Local News

Business Digest 01-07-15

January 8, 2015 By B.C. Manion

B Creative ribbon cutting
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce is having a ribbon cutting Jan. 8 from noon to 1:30 p.m., at B Creative Painting School, 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., No. 103.

The studio is two doors down from the chamber’s office.

For more information about the business, visit BCreativePainting.com.

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

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

Central Pasco Chamber lunch meeting
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have a lunch meeting for members and guests on Jan. 13. Networking starts at 11:30 a.m., followed by a buffet. Sean McGarvey of the Pasco County Library System is the guest speaker.

Lunch is $20 if you reserve a space with the chamber by Jan. 9. Otherwise, it’s $25 at the door.

The chamber meets at Harbor Terrace Restaurant 19502 Heritage Harbor Parkway in Lutz.

Business workshops
Learn how to apply for a business loan at a session scheduled for Jan. 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the SMARTstart in Dade City.

At this workshop, Ken Nadler will focus on the individual requirements of the participants, including startups, mature businesses and purchasing of existing businesses. He’ll also discuss loan sources for amounts from $5,000 to $5 million.

For more information, visit PascoEDC.com.

Business development week luncheon
If you’re interested in finding out more about the economy’s outlook and how the markets are likely to perform in 2015, you may want to attend the Business Development Week Luncheon Jan. 30 at the Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club, 11500 Old Tampa Bay Drive in San Antonio.

The event begins with networking at 11 a.m., followed by a buffet luncheon and presentation from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Cox-Wilkins Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors is presenting the event.

For more information, contact or visit PascoEDC.com.

Kumquat Festival selling sponsorship packages
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is now accepting reservation packages for the 2015 Kumquat Festival, set to take place Jan. 31.

Packages start at $500, and include logos and links on the KumquatFestival.org website, as well as booth space at the festival. Premier packages, which run from $1,000 to $5,000, include additional features.

The event is expected to draw 45,000 people from Florida, who live here seasonally, and who are visiting.

For information, call John Moors at (352) 567-3769, or email .

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.

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.

For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

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.

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.

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

Dade City chamber needs volunteers
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is looking for some volunteers to help with the chamber event season.

With winter residents returning to the area, there are a number of activities the chamber needs help to staff. The chamber is looking for people who are friendly and outgoing, who have knowledge of the local area and activities, and are team-oriented.

For information, email .

Catholic Business Networking seeks members
The Catholic Business Networking group is looking for Catholic business owners, employees and supporters interested in joining it for regular meetings every Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 2348 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes.

The group has annual dues of $60, and there is a minimum attendance requirement of two meetings per month.

For information, call (813) 833-4737, or visit CBNTampa.com.

Native American veterans offered job help
Native Americans throughout Florida and Georgia who have served in the U.S. military have a resource that government officials say will help them become economically self-sufficient.

The Florida Governor’s Council on Indian Affairs has launched its Native American Veteran Resource Initiative designed to help Native American, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian veterans find the education, training, job resources and services they need to compete in today’s labor market.

The services, although through the U.S. Department of Labor, are administered in ways that are consistent with the traditional cultural values and beliefs of the people they are designed to serve.

For information, call (800) 322-9186.

Saint Leo claims fifth place in Directors’ Cup standings

January 8, 2015 By Michael Murillo

When it comes to National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II sports, not many schools are faring better than Saint Leo University.

In the final fall standings for the Learfield Sports Division II Directors’ Cup, Saint Leo is sitting in fifth place with 242 points, best in its Sunshine State Conference. That is the highest current standing for any Florida school — the University of Tampa is currently 14th with 179 points.

Saint Leo’s soccer success is just one of the reasons that the university sits in fifth place in the Directors’ Cup standings. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University) — Saint Leo’s soccer success is just one of the reasons that the university sits in fifth place in the Directors’ Cup standings.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

In a competition that includes hundreds of schools, the Lions find themselves in a position that’s new to them.

“I have seen the good and the bad,” said Fran Reidy, director of athletics for Saint Leo University. “For a number of years we’d be happy if we were inside in the top 100.”

Reidy has been with the school for many of those years. Aside from heading up the athletic department since 1999, he’s been involved with the school for 27 years, including a role as their soccer coach.

In that time, he’s seen a renewed commitment to athletic play at the university. An increase in sports participation (the school had just 10 sports programs in 1998 compared to 19 today), commitment to hiring good coaches, and more resources in scholarships have led to a strong overall program. And that’s the key to a good showing in the Directors’ Cup.

Rather than judge a school’s best sport, the competition is a measure of all the sports in an athletic program. Schools receive points based on their finish in each respective sport. But if a school doesn’t participate in a particular sport, they get zero points. Saint Leo doesn’t have a football or women’s field hockey program, for example, so it did not receive points in those categories.

The university does have strong soccer programs, and with top-10 finishes for both the men’s and women’s teams they were able to collect the majority of their points. Good showings in cross-country and volleyball (all of their fall sports reached their respective post-seasons, which means they all collected points) rounded out the fall scoring.

While the fifth place ranking is the school’s highest, it’s really a continuation of its upward trajectory. Last year Saint Leo was 20th after the fall standings and finished 18th when winter and spring contests were completed. The men’s teams have won the conference’s Mayors’ Cup the past two years.

For a former soccer coach, serving as director of athletics allows Reidy to execute a game plan on a schoolwide scale, and see it play out across a number of sports.

“There’s a competitive atmosphere that’s exciting,” Reidy said.

Along with that competitive atmosphere is a feeling of camaraderie. Each sport’s athletes support the others in an effort to collect points for the school and move up the standings, Reidy said. Even though each team has its own goals, they also want to see the school finish higher in the standings, which requires success across a variety of sports.

If the fifth-place standing is good news for Saint Leo, the upcoming sports offer even more reasons for optimism. A total of 14 sports remain, including a few where the university really shined last year. Women’s tennis reached the semifinals in the national tournament last year, and the men’s swimming team already has some athletes whose times have already qualified for national competition. And while the baseball team hasn’t reached the tournament for years, Reidy said they were very close to qualifying last year and have a good opportunity to break through in 2015.

There are still several months to go before the final standings will be released. The winter schedule sports wrap up April 2. The spring schedule concludes the Directors’ Cup scoring June 4. The best finishes from 14 of a school’s programs will be counted in the standings.

The success in athletics has not come at the expense of the classroom. More than half of the student athletes have a grade point average above 3.2, and the average grade point average for all athletes is 3.17.

“Last year was our best academic year,” Reidy said.

With so many sports left to be counted, Reidy believes they can finish even better than last year. Another top-20 finish for the Lions would show that they have a strong foundation for all their programs, and last year’s good showing was no fluke.

“We want to make sure we’re building something that’s going to last, and that’s happening,” he said.

Published January 7, 2015

A collection of cool spots

January 2, 2015 By B.C. Manion

If you’re looking to have a good time, want to see some of Florida’s beauty or maybe just learn a thing or two, there are plenty of wonderful places within a short drive to give you a break from life’s routine.

We showcase these kinds of getaways in our Worth the Trip feature, which typically appears once a month on our B Section front.

Here’s a look at some spots we featured during 2014. Search on our website, LakerLutzNews.com, to get the full version of these stories, and then hit the road and enjoy yourselves.

These soldiers are hiding in the Vietnam bush, in an exhibit at the Armed Forces Military Museum in Largo.

The Armed Forces History Museum, 2050 34th Way, Largo
This museum contains a treasure trove of more than 100,000 war artifacts and military memorabilia. It features displays that create the sense of walking through war zones.

The museum also has oral histories, sound recordings, black-and-white footage, and display cases that contain artifacts from various wars.

For more information, call (727) 539-8371, or visit ArmedForcesMuseum.com.

Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa
Designed by theater architect John Eberson, The Tampa Theatre was once described as the finest achievement of its kind, south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

The theater opened in 1926 as Tampa’s first air-conditioned building. During its glory days, uniformed ushers guided patrons to their seats.

The movie palace gives ticket holders a chance to enjoy an architectural treat as well as a film or concert all for the price of admission.

For more information about the theater, tickets or prices, visit TampaTheatre.org.

Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales
When Edward W. Bok created his sanctuary in Lake Wales, his goal was to provide a place of refreshment, where people could get away from the grind of the world.

The gardens offer visitors a chance to see a diverse mix of common Florida plants, along with exotic varieties with beautiful blooms. The centerpiece of the gardens is a 205-foot bell tower, which plays daily concerts.

There’s also an interesting visitor center, which offers details about the Pulitzer-prize winning Bok, a short film about the Florida attraction, and displays that explain the construction of the bell tower and gardens.

For more information, visit BokTowerGardens.org.

Honeymoon Island State Park, No. 1 Causeway Boulevard, Dunedin
Honeymoon Island State Park attracts more than 1.1 million visitors a year.

Just a 20-minute ferryboat ride away is Caladesi Island — a tranquil spot that was rated as America’s No. 1 Beach in 2008 by Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach.

Both islands give visitors the chance to splash in the surf, search for shells, and savor nature’s splendor.

There are boating, fishing and kayaking options, too, for those who enjoy being out on the water. There also are places to buy refreshments, and shady picnic areas to gather with family and friends.

For more information, call (727) 469-5942.

Haslam’s Book Store, 2025 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
Book lovers will rejoice when they peruse the thousands of volumes stocked at Haslam’s Book Store, Florida’s largest bookstore, which is located in St. Petersburg.

In addition to new and used books, the store also has collectible and rare books.

The size of the bookstore, a St. Petersburg institution for decades, can’t be fully appreciated until you step inside and begin exploring its wide-open spaces and small rooms. People from around the world have been known to stop in at the store to check out its selection.

For more information, call (727) 822-8616, or visit Haslams.com.

Downtown St. Petersburg, mostly along Beach Drive
For those looking for a destination that offers something for everyone, downtown St. Petersburg should fit the bill.

Highlights in the downtown area include the Chihuly Collection presented by the Morean Arts Center, the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club, The Museum of Fine Arts, North Straub Park, and the Dali Museum.

Many of these attractions offer discount tickets.

For more information, go to VisitStPeteClearwater.com.

Published December 31, 2014

Panelists identify gaps in mental health system

December 24, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Participants in a recent mental health panel at Rasmussen College in Land O’ Lakes didn’t have any easy solutions for problems plaguing the delivery of mental health care to the nation’s most vulnerable people.

A mental health care panel at Rasmussen College in Land O’ Lakes noted many issues that need to be addressed to improve the quality of mental health care in this country. (Courtesy of Gus Bilirakis)

But they did point out several areas where changes could be made to help improve the level of care for those with mental health conditions, and to improve support for their families and loved ones.

The panel, convened by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, focused on mental health and substance abuse issues. It featured U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania, a clinical psychologist and author of H.B. 3717, otherwise known as the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act.

Bilirakis is among the co-signers on Murphy’s bill.

Too often people have thrown some money at the mental health care problem, added a program, and then walked away without making any real difference, Murphy told a crowd of about 100.

“We have to stop pretending that we can just wish this away,” Murphy said.

Like Murphy, Bilirakis said the time has come to find real solutions. The Palm Harbor Republican has learned from constituents that “we have a broken system with too many individuals falling through the cracks and not receiving the help that they need.

“We put a Band-Aid on it, but we don’t fix it,” Bilirakis said. “Enough is enough.”

Murphy said he’s heard from thousands of families across America, and their constant refrain is that there’s not enough help for people who are mentally ill. Under the current system, mentally ill people often can’t get help they need unless they go to jail.

“On any given day, half-a-million people in this nation are in jail with a mental illness,” Murphy said.

The problems of mental illness spill into other arenas, too, he added. The nation’s homeless population continues to swell, its suicide rates have increased, and many people with mental conditions have little or no prospect of work.

Panelists at the Dec. 16 session represented high-ranking officials from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas-Pasco Public Defender’s Office, Operation PAR, Baycare Behavioral Health, Medical Center of Trinity, the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Pinellas chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Pasco County Schools, the Trinity Pain Center and an advocate representing veterans needing mental health care.

Themes that emerged during the discussion included the need for:

Better hand-offs between various providers to ensure a continuum of care for people with mental health conditions
Short-term residential treatment centers to provide greater support for the mentally ill
Additional crisis intervention team training to help police and first responders better assist people with mental conditions
Help teach school district employees how to identify symptoms that may indicate mental illness in its earliest stages
Less bureaucracy in the way programs are administered and funded, so that people can be receive treatment when and where they need it
Additional research to find effective ways to treat mental conditions
Increased support to help families coping with the challenges posed by a family member’s mental condition

Some panelists pointed out specific areas that need reform. Pasco County sheriff Chris Nocco, for example, believes changes are needed in the state’s Baker Act, which governs how long a person can be detained for a mental evaluation. The current maximum is 72 hours.

That, Nocco said, “is not long enough,” likening it to putting a bandage on a gushing wound.

Murphy agreed with that assessment.

“Who came up with 72 hours for mental illness?” he said, adding that the time limit “doesn’t make clinical sense.”

Medical Center of Trinity chief executive Leigh Massengill said she finds it shameful that, for many patients, the first introduction to the hospital’s behavioral care unit often is by virtue of the Baker Act.

One of the biggest frustrations is the lack of hand-offs in the community after these patients have been stabilized and released from the hospital’s behavioral care facility, Massengill said.

“That absolutely guarantees that they’re going to come back to us, or come back to somebody else, or wind up dead,” she said. “That’s unconscionable in my mind, in this day and time.”

Saybra Chapman, clinical coordinator for Pasco County Schools, noted that a primary issue that keeps surfacing is access to care and timely care.

“The problem for us is when students are waiting for care and not able to get ready services,” she said. “They are trying to function in the school setting, which is a challenge for everybody.”

While panelists discussed the gaps in services and funding issues, Roy Gifford reminded them hope remains for people with mental conditions. The 38-year-old has suffered from schizoaffective disorder for most of his life.

“I have been on almost every kind of medication possible since childhood,” Gifford said.

He’s lived in assisted living facilities, foster care homes, jails, and on the street.

“I often thought there was no hope for me,” Gifford said, acknowledging it was so bad at some points he tried to end his life.

He’s on a new medication now, and has accepted the fact he likely will be on medication the rest of his life.

“Remember, there is hope and recovery,” Gifford told those gathered. “I know it can be done. I am living proof.”

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MPO keeps elevated road on county transportation plan

December 24, 2014 By Michael Hinman

A group that spent months successfully fighting a privately built elevated toll road through the heart of Pasco County got a bit of a setback last week. But its members seem to be OK with it … for now.

Jason Amerson, second from left, will fight any elevated road planned to run near his home off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, but won’t challenge the county’s current long-range transportation plan as long as elevated roads don’t come up as a viable option. He was one of the leaders of a local protest group, Pasco Fiasco, that included, from left, Patrick Knight, Brian Narcum and Kristine Narcum. (File Photo)

Pasco County’s 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan is on its way to both federal and state authorities, highlighting the county’s plan for roads, transit and sidewalks over the next 25 years. And among the various needs the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization included in that transportation plan are elevated roads along the State Road 54/56 corridor.

“We knew the (transportation plan) would still contain the elevated toll road,” said Jason Amerson, a Land O’ Lakes resident who was one of the key players in the elevated toll road protest group, Pasco Fiasco. “It’s not something we are worried about unless they start actively discussing it again at MPO meetings.”

Pasco Fiasco came together last year after some homeowners who live just off State Road 54 learned about a proposal by a private company, International Infrastructure Partners LLC, to build a 33-mile elevated toll road, stretching from U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills to U.S. 19 in New Port Richey. The company had said initially it would fund the estimated $2.2 billion project on its own, but then lost its negotiating power with the Florida Department of Transportation after it requested the state help finance it.

That killed the private project, but an elevated road option remained in the county’s transportation plan. While then Pasco County commissioner Henry Wilson Jr., vowed to help Pasco Fiasco and others against an elevated road down State Road 54 remove such projects from the plan, Wilson was defeated in an open primary election last October by Mike Wells Jr.

“It’s not a simple task getting it removed,” Amerson said. “Probably even a harder task now that Wilson is gone.”

The elevated road remains an option for the county between 2020 and 2040 along the State Road 54/56 corridor as an “alternative improvement.” That could include “premium transit improvements” like toll lanes, overpasses like those used on U.S. 19 in Pinellas County, and elevated lanes.

The elevated road stayed in the plan, but the MPO did make more than 30 other changes to the documents after two months of public hearings. The MPO conducted a 30-day comment period through Nov. 23, as well as public workshops throughout November. It concluded with a public hearing on Dec. 11 where the new transportation plan was adopted unanimously.

Many adjustments to the plan were minor, like name changes of some roads at Bexley Ranch near the Suncoast Parkway, and Mitchell Boulevard near the Little Road area.

But there also were some larger changes as well. They included:

Moving up the six-lane expansion of State Road 52 from Interstate 75 to Pasco Road from 2040 to 2019.
Delaying another 10 years to 2040 projects like Livingston Avenue from State Road 54 to Collier Parkway, Eiland Boulevard from Handcart to Dean Dairy roads, Curley Road from Wells Road to Clinton Avenue, and Lake Patience Road from Sunlake Boulevard to U.S. 41.
Keeping the State Road 56 expansion from Meadow Pointe to U.S. 301 two lanes instead of four by 2019, but possibly expanding it to four lanes by 2030.

That last proposal angered city leaders in Zephyrhills, who wanted four lanes leading into one of its key commercial areas, the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. Lawmakers like new state representative and former Zephyrhills mayor Danny Burgess said they would work with the city to try and restore funding for a four-lane segment.

The MPO also made a number of changes to Tower Road, which runs primarily east to west in Pasco, just north of State Road 54. They include developer-funded improvements like a two-lane stretch from Bexley Ranch to Ballantrae Boulevard, and an expansion to a two-lane road from U.S. 41 to Ehren Cutoff by 2040, paid for by the county.

The Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Florida Department of Transportation will now review the plan, and work with the county to help implement it.

To read the complete plan, visit Mobility2040Pasco.com.

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Some oppose planned Quail Hollow school boundaries

December 24, 2014 By B.C. Manion

When Pasco County School Board members consider proposed boundary changes for Quail Hollow Elementary School in January, they’ll likely hear from parents who oppose the idea of shifting their children from Wesley Chapel Elementary to the reconstructed school.

Buses will line up once again next school year when the massively remodeled Quail Hollow Elementary School reopens its doors. It was closed to create more traditional classroom spaces to replace its former ‘open’ design. (File Photo)

About three-dozen parents and students turned out for a Dec. 8 community meeting to discuss Quail Hollow’s proposed boundary, and some parents made it clear they don’t want their children transferred out of Wesley Chapel Elementary, Pasco County Schools planning director Chris Williams said.

Quail Hollow, at 7050 Quail Hollow Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, has been closed for a massive reconstruction project, and will reopen next fall. When it does, the school will have classroom doors and walls, unlike its previous “open design,” and will have updated technology.

A committee has been working on recommending proposed boundaries, which the school board is expected to consider at its 6 p.m. hearing on Jan. 20. A second and final vote is expected at the board’s Feb. 3 meeting.

The school will have more capacity than it did before. The proposed boundaries call for shifting some students there from Wesley Chapel and Veterans elementary schools. The Veterans students would come from an area that includes the Pasco Woods apartments, Williams said.

The area that would shift Wesley Chapel to Quail Hollow includes the neighborhoods of Wesley Pointe, Villages at Wesley Chapel, Citrus Trace and Saddleridge Estates.

There are 62 students living in the area that would be reassigned from Veterans to Quail Hollow, Williams said. There are 100 students living in the area that would be reassigned from Wesley Chapel to Quail Hollow.

Veterans has a capacity of 762 students, but currently has 828, including pre-kindergarten. So, Williams said, Veterans already is over capacity and could use relief.

Wesley Chapel Elementary has a capacity of 613 students, but will have far fewer students when children who attended Quail Hollow return to their school. However, Quail Hollow has space to accommodate a greater number of children, so the committee recommended reassigning students from Wesley Chapel to Quail Hollow to provide room for growth that is expected to result from the development of Epperson Ranch South near Overpass Road.

Some parents at the community meeting voiced concerns about shifting the communities north of State Road 54 and west of Interstate 75, Williams said. Quail Hollow is a little more than a mile farther away, but parents are concerned about the traffic congestion they could encounter along State Road 54 through Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

Another concern raised at the meeting relates to the difference in Wesley Chapel and Quail Hollow’s performance. Wesley Chapel is an A school, based on the state’s criteria. Quail Hollow was a C school.

Beyond boundary changes, the district still needs to name a new principal for Quail Hollow. Superintendent Kurt Browning had intended to recommend Lane Morris, assistant principal at Gulfside Elementary School, as Quail Hollow’s principal. But Browning put that recommendation on hold after Gulfside principal Chris Clayton was placed on administrative leave pending investigation of reports he violated school district policy.

District officials do not anticipate Clayton returning to Gulfside, said Pasco County Schools spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said.

The Pasco County School Board is scheduled to take an initial vote on proposed boundary changes affecting Quail Hollow, Wesley Chapel and Veterans elementary schools at the board’s 6 p.m. meeting on Jan. 20.

The final vote is expected at the board’s 9:30 a.m. meeting on Feb. 3.

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Athletes met lofty expectations in 2014

December 24, 2014 By Michael Murillo

Athletic competition typically is marked by athletes and teams with lofty goals for the upcoming year. Many times, however, they fall short of those goals despite a great deal of determination and hard work.

Sunlake’s Terrence Jackson and Zephyrhills’ Antwione Sims go up for a ball when the schools met late in the year, a game the Bulldogs won. Both football teams had big plans for 2014, and their hard work paid off during the season. (File Photo)

But there also are cases where that hard work really pays off, and both individuals and teams meet their goals.

Here are a few sports stories that had successful endings across a variety of athletic contests.

Missions accomplished
Before the season started, the Sunlake Seahawks wanted something that had eluded them throughout their history: A district championship.

“That’s one of our goals, to win the district title,” Sunlake head coach Bill Browning said last August. “It’s missing right now, but it really just provides more motivation for us.”

Middle linebacker and tight end Austin Yeloushan felt the same way.

“We’re planning on doing that this year,” he said. “We’ve been working hard in the weight room.”

Whether it was the weights or the program’s history of success, Sunlake had another strong year, finishing the regular season at 8-2. They also survived a three-way tiebreaker with Mitchell and Springstead high schools to claim their first-ever championship in Class 6A-District 6.

At Zephyrhills High School, Head Coach Reggie Roberts knew people would be focused on the Bulldogs’ rivalry with Pasco High School. But Roberts was concerned about something else: The postseason.

“Contrary to what people believe, I’m not worried about Pasco,” Roberts said ahead of the season last August. “We have a lot of games. If we lose all our games and win the Pasco game, we’re still not in the playoffs.”

Instead, things turned out almost the exact opposite of Roberts’ hypothesis: The Bulldogs lost to Pasco again, this time a tough 35-34 loss. But they won nearly all of their other games, finishing the regular season 8-2 and earning a playoff spot through Class 5A-District 6 in another tiebreaker.

As a result, an eight-year playoff drought was snapped, and Roberts took his team to the postseason for the first time in his tenure as coach at Zephyrhills.

Getting gold, again
As a freshman in 2013, Abbey Duncan was a state champion for Wesley Chapel High School’s swim team, and was even profiled by The Laker/Lutz News in March.

But things change from year to year, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the outcome was a little bit different in 2014.

Not the part about being a state champion. Duncan did that again. But this time it was for a different school.

Duncan transferred to Academy at the Lakes and helped that program achieve success in her sophomore year. Her state championship also was a little different, claiming the 100-yard backstroke in 2014.

Duncan took the championship in a freestyle event last year.

She enters 2015 as a two-time state champion, and she’ll only be a junior.

New coach, similar success
On the baseball diamond, the Wiregrass Ranch Bulls had a few question marks as they tried to follow up on their 2013 campaign, which included their first-ever playoff berth and a spot in the regional final.

A big one was their coach.

Marshall McDougal was not only a new coach at the high school, he had never coached high school baseball before. But as a recently retired professional baseball player, he brought a lot of experience and optimism to the Bulls’ job.

“As a whole, our team is pretty solid all the way through,” McDougall said last April during his inaugural season as coach. “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.”

McDougal turned out to be right, taking Wiregrass Ranch right back to the playoffs. This time they fell in the regional semifinals, but proved that the program was ready to continue its success streak, even with a new coach at the helm.

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Yes, Virginia, he is Santa Claus

December 24, 2014 By Michael Hinman

If you believe 970-WFLA personality Tedd Webb, the radio career of Pat George started simply by being in the right place at the right time.

George was a janitor at WDAE in the 1970s when a personality called in sick. And because George could operate the broadcast board, he was allowed to fill in.

Pat George, dressed as Santa Claus, shares breakfast with kids at the Old Lutz School recently during the town’s Christmas events. (Courtesy of Suzin Carr)

The rest is history. He officially joined WRBQ-FM — informally known as Q105 — in 1979, and then spent another decade or so at Radio Disney.

George is still recognized when he’s out and about — but not so much when he sticks a long white beard to his face, and slips into a bright red costume. It’s then that George becomes Santa Claus, a common visitor to the area — including the Old Lutz School — finding out what children everywhere want to find under the tree come Christmas morning.

“I don’t know what it is, the eyes or the smile, but when I watch little kids approach me as Santa Claus, they’re willing to sit on my lap. And some of these are kids who never sit on Santa’s lap otherwise. Maybe it’s because I have blue eyes. Who knows?”

Every year, George will dust off the Santa costume at the beginning of December, and make a number of appearances at events and even private homes leading up to Christmas. He takes part in the Christmas festivities at the Old Lutz School because his son is a member of the Civil Air Patrol’s North Tampa-Lutz Squadron, which meets at the historic landmark. He’s been the go-to Santa there the past few years, and families look forward to having him there.

“There are still kids that sit on Santa’s lap and cry, but parents still snap a picture,” George said, with a chuckle. “I don’t understand it at all. But I always try to talk to the kids, I pat them on the shoulder and tell them they are my buddy, and that usually calms them down enough to get a happier picture.”

The big item kids want this year are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, popular toy characters from the 1980s that have been resurrected thanks to the recent movie. Boys in particular, George said, want the Ninja Turtle backpack, which like the turtles themselves, comes in a hard shell.

What girls are asking for, however, is surprising.

“A lot of them want guitars,” George said. “I don’t know what it is out there driving it, and I’m pretty up on a lot of music. But it might be because there are a lot of shows on television right now where girls are not only singing, but they’re playing instruments too. So maybe we have Taylor Swift to thank for that.”

Of course, the big question Santa always asks children is whether they have been naughty or nice. Many say they’ve been good, but some will be honest and talk about some of the bad things they’ve done.

“I always tell them to be a good example to their younger brother and sister, and be sure to listen to their parents,” George said. “Always look out for your brother and sister, whether it’s at school or at the mall, and go to bed early. And if nothing else, make sure you have a good time, because we’re only kids once.”

Getting to know Santa Claus

What’s your favorite kind of milk?
I think 2 percent milk is the best, but never skim milk. It’s just too thin, even for Santa.

What’s summer like at the North Pole?
There’s nothing at the North Pole in the summer. That’s because Santa likes to go to the Caribbean, wearing Bermuda shorts and relaxing. But no matter how far you get into the Caribbean, people still recognize you.

How do you make all your stops on Christmas Eve?
It’s very magical, but we also get an early start. We don’t like to waste too much time. Sometimes I might be a little late, but that’s only because some boys and girls don’t want to go to bed early, and I have to wait down the street for them to fall asleep.

Who is your favorite reindeer?
It’s definitely between Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph gets all the attention and excitement, and the other reindeer are very quiet. But they are all hard-working reindeer.

What’s your message to the people of the world?
Santa would like peace on Earth, and goodwill to all. And a grilled cheese sandwich when it’s all done.

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Baby’s first Christmas ornaments find new homes

December 24, 2014 By Diane Kortus

One of the most satisfying pleasures of Christmas is taking down my boxes of ornaments from the attic and unwrapping memories of past holidays.

The flush of memories, temporarily forgotten, comes rushing back as I rediscover ornaments carefully packed away in old newspapers.

Andy’s ceramic bear is making the transition from my Christmas tree to my son’s tree this year.

The most emotional unveilings are of ornaments given to me the first Christmas after the births of my son and my daughter. My favorites are a little brown ceramic bear with dangling arms that a sister-in-law made for Andy in 1988. And a pink Hallmark carousel pony with Rachel’s name and birthday, May 4, 1992.

My Christmas boxes seem to have more ornaments for “Baby’s First Christmas” than any other theme. There is something endearing about the birth of a child that prompts friends and relatives to bestow these special ornaments on parents.

And then, in what seems like no time at all, reindeers made out of clothespins and glitter-globbed Santas with cotton ball beards take over the ornament box.

So again this year, a few days before Thanksgiving, I dragged down my Christmas boxes and set them on the edge of my garage.

Andy, now 26, was coming home for the holiday with his new wife, Erin. I thought Andy would want to dig through these boxes and take a few ornaments back to hang on his and Erin’s first Christmas tree.

So on Saturday afternoon, Andy and Erin went out to the garage to sort through the decorations. When I checked a half-hour later, they had set aside a dozen or so ornaments, including those from Andy’s first Christmas.

I felt a real tug at my heart when I saw that little ceramic bear — the one I had cherished almost as long as my son — laying on top of their pile. But I just smiled and said I was sure the ornaments they had chosen would look great on their tree.

A few weeks later, my daughter Rachel was home from Jacksonville to celebrate an early Christmas because both of us will be away with friends for the holidays. Like Andy, Rachel went through our Christmas boxes to find favorite ornaments for her tree in Jacksonville. Even before looking, I knew that the little carousel horse with her name in cursive letters would be in Rachel’s take-home pile.

Letting go of Rachel’s carousel horse and Andy’s ceramic bear was a rite of passage — more for me than for my children. I’ve come to realize that parents go through as many rites of passage as their kids — we just don’t talk about it. We anticipate the transitions as our children grow from infants to teenagers, and all too soon leave home for college and jobs with plans and dreams separate from our own.

And one of those rites is passing along our most treasured gifts, which for me includes giving my children their first Christmas ornaments. And it is with joy that I share with you this, my newest Christmas memory.

Diane Kortus is publisher of The Laker/Lutz News. She has owned the newspapers since 2000, and has been publisher since 2009.

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An act of kindness rekindles my Christmas spirit

December 24, 2014 By B.C. Manion

I have always looked forward to Christmas.

Except for one year.

My sister Anne Marie was very ill, and I just couldn’t feel the joy of the season.

This Walgreens tree will always remind me of Heather and Bob’s act of kindness to restore my Christmas spirit.

So, instead of going to get a freshly cut tree from a lot and decorating it with my friends, Bob and Heather, I decided not to put up a tree.

When I told Heather that I was skipping our annual tradition, she invited me to come to their place and help them to decorate their tree. As I put ornaments on their tree’s branches, I knew the decorations evoked memories of happy events, important places, and special moments for my friends.

And, I thought to myself: I have a fine collection of ornaments, too.

So, on my way home, I bought myself an artificial tree from Walgreens. It wasn’t very tall or full, but putting my ornaments on its branches — and remembering special times with family and friends — restored my Christmas spirit.

That was Anne Marie’s last Christmas.

Her legacy lives on, though, through the lives of her children and grandchildren, and in the happy memories of her that I carry around in my heart.

I especially feel her presence each year, as I hang ornaments that she gave to me on my smallish Walgreens tree — celebrating Christmas and all that it means during Anne Marie’s favorite season.

B.C. Manion is community editor of The Laker/Lutz News, joining the paper in 2010. She writes news and features, takes photographs and edits the work of her colleagues.

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