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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Political Agenda 03-19-14

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Zephyrhills council race off to fast start
Alan Knight isn’t wasting time with his efforts to unseat Zephyrhills City Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson.

Both Knight and Wilkeson are neck-and-neck in campaign fundraising for the seat Wilkeson has held since 2008, each pulling in around $2,000.

Knight raised half of that in just a single week in March thanks to a $500 check from the Pasco County Council of Firefighters, and smaller donations from Zephyrhills residents, including former longtime city councilwoman Liz Geiger.

During that same first week in March, Wilkeson raised $675, including $250 from Ryman Construction, and another $250 from Lani Rossman, a retired nonprofit executive living in Nashville, Tenn.

Both candidates received $100 donations from current councilman Charles Proctor.

With just weeks before the April 8 election, Wilkeson has raised $2,075 while Knight is just a short distance behind with $2,000. Through March 7, Wilkeson has more cash on hand with about $1,000, while Knight has just over $700.

Ballots heading to Pasco homes
Vote-by-mail ballots for the April 8 election are on their way to homes for those who live within the city limits of Dade City, St. Leo, Zephyrhills, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

To be counted, vote-by-mail ballots must be returned to the election office by mail or hand delivery by 7 p.m. on election day. Mail ballots also can be returned to city halls, but cannot be turned in at the polls.

Those who would like to vote in person before election day can visit their city hall.

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

Political landscape around elevated road leaning negative
Two more candidates seeking to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission have spoken out against the elevated toll road.

Ken Littlefield, a former state representative seeking the Republican nomination for the seat, told a debate audience earlier this month that he was waiting to get more information before deciding whether he would support the project proposed along a 33-mile stretch between U.S. 301 and U.S. 19 on the State Road 54/56 corridor.

However, during a town hall meeting hosted by Commissioner Kathryn Starkey last week, Littlefield announced publicly he was against the toll road.

“If there is one thing I detest, it’s an unsolicited call,” Littlefield said. “I will hang up. Ladies and gentlemen, what I think we need to do on this unsolicited bid is hang up.”

The next day, the lone Democrat seeking the seat so far — Erika Remsberg — said in a comment on LakerLutzNews.com that she was against the proposal as well.

“I opposed a state roadway being a system in which those able to pay more have a ‘fast pass’ option like an amusement park,” Remsberg wrote. “This will impact those of us living and running businesses along (State Road) 54 negatively. I do not support this proposal.”

Bob Robertson, who also is seeking the Republican nod, spoke out against the elevated toll road during a debate earlier this month, while his opponent Mike Moore has yet to take a public position.

Littlefield yet to raise any outside money
Former State Rep. Ken Littlefield jumped into the Pasco County Commission race to replace Pat Mulieri long after his two primary opponents, Mike Moore and Bob Robertson, but he has a long way to go if he wants to catch up to their fundraising.

In his first full month running for office, Littlefield has not received a single donation, according to his campaign finance filings. He’s been working with $1,000, but that’s money he loaned his campaign.

Moore added another $1,650 to his coffers, and despite February being his slowest fundraising month yet, the Wesley Chapel entrepreneur has now raised more than $44,000 since last summer.  All but $200 of his donations came from Pasco County.

Robertson pulled in another $600 in February, bringing his total to $10,600. Only one of the donations, for $100, was from someone within his district. The rest came from a water manager in Orlando and an information technologies specialist in Winter Park.

Erika Remberg, the lone Democrat seeking Mulieri’s seat, raised just over $450 over the past few weeks. A little more than $160 was what Remberg herself gave to her campaign, but the rest did come from Pasco County residents.

The Republican primary for the seat is set for Aug. 26, with the general election wrapping up Nov. 4.

Business Digest 03-19-14

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Townhouses coming to Meadow Pointe
Lennar’s Central Florida Division will start construction of 62 townhouses at Meadow Pointe, located off Meadow Pointe Boulevard just north of New Tampa.

The townhouses will range from 1,600 to 1,800 square feet, with two models set to start construction by the end of March.

Each townhouse will come with three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and more. Prices will start above $150,000.

For information, visit LennarTampa.com.

Avalon Park West welcomes new marketing coordinator
Kristin Muslin is the new marketing and event coordinator for Avalon Park West, the community under development on State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel.

Muslin has more than five years experience in marketing and event planning, and previously oversaw marketing for a franchise with several locations in St. Petersburg. She has organized and hosted events, including fundraisers for the American Heart and Stroke Association and Disabled American Veterans.

Muslin also has a career background in promotions for restaurants in Newport News, Va., and Stuttgart, Germany.

New doctor, renovations at Coast Dental
Renovations are now complete at Coast Dental Wesley Chapel, which brings digital X-rays, a refreshed reception area, and patient comfort-oriented treatment rooms to its 5348 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., location.

With the renovations comes a new oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Melissa Amundson. She joins a team that already includes Dr. Diaa Ghabbour, Dr. Dale Nash and Dr. Mayuri Patel.

For information on Coast Dental, visit CoastDental.com, or call (813) 973-1837.

Lutz sales manager joins GulfShore Bank
Mary Moore of Lutz has joined GulfShore Bank as a treasury sales manager.

The hiring of Moore and mortgage banker Megan Martinez is designed to help the Tampa bank continue its growth, building on the $7 million in growth capital it pulled together last year.

As a treasury management executive for nearly 30 years, Moore now leverages her knowledge and expertise to provide treasury management services to business prospects and current clients at GulfShore. She also uses her skills in educating people about account safety, security and improving cash flow efficiency by participating in new product development, service enhancement and pricing.

GulfShore Bank was chartered in August 2007, and operates two locations in downtown Tampa and on South MacDill Avenue.

For information, visit GulfShoreBank.com.

Diane Smith retires from tax collector’s office
Tax manager Diane Smith ended 30 years working at the Pasco County Tax Collector’s office recently with her retirement.

“Everyone who knows and worked with Diane will agree that the efficiency of the Pasco County Tax Collector’s office owes much to Diane’s contributions over the years,” county tax collector Mike Fasano said in a release.

March events at Dade City Chamber
March is a busy month for the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, with these upcoming events:

• Grand Opening/Ribbon-Cutting: Computers Etc. training division, March 24 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 308, at the Dade City Business Center.

• Grand Opening/Ribbon-Cutting: Apollo Group/Apollo Clinic, March 27 from noon to 2 p.m., at 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 321, at the Dade City Business Center.

• Chamber Mixer: Sponsored by CenterState Bank, 14045 Seventh St., Dade City.

For information, or to RSVP, call Jo Uber at (352) 567-3769, or email .

SmartStart gets new member
Computers Etc., an information technology company providing complete IT management, support and training, has joined the SmartStart Dade City incubator.

As an offsite member, Computers Etc. has around-the-clock access to the facility, which includes free WiFi, parking, co-working space, a post office box, and meeting rooms.

In addition, Computers Etc. will receive one-on-one mentoring and get assistance from SmartStart’s intern from Saint Leo University’s master of business administration program.

The SmartStart Dade City incubator is the first of its kind in Pasco County, giving companies the opportunity to work in a collaborative environment with other small businesses, gain access to technical support, and network with other business leaders and community partners.

SmartStart is located at 15000 Citrus Country Drive in Dade City. For information, visit SmartStartPasco.com.

SmartStart open house
The SmartStart Business Incubator at Dade City Business Center will host an open house April 4 from noon to 3 p.m., at 15000 Citrus Country Drive in Dade City.

Managed by the Pasco Economic Development Council, SmartStart encourages a business environment where companies work collaboratively with other small businesses. That includes round-the-clock access to office space, co-working space, conference rooms, seminars and more.

There are now five companies taking residence at SmartStart, with a second incubator planned for New Port Richey.

For information on SmartStart, visit SmartStartPasco.com. To RSVP, email Krista Covey at .

 

No swimming off-season for Wesley Chapel’s Duncan

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When you’re already a state champion in your freshman year, a swimmer might have trouble pushing herself to new heights and staying focused as she continues her athletic career.

Not Abbey Duncan. Not even in the off-season.

“We’re always training for the next season to do our best,” said the Wesley Chapel High School swimmer, who won the Class 2A state championship for the 200-yard freestyle last November. “I swim nine times a week.”

Not only is she in the pool after school, but she gets up early on Saturdays to swim, and avoids junk food and sodas to stay in shape.

She also competes in different swimming events outside of school competition. Last month, she took part in the Orlando Grand Prix at the YMCA Aquatic Center. Duncan had to qualify to get into the open event, which means it was not categorized by age. In Group C she competed against athletes who were years older, but not necessarily better. Yet, Duncan took first in the 100-meter fly and 100-meter back, and sixth in the 200-meter back.

In Orlando she also got to meet stars in her sport, including Olympic athletes like Ryan Lochte, who has 11 medals in his Olympics career and holds the world record in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter individual medley. While Duncan wouldn’t rule out an Olympic opportunity for herself, it’s not the main focus in her swimming career.

She is, however, already considering her athletic career beyond high school and plans to swim in college. Duncan said that a school’s swimming program would weigh into her decision.

But before the Olympics, or college, or even her sophomore swimming campaign, there’s the daily practice schedule and an emphasis on continuing to get better. Duncan said that repetition is important because being a successful swimmer is about more than speed.

“You have to focus on your technique. You have to be focused on swimming as fast as you can, and you have to be focused equally on your technique,” she said.

And that focus has to come before the actual competition. Thinking about maintaining her form is actually the last thing she wants to do while she’s competing, Duncan said. The practice time is designed to create a comfort level with the different strokes, allowing muscle memory to take over and letting her swim as fast as possible without thinking about it too much in the pool.

Those quick responses, which come from the regular practice routines, give her a slight advantage over a swimmer who has to concentrate on their form and technique during a race. And any advantage in a competition measured in fractions of a second can be the difference between winning and losing.

Travis Ten Brink, one of Duncan’s swimming coaches at Wesley Chapel High, said Duncan has not only succeeded in winning, but she’s made her teammates step up their game when they competed together.

“Especially when it comes to relays, they wanted her to succeed as well,” he said. “It seems to me that it brought up the other swimmers. They wanted to compete at a higher level.”

Duncan also spent time with less-experienced swimmers with their turns, starts and stroke technique to accelerate their improvement, he said.

While Duncan motivated her teammates to do a better job, Ten Brink admitted that her determination had a similar effect on him as well. While he’s an experienced swimmer who swam for Zephyrhills High School in his youth, this is his first year coaching.

Duncan’s ability allowed Ten Brink to spend extra time with other swimmers, giving them more personal attention that helped the team overall.

He’s also well aware that she’s just a freshman, and is looking forward to building a strong team in the years to come around a talented young swimmer.

“I’m absolutely excited. I was just telling some colleagues that I can’t wait for swim season,” he said. “I coach soccer, too, and after soccer was over I was like ‘When does swimming start?’”

Published March 19, 2014

GOP commission candidates debate policy for first time

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He served eight years in the Florida House, a few weeks on the state’s Public Service Commission, and some additional time working in Gov. Charlie Crist’s administration.

Former State Rep. Ken Littlefield talks with some potential voters just before the recent county commission debate by the Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club at Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity last week. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Former State Rep. Ken Littlefield talks with some potential voters just before the recent county commission debate by the Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club at Fox Hollow Golf Club in Trinity last week.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

So why would Ken Littlefield, who is approaching his 70th birthday, want to try once again to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission?

“Short answer: I like making the rules,” the former state representative said. “That is what a county commissioner does. They set policy. If you have good policy, you have good law. It all starts with policy, and policy is making the rules.”

Littlefield shared that during the first debate among Republican candidates looking to represent their party in the November elections for Mulieri’s District 2 seat. But if Littlefield wants even a decent shot at making rules again, he has a lot of ground to make up because Mike Moore is winning the money and endorsement game, and that might be all he needs to move on past the August primary.

“I am the person I would elect for this job,” Moore told members of the Pasco Federated Republican Women’s Club during a debate last week in Trinity. “We’re going to have a committee formed in Pasco County that is going to be business individuals and community leaders to help me and help the rest of the community recruit businesses here. You’ve seen Gov. Scott doing it, and (Texas) Gov. (Rick) Perry doing it. Now it’s Pasco’s turn to pull those jobs into the state.”

The debate was the first time Littlefield, Moore, and Zephyrhills financial analyst Bob Robertson had a chance to not only present their case to Republicans, but also explain what distinctly qualifies them to lead the party’s ticket for Mulieri’s seat. Robertson said his decision to run came from his wife Cindy, and a little divine intervention.

“It was frankly something Cindy and I have been praying about, and praying about often,” Robertson said. “My objective in deciding to run is, frankly, to bring glory to my God in the process.”

All three know serving on the county commission is not the easiest job. Controversy pokes its head up more often than many might prefer — everything from gas taxes to elevated toll roads — and it’s not easy to stay on many voters’ Christmas card list.

But Moore, who has outraised Robertson more than four-to-one through the end of January, says his key to solid leadership on the commission involves using his ears.

“It’s not about me, it’s about all of us,” he said. “It’s about listening to your constituents and talking to your constituents. I think you have to come together more and listen more to the people. Some of the commissioners do a great job of that, and some don’t.”

Robertson agreed, and took it a step further. While candidates are typically asked about the controversies of today, it’s the debates that haven’t even been considered yet voters need to think about when going to the polls.

“We are talking about hiring someone for a four-year commitment, and is going to be making decisions on your behalf on issues that haven’t seen the light of day yet,” Robertson said. “You need to elect someone to serve in this position who you believe is going to best look out for your interests.”

Moore, who founded and later sold CareFirst Home Care, said he wants to take a business approach to how the county is run. Littlefield, however, said that’s the last thing a county commissioner should do.

“What I am really concerned about is that the county government does not become a business, because when government becomes a business, we have real problems,” he said. “That is what we’ve seen over the years, government gets bigger and bigger and bigger. In Pasco County, the government is the biggest business there is. And if we are going to be fiscally conservative and say we want less government, then this business that we call government is going to have to get smaller and smaller and smaller.”

Some of that big government has likely moved forward more residential and commercial development than the county is ready for, Littlefield said.

“I can’t tell you to put the toothpaste back in the tube,” he said. “There is probably nothing we can do there. But we can be vigilant with new permits to be let out.”

Moore, however, said developers should be left alone.

“If these people have invested their hard-earned money to build developments, and people are going to live there and buy those homes, I don’t see anything that’s wrong with that,” he said. Moore has acknowledged collecting sizeable donations from developers and builders — more than $13,000 to date — but said that won’t influence his decisions.

Robertson, however, said he’s not interested in receiving a single dollar from developers.

“People I know have contributed to my campaign because they believe in me and believe in what I stand for,” Robertson said. “If I accept money from people who are doing business with our county … I want to be able to make a decision for you, not for the people who have contributed to my campaign.”

Littlefield said he took that same approach when he unsuccessfully ran against Mulieri four years ago, and he won’t be doing it again.

“I can declare to you it did not work for me, and today I will take money from anybody who wants to give it to me,” Littlefield said.

To read more about the debate, especially the candidates’ position on the proposed elevated toll road for the State Road 54/56 corridor, check out our website at tinyurl.com/PascoDebate.

Published March 12, 2014

Shutterbug shootout features Tampa Bay’s beauty

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Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or an amateur who wants to improve your skills, a new photography workshop organized by a Land O’ Lakes couple may be right up your alley.

Jason Hahn specializes in nature photography. This shot features a red-shouldered hawk. Hahn and 15 other professional photographers will share their knowledge at the Tampa Bay Photo Shootout in April. (Courtesy of Jason Hahn)
Jason Hahn specializes in nature photography. This shot features a red-shouldered hawk. Hahn and 15 other professional photographers will share their knowledge at the Tampa Bay Photo Shootout in April. (Courtesy of Jason Hahn)

Noted nature photographer Jason Hahn and wife Nicole have been laying the groundwork for months for a new regional event they hope will attract photographers from near and far to hone their skills, while also having fun.

The couple owns Outdoor Photo Workshops, which already organizes a similar two-day workshop in South Dakota that attracts about 200 photographers a year.

The inaugural Tampa Bay event, called the Tampa Bay Photo Shootout, will be April 4-6, at the Pinellas Technical Education Centers. Registration is $225, which includes an optional free Photography 101 workshop on April 4 and four workshops — out of a list of 46 options – on Saturday and Sunday.

There also are two lunch sessions with talks by professional photographers. During one luncheon session, Hahn will do an aerial photography demonstration using a drone.

In addition to the registration charge, some photo shoot venues have small admission fees. While the lunch chats are free, participants must buy their own meals.

Locations for the photo shoots will range from street life in Ybor City to nature shots at Weedon Island; from city skylines in downtown Tampa to a wet walk in a Pasco County cypress strand. One workshop the couple expects to be popular is a swimsuit fashion shoot on the beach.

The Tampa Bay area, though, offers diverse photo opportunities. Photo shoots are planned to allow photographers to capture images of classic cars, coastal landscapes, birds of prey, and scenes in a working set for “Dry Creek,” a television show shot in a replica of an 1800s western town.

Shutterbugs also will be able to work on a wide range of skills. Those who enjoy the challenge of taking action shots will have the opportunity to photograph horseback riders shooting at targets at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds.

Some photographers will want to hone technical skills, while others want to work on their artistic expression. Some may want some pointers on the business side of the profession.

“No matter what you are interested in, or where you want to grow as a photographer, we’ve got something that will fit your particular needs,” Hahn said.

The Hahns have assembled a team of professional photographers — hailing from such places as Florida, South Dakota, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Kentucky and Minnesota — to share their expertise. The keynote speaker is Jim Clark, former president of the North American Nature Photography Association, who will travel from Virginia to the shootout.

The event is intended for photographers of all ability levels, Hahn said. Some hobbyists may be trying to decide whether to take the plunge and pursue photography full-time. They’ll be able to find plenty of experienced photographers who can tell them about opportunities, challenges and joys the field offers.

“Folks that are a little bit more skilled tend to gravitate to the portfolio reviews,” Hahn said. “Some of them are trying to make that decision, whether they should jump into this and do it.”

The 30-minute portfolio session is an additional $30 fee, Nicole Hahn said.

Most participants will bring along a single-lens reflex camera, but there are those who will use point-and-shoot digital cameras, or even smartphones. One of this year’s sessions is geared to smartphone photography.

“You do have these fairly sophisticated cameras in smartphones,” Hahn said. “They take good pictures, but you’ve got to learn how to do it right.”

People need not feel intimidated if they lack fancy equipment or if their photography knowledge is limited, Hahn said.

Besides opportunities to learn, the two-day event is fun, Nicole Hahn said. “Some people just enjoy the camaraderie.”

Her husband agreed. “We can’t stress enough the social aspect of this. Photographers are a different group of people,” he said.

Photographers often want to spend a couple hours observing when the rest of the family is ready to move on. This event allows them a chance to immerse themselves in something they love, and to share the experience with like-minded people, Hahn said.

The couple said they have tried to keep the workshop’s price reasonable, to encourage participation. They also offer a 50-percent discount to full-time students.

“I’m a big believer that we’ve got to act as mentors for the next generation of photographers and conservationists,” Hahn said.

Registering for the shootout must be done online. To register or learn more, visit ThePhotoShootout.com.

Published March 12, 2014

Pinewood Derby maintains tradition for Cub Scouts

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Cars line up before a race, and their owners are nervous.

A lot of work and preparation has gone into this moment, and they’re eager to see how they perform against top competition.

The vehicles have new paint jobs, aerodynamic body styling, and success in previous races. And within a few seconds, everyone will see which ones will come out on top.

That scene didn’t happen in front of thousands of fans on giant racetracks. Instead, it happened at Saint Leo University on Saturday morning in front of friends and family, continuing a Cub Scout tradition of the Pinewood Derby that spans more than 60 years.

The Pinewood Derby begins with Cubs receiving a box containing a few simple items: A block of wood, four plastic wheels and four nails. From there it’s up to them to craft a car out of that kit, shaving down the block of wood into a car’s body, adding the wheels and nails and using the excess wood to add back the weight that was lost to improve track speed as it heads downward.

Once the car meets regulations, it’s off to a pack competition, with the winners moving on to the district competition.

The district winners — categorized by age — earned trophies this past weekend, but all Cubs get to keep their cars and the memories that go along with it.

Not much has changed over the years for the Pinewood Derby, including the meaning of the event. At least that’s according to Jason McCombs, committee chair for the Allohak District, which is comprised of 17 different packs and approximately 450 Cub Scouts.

“The main thing is not so much the winning or losing, it’s how you play,” he said. “Your sense of accomplishment is that you did it yourself.”

Parents might help a child put their car together, which provides quality family time. But the Cub himself does the heavy lifting normally, allowing him to customize the car to his liking and finish a project in which his fellow Cubs also are participating.

The event not only is exciting for participating Cubs, but parents and family members who were Cub Scouts when they were younger, McCombs said. They usually see many similarities between the cars they created and the ones competing today.

“A lot of the same designs that we had when I was a Scout are still coming back today,” McCombs said. “The paint jobs are fancier and there are more accessories that you can put on, but the base scale (weight limit) of 5 ounces has been 5 ounces as far back as I can remember.”

Paul Kollak, who earned his way into the event by winning his group in Pack 149, said he devoted a lot of effort to the project.

“I spent a lot of time and I worked really hard,” he said. The 8-year-old created a blue car, adorned with two American flags, with his father. The racing success came in part by creating an aerodynamic front that kept wind resistance to a minimum.

While he was happy to win his pack heats and become one of the approximately 50 participants in the district race, Kollak also enjoys watching other cars race, so he can see what’s working for them and possibly incorporate some ideas into his own cars in the future.

And while earning a trophy is always nice, it’s not the only part of the competition he enjoyed.

“I like racing it, but I also like designing it,” Kollak said. “It’s really fun.”

According to McCombs, that sense of accomplishment and enjoyment in the process is exactly what the derby is trying to foster. Unlike other projects that can be completed and forgotten, the Pinewood Derby allows children to enjoy creating and actually have something to show off when they’re finished.

“There’s something about being in school where you get a project, and it’s great when you get a project done,” he said. “But then it’s done. You don’t see it anymore. When you’re in Boy Scouts and you get a project like that, you’ve got something in your hand when you’re done, and you can see the sense of accomplishment.”

Published March 12, 2014

A perfect season: Weightman girls go 8-0 in soccer

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When a soccer team goes 7-0-1 in a season, capturing a championship in the process, what’s left to accomplish the following year?

The Weightman Middle School Wildcats celebrated an 8-0 season — the first in school history for girls soccer — and a second consecutive sectional title. Members of the team include, from left, Carrie Greene, Karissa Olsen, Jillian Skairus and Jessica Brunner. (Courtesy of Brian Dorkowski)
The Weightman Middle School Wildcats celebrated an 8-0 season — the first in school history for girls soccer — and a second consecutive sectional title. Members of the team include, from left, Carrie Greene, Karissa Olsen, Jillian Skairus and Jessica Brunner.
(Courtesy of Brian Dorkowski)

For Weightman Middle School in Wesley Chapel, that question was answered: A perfect 8-0 season for their girls soccer team and another sectional title.

“The girls are outstanding kids and outstanding soccer players. It was the most talented group that I’ve ever coached,” said coach Brian Dorkowski.

While he wasn’t the coach for last year’s title, Dorkowski isn’t a complete newcomer to Weightman, either. He coached both boys and girls soccer at the school before leaving to coach Wesley Chapel High School boys soccer for 11 years. Upon his return, Weightman not only logged their second consecutive title, but the first perfect season for girls soccer in school history.

The Wildcats didn’t just win all of their games. They dominated most of them, scoring at least five goals in five of their eight matches. In fact, two of them ended 8-0 due to the school system’s mercy rule.

And while they were offensively dominant, their defense was just as good, recording five shutouts as well.

In fact, their starting goalkeeper, Logan Coward, only allowed one goal the entire season. The other goals allowed came when they substituted backups to finish the games, but they only gave up four more in those circumstances for a total of five goals against for the entire season.

Since there are no playoffs at the middle school level, their record earned them the title for their section of Pasco County.

While the numbers suggest that the Wildcats overpowered their opponents, Dorkowski said he was impressed with the level of overall play he found upon returning to middle school soccer.

“It’s been a while since I coached middle school and coached girls, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the talent at the other schools,” he said. “We won by wide margins, but most of our games were against talented teams. The other teams had very talented players as well. These were good teams that we were beating.”

Dorkowski implemented a few strategies to keep his team sharp during the year. When the matches were already in hand, Dorkowski would give the girls in-game challenges to keep up their interest and focus, such as only allowing each girl to score one goal, which forced them to pass more and help their teammates score.

He also would instruct them to only touch the ball three times before passing or shooting, requiring them to make quick decisions on their possessions.

According to forward Tori Mitchell, who was on last year’s championship team and plays club soccer with the Wesley Chapel Flames, Dorkowski also brought a few new strategies to the table.

“He has a lot of background knowledge in coaching. He taught us some new set plays,” Mitchell said, referring to methods for free kicks and corner kicks that led to additional success.

“He definitely knows what he’s doing and helped some newer players who weren’t so familiar with the game.”

Mitchell also said that last year’s season began with a tie, so they knew a perfect season wasn’t possible. This year perfection was definitely a goal for the team, and even though they had the title wrapped up heading into the final game, they wanted to finish 8-0. Once they did, it was time to celebrate with post-game parties and an announcement at school the next day.

Next year will bring new challenges, as some students will graduate to high school, while others might attend different middle schools. But Dorkowski said that, as the school’s physical education coach, he sees plenty of sixth-graders with talent to share with the team next year.

He feels good about their potential next season and he’s proud of what the Wildcats accomplished this season.

“It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had as a coach,” he said. “I told the girls at the end of the year that if we hadn’t won any games I would have felt the same way because they were just so pleasant to coach, just the way you’d want them to be.”

Published Masrch 12, 201

Florida Medical Clinic preparing new facility for Wesley Chapel

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An area Pasco County planners hoped would become an expansive medical park has moved a big step in that direction as Florida Medical Clinic prepares to start construction on an 85,000-square-foot facility near Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

Florida Medical Clinic’s Wesley Chapel location will be a three-story building with 85,000 square feet, and will be the group’s third-largest facility behind Zephyrhills and Land O’ Lakes. It’s expected to open next summer. (Courtesy of Florida Medical Clinic)
Florida Medical Clinic’s Wesley Chapel location will be a three-story building with 85,000 square feet, and will be the group’s third-largest facility behind Zephyrhills and Land O’ Lakes. It’s expected to open next summer.
(Courtesy of Florida Medical Clinic)

The new three-story building will offer a variety of medical services, the kind of one-stop shopping Florida Medical Clinic is known for in other parts of Pasco and Hillsborough counties. But this particular facility will have an extra emphasis on orthopedic care.

“We don’t have an orthopedic presence in Wesley Chapel right now,” said Gus Taylor, Florida Medical Clinic’s chief administrative officer. “We have some in Zephyrhills and Tampa, and some in the Carrollwood area, but this will help us bring all this to Wesley Chapel.”

The Wesley Chapel location will be built at 2352 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., just north of State Road 56 and the Wesley Chapel hospital. Florida Medical Clinic bought a little more than 10 acres of land there last October for $4 million, according to Pasco County property records. It was part of land owned by the Wiregrass Ranch development group since 1987.

This is the third major location Florida Medical Clinic has built in the past five years, beginning with its second-largest facility on State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes opened in 2009, and its new Carrollwood facility in a building that once housed a Borders book store on North Dale Mabry Highway, that opened last year.

And 2013 was a busy year for Florida Medical Clinic as the company focused a bit on Zephyrhills. It expanded its main campus at Market Square to open a new urgent care facility, and built a 12,000-square-foot office on Eiland Boulevard it shares with DaVita Healthcare Partners Inc.

Putting doctors of various specialties under a single roof has been a successful formula for Florida Medical Clinic in Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes and Carrollwood, and Taylor says he expects more success with the new Wesley Chapel facility.

“We have a lot of physicians in the Seven Oaks area that are in independent buildings,” he said. “This helps us provide more services for our patients. It’s extremely convenient when you can go to one location and see all of your doctors and primary doctors.”

And its proximity to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel will provide even more benefits, similar to what happens at its main campus, located just blocks from Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

Deciding when and where to build and consolidate is an organic process for Florida Medical Clinic, usually based on the number of doctors and specialists the company has partnered with, and where they are located. The Wesley Chapel facility might be the last one for a little while, at least.

“Currently, we don’t have that in any other locations in mind,” Taylor said. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if we didn’t put another building out there somewhere in the near future to create the same presence in that area, as we’re getting in some of our current ones.”

Florida Medical Clinic is still working on permits for its Wesley Chapel location as well as design, but the goal is to have the facility open by Summer 2015.

“It’s a great location,” Taylor said. “We all know the Wesley Chapel area is growing, and there are a lot of new neighborhoods and a lot of new businesses coming up there. With the new hospital there, this has become a great location for our patients.”

Published March 12, 2014

Wiregrass Ranch has impressive science fair results

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Ryan De Vroeg’s fascination with military weapons and armor began when he was just a little kid.

He recalls watching the Military History channel when he was quite small, and being drawn to stories about how weapons work and how they’ve evolved.

Wiregrass Ranch High School student Ryan De Vroeg has a new enthusiasm for competing in science fairs since his teacher, Branden Anglin, encouraged him to explore a topic of interest to him. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
Wiregrass Ranch High School student Ryan De Vroeg has a new enthusiasm for competing in science fairs since his teacher, Branden Anglin, encouraged him to explore a topic of interest to him. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

So, when his Wiregrass Ranch High School teacher encouraged students to do science fair entries based on their interest areas, De Vroeg decided to study the impact force of a composite material, in a quest to design safer armor to protect soldiers and law enforcement personnel.

De Vroeg, whose study involved carbon fiber, said he was inspired by a desire to improve protection for military personnel and law enforcement officers. His entry at the Pasco Regional STEM Fair — which focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics — won first place in the engineering category and was named the most outstanding exhibit in materials science by the ASM Materials Education Foundation.

De Vroeg now moves on to compete at the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair slated for April 8-10 at Lakeland Center in Lakeland. He is one of four Wiregrass Ranch High students who advanced beyond the regional fair. Other students with winning entries were Vasili Courialis, Tyler Glantz and John Pease.

Courialis, who now attends Sunlake High, designed an experiment to determine whether or not manipulating the center of gravity in an SUV could reduce the rollover rates of the vehicle. His entry was chosen to be one of two representatives for Pasco County at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in May.

Glantz looked at rocket design and which design would decrease fluid drag on a rocket in the atmosphere. Pease measured the impact force of a soccer ball, and looked at ways he could reduce that force to help protect soccer players at all levels.

“This the first time Wiregrass Ranch has sent students to both state competition and international competition as well,” said Branden Anglin, who teaches biology and biology honors, and coordinates the science fair for Wiregrass Ranch. “This is a tremendous achievement, considering that this the first year that Wiregrass Ranch sent a student to regional fair.”

This is also De Vroeg’s first science fair.

“I wasn’t really a fan of science fairs when I was younger because teachers just forced me to do something out of a book,” De Vroeg said. However, he changed his attitude because of Anglin’s approach.

The science fair, Anglin said, is not about a grade.

“All too often, we approach it as a requirement for the science classroom,” he said. “We assign the project, let the kids go, and expect them to come back with a decent project. That leads to students turning to the Internet and giving us canned projects in return.”

A science fair helps spark scientific interest in students, Anglin added.

“If I were to force students to do a science fair project only on a slim range of topics, I would get back less-than-exciting projects that were merely a copy of a project found online,” he said.

Giving students a range of options allows them to own the process, he said.

“I then help them to refine that project, and make it into a high-quality project that they can be proud of,” Anglin said.

He thinks teachers can use science fair projects to share their passion for understanding how the world works. And he shares that with students about their science fair projects as well.

“I tell them I want them to try to change the world, and not settle for anything less than their best,” Anglin said.

He believes this gives students an opportunity for an authentic way to experience science.

“They aren’t just reading a textbook or taking notes, they are actually doing science. They are being scientists,” Anglin said. “Many students, myself included, change their career path after advancing to state or international competition.”

De Vroeg’s new interest in scientific competitions may bode well for the young man, Anglin said.

“Ryan is one of my most enthusiastic students when it comes to scientific discovery,” he said. “He has a lot of great ideas, and, if he pursues those interests, he will make a dramatic impact on the world of material engineering.”

He’s particularly impressed by De Vroeg’s grasp of concepts, especially in light of his youth.

“To do this kind of work as a freshman in high school is almost unheard of,” Anglin said. “Ryan has positioned himself to be a competitor at the regional, state, and international level over the next three years if he stays dedicated to his craft and really focuses on generating unique and applicable projects.”

Published March 12, 2014

 

New academy will offer a head start for careers in agriculture

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The agricultural industry is big business in Florida, and a new academy starting next year aims to give Central Pasco County students a competitive edge in that sector.

(Courtesy of Land O' Lakes High School)
(Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School)

Florida’s agricultural industry employs approximately 2 million people and contributes more than $104 billion to the state’s economy, according to the “2013 Florida Agriculture by the Numbers” report published by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

With its 47,500 farms, the state ranks 18th in the nation. In 2012, Florida ranked first in the nation in the value of its production of oranges and grapefruits, according to the report.

But agriculture goes well with growing crops and tending cattle, said John Hagen, chairman and chief executive of Pasco Economic Development Council. It offers myriad opportunities in science and technology, as the industry seeks to find ways to get greater yields and prevent environmental damage.

Central Pasco students who are interested in the industry will have a new opportunity to prepare for career opportunities in agriculture as Land O’ Lakes High School launches its Academy of Agritechnology next fall. Land O’ Lakes High has had a strong chapter in the National FFA Organization ever since the school opened in 1975, said school principal Ric Mellin.

The academy will offer many of the same courses as the school has offered in the past, but also will begin providing opportunities for students to earn industry certifications while still in high school, Mellin said.

The program will be open through the Pasco County’s school choice option to students attending Central Pasco high schools, Mellin said. That means students who would normally attend Sunlake or Wiregrass Ranch high schools who have an interest in the program can apply to attend Land O’ Lakes High.

The application period for the coming school year has closed, but Mellin expects that the program will grow gradually in coming years.

About a half-dozen students from outside Land O’ Lakes High boundaries have expressed an interest, Mellin said. He also expects a large number of Pine View Middle School students who will attend Land O’ Lakes High next year, to enroll in the program. Pine View has a strong FFA program.

This program will give students an opportunity to prepare for careers in agriculture, as well as food and natural resources management. Students will learn about such things as animal and plant production and processing, marketing, agricultural mechanics, communications, human relations, and employability skills.

They also will have opportunities to do laboratory work, prepare student projects and take advantage of cooperative education opportunities.

One of the key strengths of having academies like this in high school is the opportunity it presents for a student to try out a career area before heading off to college, said Hagen, who chairs a committee that provides advice to the school district on its career academies. Students sometimes arrive at college thinking they want to pursue a particular career, but once they delve into it, they discover it’s not what they expected.

Career academies give students greater insight into what they may encounter, he said. They also can help students develop skills that give them a leg up on the competition when they enter the work force.

Published March 12, 2014