The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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On The Agenda 12-10-14

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Mulieri to speak at PACA
Former Pasco County commissioner Pat Mulieri will be the guest speaker at the next Pasco Alliance of Community Associations meeting, taking place Dec. 11 at 7 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

PACA is an organization that brings together 70 of the county’s homeowner associations, community development districts, and condominium associations, as well as individuals residing in Pasco County.

For information, call Ron Litts at (813) 475-4561, or visit MyPACA.org.

Utilities department moving
The Dade City utilities department will be closed to walk-in customers on Dec. 12, reopening at its new location at 38054 Pasco Ave., on Dec. 15.

The department’s mailing address and telephone numbers will not change, however. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1355, Dade City, 33526, and the phone numbers are (352) 523-5053 and (352) 521-1462.

Those wishing to pay their utility bills can set up an automatic draft from a bank account, pay over the phone with a credit or debit card, pay by mail, or use a drop box located on the right side of the building.

The department is typically open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ananth Prasad leaving FDOT
Ananth Prasad, who has led the Florida Department of Transportation since Rick Scott was first elected governor, will step down from that job Jan. 2.

“Secretary Prasad … has been pivotal to making sure we could make a record investment of over $10 billion in our transportation system this year,” Scott said, in a release. “Secretary Prasad has also helped Florida become a major force in international trade because of his commitment to expanding our Florida ports and airports.”

The Florida Transportation Commission is being tasked with recommending Prasad’s replacement, which likely won’t come until early next year.

Lifetime hunting, fishing licenses reduced
Gov. Rick Scott is using his executive order powers to offer lifetime sportsman’s licenses at a greatly reduced cost for children and young adults.

Through the end of the year, Florida residents younger than 22 can purchase a lifetime license that covers saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing, hunting, and most associated permits, for $500.

A lifetime license is true to its name, giving the holder the of that license the ability to hunt and fish in Florida for the rest of the person’s life, even if they are no longer a resident of the state.

Licenses can be purchased at all Florida county tax collectors’ offices, or online at License.MyFWC.com.

For information, call (888) 347-4356.

Corcoran to lead appropriations committee
State Rep. Richard Corcoran has been appointed the chairman of the House’s Appropriations Committee for the coming legislative session.

Florida House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, named Corcoran to the seat last month, to bring his “wealth of knowledge and expertise” to the position.

“His skills and experience will be well-suited in his role,” Crisafulli said, in a release.

With Corcoran in line to become the next speaker, Crisafulli said he was looking for a way to include Corcoran into the operations of the House the same way Will Weatherford did for Crisafulli when he was the speaker.

“I intend to follow the same model during my tenure,” Crisafulli said.

Corcoran, R-Trinity, won re-election without opposition this past cycle.

 

Business Digest 12-10-14

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(Courtesy of Ierna's Heating & Cooling)
(Courtesy of Ierna’s Heating & Cooling)

Introducing Cole Dair
Wendy Majetic of Wesley Chapel won $500 for naming the new mascot for Ierna’s Heating & Cooling. ‘Cole Dair’ was the winning entry she submitted, and picked up a check with her husband Shane Majetic. Ierna’s is located on U.S. 41 in Lutz, and can be reached at IernaAir.com.

Costco eyeing town center site
The world’s third-largest retailer is looking to set up shop in Pasco County, and become the first major store associated with the Cypress Creek Town Center.

Costco Wholesale Corp., is set to meet with county officials just before Christmas about opening a 153,000-square-foot store at the shopping center, located near the intersection of State Road 56 and Interstate 75. It is slated for an 18-acre outparcel, part of the overall property currently controlled by Pasco 54 Ltd., Pasco Ranch Inc., and JG Cypress Creek LLC.

This would be Pasco County’s first Costco store, and the first one to be built in the Tampa Bay area north of Brandon. The only other location in the region is in Clearwater.

Costco has the potential to make a tremendous economic impact on the county and the region. The average retail employee makes $20 an hour, nearly double that of other retail workers, according to a 2013 report by Businessweek. Employees at the company typically start out at $11.50 an hour, and after five years, can reach as high as $19.50.

At Walmart’s similar Sam’s Club stores, according to the same report, workers start at $10 an hour, and typically reach $12.50 after five years.

No official announcement has been made on when Costco would break ground, let alone open. However, work already has begun on Tampa Premium Outlets, slated to open late next year, not far from where the Costco is planned.

Dairy Queen wants to build in Land O’ Lakes
The Terra Bella area of Land O’ Lakes, where a new apartment community was announced just last month, could very well have a new Dairy Queen come in on its coattails.

Robin Kendall of EMK Consultants of Florida, was scheduled to meet Monday with Pasco County officials behind closed doors to help plan a new 3,076-square-foot Dairy Queen restaurant that would be located next to Christian Brothers Automotive on State Road 54. It would be just in front of the Dance and Gymnastics Academy of Tampa and Discovery Point Child Center, both located on Venezia Drive.

The project would involve several parcels along the north side of State Road 54 just east of Christian Brothers, land that is currently owned by K&B Flagship LLC of Orlando. It would be located between Via Bella Boulevard and Livingston Road.

If built, it would be the fifth such store in Pasco County, joining ones on Gall Boulevard in Zephyrhills, on Wesley Chapel Boulevard, and two others in New Port Richey.

That area of Land O’ Lakes already is heavily traveled by commuters and residents using Interstate 75 and the Suncoast Parkway, but would have an even stronger local boost when Alta Terra Bella — a 311-unit luxury apartment complex — is completed just west of it near 20 Mile Level Road.

Plans for the Dairy Queen are still in the preliminary stages, and it’s unclear when construction would start.

Toy drive for farmworkers
The Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is hosting a holiday toy drive party Dec. 11 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at D&S Hall, 1914 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz.

Admission is $10, or free with a new unwrapped toy. For members, it’s also free with a toy, or $5 empty-handed.

The drive supports farmworkers, and also raises money for the chamber’s scholarship fund.

For information, call John Jay at (813) 296-3232.

Christian business group to meet
Christian Business Connections-Central Pasco will have its next meeting Jan. 8 at 7:45 a.m., at the Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club, 6225 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel.

Laurie Hill, a member of the Christian Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay and author of the book “I Am in Business,” will be the speaker.

Admission is $9, which includes a buffet.

For information, contact Rene Van Hout at , or at (813) 300-7511.

New AT&T store in Zephyrhills
AT&T has opened a new authorized retail location in Zephyrhills to help meet what the company describes as the growing needs in Pasco County.

Cellular World recently had its grand opening at 7886 Gall Blvd., in the shopping plaza across from the Walmart.

Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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

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

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

 

Harvester creates opportunities to develop children’s faith

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Harvester United Methodist Church in Land O’ Lakes recently had two celebrations to mark the beginning of a new era there.

The first was an open house. The second: A consecration service to bless the church’s expanded space.

Harvester has come a long way since it began 18 years ago in temporary quarters at Denham Oaks Elementary School. Within six years, the church found a permanent home at 2432 Collier Parkway, and is now made up of about 225 families, with members coming primarily from Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Odessa and Wesley Chapel.

Lilly Miller is enjoying herself during a celebration at Harvester United Methodist Church. The church has doubled its size, which will enable it to offer Bible lessons more specifically tailored to children of different ages. (Courtesy of Harvester United Methodist Church)
Lilly Miller is enjoying herself during a celebration at Harvester United Methodist Church. The church has doubled its size, which will enable it to offer Bible lessons more specifically tailored to children of different ages. (Courtesy of Harvester United Methodist Church)

It has two Sunday morning services, with a traditional service at 9 and a contemporary service at 11.

A couple weeks ago, Harvester unveiled two new wings, doubling the facility’s size and substantially enhancing its ability to serve young children, teenagers and community outreach programs.

The initial structure was 5,000 square feet. Now, with the completed expansion, it has doubled its size to 10,000 square feet, said Gary Evans, a lay leader at the church.

The west wing, which extends toward Collier Parkway, houses a large space for the church’s youth group, some classroom space for adult Bible studies and other uses, and some additional restrooms. The children’s wing, on the east side of the building going toward the rear of the church property, has substantially increased the space available for children’s programming.

There’s room for toddlers and preschoolers, as well as separate rooms for kindergarten and first-grade children, second- and third-grade children, and fourth- and fifth-grade children.

The new arrangement will allow the church to deliver its lessons more effectively, said Candice Wolff, director of children’s ministry.

“Our children need to be separated out by age groups, so we can teach them the Bible at their age level,” Wolff said.

Lessons can be tailored to children as young as 2, said Wolff, a former middle school teacher for Pasco County Schools.

“They’re capable, even from a young age, of learning the memory verses,” she said. “They walk out knowing the Bible stories.”

She’s thrilled about being able to reach children at their own level and engaging them in their faith journey.

It took several months to obtain the necessary permits from Pasco County for the $850,000 project, Evans said. Construction began in May, and work wrapped up last month.

Besides helping the children at the church, Evans said, the larger space enables Harvester to do more community outreach work.

“A goal of mine is to utilize this space for whatever mission work we can do,” Evans said. “We have Boy Scouts. We have Girl Scouts. Hospice meets here. We’ve had Alcoholics Anonymous groups meet here.

“If it’s a good community activity, we will allow our space to be used to support the community.”

The church also expects to be able to double its popular vacation Bible school, he said.

“We like to reach out to the community and we get a lot of kids,” office administrator Sheila Fitzgerald said.

In the past it has involved about 100 kids, plus 30 volunteers.

“But we’ve been limited by how many kids we could do for VBS by the size of our facilities,” Evans said. “So, next summer we think we might be able to do 150 to 200 kids.”

Harvester also is considering the potential for housing a Christian day school a couple of days a week, or opening a preschool, Evans said. The church has the necessary permits to have a school on its grounds.

However, there are no firm plans at the moment.

“When the right situation comes along, we will definitely be doing that,” Evans said. When that is, we don’t know.”

WHAT: Christmas Camp, “The Miracle of Jesus.”
WHY: Children have a chance to experience the Christmas story as they travel through a recreation of Bethlehem.
WHEN: Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
WHERE: Harvester United Methodist Church, 2432 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes
COST: $10 per child, includes a pizza lunch

Published December 3, 2014

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Porters give blood, sweat, tears to Wiregrass Ranch development

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Not too long ago, Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn called Pasco County a bedroom community, doing nothing more than supplement the economic engine of his county, Hillsborough.

Whether Buckhorn’s observation of Pasco is accurate or not now is not what J.D. Porter is focused on. Instead, he wants to make sure that’s not the Pasco County of tomorrow.

J.D. Porter, right, joins his late father, Don, in groundbreaking ceremonies that helped create what would become the Wiregrass Ranch development area in Pasco County. The Porter family has owned much of the land for decades. (File Photo)
J.D. Porter, right, joins his late father, Don, in groundbreaking ceremonies that helped create what would become the Wiregrass Ranch development area in Pasco County. The Porter family has owned much of the land for decades. (File Photo)

“Bedroom communities are not the future,” Porter recently told members of the Pasco Alliance for Community Associations.

Porter represents his family in the expansive Wiregrass Ranch project that is converting thousands of acres of grazing and agricultural land into sustainable residential neighborhoods and corporate parks in the greater Wesley Chapel area.

The land is part of more than 14,000 acres the Porter family picked up in 1941 at $1.73 an acre when their previous land holdings in Zephyrhills were grabbed to create what would become the municipal airport there.

Porter’s uncle would be the first to flip his land, doubling his money in just four years in what would later become Meadow Pointe. But J.D.’s grandfather James and father Don would hold on for decades.

“We could’ve easily sold out to a bunch of different developers, but none of them represented the legacy that my dad and my grandfather really embraced,” J.D. Porter said. “They wanted to do all the things they didn’t have growing up. That is why you see a college and a hospital, something other communities don’t have after 35 years. Here, you see them in before there is even a rooftop at Wiregrass.”

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel far exceeded any of the initial expectations, and already is running at capacity, Porter said.

Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch opened in 2013 already saw its enrollment jump more than 22 percent in its second year.

The Shops at Wiregrass, which opened in 2008 at the corner of State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, makes more money per square foot — about $15 more — than Tampa’s International Mall, Porter said.

Property nearby along the east side of State Road 56 is planned for more of a mixed use, including the possibility of constructing apartments up to five stories tall.

“It would be for young professionals working at the hospital, at the college, or even with Raymond James, they might be able to catch some of those buyers,” Porter said. Rents there could run as high as $1.25 a square foot — or $1,375 for a 1,100-square-foot unit — well above some of the typical prices of about $1 per square foot.

Porter doesn’t want to just start and stop with young professionals, however. Instead, he envisions having a community that serves all walks of life, from birth to retirement. That’s why that particular area also includes plans for a 300-unit active adult community that could save families having to drive to places like Zephyrhills or the University of South Florida area to see older relatives.

Pasco has not had tremendous luck in attracting big-name employers to the county, but Raymond James Financial is still at the table, Porter said. The St. Petersburg-based financial company announced in 2011 plans to build two 100,000-square-foot buildings that could bring 750 jobs to the area by 2024. The county and state even kicked in $15 million in tax incentives to help make it happen.

Raymond James, however, missed its 2012 target date to start construction. Making matters worse, the company says it will likely delay that project up to five years simply because they’re not ready to expand.

“We think it’s a great site over time,” Raymond James’ chief executive Paul Reilly said during an October symposium. “But right now, we don’t need the space, and when we need the space, we’ll look at expansion there, or see what happens to our other facilities.”

But it’s just not the economy holding that project up, Porter said. It’s the federal government.

“We have all the permits from Pasco County, and all the permits from Swiftmud,” Porter said, referring to the Southwest Florida Water Management District. “What we’ve been waiting for over the past 16 months is the Army Corps of Engineers. There are a lot of things I’d rather do than deal with these people. It is disgusting.”

Although there are a lot of hands in the Wiregrass Ranch pot when it comes to development, Porter refuses to take a backseat.

“So much blood, sweat and tears go into this,” he said. “But you only get one shot to do it right.”

Published December 3, 2014

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Rushe Middle goes extra mile to encourage reading

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Students from Rushe Middle School traipsed through Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass, on a scavenger hunt to solve a riddle.

They went from place to place picking up new clues in a search that finally led them to the discovery of the selection for the book the We Be Book’n club will read over the next few months.

Sgt. Robert Loring, a veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, unveils the book that the We Be Book’n book club is reading at Rushe Middle School. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Sgt. Robert Loring, a veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, unveils the book that the We Be Book’n book club is reading at Rushe Middle School. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The big unveil took place on Nov. 11, and the school-wide book club will read the young adult adaptation of “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand. It tells the story of Olympian Louis Zamperini’s journey from airman to castaway to captive.

Students, accompanied by their parents, dropped by a table to get pointers on how the scavenger hunt worked, and picked up their first clue. As they solved one clue in one part of the bookstore, they received another clue that led them to a different part of the bookstore.

They concluded their search by meeting former Sgt. Robert Loring, a veteran who was a qualified parachute jumpmaster in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

Rushe faculty members Dawn Gilliland and Kelli Rapaport came up with the idea of creating a school-wide book club, according to school principal David Salerno. The principal was quickly onboard with the idea, and Rushe’s teachers, staff and parents have been great supporters, Gilliland said.

Gilliland — an information and communication technology literacy coach at Rushe — and Rapport, an intensive reading teacher, said the book club aims to motivate kids to read. So far, more than 100 students have joined the voluntary club.

“It’s just for fun,” Rapaport said. “We just want to get kids excited about literacy.”

Both women view themselves as avid readers and want to pass along their love of the written word to Rushe’s students. They selected an informational text because they want to help students develop the ability to read for information. They also wanted students to see that these kinds of books can be fascinating.

“We see kids who just aren’t reading, especially informational texts,” Gilliland said. “They don’t have that passion.”

Hillenbrand’s book recounts a story about perseverance, Salerno said. It’s a character trait he hopes students will develop.

The message Salerno hopes students will get from the book is this: “No matter what barriers you have, you can overcome them.” Salerno thinks the book is a good choice because it introduces students to a genre they don’t normally read.

The big reveal at Barnes & Noble capped weeks of buildup. Rushe staff members helped create a sense of excitement through dramatizations during which they pretended to beg for the book title’s name, offered bribes for the name, and even broke down crying.

Yet, Gilliland and Rapaport refused to give out the title.

At one point, they wrapped copies of the book in brown paper and marked them with the words “confidential” and “top secret,” and placed them at various places around the school. Teachers also talked up the big reveal.

Rapaport and Gilliland worked with the managers at Barnes & Noble to plan the event. Gilliland’s husband Jeff joined the teachers to developer the clues.

“Every clue has to go with what’s in the book,” Rapaport said. “It’s really previewing the content for them ahead of time.”

Jennifer Kosowski, whose daughter Brooke is a seventh-grader at Rushe, appreciates the efforts the school is making to encourage reading.

“It’s fun,” she said. “It gets them in here and gets them interested in reading.”

Brooke said she had fun figuring out the clues, noting some of them weren’t very easy.

The Barnes & Noble event is just one of many activities the school has planned for the book club. Over the next few months, as they read the book, a number of special events will take place that center on the book’s themes.

For instance, the school will have a mock Olympics because the book’s main character was an Olympian. The final event will be a lock-in at the school’s David Estabrook Collaboration Center, where students and staff members will spend the night playing games, watching movies, and having a chance to win prizes.

Published December 3, 2014

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New Lowe’s means new traffic light on State Road 54

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The newest Lowe’s in Pasco County is set to open its doors in March. But how traffic will be handled in and out of the new store on State Road 54 is still being worked out.

The project’s engineer, David Desilet of Lincks & Associates Inc., has requested another meeting with county officials, trying to work out some last-minute details of what will be a new intersection just east of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.

When the new Lowe’s opens in Land O’ Lakes next March, it will add the first traffic light along State Road 54 between U.S. 41 and Collier Parkway. At the same time, it will give customers at the neighboring Village Lakes Shopping Center the opportunity to make a left turn out of that strip mall, something that is very difficult to do right now because there is no signal. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
When the new Lowe’s opens in Land O’ Lakes next March, it will add the first traffic light along State Road 54 between U.S. 41 and Collier Parkway. At the same time, it will give customers at the neighboring Village Lakes Shopping Center the opportunity to make a left turn out of that strip mall, something that is very difficult to do right now because there is no signal. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

For now, the Florida Department of Transportation has permitted a traffic signal in front of Lowe’s that would help customers visiting not only the new hardware and building supply store, but also the Village Lakes Shopping Center across the street. That would provide a right turn lane into Lowe’s for traffic heading east on State Road 54, county traffic operations manager Robert Reck said, while extending left turn lanes heading westbound that right now lead to U.S. 41.

Lowe’s is building a road on the east side of its store, located at 21500 State Road 54 in Lutz, that would connect with Village Lakes’ west side entrance, according to development plans filed with the county.

To do that, however, Village Lakes would have to remove 27 parking spots between the outparceled restaurants Pizza Villa and Benedetto’s, to create a new through path for customers trying to make their way across the shopping center’s parking lot. That would shift such traffic to the north side of Benedetto’s, giving shoppers a straight line to drive through, and removing a partial travel lane on the south side of the restaurant.

The shopping center would replace some of those lost parking spaces on the southern-most portion of the Village Lakes property along State Road 54 by removing an existing through road, and constructing 14 new spaces.

In return, Village Lakes will get a new entrance and exit that will allow customers to turn left or right in separate lanes, or travel straight across State Road 54 to Lowe’s. Customers also can choose to walk between the centers with the construction of crosswalks as part of the new intersection.

When the traffic light goes into operation, it could potentially add some commute time for drivers making their way down State Road 54. Right now, there are no traffic lights along the nearly two-mile stretch between U.S. 41 and Collier Parkway, allowing vehicles to flow through unimpeded.

It also would put two traffic lights within a half-mile of each other, the busy U.S. 41 intersection just blocks away. It’s not clear if the traffic lights for Lowe’s would be synched with the operation of the U.S. 41 signals to help keep traffic flowing through both intersections. A request to FDOT officials for details on the new traffic signal was not returned by presstime.

Lowe’s told The Laker/Lutz News last week it plans to open the 152,000-square-foot store during the last week in March. It’s being built on a 42-acre tract of land that is expected to bring 125 jobs to the area.

The new store will have a 103,000-square-foot sales floor, and a 31,300-square-foot garden center, according to site plans submitted to Pasco County officials, along with enough parking for nearly 525 cars.

The North Carolina-based Lowe’s company purchased the land between Winter Quarters Pasco RV Park and a Pasco County fire station there in 2005 for $2.7 million, and originally had hoped to open the store by 2009. However, Lowe’s abandoned those plans in 2011, with reports at the time the company would try to sell the land.

Instead, Lowe’s kept the property and broke ground on construction earlier this year.

The Land O’ Lakes location is the third Lowe’s in Pasco, joining a store at 7921 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, and 8312 Little Road in Port Richey.

Published December 3, 2014

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After playoff exit, Sunlake looks again toward future

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Sunlake head coach Bill Browning knows that to win a playoff game against a quality opponent, a team needs to play four good quarters of football.

On Nov. 21, he only got three.

Sunlake’s Bruce James Cooley, 66, can only watch as the Zephyrhills Bulldogs score a touchdown in the final game of the season, while quarterback Dayton Feiden, 11, and running back Naejaun Jackson, 1, look on. Sunlake finished the season as district champs before being knocked out in the second round of the playoffs. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
Sunlake’s Bruce James Cooley, 66, can only watch as the Zephyrhills Bulldogs score a touchdown in the final game of the season, while quarterback Dayton Feiden, 11, and running back Naejaun Jackson, 1, look on. Sunlake finished the season as district champs before being knocked out in the second round of the playoffs. (Fred Bellet/Photo)

“We won the second, third and fourth quarters,” he said. “Unfortunately, we lost the first quarter, but we lost the first quarter bad.”

Bad enough to put the Seahawks in a 17-0 deficit they couldn’t overcome against Gainesville, and they fell 27-19. It was the second year in a row that the Hurricanes eliminated Sunlake from the playoffs.

While on paper it looks like just another successful season for Sunlake with another playoff appearance, there’s more to it than that. They achieved a goal that Browning and Sunlake have pursued since the program started back in 2007.

“It was Sunlake’s first district title, and the school’s only eight years old,” Browning said. “There are schools that are still struggling for a district title in football that have been around a lot longer than us.”

Holding opponents under 100 points for the season — something they’ve done each year since 2012 — and presenting a balanced offensive attack were other highlights for the longtime football coach, now with 25 years on high school sidelines.

And while he’s proud of the district crown, Browning also is proud of the team that accomplished it. Many players had to overcome injuries, academic and personal issues to not only take the field, but perform at the level required to reach the postseason as a district champion.

As a result, Browning believes his players gained a lot more than points, yards and wins on the gridiron.

“The football field is an extension of the classroom, and there are some things in the classroom that aren’t taught,” Browning said. “I think all these kids learned valuable life lessons.”

While several players answered the call this past season, next year has many question marks.

Quarterback Dayton Feiden. Running back Nathan Johnson. Running back and linebacker Logan Wolfe. Linebacker Austin Yeloushan. All of those players were important cogs in Sunlake’s wheel, and all of them have played their last down for the Seahawks.

But while the team will look to replace more than half its starters next season, important pieces remain in place. Aside from center, the entire offensive line will return next year, which Browning said will be key to letting a running back settle into his new role.

He also has confidence in young quarterback Justin Hall, who impressed the coach with his mental preparations, even in a backup role. Talented receiver Nick Valdes also is returning, and Browning believes other players will emerge in the off-season based on their workout regimen and desire to step into a more prominent role on the team.

While he’s proud of the team’s accomplishments, he knows the team will have to focus on next year sooner or later. As for Browning, it’s definitely sooner: He plans to take just a few days off before getting back to work and starting preparations for next season.

And when it’s time to return, the players will find out that losing key players isn’t going to be an excuse to come up short of team goals. After going 0-10 their inaugural campaign, Browning has built a program with five straight winning seasons — and no more than three losses in any of them — a new district championship, and high expectations.

And lowering those expectations isn’t in his vocabulary. Neither is the word “satisfied.”

“I don’t think as a coach you’re ever satisfied,” Browning said. “Proud of what we accomplished? Absolutely. Satisfied? The day you’re satisfied is the day you better get out of coaching.”

Published December 3, 2014

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Weightman students hope to stamp out tobacco use

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The students come streaming into the media center at Weightman Middle School before school started, and went straight to work making posters.

They were creating messages for the middle school’s Red Ribbon Week, an effort to discourage drug use.

Fourth-grader Siena Bracciale enjoys helping Weightman’s Students Working Against Tobacco club on its projects. She is the daughter of Weightman principal Brandon Bracciale. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Fourth-grader Siena Bracciale enjoys helping Weightman’s Students Working Against Tobacco club on its projects. She is the daughter of Weightman principal Brandon Bracciale. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Some kids arrived at the library at 8 a.m. sharp, others drifted in over the next 20 minutes or so. Whether they arrived early or late, though, it was clear they wanted to be there.

The students belong to a school club called Students Working Against Tobacco, or SWAT for short. Their primary goal is to discourage tobacco use, but they’ve also branched into other areas, said Cpl. Kevin Brantley, the school resource officer at the Wesley Chapel middle school.

“We meet in here every Wednesday,” said Brantley, who launched this chapter of the club three years ago when he was stationed at Weightman.

The club gets bigger each year. It started with a dozen kids, then doubled in size.

Now, it has up to 50 members, with about 30 kids turning out any given week.

Besides spreading the word on the dangers of smoking and other forms of tobacco use, Brantley said the kids also pitch in on community cleanups and other volunteer efforts.

On Oct. 29, they created posters with a couple of different themes. One set of posters proclaimed, “Reddy to say no to drugs.”

“We’re playing on the word ‘red,’” Brantley explained, in honor of the school’s Red Ribbon Week.

The other posters said, “These paws don’t touch drugs.”

To help raise awareness of dangers posed by tobacco use, the club had an event last year where 88 people lined up, then fell, as if to their death. The dramatization signified the 88 people who die each day in Florida from medical conditions stemming from tobacco use.

The club plans to stage a similar event this year, Brantley said. The school resource officer likens these kinds of dramatizations to the Truth commercials from the American Legacy Foundation that appear on television to give people a reality check about the dangers of tobacco use.

Club member Jasmine Thoey said she belongs to SWAT because she wants to be a part of positive change.

“I don’t want other people to get sick,” she said.

She thinks the club appeals to other kids because it helps them feel that they can make a difference.

“We can do it,” Thoey said. “We can change the world.”

Beyond participating at school, Thoey and members of other SWAT clubs also make public appearances, speaking against the use of tobacco. She makes appearances before state lawmakers, city councils and other groups in the effort to stamp out tobacco use.

A group of SWAT students made an appearance earlier this year before the Pasco County school board asking for smoking to be outlawed on school campuses. Kenny Blankenship, president of United School Employees of Pasco, said the current contract allows schools to conduct surveys to see if they want to become tobacco-free. Under that contract, however, if even just one school employee wants to retain smoking on campus, the right to do so is protected.

But those who would ban tobacco use on school district grounds could see a major shift, if language in contract negotiations gains approval. USEP has agreed to the proposed elimination of tobacco use on district property effective July 1, 2016.

While contract negotiations continue at the district level, fourth-grader Siena Bracciale enjoys helping Weightman’s SWAT team on its projects. The daughter of principal Brandon Bracciale, she recently was at Weightman working on a poster.

Bracciale wants to discourage people from smoking or using drugs.

Besides spreading a message against tobacco and drugs, the club also gives kids a chance to meet other kids and to make friends, Brantley said. The Weightman club is part of a statewide youth organization that works to achieve a tobacco-free future.

Pasco County’s clubs have more than 250 active students. Besides Weightman, schools on the eastern and central portions of the county with SWAT clubs include Long Middle School, Pasco High School and Rushe Middle School.

Published December 3, 2014

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Take a trip to see Santa on the North Pole Express

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If the idea of taking a train ride to see Santa at the North Pole appeals to you, you may just want to check out the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish.

The North Pole Express doesn’t exactly live up to its name, as it rumbles at 15 mph along railroad tracks originally installed more than a century ago.

Whether it’s for the North Pole Express, an old-fashioned train ride or another special event, or the chance to operate a locomotive, the trains operated by the Florida Railroad Museum offer a chance to get a taste of how people traveled before interstate highways were built or jet airplanes were invented. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Whether it’s for the North Pole Express, an old-fashioned train ride or another special event, or the chance to operate a locomotive, the trains operated by the Florida Railroad Museum offer a chance to get a taste of how people traveled before interstate highways were built or jet airplanes were invented. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

And the North Pole it’s heading to is a lot less chilly than Santa’s usual digs.

But this attraction, about 35 miles south of Tampa, is likely to delight passengers of any age as they board the train at the Parrish train station and roll along 6.5 miles of track to visit Santa.

As the train chugs down the tracks, carolers stroll through the cars, singing holiday favorites.

The North Pole Express is just one of the special offerings presented through the railroad museum, which aims to preserve the history of railroading. The museum offers old-fashioned train rides throughout the year, hosts several special events, and allows patrons to pay to drive a locomotive or host a private party in a caboose.

But the North Pole Express is one of the museum’s biggest hits each year, stationmaster Heather Vick said. Tickets typically sell out almost as soon as they become available.

But this year, the museum added another car to the train to accommodate more passengers.

The North Pole Express only travels on select nights during the holiday season, Vick said. It can accommodate about 475 people each trip.

After making the half-hour trek, passengers enter a holiday village decked out with seasonal lights. Once there, kids can learn how to make reindeer food, passengers can enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and nibble on cookies, and visitors can enjoy bonfires burning brightly in the night.

The highlight, of course, is Santa.

Passengers are invited to bring along cameras to capture memories of their train ride, the North Pole, and their visit with Santa Claus, Vick said. Children are encouraged to wear their pajamas on the train ride. It helps to enliven a sense of holiday magic.

If you go
WHAT: North Pole Express
WHEN: Dec. 4 through Dec. 7; Dec. 11 through Dec. 14; and Dec. 18 through Dec. 22, with departures at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
WHERE: Florida Railroad Museum, 12210 83rd St. E., in Parrish
COST: Range from $24-$59 for adults, and $20-$52 for children up to 11. Prices vary on select dates.
INFO: Call (941) 776-0906, or visit FRRM.org.

Other train rides
Old-fashioned train rides are offered at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, most of the year.

Other upcoming events that may be of interest:
• Hobo Campfire on Jan. 24 and Feb. 7
• Hole in the Head Gang, Feb. 7 and Feb. 8
• Murder Mystery Dinner Train on Feb. 14, Feb, 20, Feb. 21, Feb. 22, Feb. 27, Feb. 28, March 1, March 6, March 7 and March 8
• Chili Cook Off, March 7
• Day Out with Thomas, March 14, March 15, March 21 and March 22.

Published December 3, 2014

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Business Digest 12-03-14

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Nabers Jewelers owners retiring
After 32 years of running his store from Gall Boulevard in Zephyrhills, Tom Vanater is retiring, and closing Nabers Jewelers.

The store has been open since 1933, with Vanater as the second owner of the business after Myron Nabers.

Nabers is liquidating inventory, and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s located at 6951 Gall Blvd. near Daugherty Road in Zephyrhills.

Proposed apartment community wants rezoning
A new apartment complex in the Dade City area will have a chance to move a big step closer to reality Dec. 3 if the developers there can convince county officials to rezone nearly 22 acres of land off Clinton Avenue.

Six Feet Under LLC is asking the Pasco County Planning Commission to rezone land near Floral Memorial Gardens Cemetery from agricultural to high-density multifamily. That would allow the developers to build up to 160 apartments on now-vacant land.

The project, according to documents filed with the county, is Quiet Valley.

Six Feet Under lists Vicky Johnson of Dade City as its manager. She’s associated with another company — Matthew 6:20 LLC — that owns more than 100 acres of primarily grazing and orchard land near Trilby and other parts of rural East Pasco.

The land, located on the north side of Clinton Avenue just a quarter-mile west of U.S. 301, was purchased from Hodges Family Funeral Home in late 2006 for $94,200, according to county property records.

Although no start date for the project has been announced, a study filed by Raysor Transportation Consulting said the community should be complete by 2017.

If the planning commission approves the rezoning, the matter would then have to come in front of the Pasco County Commission, likely early next year.

Construction starts on Esplanade of Tampa
Taylor Morrison recently celebrated the beginning of construction at Esplanade of Tampa, a new community the developer has planned for the New Tampa area.

Located west of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard just south of County Line Road, the community boasts 20 acres of lakes, as well as mature trees and wetlands. Its community center includes a resort-style swimming pool with spa and lap lanes, as well as a full-time lifestyle director.

For information on the community, visit TaylorMorrison.com.

Tourism on pace for record year
For the fourth year in a row, Florida will have record tourism after Visit Florida estimated that 23.7 million people visited the state between July and September.

That’s up 3.5 percent over the same time in 2013, and represents the largest third quarter visitation Florida has ever experienced.

“Florida’s thriving tourism industry is vital to growing jobs, and today’s report that Florida has experienced three record quarters so far in 2014 — putting the state on pace for a fourth consecutive record year — is great news for Florida families,” Gov. Rick Scott said, in a release.

So far this year, Florida has welcomed 73.9 million visitors, who spent $55.6 billion. Direct travel-related employment jumped 3.6 percent, adding 39,900 jobs.

Of those numbers, nearly 3 million came from overseas, and more than 526,000 from Canada.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 .

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 .