The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Giving thanks with a grateful heart

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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a time to reflect on the blessings in our lives.

This past year has been particularly joyful for me, both professionally and personally.

Since this newspaper is such a big part of my life, I want to share with you the top 10 reasons Thanksgiving is especially meaningful to me this year.

Our readers
I want to thank all of the readers of The Laker/Lutz News for embracing our new, bigger size. We took a leap of faith in August, changing our format to match the size of most daily newspapers.

Besides becoming 30 percent bigger overnight, we added a B section to give us a second front page, and to organize our classified products.

I confess I was more than a bit nervous about making such a significant change and taking on the additional expenses that came along with it. But taking risks comes with ownership, and it’s the only way to grow.

Four months into this change, we continue to receive positive comments — almost daily — about our new size.

My staff
A huge thank you goes to my staff of 12. I am ever so thankful to this group of professionals who meet challenging deadlines every week.

Think about it: How many business owners ask their staff to create a brand new product every week? But this is what my staff does — writing stories, taking pictures, selling and creating ads, and then putting it all together to fill typically 24 very big pages of stories and advertisements.

This requires an unbelievable amount of talent, commitment and hard work. Our staff box on Page 3A does not begin to give my employees enough recognition for the work they to do to bring you one of the best community newspapers in the state. 

Our advertisers
The newspaper we produce each week is possible because of the support we receive from our advertisers. They recognize that we offer an excellent vehicle to let patrons know about the services and products they offer.

My son Andy’s safe return
My son, Andrew Mathes, a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, returned home at the end of May after seven months in Afghanistan. There is no greater gratitude that a mother can have than knowing her child is away from harm’s way.

Andy and Erin’s renewed wedding vows
Andy and his wife Erin, who were married a week before Andy’s deployment last November, renewed their wedding vows a year later — on Nov. 8 — at the church where Erin grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Only nine family members were present when Andy and Erin married in a military chapel in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. When they renewed their vows, more than 150 family and friends traveled from across the country to be there.

My nine brothers and sisters
I am grateful, always, for my nine brothers and sisters. But it was especially touching to see all of them at Andy’s and Erin’s renewal of vows.

Most of my family lives in Minnesota — a five- to six-hour drive to Appleton. But they were all there, as were many of Andy’s cousins, despite an approaching winter storm and the fact that the wedding was on the same day as opening of deer hunting season in Minnesota.

My daughter Rachel’s graduation and new job
My beautiful daughter, Rachel Mathes, graduated from Stetson University in May and is working as an art teacher in Jacksonville. It’s hard to say whether I’m more grateful for Rachel graduating from college in four years and landing a job in her field, or for the fact that I am no longer paying tuition.

When Rachel was born I felt so blessed to have a daughter, and that gratitude deepens with each passing year. I only wish that Jacksonville was closer to Land O’ Lakes so we could see each other more often.

My father, Don Kortus
Dad will be 86 in February, and his love for his family — which consists of more than 45 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren — holds us all together.

I am thankful for Dad’s wisdom, good health, sharp mind, and unwavering support for me.

Jonas
Jonas, my 9-year-Airedale terrier, is a cancer survivor, and I am thankful he will be my companion for many more years.

After being diagnosed with cancer in August 2013, his prognosis was poor because dogs with his type of cancer rarely live longer than a few months.

But after having a tumor on his spleen removed, he recovered so well that he underwent chemotherapy and is now in remission.

Vic Anthony
Finally, I am thankful for finding love the second time around.

When I opened my heart to love again, I met Vic Anthony, who has had my back these past three years. Sharing with Vic the pleasures and challenges of my family, my business, and my dog Jonas, has renewed my spirit and brought me much happiness.

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Sheffield’s $3M pledge buys more time for baseball complex

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Late-game heroics are something Gary Sheffield became accustomed to during his 21-year professional athletic career. But his plans to build a massive baseball complex in Wesley Chapel is now in the bottom of the ninth, and the retired outfielder is going to need a grand slam to make it a reality.

James Talton, right, shares his plans with business leaders last month to build a 19-diamond baseball complex in the heart of Wesley Chapel’s Wiregrass Ranch area as his business partner, retired baseball star Gary Sheffield, listens in. (File photo)
James Talton, right, shares his plans with business leaders last month to build a 19-diamond baseball complex in the heart of Wesley Chapel’s Wiregrass Ranch area as his business partner, retired baseball star Gary Sheffield, listens in. (File photo)

Pasco County commissioners gave Sheffield and business partner James Talton until January to secure enough seed money to help Pasco Sports LLC build a 19-field complex not far from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel in the Wiregrass Ranch area. Commissioners like new chair Ted Schrader was reluctant to give the developers the extra time, that is until Sheffield pledged $3 million of his own money to make sure it happens.

“I talked to my bankers, and at the end of the day when all this is said and done, if nobody comes in and does this, I’m going to use $3 million myself to take care of that note,” Sheffield told commissioners.

Sheffield and Talton have struggled to get financing for what has become a $34 million project to attract up-and-coming youth baseball players from around the country. One of the biggest sticking points is the land, Sheffield said, which would remain under the county’s control. Not having the more than 100 acres as collateral has made the overall project less attractive to investors.

Also complicating matters is the fact that Pasco Sports can only talk to one investor at a time, Sheffield said. Being forced to wait until an investor comes to a decision before Pasco Sports can approach someone else has pushed the project back for months. It also has put the county’s $11 million in tourist tax money in jeopardy.

“It’s a fantastic location and a great concept,” Schrader said during a meeting in Dade City last week. “We just have to make sure that we have the right partner.”

Commissioners had hoped to get the proof of financing they requested to give the baseball complex their blessing. However, without initial funding secured, nothing is concrete just yet.

Making the situation more difficult now are the holidays.

“In the financial world, if you don’t have a deal struck now, you’re not going to get anything done until the end of the year,” Schrader said. “Delaying this to the end of January is something I don’t have a problem with. I am concerned with the money they are going to be obligated to put forward, that those bills be paid for in an expedited manner when necessary.”

Pasco Sports would have until the beginning of December to turn over the necessary paperwork to show proof of financing. From there, the county will review the paperwork so that commissioners can act on it by the time the new year rolls around.

Commissioner Jack Mariano was concerned with high interest rates attached to the $3 million seed money — some 20 percent — fearing annual expenses to pay it could climb as high as $600,000.

“This was thrown together just to put something in front of us, and it’s very unstable,” he said.

Talton, however, assured Mariano that he’s not looking to pull out $3 million upfront, and then start paying back high interest rates. Instead, Pasco Sports would just use money when its needed to help cover initial bills, and are not obligated to use all — or any — of that $3 million.

“It’s just an incentive for that person (who offers the money) to step forward, and an incentive for us not to use it,” Talton said. “It’s absolutely normal to have a bridge loan at a high interest rate at the beginning of a project.”

The county has looked at Talton’s and Sheffield’s project as one that could bring in thousands of young baseball players and their families each year, and possibly even attract a Major League Baseball team to have spring training there.

Talton told members of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce last October that his project could create an estimated 8,000 jobs and a $318 million annual economic impact boost to the county. Even the $11 million Pasco is investing would come back quickly, he said, as the project is estimated to pay the county $9 million in taxes and other costs.

Talton had hoped to spend as much as $70 million on the project, tapping into what he described as a $7 billion youth sports industry. However, the project has shrunk a bit as Pasco Sports failed to bring in the big investors it had hoped.

Commissioners approved the extension unanimously, delaying a final decision until January. But Schrader added a warning: this is the last extension.

Sheffield remains optimistic, just as he did last month when talking to local chamber members.

“We can’t predict how big this is going to be,” Sheffield said at the time. “And I think it’s going to be 10 times bigger than what James is putting to paper right now.”

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Lutz pushes proposed urban service area south

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Lutz has survived more than a century with no municipal water or sewer. And it might end up going another century without it as well.

In a workshop Dec. 8, members of the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission will hear something they may not like: Lutz residents are turning their backs on a proposed plan to extend the county’s urban service area up U.S. 41.

Getting an urban service area designation is a significant step in helping to bring more business — and even more residents — to an area, planners say. In fact, 80 percent of all county growth would take place in those areas, countywide planning team leader Stephen Griffin told a small group of Lutz residents Nov. 18.

“When you are inside that service area, you are going to see growth and development,” Griffin said. “But being in an urban service area doesn’t mean you can’t have other uses like agriculture. That would still be permitted inside the urban service area.”

For decades, Lutz has maintained its independence from the high population growth taking place in the rest of Hillsborough. Although six lanes of U.S. 41 were laid right through the heart of the downtown Lutz, existing water and sewer infrastructure along the way requires septic tanks and well access — both undesirable and even outright impossible for larger businesses to move in.

But that’s exactly what many of the residents want there, said Mike White, president of the Lutz Citizens Coalition.

“I’ve polled our members, and the resounding answer that has come back is that we don’t want water and septic,” White said. “We like our wells. We don’t want to take a chance of losing control of the rural character of Lutz.”

Community resistance means when the urban service area is expanded, it will stay south of the Lutz apex where U.S. 41 and North Florida Avenue split near the entrance to the Avila subdivision.

“We will conclude our expansion opportunity and leave it to that little area on the south,” Griffin said. “That is what we’re going to move forward with. We are going to leave it the way that it is.”

That’s not what one land and business owner in Lutz was hoping to hear. William Payne, the owner of the engineering firm WSP Consultants in Lutz, says it’s time the area moves forward and embraces some of the amenities their neighboring communities have.

“It is a real shame that the comments from non-commercial parcel owners could so easily sway the planning commission,” Payne said in an email to community planner Yeneka Mills before last week’s meeting. “I hope this decision is not final, and the planning commission will reconsider expanding the (urban service area) further north by meeting directly with commercial parcel owners.”

Payne owns two 1950s-era commercial buildings at 19006 N. U.S. 41 and 19008 N. U.S. 41 he purchased through his company, William & Mary Investment Group LLC, for $585,000 in 2006. He said he was the only person who attended an August meeting with planning commission officials who actually owned commercial property in the potential expansion area.

However, part of the appeal of Lutz is its unchanging nature, White said, despite the suburban growth that’s occurring around it, including Pasco County to the north. The fear is that Lutz would turn into another Dale Mabry Highway, with high commercial density and a lost community spirit.

“There are a lot of people whose kids move, and they will be gone for five or six years,” he said. “And then they come back. My daughter has been gone for 10 years, and she can’t wait to move out here.”

Upgrading infrastructure to help support a more suburban community does not mean it has to be developed that way, Griffin said.

“The county does not force you to hook into the system,” he said. “We wanted to help precipitate improvements so that more local and small businesses have the ability to tap into the water and sewer lines, if that is available.”

However, one older resident who didn’t identify himself felt it was still too much.

“The risk of changing to an urban service area far outweighs any benefits from it,” he said.

Once the planning commission decides how it wants to pursue an urban service area, it will hold another public meeting to discuss that plan with affected residents and business owners in the spring.

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It’s crunch time for annual holiday toy drive

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Bob Loring isn’t Santa Claus. Yet he has some 250 elves at his disposal, and he seems pretty jolly about his job.

“I’m the head elf,” Loring said. “It’s a thrill. Personally it’s so rewarding. I get to work with and be around the neatest people in Pasco County.”

Bob Loring will do whatever it takes to get the word out for his annual local Toys For Tots campaign. (Michael Murillo/Staff photo)
Bob Loring will do whatever it takes to get the word out for his annual local Toys For Tots campaign. (Michael Murillo/Staff photo)

The retired Marine doesn’t look like Kris Kringle, either, but he does share a common goal with the Christmas character. With the help of elves (volunteers), he distributes toys to boys and girls during the holiday season.

The difference is that Loring does it in real life.

Loring heads up the local Toys For Tots chapter, part of a national program that distributes toys to needy children run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for more than 65 years. He took the helm back in 1999, and in his first year, the group distributed toys for nearly 400 children in the Dade City area.

But he knew it wasn’t enough.

To expand, Toys For Tots would have to increase the number of communities it serves. Most people who donate want the recipients to live in their area, Loring said. As a result, they’ve broadened their efforts to provide a happy holiday to children in Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel, as well.

The donations have gone up, too. Loring expects to distribute toys to around 4,000 children this year. And the method of distributing them is almost as important as the donations themselves.

Toys For Tots relies on school counselors to identify needy children and families. Then, instead of simply distributing bags of gifts based on age and gender, a parent or guardian will go to a local center where one of the elves helps them choose from the available toys for each child in the family.

Every recipient receives a couple of bigger gifts as well as some stocking stuffers to make sure they have a few things to open. Someone who knows them handpicks them all.

This method ensures the right gift goes to the right recipient, Loring said, because the parent or guardian has a good idea what each child would like. Some children might be more or less advanced for their age, and finding suitable gifts requires more than guesswork based on how old they are.

Letting a parent or guardian choose the gifts themselves provides another benefit: dignity.

“I want the parent, first of all, to be treated with kindness, to be brought into the Christmas spirit,” Loring said. “We’re not here to make people feel uncomfortable that they’re asking us to help them.”

By playing a role in deciding what their children receive, the experience is more in line with traditional gift giving.

While the organization has provided toys for decades, Toys For Tots had to adjust with the times. They still have collection boxes at various locations and businesses where people can donate new, unwrapped toys. And they still have their annual toy drive with the National Association of Letter Carriers, where residents leave toys by their mailboxes and the letter carriers pick them up on their postal routes.

The problem is that fewer people know about it.

The U.S. Postal Service previously allowed Toys For Tots distribute free mailers to each resident, letting them know when the drive would take place. But a few years ago they stopped providing that benefit due to costs, Loring said, so his organization has had to get more creative in getting the word out on when to leave toys for their letter carriers.

He admits that current donations would be even higher if not for the mailer setback, because many residents don’t know exactly when it occurs.

Still, with some assistance from the national Toys For Tots organization and mostly local donations, the chapter provides presents for thousands of local children each year. And with some help from other groups, Loring has built a network of add-ons to accompany the holiday presents.

For example, faith-based organizations and Rotary Club sponsor Food For Tots and Skivvies For Tots, offering food and clothing for those in need. And down the road, Loring would like to add Shoes For Tots as well.

But for now, Loring will settle for another successful toy drive for needy area families. And in doing so, it also will translate into a happier holiday for those volunteers who find it can be better to give than to receive.

“My elves get more out of this than the families we help. That is true,” Loring said. “They come away with the Christmas spirit and they take it home. It’s magnificent.”

The Letter Carriers’ toy drive is set for Dec. 6.

For more information about local Toys For Tots efforts, contact Loring at (352) 588-4230, or at .

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Bulldogs look past playoff loss to promising future

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The Zephyrhills Bulldogs played approximately 540 minutes of football this season — but it was the final two minutes that were the most disappointing.

Zephyrhills Bulldog junior linebacker Kevin Lee swats down a pass from Sunlake quarterback Dayton Feiden during the final game of the season that Zephyrhills won 22-7. The Bulldogs would lose a heartbreaking first-round playoff game, while the Seahawks would move to the next round after beating Ocala’s Vanguard High School. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
Zephyrhills Bulldog junior linebacker Kevin Lee swats down a pass from Sunlake quarterback Dayton Feiden during the final game of the season that Zephyrhills won 22-7. The Bulldogs would lose a heartbreaking first-round playoff game, while the Seahawks would move to the next round after beating Ocala’s Vanguard High School. (Fred Bellet/Photo)

The team came up short on a fourth-and-one that would have sealed a victory in their first playoff game in eight seasons. Instead, their opponent — Suwannee High School from Live Oak — drove down the field quickly and scored a touchdown.

Suwannee then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff for another score. And just like that, Zephyrhills’ season was gone.

But not forgotten.

“We’re a little disappointed about the loss, not getting the win up in Live Oak, especially being ahead most of the game,” Bulldogs head coach Reggie Roberts said. “But we played good football to get there, and we played good football when we got there. But we just have to finish at that level.”

As the sting of not finishing a winnable playoff loss subsides — the team led 24-9 at the half — it will be replaced by memories of the good football that brought them to that point in the first place. Their 8-3 final record is the best of Roberts’ tenure, which began in 2010.

It was their fourth straight year with a winning record, and the playoff appearance snapped an eight-year drought without postseason play. The Bulldogs took the field for that game ready to play their brand of football, not like a team that was just happy to be there or wanted to play conservatively.

For his part, Roberts has no regrets about going for it on that critical fourth down at the end of the game. Converting that yard would have meant a victory, he said, and the circumstances at that time and the field position dictated it was the best move for the team.

But that decision was made and the playoff game is over. And Roberts, like all successful coaches, doesn’t like to dwell in the past. He’s already looking ahead to 2015, and he likes what he sees.

While he admits that replacing offensive cogs like quarterback Ty Tanner, receiver Tyler Kirby and running back Jaylen Pickett won’t be easy, Roberts believes the team’s depth will step up and fill the gaps.

“Our seniors will be missed, but by the same token, we have a lot of young players that know how to play football,” he said.

The Bulldogs will welcome back known talent like receiver Jackie Tucker and running back Antwione Sims, who distinguished himself this season and in the playoff game. They also have a number of junior varsity players who are ready to graduate to varsity and contribute immediately.

If there’s an early area of concern, it’s the kicking game. Somebody will need to fill punter and kicker Zach Gleaton’s spot, but there’s time to find a replacement. But from offensive line to other skill positions, the coach feels good about the talent he’ll carry into 2015.

“I like what we have coming back,” Roberts said.

He also likes the renewed community interest in Zephyrhills football, and the fact that coaches are now coming to him asking for advice on how to build and maintain a successful program.

The returning players will bring a renewed desire to win and a lot of pride in what they’re building, but they’ll also carry some bitterness about the way the season ended. After the playoff loss, he found the younger players hurting after the game, even if they didn’t get on the field much.

They were upset at the way things ended for the team, and the coach wants them to use that frustration as fuel for next season.

“They’re going to remember that pain,” Roberts said. “They’re going to remember this experience. They’re going to remember it takes blood, and hopefully that’s going to just energize them and motivate them to get back there (to the playoffs) every year.”

If Roberts is looking for indications that the team will learn from this year’s lessons, he’s already seen some positive signs as the long off-season gets underway.

The players aren’t interested in taking extended breaks, even when offered by the coach at the end of a hard-fought playoff game and a successful 2014 campaign.

“I gave the kids two weeks off, and the kids were in the weight room” four days after the playoff game, he said. “If that doesn’t tell you anything, it tells me a lot.”

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Business Digest 11-26-14

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Roy Naccour shows off his new J. Joseph Salon & Spa location at Sunlake Plaza in Lutz. (Diane Kortus/Staff Photo)
Roy Naccour shows off his new J. Joseph Salon & Spa location at Sunlake Plaza in Lutz. (Diane Kortus/Staff Photo)

J. Joseph Salon expands into Lutz
Roy Naccour, owner of J. Joseph Salon & Spa in Land O’ Lakes, has opened a second location in Lutz at Sunlake Plaza next to the Publix on State Road 54.

“We’re pleased to offer our European-style salon services to women and families along the fast growing (State Road 54) corridor,” Naccour said in a release.

J. Joseph Salon is the official hair salon for WFLA-Channel 8’s “Daytime.”

The new salon is located at 18861 State Road 54. Appointments are available seven days a week and most evenings, and can be made at (813) 235-6848.

Women-n-Charge to meet in December
Women-n-Charge will meet Dec. 5 at 11:30 a.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.

The meeting will include a feature speaker and networking.

Cost is $15 for members who pre-register, and $18 for guests.

For information, visit Women-n-Charge.com, or call (813) 600-9848.

 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.

Big Breakfast for Small Business
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Zephyrhills are offering a kickoff breakfast to celebrate small business Nov. 29 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., at Abbott Station Restaurant, 5327 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Breakfast will be available for free to the first 50 customers.

For information, call (813) 782-1913, or visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org.

Native American veterans offered job help
Native Americans throughout Florida and Georgia who have served in the U.S. military now have a new resource 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.

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 .

New mobile nail salon
Amber Thomas has started a new mobile nail salon in Zephyrhills, focused on men and women over 55, who are shut in, or living in RV parks. However, the Florida-licensed mobile nail technician says she’s available for customers of all ages.

For more information, call Thomas at (813) 701-7222, or email at .

Winn-Dixie now offering Apple Pay
The grocery store chain Winn-Dixie is now offering shoppers the chance to use Apply Pay at the checkout.

The service, which is available to Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users, create a contact-less payment method for merchandise in the stores.

Winn-Dixie has six locations on this side of Pasco and Hillsborough counties, including 27301 Wesley Chapel Blvd. and 27303 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel; 2126 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes; 6427 County Line Road in Tampa; 18407 U.S. 41 in Lutz; and 36348 State Road 54 in Zephyrhills.

For information, visit Apple.com/apple-pay.

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.

Upcoming speakers include:

  • Scott Lindner, pastor of Atonement Lutheran Church, Dec. 9
  • Michael Smith, pastor of Fair Haven Baptist Church and principal of Zephyrhills Christian Academy

The group will have its Christmas mixer Dec. 1 at 6 p.m., at Village Inn, 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

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 .

On the Agenda-11-26-14

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Schrader new chair of commission
Ted Schrader is back in a familiar seat with the Pasco County Commission after being elected chair of the county’s governing body.

Schrader, based in District 1 covering large parts of the eastern side of the county, was chair of the commission in the 2012-13 session, and then stepped aside this past year for fellow commissioner Jack Mariano.

The chair position typically rotates among the commissioners, leading meetings and representing the board as a whole to the public.

Henry Wilson Jr., was in line to become the next chair, but lost his re-election bid to Mike Wells Jr. during an open primary in August. That had opened the door to a possible chairmanship by Kathryn Starkey. However, she immediately nominated Schrader for the job Nov. 18 in Dade City, and her motion won unanimous approval.

Starkey was elected the vice chair, officially making her a top contender for the position next year.

The commission also swore in its two new members, Wells and Mike Moore. Wells will take over District 4 previously served by Wilson, while Moore will represent District 2, which Pat Mulieri served for 20 years.

Pasco Thanksgiving closings
Most Pasco County government offices will be closed Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 27, as well as the Friday afterward on Nov. 28. Most will reopen on Dec. 1, if not the Saturday before.

The Pasco County Tax Collector’s office, however, will also be closed Nov. 29, and not reopen until Dec. 1. The Pasco County libraries, however, will reopen that Saturday.

Although parks and recreation centers will be closed Thursday and Friday, parks and beaches will be open both days from dawn to dusk.

The shelter at Pasco County Animal Services will be closed Nov. 27 and Nov. 28, however an animal control officer will be available for emergencies. The shelter will reopen Nov. 29 at noon, and stay open until 6:30 p.m.

Buses will not run on Thursday or Friday, but will resume on Nov. 29.

The Pasco County Resource Recovery Facility as well as the East Pasco Transfer Station will be closed to both the public and commercial haulers on Nov. 27, but will reopen to licensed commercial haulers on Nov. 28. They will full reopen to the public on Nov. 29.

Murman new chair of Hillsborough commission
Sandra Murman will lead the Hillsborough County Commission for the coming year, after getting the nod from her peers. Al Higginbotham, who won a close race to become one of the new at-large members of the commission, was elected vice chair.

Higginbotham returned to the commission, along with Victor Crist and Ken Hagan. Stacey White joins them, representing District 4.

Murman, who was vice chair last year, has represented District 1 in Hillsborough since 2010.

Wiregrass Ranch High lays groundwork for 10-period day

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It’s not official yet, but Wiregrass Ranch High School officials are moving ahead with planning for a 10-period school day.

The Pasco County School Board is expected to vote on the issue in December. But the school can’t wait to start planning until then, because if it did that, it wouldn’t have time to properly plan, school principal Robyn White said.

Wiregrass Ranch High School assistant principal Shauntte Butcher compares the swarm of students passing through the corridors to the traffic jam at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard at 5 p.m. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch High School)
Wiregrass Ranch High School assistant principal Shauntte Butcher compares the swarm of students passing through the corridors to the traffic jam at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard at 5 p.m. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch High School)

School officials have looked at other ideas, she added, but the 10-period day seems to be the best approach for dealing with the school’s burgeoning enrollment.

“While that seems to the most feasible and logical solution right now, we have stayed open to other possibilities,” White said. “We have looked at every suggestion that anybody has given. So far, we haven’t come up with anything better.”

By having a 10-period day, the school can provide a less crowded campus for most of the school day, said White, who has been the school’s principal since it opened in 2006.

When it opened, it had just freshman and sophomores, for a total enrollment of 752. As of last week, the enrollment was 2,333. That figure is expected to grow by least 175 students next school year, bringing the total to nearly 2,500.

Wiregrass Ranch High was built for an enrollment of 1,633. It already has 30 portable classrooms to address the overflow.

The 10-period day would work like this: Sophomores through seniors would begin and end the school day at the same time they do now, 7:25 a.m. and 1:56 p.m., respectively. Freshmen begin at 10:18 a.m., and end at 4:44 p.m.

All of the school’s students would be on campus for three periods each day, but that is manageable because roughly 500 kids are at lunch at any given time, White said. The school now has four lunch periods each day, but will need to add a fifth one next year because of the anticipated enrollment increase.

School officials are aware the new schedule will pose some challenges for parents and for students who are involved in after-school activities. Working parents have voiced concerns that they won’t be able to drop off their children at school because of the later bus runs for freshmen.

The school district is responding to that concern by providing all freshmen the opportunity to ride the bus to school. Normally, those who live too close to school do not qualify for free transportation.

School officials also want to work with parents whose children have special concerns about starting and dismissal times, White said.

There may be a student, for instance, who is heavily involved in dancing or gymnastics after school, White said. It may be impossible for that student to attend practice because of the later dismissal.

There are ways to address that, such as online learning for a period or more, to create flexibility for students to continue pursuing those outside interests, while still meeting academic requirements, White said.

In some cases, the parent would have to provide transportation, in others, it may be possible for the student to ride into school late but leave early.

Every situation will be considered individually, White said, with the aim to be as flexible as possible.

By revising the schedule, the school will be able to take advantage of classroom space that frees up when older students are at lunch or have left the campus for the day, said the school’s assistant principal Shauntte Butcher, who oversees the school’s master schedule.

The overlapping schedule allows students from all four classes to be on campus at once, which White thinks is important. She doesn’t want the freshman class to feel isolated from the rest of the student body.

Relief is needed, though. Between classes, the corridors are so crowded that Butcher has likened them to State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard at rush hour.

Even such things as pep rallies get more complicated at a school the size of Wiregrass Ranch, White said.

“Our gym only holds 1,200 seating,” she said. “Right now, when we do a pep rally, like we did last Friday, we have to do two pep rallies. We barely fit in there this year with two. We know next year, we definitely have to go to three.”

The longer school day also will have impacts on athletic practices. For one thing, White is expecting to need to rent portable lights to use for football and soccer practices when it begins to get darker earlier in the day.

To help make sure they are taking a comprehensive approach, a committee meets twice a month to consider the various impacts of a 10-period day. People involved with the planning include teachers, parents and students who have experienced a 10-period school day and those who haven’t, White said.

The idea of using a 10-period day is not new. Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel high schools successfully used the approach before Wiregrass Ranch opened, White said.

Those wanting to find out the latest news also are invited to visit the school’s website at WRHS.Pasco.k12.fl.us, and click on the “overcrowded information” tab.

Published November 19, 2014

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Pristine Lakes community moves planned entrance to Ehren Cutoff

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Homeowners living along Fletch Road may have won a battle to stop their small rural street from becoming the primary entrance of a large new community.

Southern Crafted Homes, which had proposed a 120-unit project around Curve Lake just northwest of Ehren Cutoff, has apparently abandoned its plans to use Fletch Road’s indirect access to U.S. 41, and instead looks poised to purchase nearby property to provide direct access to Ehren Cutoff.

Fletch and Barcellona roads are the only way Silver Lakes residents can get out onto Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, a four-lane expressway without a traffic light. (File Photo)
Fletch and Barcellona roads are the only way Silver Lakes residents can get out onto Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, a four-lane expressway without a traffic light. (File Photo)

That’s exactly what one neighbor, Bobbi Smith, hoped she would someday hear.

“All we wanted was for the traffic to go a different way,” Smith said. “That’s the answer to everybody’s concern.”

Southern Crafted worked to get approvals for its project — now known as Pristine Lakes — last May. At the time, the developers had no options of going to Ehren Cutoff because they couldn’t come to terms with a neighboring landowner to purchase his property.

But that changed last month when Southern Crafted asked to meet with Pasco County officials again, this time to talk about amending its plan, cutting through cropland property currently owned by Steven Brewer. This new parcel has more than 27 acres, including a 6,000-square-foot house built in 2007, according to county property records. It was part of a larger land purchase Brewer made in 2001 for $700,000.

The amended plan for Pristine Lakes filed on Friday, however, would only use a portion of the property, suggesting it may be divided. Southern Crafted did not return a request last week for comment.

County officials had yet to fully review the amended plan, but there is a chance that the developer will have to deal with existing wetlands on the new tract, according to county planner Corelynn Burns.

“I’m just looking at this for the first time, and I see there is a wetland through there,” Burns said. “That may or may not be an issue.”

With the additional land, Southern Crafted also is asking the county to allow 60 more homes in the project, bringing the total to 180. Pristine Lakes, in its current form, involves 61 acres of land, not including the 27 acres currently owned by Brewer. John and Theresa Edwards own the primary land in the project, with the original plan calling for an additional 7 acres along Fletch Road owned by Leonard Gerage.

The Gerage property, however, appears to be no longer part of the project, according to the amended development plans.

One aspect of the revised Pristine Lakes that worries Smith, however, is that an emergency access road to her street still remains.

“Our street is just not suited for that,” Smith said. “We wouldn’t be happy with this going through.”

Using Fletch Road was problematic for Pristine Lakes, primarily because of its size, and the fact that it’s an indirect road leading to U.S. 41. Cars would have to travel Fletch, then turn onto Barcellona Road, before finally reaching the main highway, also known as Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

The property is located at the gravel end of Fletch Road, neighboring the Silver Lakes community that includes homes owned by Smith and 40 others.

Ehren Cutoff always was the preferred route because access would be direct, Burns said, and it would remove potential traffic problems on U.S. 41 as people tried to turn in and out.

If Pristine Lakes needs an emergency access, however, the project needs to consider Caliente Boulevard to the west instead, Smith said.

“It’s already wide enough, and there’s nobody on it,” she said.

Such a change would still need approval from the Pasco County Commission, but the changes likely wouldn’t come before them until early next year.

Published November 19, 2014

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Beef O’Brady’s puts comedy on the menu  

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There’s going to be some extra laughter in Land O’ Lakes.

Beef O’Brady’s, 7040 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., is hosting another comedy night on Nov. 21. The now-regular event, which features a different professional headliner each month, is part of a continuing series after a couple successful trial runs in September and October.

Mike Rivera, named America’s Most Hilarious Teacher on ABC’s ‘The View,’ is the headliner for the November comedy show at Beef O’ Brady’s. (Courtesy of Mike Rivera)
Mike Rivera, named America’s Most Hilarious Teacher on ABC’s ‘The View,’ is the headliner for the November comedy show at Beef O’ Brady’s. (Courtesy of Mike Rivera)

The restaurant already offers trivia nights and music acts, but restaurant general manager Mike Connor wanted to offer an additional unique entertainment option to his patrons.

“There’s nobody else who has a comedy show in the area,” he said. “We just thought this was something different.”

After being contacted by a comedy club that also books local shows, the Beef O’Brady’s started featuring the comedy nights in their outside patio area, which seats around 60. Good initial reactions from customers at the first two shows — featuring comedians Pete Dearaujo and Pat Duax — have led to continuing the event on a regular basis.

The show begins at 9 p.m., and a later start means the topics can be more adult-oriented. But Connor is making sure it won’t be dirty — the comedians are told to avoid the most offensive words, and not curse just for shock value.

“Dropping an f-bomb every other word is not funny,” he said.

His own preferences lean toward the style of Jerry Seinfeld or Robin Williams, and thinks the audience will appreciate adult humor that isn’t vulgar.

Mike Rivera, November’s headliner, fits that mold. A teacher in Pinellas County with more than 25 years of stand-up comedy experience, Rivera was recognized in 2013 by ABC’s “The View” as the winner of its America’s Most Hilarious Teacher contest. His energetic style and comfortable stage presence impressed the show’s hosts, and he beat competitors from around the country to claim the title.

Previously, he was a regional winner of Showtime’s Funniest Person in America contest.

Rivera travels most weekends to different comedy clubs, and regularly tells jokes in front of large groups of people. But he enjoys performing for local crowds, and is happy to headline a smaller venue close to home.

“I find local shows to have audiences that are really appreciative. They don’t have to drive as far to the big locations and spend a ton of money,” Rivera said. “I find myself making good friends at local venues and wanting to come back.”

Connor had considered having a comedy night in the past, but only recently decided to give it a shot. Now he hopes the crowd keeps coming back and makes comedy night a successful staple for the restaurant, and he wants the casual format to be part of the appeal.

Whatever way the crowd wants to enjoy the atmosphere, there’s a seat at the table and jokes on the stage.

“There are people who bought dinner, and there are people who just sat and listened to comedy and had a couple of beers,” Connor said about the previous comedy nights. ”That’s what it’s about. It’s a relaxing evening.”

Tickets are $10. For more information, call (813) 388-6893.

Published November 19, 2014

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