m. to learn about Pasco County’s first business incubator, and get a tour of the facility.

SmartStart is located at 15000 Citrus Country Drive in Dade City.

Managed by the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., SmartStart encourages companies to work in a collaborative environment with other small businesses. Tenants have round-the-clock access to office space, as well as co-working space with free Wi-Fi, a mailbox, conference room space, seminars and one-on-one mentoring.

Swiftmud will keep Babb
Michael Babb will get another shot at the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s governing board after earning a reappointment by Gov. Rick Scott.

Babb of Tampa is the president of Two Rivers Ranch. If confirmed by the Florida Senate, he will serve until the beginning of March 2018.

Governing board members are unpaid volunteers who set policy for the district, manage the water and related resources of west central Florida, and protect the environment.
Social for Women-n-Charge

Women-n-Charge will host a social and open house April 17 beginning at 5 p.m., at City Grill, 5429 Village Market in Wesley Chapel.

No RSVP or meeting fees are required.

For information, call (813) 600-9848, or email .

Bellafield collection opens at Seven Oaks
Standard Pacific Homes recently hosted the grand opening of its Bellafield collection of single-family homes in Wesley Chapel’s Seven Oaks community.

Two model homes of the collection are now open, which includes “great rooms,” gourmet kitchens and spa-like master bathrooms.

House sizes range from 1,945 square feet to 3,866 square feet, and is in both single- and two-story designs. Prices start a little under $300,000.

The Bellafield sales center is located at 4527 Scarlet Loop in Wesley Chapel. For information, visit StandardPacificHomes.com.

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group has scheduled several speakers for the coming months. The group meets every other week at the Village Inn at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

Here’s the group’s slate of upcoming speakers:

• April 8: Danny Burgess, Zephyrhills mayor, candidate for State House District 38

• May 27: Mike Moore, candidate for Pasco County Commission, owner of VR Business Sales

NetFest on April 3
Pasco County Economic Development will host NetFest April 3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Starkey Ranch, 12959 State Road 54 in Odessa.

The 12th annual event is for business and community leaders around Tampa Bay, and includes music and barbecue.

Tickets are $45 each, or $35 for Pasco EDC investors and their guests.

For information, call (888) 607-2726.

Gassaway joins PEDC board
B. Patrick Gassaway, president of Heidt Design LLC, has joined the Pasco Economic Development Council’s board of directors.

Heidt Design is a local consulting firm providing community planning, land planning, landscape architecture, ecological services, land development engineering, and construction inspection services in the Tampa Bay region. Heidt Design first became an investor of the Pasco EDC in 2012, and has since increased its involvement to the $10,000 corporate council level.

“Since 1999, our engineering practice has been solely focused on Pasco County,” Gassaway said, in a release. “We’ve watched the area explode with growth, and we look forward to helping contribute to the planning, development and creation of jobs in this community.”

The Pasco EDC board is responsible for governing the organization and providing leadership in the execution of its strategies.

Meadow Pointe townhomes begin
Construction has started on Lennar’s Central Florida Division’s newest project at Meadow Pointe.

The company is building 62 townhomes just north of New Tampa in southern Pasco County. The townhomes will have three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, ranging in square feet from 1,636 to 1,853. Prices will begin at around $150,000.

Meadow Pointe is a 1,800-acre project with nature preserves and other amenities including swimming pools, basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, playgrounds, nature trails and bicycle paths.

For information, visit LennarTampaFl.com.

LGBT bill gets corporate support
More Florida businesses are throwing their support to a bipartisan bill that would ban anti-gay and gender-based discrimination.

Joining Florida Businesses for a Competitive Workforce are Raymond James Financial, Winn-Dixie Stores, On Top of the World Communities in Ocala, and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Other businesses already a part of the coalition include C1 Bank, Carlton Fields, CSX Corp., Darden Restaurants, Florida Blue, Wells Fargo and Home Shopping Network.

While it’s illegal to discriminate in employment, housing and public accommodations based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap or marital status, the LGBT community is left out of statewide non-discrimination protections, according to a release. The group instead has supported S.B. 348 and H.B. 239, collectively known as the Florida Competitive Workforce Act.

Patrick Geraghty, chief executive of Florida Blue, leads the coalition.

Latino networking event
Gaceta Latina is hosting a business networking event April 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Residence Inn Marriott, 2101 Northpoint Parkway in Lutz.

Cost is free, but RSVP is required by April 18.

For information, email , or call (813) 936-4024.