Local News

Wesley Chapel agriculture program making its mark

February 20, 2014 By B.C. Manion

When sophomores Spencer Brass, Amber Maxwell and Savannah Musser were students at Weightman Middle School, they were all involved in the school’s National FFA Organization program.

Savannah Musser and Spencer Brass help care for the goats behind Wesley Chapel High School as part of the school’s agricultural program. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

But they weren’t sure what would happen after middle school, since Wesley Chapel High didn’t have an agricultural program.

“We were like, how are we going to go into high school and not have this?” said Maxwell, 15. So the students pushed their former agriculture teacher and adviser Halyee Monk to help them out.

With Wesley Chapel High School principal Carin Nettles as a driving force, the school got its agriculture program, and students like Brass, Maxwell and Musser were able to continue their work.

“She definitely was the one who pushed and pushed and pushed and pushed to be able to get this program. Without the support of the principal, it’s impossible,” said Brass, 16.

The students were happy to get to attend a high school that was right next door to their middle school, instead of having to travel to Zephyrhills or Pasco high schools to pursue their interests, said Musser, 16. All three said they would have transferred to different high schools if necessary, but were glad it didn’t come to that.

While Wesley Chapel High’s agricultural program is still in its infancy, it is growing, said teacher Erin McCann Farquhar. It has two courses now and will add another next year.

Despite its short history, the school’s FAA chapter already is beginning to make a name for itself, Brass said.

“I think a lot of people underestimated us,” said Brass, who, along with Helena Polansky, won an award last April for their egg carton herb garden in the ornamental horticulture demonstration category.

“We all have so much determination. We are so new we are trying to get our name out there,” Musser said.

The Wesley Chapel team of Polansky, Stephanie Reschke, Renee Carpenter and Shawn Devisfruto had the highest score in the state in the preliminary round of the dairy judging competition.

“Our school is actually home to three of the top 10 individual scorers,” Brass said. “There’s no other school that has more than one. We have three.”

Reschke tied for first place, while Polansky was No. 4 and Devisfruto was No. 8.

“Helena Polansky, she coached the entire thing,” Brass said.

Reschke gave kudos to Polansky for helping prepare the team.

“Helena, our leader, has helped us quite a bit with the written test she gives us and the study guides on the information,” said Reschke, who enjoys being in FFA.

The school’s dairy judging team placed fourth in the state last year. Results were not yet available for this year’s competition that was on Feb. 15.

Wesley Chapel students have shown animals at the state fair and will show animals at the Pasco County Fair, as well.

Musser, Brass and Polansky are showing steer at the Pasco County Fair. Others in the program who are showing steer are Justin Taylor, Nick Wrage and Carpenter.

Maxwell and Devisfruto are showing pigs.

“These are market animals,” Musser said. “We put our money into them, then we’re going to take them and auction them off and hopefully have a really good profit.”

Before joining FFA, Maxwell said she had some misconceptions about the organization.

“I thought it was all like people who just wanted to be farmers,” she said.

Musser believed it was all about agriculture, too. “I never thought of the public speaking aspect of it, until I got involved,” she said. “When you get involved, you really learn a lot.”

The lessons go far beyond tending to animals or growing crops, Brass said. It provides excellent opportunities to take leadership roles.

“This is a youth-led organization. We run all of the meetings. You learn a lot of life skills,” Brass said.

Musser agreed. “It teaches you how to talk to people, how to approach things.”

While all three students are involved in the program because of their interest in animals, Musser and Maxwell said they don’t plan careers involving animals.

“I want to be a neonatal nurse,” Musser said.

“I want to do physical therapy,” Maxwell said.

Heissler, Reschke and Brass, on the other hand, do expect their careers to involve animals.

Heissler is debating between equine veterinary or zoology. Reschke is debating between a veterinary career or training dogs for people with special needs.

Brass wants to continue his involvement with FFA.

“After high school, I want to go on to serve as a state and national FFA officer,” he said. “I want to go to UF (the University of Florida) and become a vet and have a large and small animal practice.”

Published Feb. 19, 2014

Announced layoffs won’t affect Dade City hospital

February 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Just a day after its $7.6 billion sale to Community Health Systems was finalized, Health Management Associates told state officials that it planned to lay off 395 people by the beginning of April.

New signs advertising the renamed Bayfront Health Dade City hospital line Fort King Road in front of the campus. Community Health Systems says its recent layoff announcement will not affect the Dade City facility. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

HMA made the announcement to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Jan. 29. So far, it is the largest job cut of the year reported to the agency.

The cuts, however, are not expected to affect Bayfront Health Dade City, or most of the other hospitals in the chain.

“There is no impact on jobs at former HMA hospitals … as a result of the merger,” CHS spokeswoman Tomi Galin told The Laker/Lutz News. “The hospital names and leadership teams remain the same, and most importantly, patients can continue to count on these hospitals for high-quality care, delivered by the physicians and employees they already know and trust.”

The announcement, however, was based on what Florida requires companies to do by law to any potentially impacted employees of restructuring. This particular notice focused on corporate employees for HMA based in Naples, including many who do not actually work in Florida, Galin said.

The notice, known as a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification — or WARN — also includes about 100 people who are being offered jobs with the new ownership, as well as those who have chosen to leave the organization voluntarily, but did not plan to give notice until after the sale of the chain closed.

“As a result, even though the WARN notice indicates that approximately 400 jobs are affected, many of these individuals will have jobs in our organization, or have already found other jobs,” Galin said.

The purchase of Health Management Associates, first announced last July, included what was then known as Pasco Regional Medical Center and 22 other hospitals in the state. Before the sale, CHS had just two hospitals in Florida, the closest in Lake Wales.

As part of its acquisition, the Federal Trade Commission required CHS to put two hospitals in Alabama and South Carolina up for sale.

Bill Hussey is overseeing the company’s new hospitals in Florida. He has a bit of an indirect connection with the Dade City hospital because he was the Tampa Bay division president when Columbia/HCA owned the Dade City facility.

He would later become chief executive officer of Gulfside Medical Development. Hussey has been with CHS since 2001, and will manage hospitals for the company not just in Florida, but in Georgia and South Carolina as well.

The 120-bed Bayfront Health Dade City was originally founded in 1973 as Community General Hospital, and has had various names over the years. It was known as Pasco Regional Medical Center soon after HMA acquired the hospital in 2000 for $17 million.

It’s located at 13100 Fort King Road in Dade City.

Published Feb. 19, 2014

Bilirakis joins push to get flood insurance bill moving

February 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Just days after his Democratic counterparts sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner asking that he clear the way for flood insurance reform, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, is doing the same with his own letter that has received a little bit of bipartisan support.

“We have heard from thousands of Tampa Bay residents who are deeply concerned that these increases will create a significant economic hardship and make it difficult to make ends meet,” Bilirakis said in a letter that was signed by five other Congressional members, including Tampa Democrat Kathy Castor.

Castor had already joined in a Democratic effort earlier this month that pushed for the bipartisan bill to get consideration on the House floor, saying she and other Congressional members “share the frustration of our neighbors that many of the changes adopted by FEMA are outside the original intent of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers insurance to those living in high-risk flood areas, but announced plans to raise premiums after heavy losses from super storms like hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. Some of the increases would’ve had homeowners paying more in insurance than they did in mortgage.

“Without legislation, homeowners will be forced to abandon their homes, putting the housing market’s recovery at risk,” Bilirakis said in his letter. “Further, the loss of homeowners participating in the (National Flood Insurance Program) will hurt the solvency of the program, and put the recent reforms to the program on jeopardy.”

The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act passed Congress and was signed by President Obama in 2012. That bill phases out government subsidies for premiums in long-standing policies, but caps the annual increases at 25 percent.

The new bill before Congress would cap premium rates, and try to ensure that costs for homeowners in high-risk flood areas don’t get out of control.

Published Feb. 19, 2014

Elevated road brings community together … to protest

February 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Author Margaret Mead once cautioned to “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world” because “indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

If a private company wants to build an elevated toll road above State Road 54, it will have to convince homeowners like Patrick Knight, Jason Amerson, Brian Narcum and Kristine Narcum, to do it. The four say communities like Stonegate, where they live, will be subject to noise and heavy traffic outside their quiet community. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Jason Amerson isn’t exactly looking to change the world. But he is building support to stop change along State Road 54 that could bring an elevated toll road in the future.

“I never imagined something like this was going to land right on my doorstep,” said Amerson, who moved into the Stonegate community west of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard five years ago. “That is why I am taking this so seriously.”

Amerson is one of a growing group of residents living just off State Road 54 opposed to International Infrastructure Partners’ plan to build a 33-mile elevated road between Zephyrhills and New Port Richey. Such a project could be visible from his neighborhood, currently shielded by trees and other homes, Amerson said, and the highway noise could destroy his property value.

So Amerson has joined a new community activist group known as Pasco Fiasco that has just one goal: Stop the elevated road.

“I am tired of seeing businesses go out of business around here,” Amerson said. “A road like this would force businesses and families to move, and it would be impossible for any of us to ever sell our homes here. We’re going to be kind of locked in here.”

Pasco County officials, however, disagree on that kind of impact. County planning and development administrator Richard Gehring insists the expressway portion of the road would be used by travelers who likely wouldn’t have stopped at businesses along the State Road 54/56 corridor anyway. By moving them up, local traffic will move easier on the lower roads, and actually help businesses rather than hurt them.

Some members of the newly formed Pasco Fiasco group made their first public appearance during a Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting last week in New Port Richey. They included Land O’ Lakes native Sharon Ogborn, who feels the elevated road is more about accommodating commuters from other areas than it is her Odessa community.

“We moved to our present home in Odessa for the country feeling and the rural setting,” Ogborn said. “It’s going to help Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.”

Pasco Fiasco has already received some support from the Pasco County Commission. Henry Wilson has already made his opposition to the project clear, and at last week’s MPO meeting, fellow commissioner Jack Mariano started to question the project as well.

Yet, the final decision lies not with county officials, but with the Florida Department of Transportation. And while officials there have said they’d want county support before moving forward with the elevated road project, they don’t require it since State Road 54 is just that, a state road.

“Ultimately, the FDOT probably does have the final say, but I think they are going to basically honor what the county commission wants,” Amerson said. “But if Tallahassee thinks it’s a great idea, and the FDOT thinks it’s a great idea, I’m not sure if they’ll listen to the county commissioners in the end.”

Amerson admits that growth in Pasco County is going to eventually require something be done with State Road 54. But he feels county officials have not exhausted all other options quite yet.

Gehring, however, said the county explored 18 alternatives to move traffic east and west in Pasco County. And even if State Road 52 is expanded into multiple lanes, and the expansion of Ridge Road is completed, the best plan to move the large volume of traffic projected along the State Road 54/56 corridor in the next decades is an elevated toll road.

The project most likely wouldn’t have been necessary if homeowners in Hillsborough County didn’t successfully protest road expansions there — like the proposed Lutz Expressway blocked by area residents — that could’ve helped move traffic to the south. And Amerson is interested in taking a little from that playbook.

“Each time they have tried to do this somewhere, it gets beaten back by the people,” he said. “I don’t feel what we have here is any different. I think we really can stop this.”

In the meantime, Amerson has teamed up with Richard Connors, and they are recruiting more people to challenge the elevated road. They are finding people through neighboring communities thanks to a social network site called NextDoor.com that connects people online based on their geographic proximity. Brian Narcum, a Stonegate resident opposed to the road, said it’s helped bring in hundreds of people in just a couple weeks.

And the focus, for now, will remain in lobbying county commissioners against the project, hoping that will be enough to discourage both the FDOT and the private builder IIP from moving forward.

“If you want to bring our area up to the next level, you have to be attractive to businesses and keep that interest in our urban development,” Amerson said. “You can’t put something like this elevated road down the heart of our county that is going to scar the road, and still expect people will want to move here and be next to that.”

To learn more about the local efforts to oppose the road, visit PascoFiasco.com.

Published Feb. 19, 2014

Porter campus enrollment exceeds expectations

February 20, 2014 By B.C. Manion

The numbers are in, and they paint a bright outlook for Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, the new satellite campus for Pasco-Hernando State College.

Officials at the college had forecast an enrollment of 1,500 for the first semester of the new campus, located on Mansfield Boulevard just off State Road 56 and slightly east of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. The actual count, however, came in at 1,749.

Stan Giannet, the provost for Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, said he had hoped for at least 2,400 students during the first year of operation, and that goal should be surpassed.

Most of the students enrolled there are between 18 and 30 years old, Giannet added. The statistics also show where the students are coming from.

Porter includes 587 students who had attended PHSC’s East Campus, 283 who had been going to the West Campus, 57 who traveled to the North Campus, and 29 who took courses at Spring Hill, Giannet said.

Some of those students may still be taking courses at other campuses, but they are now taking the majority of their courses at Porter, Giannet noted.

Porter Campus also attracted 180 students who have Tampa ZIP codes. But that was no surprise to Giannet.

College officials had expected Porter to draw students from Hillsborough County because the campus is so close to Interstate 75. For many Hillsborough residents, the PHSC campus is more convenient than other educational options.

Porter also has 358 students enrolled in Internet courses and 283 dual enrollment students. Most of the dual enrollment students — high school students earning college credits – attend Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel high school.

Enrollment figures indicate that general education courses leading to associate’s degrees are popular, as are allied health, business and information technology programs, Giannet said.

Popular information technology areas include associate’s degree programs in computer programming and analysis, networking services technology, Internet services technology and information technology security.

Giannet noted that the associate’s degree in human services — which leads toward a career in social services, social work and counseling — is attracting interest.

“This is very important for us because with the advent of our new behavioral health facility just down the corner from us,” Giannet said. “This will be a very good collaboration that we’ll forge.”

Giannet also expects the college to have a close partnership with Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

The college’s nursing department and the hospital are planning to work together to arrange rotations for the college’s nursing students. He also expects similar opportunities to develop for the college’s pharmacy technician and surgical technology students.

Plans also are in the works for Florida Hospital to provide some scholarship opportunities in the allied health areas for PHSC students, Giannet said.

Published Feb. 19, 2014

Pigz in Z’Hills already looking ahead to next year

February 20, 2014 By B.C. Manion

It was a brisk January day, but that didn’t stop the fourth annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues from setting a few new records.

Crowds gathered along a row of barbecue vendors, trying to decide which of the many varieties of barbecue they would like to try. (File Photo)

The event raised about $30,000, after expenses were covered — 50 percent more money than it ever did before, said Vonnie Mikkelsen, executive director for the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the annual festival.

Most of the money raised will be doled out to various organizations, which help put on the event, she said. The festival also drew 44 barbecue teams and a crowd of about 6,000 to 7,000 people.

The event had a lot of firsts this year. It had a new venue, the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. And it was in January for the first time, giving winter residents a chance to check it out.

Sixteen private pilots flew in for the day to enjoy the barbecue and bands, and Mikkelsen expects that number to grow in coming years as word spreads in the aviation community about the event. This year, they flew in from as far away as Miami and Jacksonville, she said.

Plans call for continuing to stage the event in January at the airport, Mikkelsen said.

“Having it at the airport, it presents a whole new horizon,” she said, noting next year organizers plan to showcase more aircraft at the event.

In addition to barbecued foods and bands, the event also featured exhibitors, a car and truck show and rides for kids.

The barbecue competition, which is sanctioned by the Florida BBQ Association, drew 30 competitors in the professional category. The grand champion of the professional division will receive an invitation to the American Royal National Championships in Kansas City, Mo., and entered in the drawing for the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue Competition in Lynchburg, Tenn.

This year, Sweet Smoke Q of Winter Haven, with head cook Jim Elsner, won the professional division. The team received the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Grand Champion Professional Division trophy and a $1,700 prize.

Hot Wachula’s of Lakeland, with head cook Matthew Barber, was the reserve champion professional division, and received a $1,500 cash prize.

Bettern Store Bot, with head cook Dave Grantham, won the grand champion trophy and a $150 cash prize in the Backyard Division. Papa P’s, with head cook Wayne Peterson, was named reserved champion, placing second.

Since its inception, the festival has raised thousands of dollars for local youth and education programs, and community services provided by the Zephyrhills chamber.

Published Feb. 19, 2014

Political Agenda 02-19-14

February 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Democrat files for Mulieri commission seat
A race that was previously dominated by Republicans now has a Democrat in the running.

Erika Remsberg, a Land O’ Lakes social worker with Pasco County Schools, is set to face the winner of a primary for Pasco County Commission that already includes Mike Moore, former State Rep. Ken Littlefield, and Bob Robertson. That is, if she doesn’t draw a Democratic opponent of her own forcing her into a primary.

All are looking to replace Pat Mulieri, who has spent more than two decades on the county commission.

On her official campaign website, Remsberg says she has been the homeless liaison for the school district for the past seven years, helping children in homeless situations receive the resources they need to access schools.

Remsberg has “worn many hats,” according to her website. Among other things, she’s been a clinical therapist, grant writer, substance abuse counselor and a crisis intervention counselor.

Elections bill needs revision
Elections supervisors around the state were ecstatic last year with the Legislature’s passage of the Paper Reduction act, but now it’s in need of a small correction.

When the latest legislative session kicks off March 4, the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections will ask lawmakers to revisit its law that did, among other things, allow voters to opt to receive sample ballots electronically.

The goal is to reduce paper use and cost to county elections offices, but the law passed last year omitted four key words that practically changed the very nature of the law itself.

The bill, according to Pasco County elections supervisor Brian Corley, would save the expense of publishing a sample ballot in the local newspapers. However, while the law allowed for electronic distribution, it failed to include the phrase “in lieu of publication.” Because of that, elections supervisors like Corley were still required to publish sample ballots in local newspapers.

Lawmakers quickly realized that voters who provided their email addresses for the distribution would want to have them protected. However, Gov. Rick Scott vetoed that law.

Elections supervisors want to promote more privacy protection for voters, while limiting the full disclosure of birth dates, Corley said. The group is pushing for new legislation that would allow the age of voters to be disclosed, but not specifically with the month, day and year of their birth.

No specific legislation has been introduced as of yet this year.

Local builder puts support behind Moore
Mike Moore, who is seeking the Republican nomination to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission, raised $3,000 in January, with $2,000 of it coming from those involved a company that has been quite active in the county recently.

Ripa & Associates LLC, the builder behind projects like Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and Ten Broeck Wesley Chapel Psychiatric Hospital, donated $1,000 to Moore’s campaign. Adding to it was $1,000 more from Ripa president Christian LaFace, and a company from his same address, TCM SWFL IX LLC. The latter company is connected with Trax Capital Management, a property investment company out of Orlando.

Ripa also was the builder of projects like the Florida Medical Clinic offices in Land O’ Lakes, The Grove in Wesley Chapel and Medical Center of Trinity. Ripa has worked with the county extensively in the past, including road projects like Collier Parkway extension in 2011.

Moore spent a good portion of those funds in January as well, including $1,875 to Capital Consulting who has been advising his campaign. Moore has paid the company just under $3,400 over a two-month period.

Moore has raised $43,700 since starting his campaign in July, by far outpacing all of his opponents.

Corcoran speaker at Republican Club
State Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, will be the featured speaker at the Republican Club of Central Pasco’s meeting Feb. 26 at 6 p.m., at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Corcoran is the speaker-designate for 2016, and chairs the Health and Human Services Committee, and the Select Committee on Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

For more information, call Steve Graves at (813) 996-3011.

Knight challenges Wilkeson for council seat
Zephyrhills City Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson is getting a challenger for her seat in City Hall from Alan Knight, the current chair of the city’s Parks & Recreation Board. This is the first time Wilkeson will have a challenger to her seat since she first won election in 2008.

Knight is a retired Pasco County Schools educator, and spent a short time as head coach of the Zephyrhills High School football team in the 1970s.

Wilkeson filed for re-election in the middle of January, opening her campaign account with her own $100. She is the president and founder of WDA Design Group, an interior architecture firm she launched in September 2001.

The only other candidate filed to run for the April city council elections is Ken Burgess for his own seat, and so far has not drawn any opposition. Also, Gene Whitfield is seeking the mayor’s chair currently held by Danny Burgess. With a state House run gearing up, Burgess is not seeking another term in Zephyrhills.

Burgess fundraiser at Abbott Station
A fundraising campaign for Republican state House candidate Danny Burgess is slated for Feb. 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Abbott Station Restaurant, 5327 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Tickets are $100 each, and will include hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and other drinks.

To RSVP by Feb. 24, contact Jeff Meserve at , or (813) 322-3686.

Business Digest 02-19-14

February 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Stanton Optical opens in Zephyrhills
Stanton Optical has opened its newest location at 6844 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, joining another new location in West Palm Beach.

The Zephyrhills store is the seventh Stanton Optical to open in Florida, according to a release. Other stores are located in Boca Raton, Jupiter, Palm Springs, Pensacola and Stuart.

The company is headquartered in Palm Springs, and has more than 40 retail stores throughout the country including Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. The company is planning future stores in New Mexico, Alaska and Colorado.

Women-n-Charge offering grants
Businesswomen are invited to submit an application to receive a $1,000 grant through Women-n-Charge.

The organization’s mission is, in part, to support and assist professional women in managing their businesses more effectively. The Business Advancement Grant is for business-related equipment or services, and the Career Advancement Grant is for continuing education.

To apply, visit Women-n-Charge.com/grants. Applications are due March 15.

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

Laser eye correction available in Zephyrhills
The Eye Clinic of Florida, 6739 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, is now offering laser vision correction.

Dr. Ahad Mahootchi is an award-winning eye surgeon, and has performed laser vision correction or 16 years.

For more information, call (813) 779-3338.

Tucker Carlson headlines Saint Leo conference
Television commentator Tucker Carlson will deliver the keynote address at Saint Leo University’s Fifth International Business Conference, taking place Feb. 19-21 at the university.

Carlson will appear Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Student Community Center’s Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms. Admission to the talk is free and open to the public, but tickets are required to reserve seating. That is available by calling (352) 588-8837, or emailing .

Carlson is host of “Fox & Friends Weekend,” and is a former anchor with CNN’s “Crossfire.”

Chamber mixer at C1 Bank
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will host a chamber mixer at C1 Bank, 7435 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, Feb. 27 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

To RSVP, call (352) 567-3769.

Busy Buddy moves into SmartStart incubator
The Busy Buddy, a business support services company, said it would use some space at the SmartStart business incubator at the Dade City Business Center.

The move, according to the company, is part of its strategy to grow business and develop a strong presence in Pasco County. The company offers operational support, project coordination and administrative consulting services they say help businesses operate more efficiently and improve productivity, according to the company’s website.

“I live in Pasco County, so it made perfect sense to establish my business here,” said Kellye Dash, the company’s president, in a release. “When I learned about the SmartStart program, I was excited about the great opportunities and resources available to help take my business to the next level.”

SmartStart is an innovative facility-based program where companies work in a collaborative environment with other small businesses. SmartStart residents have access to technical support coupled with the ability to network with other businesses, local organizations and community partners. The Pasco Economic Development Council manages the incubator, located at 15000 Citrus Country Drive in Dade City.

CES to host cocktail reception
Cross Environmental Services Inc., which recently made the leap into the public market, will host a cocktail reception with the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce Feb. 25 at 6 p.m., at Cooper’s Hawk, 4110 W. Boy Scout Blvd., in Tampa.

Chief executive officer Al Biston will represent the public company, known officially as CES Synergies.

To RSVP, email .

Mineral rights coming back to homeowners
Homeowners who bought their house from D.R. Horton Inc., and are still living in it, may have a chance to receive the mineral rights to their land.

That comes after Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi discovered the builder had severed mineral rights from properties they sold in Florida, conveying those rights to a subsidiary, DRH Energy Inc. The company said it would stop its practice of reserving mineral rights until the Legislature provides guidance on the issue of mineral right disclosures, according to a news release from Bondi.

The letters were sent to nearly 18,000 homeowners, and should arrive by Feb. 28.

New road budget funds State Road 54 expansion

February 13, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Cars traveling between the Suncoast Parkway and Land O’ Lakes Boulevard will find a wider road in their future.

Florida’s $8.8 billion transportation budget offered by Gov. Rick Scott includes an $18.2 million carve-out for State Road 54 that will allow the road to expand from its existing four lanes to six.

That will bring the four-mile stretch of State Road 54 in line with the rest of the route west of the Suncoast Parkway, which connects U.S. 19 in New Port Richey to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

Of the nearly $280 million in transportation improvements earmarked for West Central Florida, just a little more than $79 million directly affect Pasco County. The state also plans to add the Sugarwood stretch of Veterans Expressway to that road’s overall reconstruction project, adding lanes and removing tollbooths between the Sugarwood toll plaza north of Gunn Highway and Van Dyke Road.

“The stretch of Veterans between Sugarwood and Van Dyke was always planned as part of the original widening,” said Christa Deason, public information officer for Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise. “The start time was just staggered so that the entire Veterans wasn’t under construction at one time.”

The expansion of the road there will link it up with a $386 million project already taking place south as part of the road that connects Tampa’s busy Westshore business district with Pasco County. Just like the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, tollbooths will be replaced with all-electronic tolling.

The State Road 54 expansion won’t affect any plans to build an elevated express road, which was proposed last year by a private developer. Such a project would utilize existing rights of way already secured by the Florida Department of Transportation. But even if an agreement was struck soon, construction of such a road is still years off.

Hernando County will receive one-third of the money earmarked for the region, however, claiming $110.2 million. That will expand Interstate 75, providing what officials describe as “interregional connectivity” between the Tampa Bay region and the Georgia state line.

While the nearly $280 million planned for road projects in the region is more than rural parts, both the Miami and Orlando areas will split $1.1 billion, mainly for expansion of Interstate 95 on the eastern side of the state.

Road projects in the area won’t end anytime soon. In addition to current projects and those planned to start in the near future, the FDOT has another $262 million on the drawing board for Pasco County alone.

That work overall includes ongoing I-75 expansion north of State Road 54, the four-laning of State Road 52 west of Interstate 75, and completing the four-lane work of State Road 54 east of Wesley Chapel leading into Zephyrhills.

Other projects, like the $39 million expansion of State Road 56 from Meadow Point Boulevard to U.S. 301 won’t be addressed until 2017 at the earliest.

Published Feb. 12, 2014

Exotic birds spread their wings in Wesley Chapel

February 13, 2014 By Michael Murillo

People typically love exotic birds. They have beautiful, colorful feathers. They can talk. And they maintain an elegant look throughout their lives.

More than 350 feathered creatures live at the Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary in Wesley Chapel, residing in custom-built cages where they can find comfort and companionship, and spend their decades-long lives in safety. The organization is planning a move to a larger property in Hudson where they hope to eventually provide a home for 1,000 birds. (Photo by Michael Murillo)

But it’s their lives that also can cause problems for their owners: Those same birds can live for 60, 80 or even 100 years. When you take a Macaw in as a pet, there’s an excellent chance it will outlive you.

And that’s just one reason why an exotic bird can be displaced from its home. Life changes, such as marriage, divorce and the addition of children can, which can leave a bird in need of a new place to live. And if it goes to a new family, it might only be a matter of time before another situation occurs and the cycle starts all over again.

But Wesley Chapel resident Patricia Norton is doing everything she can to prevent that from happening. Her original plans to open her own veterinary clinic more than 13 years ago changed when she decided to do something very different to help animals.

“I found that the need for a sanctuary was greater than the need for another vet clinic,” she said.

So Norton did just that, turning the one-acre property where she lives into the Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary. It’s now the nation’s second-largest bird sanctuary in the United States, she said, and with 370 feathered residents currently, it’s actually the largest still accepting new birds.

With a small staff and some volunteers, Norton’s organization houses them, supplies them with 1,500 pounds of food (costing around $2,500 a month), and has a veterinarian visit the location every week to maintain their health. The birds are nursed back from injury or sickness if necessary, paired up when possible, and acclimated to their own species as well as an outdoor climate.

The end result is a safer environment, happier birds and a place for them to spend the rest of their lives, she said.

Norton, the organization’s president and executive director, is more comfortable with the title “Birdmother.” She’s also very hands-on when it comes to creating a safe environment for her lifelong guests.

The sanctuary builds its own cages, with the founder designing all of them herself.

“I lay awake at night designing,” Norton admits. “It’s something I enjoy. After about 13 years of building cages, I’ve pretty much come up with what I think is the perfect cage to meet all of their needs at a lower expense.”

Bird owners often help with the expense of building the cages their birds will use.

Those cage designs not only allow for more flight and interaction with fellow parrots (as well as isolation for those whose behavior indicates they’re not ready for full assimilation), they’re also designed to prevent adding to the overpopulation problem. Parrots that are accepted will never be adopted or sold into a private home, and the sanctuary doesn’t want them breeding, either.

Even though the birds can mate, they won’t lay eggs if the environment isn’t conducive to nesting, Norton said. The sanctuary designs cages so that won’t happen, meaning the birds can enjoy companionship without adding to its ranks.

Since there is no lack of parrots that need a good home, there are always more of them waiting for a spot than the sanctuary can accommodate. Rather than refuse new admissions, Norton wants the sanctuary to accept all requests, with room to grow. That means finding a bigger home for the sanctuary so they can provide a bigger home for more birds.

“We have probably another 200 on a waiting list, which is why we’re really needing to expand and put the funds together for the expansion project, not only to purchase the property, but to build new flight cages,” she said.

The sanctuary has selected a five-acre property in Hudson as its new home, and Norton’s goal is to have 1,000 birds under its care within the next five years.

While the changes are necessary, they’re also expensive: Norton estimates the new property will cost around $300,000, and must be raised even while the sanctuary goes through its estimated $6,000 in monthly operating costs. The sanctuary is more than a year into a capital campaign, called “Spreading Our Wings,” and is open for tours by appointment to raise awareness and attract interested donors to their cause.

They also keep their community presence high by participating frequently in Fresh Market at Wiregrass, the first and third Saturdays of each month at The Shops At Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel.

But regardless of their location, Norton is determined that the sanctuary will remain a safe haven where owners can bring their parrots with a sense of relief and a clear conscience.

“I’ve had people get in their cars and drive all the way from Michigan, Wisconsin and all the way across the country to bring parrots here,” she said. “And that’s only because they feel very secure that these birds are going to be safe here.”

For more information about the Florida Exotic Bird Sanctuary, or to schedule a tour, visit FlaBirdSanctuary.com, or call (813) 545-5406.

Published Feb. 12, 2014