Local News

Business Digest 11-26-14

November 26, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

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

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

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

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

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

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

The meeting will include a feature speaker and networking.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For information, call (800) 322-9186.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group has scheduled several speakers for the coming months. The group meets every other week at the Village Inn at 5214 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

Upcoming speakers include:

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

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

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

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

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

For information, email .

On the Agenda-11-26-14

November 26, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wiregrass Ranch High lays groundwork for 10-period day

November 20, 2014 By B.C. Manion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published November 19, 2014

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Pristine Lakes community moves planned entrance to Ehren Cutoff

November 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published November 19, 2014

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Beef O’Brady’s puts comedy on the menu

November 20, 2014 By Michael Murillo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published November 19, 2014

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Hooters coming to Land O’ Lakes? Not so fast

November 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Could it be a little wishful thinking?

Drivers heading north on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard saw a surprise announcement on the sign that once shared dinner specials at the old Mosquito Grill & Bar: the long-rumored Hooters chain was coming to that location next year.

The problem, however, is it’s not true. At least for now.

“I’ve called it one of Land O’ Lakes’ biggest urban legends,” said Meredith Kleker, executive director of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. “All I’ve ever heard about that is rumors, and we’ve been hearing them for years.”

In fact, Hooters was rumored to be coming to Land O’ Lakes in 2012 when Rapscallions was still open at 4422 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The owner of the restaurant, however, told an online publication at the time that it wasn’t true, nor were reports that Rapscallions was closing.

Rapscallions did indeed close a short time later, but Hooters didn’t swoop in to take over the lakeside property. Mosquito Grill & Bar opened there instead.

That restaurant shut down last spring, once again opening the rumor floodgates that included the Clearwater-based chain. And since Centennial Bank claimed ownership of the 2 acres of land that covers the two lakeside lots along U.S. 41, the sign announcing the new Hooters was even more believable.

There are plans for the land, and there is even a potential buyer working to get it under contract, but it’s not for Hooters, said Bill Nye, a commercial real estate broker in Wesley Chapel.

“There is definitely not a Hooters going in there,” Nye said, although he said it was far too early to give details on what might go there instead.

Nye’s name came into the mix after he called Pasco County officials three weeks ago asking about the property, according to Ruthann Dattoli of the county’s planning and development department. His questions centered around county requirements that might come into place if a developer decided to raze the 42-year-old building, or simply remodel it.

Nye also mentioned that the neighboring residential lot to the north could be turned into a parking lot, Dattoli said.

It would be difficult for a restaurant chain to build something new on the land, Nye said, because its lakeside location has far different environmental requirements than what existed in the 1970s.

“It’s going to be almost impossible to tear that building down and put another one there,” said Nye, the owner of Nye Commercial Advisors. “There are some stringent setbacks to adhere to, and the county is not going to bend very much on them.”

Centennial foreclosed on a $900,000 mortgage on the property owed by C of Pasco Inc., last month, which purchased the property in 2010. At the time, it was the home of Rapscallions, which was featured in a 2011 episode of the former Travel Channel program “Man v. Food,” hosted by Adam Richman.

An ownership group associated with Rapscallions purchased the property in 2005 for just under $1 million, and continued to operate the restaurant there even after selling to C of Pasco in 2010.

Mosquito struggled to follow Rapscallions despite plans to completely remodel the location. Yet, no matter who takes over that land, it’s a prime piece of real estate, said the chamber’s Kleker said.

“If you look at that location, it’s a good location,” she said. “And it’s not too close to other stores.”

It’s also not far from Ukulele Brand’s, which has a lakeside restaurant on the other side of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. Yet, even if a new restaurant goes into the Mosquito spot, Kleker feels there’s still plenty of business to go around.

“I don’t think it would hurt Uke’s at all,” she said. “It’s good to have a thriving business in our community. And while we love our small businesses, we still love all businesses that can thrive here.”

A spokeswoman for Hooters of America Inc., and the related original company Hooters Inc. — which both own Hooters restaurants throughout the country — told The Laker/Lutz News Monday there were no plans to open a Hooters in Land O’ Lakes.

That would leave the closest Hooters restaurant in Port Richey, which is owned by Hooters Inc., the original Hooters company that owns a handful of locations in the Tampa Bay area, as well as Chicago and New York City.

Correction to print edition story: Hooters of America and Hooters Inc. both continue to operate and open Hooters restaurants throughout the United States. Although Hooters of America, based in Atlanta, is responsible for the national brand, Hooters Inc. in Clearwater — owned by the chain founders — still control the Tampa Bay territory, as well as additional restaurants in Chicago and New York. Hooters Inc. controls all the Hooters restaurants in the Tampa Bay region, including the one at Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. A story in the Nov. 19 edition of The Laker/Lutz News stated otherwise.

Published November 19, 2014

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Retired woman writes a new chapter in life

November 20, 2014 By B.C. Manion

After spending a career in the high-pressure arena of hospital risk management, Linda Pollock retired a couple of years ago and promptly immersed herself into a new full-time endeavor.

The Land O’ Lakes woman, who turns 70 this month, often devotes 10 hours or more a day to writing.

Linda Pollock, who writes under the name Linda J. Pifer, holds two of her finished works. ‘Ohio Girl’ is a memoir about growing up in Ohio. The other book, ‘Windows,’ is a novel that the author describes as part romance, part genealogical mystery. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She finished her first book, a memoir called “Ohio Girl,” in 2013. Just a few weeks ago, she published a novel called “Windows,” which is available through print-by-demand on Amazon.

She’s also done the writing for “Daniel Smith,” a second novel that continues the story she began in “Windows.” But she still needs to edit “Daniel Smith” before she can publish it.

Then, she expects to follow that with “Copper Swift,” which will either round out the trilogy, or set the stage for a fourth book in the series. She’s aiming for a 2015 release date for “Daniel Smith,” and a 2016 publication date for “Copper Swift.”

Pollock, who publishes under her maiden name, Linda J. Pifer, always has loved to write.

“I had an English lit teacher when I was in high school that just really encouraged me to use the gift,” Pollock said. “He really was my inspiration, when I was a kid.”

Initially, she studied nursing and planned to pursue that as a career.

“That’s what girls did then,” she said.

It didn’t take her long to discover that nursing wasn’t her true calling, so she enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After her stint there, she went into retail work.

Later, she began working for hospitals — first, as an administrative clerk, and then later in risk management. She finished her career doing just that for the former University Community Hospital, now Florida Hospital Tampa.

Over the years, Pollock wrote articles for hospital newsletters. She penned her first nationally circulated work in 2003, a piece about her uncle called “The Cloverfinder” that was published in Country Magazine.

After she retired, Pollock turned her attention to telling the story of growing up in Ohio, surrounded by her family. She culled through hundreds of photographs to accompany her memoir that details her life and her recollections about her grandparents, great aunts, uncles and other family members on both sides of the Pifer, Wanamaker and Guerin families.

Her first novel “Windows” focuses on a Florida woman whose husband has died from cancer. The main character, Sarah Sandlin, is obsessed with genealogy, and uses it as a way to hide from life.

“She wants to let go of her grief,” but she can’t, the author said.

Eventually, Sarah receives a letter from one of her husband’s friends who wants her to come to the United Kingdom to research his family’s genealogy. She agrees, which leads to a story that Pollock describes as both romance and genealogical mystery.

As Sarah uncovers secrets hidden in the old estate house, a New Zealand connection emerges which leads to the next novel, “Daniel Smith.”

That novel tells the story of Daniel Smith, who travels to New Zealand from Scotland with his wife on a masted ship in 1843.

Pollock’s novels draw heavily from her imagination, but also involve considerable research. She uses the Internet, books, movies and other sources to help create the backdrop for her stories.

She even consulted with a member of Blackheath Dawn Writers, a United Kingdom writers group, to ensure that the descriptions of her settings and the dialect she uses create an authentic look and feel.

The Land O ‘ Lakes author understands there’s no guarantee that her hard work will attract a broad audience or yield a lucrative return. Still, she’s willing to invest the time and creative energy that’s required.

“You’ve got this stuff in you, and you’ve got to put it down on paper, even if it is just for my family or someone that looks at it on some dusty shelf in 20 years,” she said.

Even though she’s content to lose herself in the work, Pollock has one regret.

“It’s a shame I didn’t start sooner,” she said.

She believes it takes authors 15 to 20 years to become established and widely known.

“Now, I’m 70,” Pollock said. “And even if I lived to be 90, I’ve only got 20 more years.”

Published November 19, 2014

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Early interception sets tone for Sunlake playoff win

November 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

The Vanguard Knights had a long bus trip from Ocala to Pasco County to face the Sunlake Seahawks. And they weren’t going to leave without an upset in the first round of the Class 6A high school playoffs.

Sunlake Seahawks kicker Chris Wilkinson reflects on a missed field goal early in the team’s final regular season game against Zephyrhills, but bounced back with an opening field goal from 18 yards out to help Sunlake beat Vanguard in the first round of the state playoffs. (Fred Bellet/Photo)

Darryn Lake fell on the ball on the Knights’ own 37-yard-line following the kickoff, giving Vanguard great field position to start the game. But just eight seconds later, senior cornerback Mosi Davis would change everything.

In the very first snap of the 2014 playoffs between Sunlake and Vanguard, Knights quarterback N’Kosi Perry immediately tested the Seahawks’ defense with a long pass downfield. Davis, however, read the pass the entire way, and was there on his own 28-yard line to intercept the ball and set the tone for a 24-6 first round Sunlake win on Friday.

Sunlake (9-2) dominated the ground with 280 yards and three touchdowns. The Knights, on the other hand, were powerful in the air. Perry recovered quickly from his first-pass interception to complete 17-of-29 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown. Perry’s defense, however, limited Sunlake to just a Chris Wilkinson field goal early in the first quarter off two interceptions.

“We’ll enjoy this one, but we better not be satisfied,” Sunlake head coach Bill Browning said after the game. “Everyone in the playoffs is good.”

After Davis’ game-starting interception, the Seahawks took 12 plays to reach Vanguard’s 1-yard line. However, senior running back Nathan Johnson just couldn’t cross the end zone, forcing the Seahawks to settle on an 18-yard field goal from senior Chris Wilkinson to give Sunlake an early 3-0 lead.

Both teams would trade three-and-outs right after that, with Perry breaking that cycle late in the first by moving to his passing game. He converted a third-and-20 with just 23 seconds left with a 50-yard pass to Lake. And after running 5 more yards himself, Perry found Lake one more time 14 yards away, this time in the end zone, to give Vanguard a 6-3 lead to start the second.

Knowing they may not get too many more chances to score, Vanguard head coach Edwin Farmer opted for a fake point-after kick, but could only watch as Rashard Laiz was stopped just inches from the goal-line, preventing a two-point conversion.

The Knights never really had a chance after that. Sunlake consistently moved the ball and burned clock, staying on the ground as much as possible. They added touchdowns along the way as well, including a 46-yard mad dash by Davis that put the Seahawks up 10-6 less than a minute after Vanguard took the lead.

Naejaun Jackson tacked on two touchdowns of his own, the first on a 7-yard scamper late in the first, and the second a 6-yard end zone run in the third.

Johnson led the rushing attack with 102 yards, while quarterback Dayton Feiden added 64 yards of his own. Feiden spent very little time in the air, finishing 4-of-6 for 63 yards with no touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Lake led all Knights receivers with 108 yards and a touchdown, while Justin Watkins picked up 38 yards on three catches. The Seahawks’ defense, however, sacked Perry five times in the game, costing Vanguard 22 yards.

Sunlake now heads on the road this week to face Gainesville, which outlasted Mitchell 24-17 in the first round. And like Vanguard before it, Sunlake has experience against what is expected to be a tough Hurricanes team that is far better than its 6-5 record might indicate.

“We played Gainesville before, so we know what to expect,” Browning said, citing the 17-14 loss to the Hurricanes last year that knocked Sunlake out of the playoffs in the first round.

And how will the Seahawks prepare?

“We’ll just keep believing in ourselves,” Browning said, “and work hard.”

Sunlake statistics
RUSHING—Nathan Johnson 20-102, Dayton Feiden 8-64, Mosi Davis 1-46, Naejaun Jackson 5-26, Logan Wolfe 4-25, Terrence Jackson 1-7.
PASSING—Dayton Feiden 4-5-0-63.
RECEIVING—Terrence Jackson 1-37, Nick Valdes 2-33, A.J. McClendon 1-4.
QB SACKS—Austin Yeloushan 1.5, Dylan Franklin 1, Spencer Jarvis 1, Will Alvarez 1, Kalon Gipson 0.5.
INTERCEPTIONS—Mosi Davis 1, Dylan Stanton 1

Published November 19, 2014

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Thanksgiving is a time of tradition, fellowship, food

November 20, 2014 By B.C. Manion

If Thanksgiving is all about sharing time together while enjoying a holiday meals with all of the trimmings, the Benedictine Sisters of Florida and Saint Anthony of Padua parish want to help make that happen for people unable to prepare their own meal, would otherwise dine alone, or do not have the means to make it happen.

Sister Donna DeWitt shows off some of the pies she baked for a previous Thanksgiving feast provided by the Benedictine Sisters of Florida and Saint Anthony of Padua parish. The two organizations will team up again this year to provide another holiday dinner for those who are unable to prepare their own meal, or are seeking companionship for the holiday. (Courtesy of Benedictine Sisters of Florida)

Putting on the traditional feast and inviting others to share it has been a tradition for 19 years. The “Food, Fun, Faith and Fellowship” dinner is free, and takes place on Thanksgiving afternoon Nov. 27.

The meal includes turkey, stuffing, salad, mashed potatoes and pie.

Making the mashed potatoes is a gargantuan chore. It involves peeling 100 pounds of potatoes and then preparing them with Sister Donna DeWitt’s closely guarded recipe.

Members of the Saint Anthony Women’s Club get into the act, too, baking pies and making other desserts to top off the holiday meal.

Dinner is served from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., in the parish center behind Saint Anthony Church, 32848 Massachusetts Ave., in San Antonio.

Those who are homebound or who need transportation can call to schedule delivery of a meal, or to get a ride to enjoy the company of others on Thanksgiving. The numbers are (352) 588-8320, or (352) 588-3081.

Sister Jean Abbott, who lives at the Holy Name Monastery that the sisters share, loves the holiday tradition. It is a nice gathering.

“It’s better than a handout because we get to sit and eat with people,” Abbott said.

If people don’t have a way to get there, they don’t need to feel left out. “We can pick people up,” Abbott added.

If they’re simply unable to travel, she said, “we can do home delivery.”

Other Thanksgiving events

The Northeast Pasco Ministerial Association is having an annual Thanksgiving service Nov. 25 at noon, followed by a meal at Calvary Assembly, 13544 U.S. 98-Bypass, Dade City. A free will offering will be taken.
The 35th annual Bluegrass Music Festival will have bands, music, workshops and camping from Nov. 27-29, at the Sertoma Youth Ranch, 85 Meyers Road in Brooksville.
Annual Thanksgiving Boogie and Skillz in the Hillz, Nov. 22-31, at 4241 Sky Dive Lane in Zephyrhills. Buffet dinners are served nightly. For information, visit SkydiveCity.com.

Published November 19, 2014

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Business Digest 11-19-14

November 20, 2014 By Michael Hinman

New CruiseOne franchise in Lutz
Edward Scott of Lutz is opening a CruiseOne franchise locally.

The home-based company offers cruise and land vacation packages.

Scott is now part of the World Travel Holdings family of brands, one of the leading travel retail networks in the world.

Scott is available Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or online at CruiseOne.com/Escott.

For information, call (813) 995-0937.

Former chamber director emeritus dies
Friends and family gathered last week to remember Rebecca “Nanna” Harper, a former director emeritus for the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, who died Nov. 10. She was 79.

Harper spent 20 years with Teco, and served as the cooperative business education program contact for the utility at Pasco High School. She also was the former president of the National Management Association.

She is survived by three children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Builders struggling to find workers
Construction employers added 12,000 jobs in October, and unemployment in that sector fell to its lowest levels since 2006, according to a new report from Associated General Contractors of America.

The construction employment gains, along with rising wages and weekly hours, are consistent with survey results from the group that more firms are having a tough time finding enough qualified workers to fill available positions.

Construction employment totaled just under 6.1 million in October, the highest since May 2009, with a 12-month gain of 231,000 jobs, or 3.9 percent. Residential building and specialty trade contractors added a combined 8,000 employees since September, and 130,600 over 12 months — a jump of 6 percent.

Non-residential contractors — building, specialty trades, and heavy and civil engineering — experienced an overall gain of 2,600 employees for the month, and just under 100,000 over the past year.

“The construction industry has made an impressive contribution to the nation’s unemployment gains this year,” said Stephen Sandherr, the association’s chief executive, in a release. “But those gains are in jeopardy unless schools, colleges and training programs can refill a pool of talent that is rapidly drying up.”

Airports offer new flight destinations
Beginning next September, Tampa International Airport will begin five-day-a-week nonstop air service to Frankfurt, Germany, through Lufthansa.

It’s the first airport on Florida’s west coast to offer the service.

Frankfurt is the largest of Lufthansa’s five hubs, offering connections to more than 145 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The 11-hour flight will leave daily from Tampa at 5:20 p.m., arriving in Germany at 8:45 a.m. the following day.

The plane will offer a little less than 300 seats, including some in the business class that can transform into beds.

A little closer to home, Allegiant announced it would offer five new nonstop domestic flights to five cities out of St. Pete/Clearwater Airport. They include new routes to Pittsburgh; Indianapolis; Richmond, Virginia; Hagerstown, Maryland; and Omaha, Nebraska.

Most of those flights will begin the weekend of Feb. 11, with Hagerstown and Omaha following in late February and early March next year.

Upcoming SCORE seminars
The Pasco-Hernando Chapter of SCORE, which historically stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives, will host the following upcoming free seminar. For information, visit SCORE439.org.

Building a Plan for a Successful Business — Nov. 25 at 5:30 p.m., at Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Road in Hudson. The business plan guides a company’s daily operation and activity toward the goals and objectives that have been established. Participants can learn what data is required to write their plan, review the techniques used to acquire it, and how to use this data to establish realistic goals and objectives.

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.

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 .

Upcoming speakers include:

Vicki Jones, manager of Palm Tree Acres, and author Madonna Wise, Nov. 25
Scott Lindner, pastor of Atonement Lutheran Church, Dec. 9
Michael Smith, pastor of Fair Haven Baptist Church and principal of Zephyrhills Christian Academy

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.