The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Special needs recreational classes struggling to stay afloat

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Megan Burgess loves to paint and sing.

She looks forward to her weekly art and music class, designed for people with special needs, which are Thursday evenings at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex on Collier Parkway. But if it doesn’t get more support, she might lose that opportunity.

Megan Burgess paints at her weekly art class at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex with art teacher Angela Dickerson looking on. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Megan Burgess paints at her weekly art class at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex with art teacher Angela Dickerson looking on.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

And that loss would be felt by both Megan and her mother.

“It would be horrible. You want the kids to be socializing,” Violetta Burgess said.

Her daughter Megan, 21, has low-functioning autism. She has trouble communicating verbally, but her enthusiasm for the class is clear: When Violetta tells her it’s time for art or music, Megan goes to find her shoes. She knows where she’s going that night, and has a fun time singing, using percussion instruments, painting and participating with everyone else in the class.

The problem is that “everyone” was just five students this past session. And for VSA Florida, the state branch of Very Special Arts — an international nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding art opportunities for people with disabilities — five is simply not enough.

“It does put the program in jeopardy, because if we don’t keep our numbers up, we’re not able to keep it going,” said Wendy Finklea, VSA Florida’s director of programs. “We aren’t at the point where the class is sustaining itself.”

The class requires at least seven students to break even, but really needs a steady roster of 10 or more students to be financially viable long-term. The $40 per month that participants pay not only compensates the teachers who direct the classes, but also covers a nominal fee the organization pays the recreation complex.

Since classes moved from the University of South Florida to Land O’ Lakes in January, attendance has ranged from four to eight students. Those figures have required VSA Florida to keep it going with other funds, Finklea said. They also provide scholarships based on need for families who cannot afford the monthly cost.

While the class is caught in a numbers game, Finklea said the benefits go way beyond the balance sheet.

“They learn self confidence, they learn teamwork, collaboration, tolerance, understanding,” she said.

And since the students are often asked to describe or explain their art, they learn to express themselves in a variety of ways.

While the Land O’ Lakes class attendance is troubling, that location isn’t alone. Many of their locations struggle with attendance, Finklea said. She believes there are several reasons why the programs don’t always gain traction, from a lack of societal emphasis on the arts, to scheduling conflicts, to parents not even knowing the classes exist.

But the ones who attend appreciate the program, and Finklea said the training the teachers receive to work with special needs students contributes to the positive feedback.

While Finklea and VSA Florida are disappointed with the turnout so far, they aren’t giving up. VSA Florida will continue advertising and promoting the classes, and is working with a consultant to find other opportunities to get the word out to the community.

After a scheduled summer break in August, the classes will begin again in September, and Finklea said they’ll have roughly six months to get the program running at a higher capacity before some tough decisions have to be made.

Right now she believes many people with special needs are missing out on the benefits of the class, and if it has to be cancelled or relocated, the existing students will join them.

“They’re probably missing out on a huge chance for creative expression and probably a chance to enhance their cognitive and social outcomes, which ultimately develops a stronger quality of life,” Finklea said.

That outcome would disappoint Megan, and her mother would have a tough time replacing the activity and the enjoyment she gets out of it.

“My daughter would lose out because I don’t know what I would do,” Violetta said. “She’s older, and it’s hard to find something for her that’s close.”

Siblings of special needs students also are encouraged to join and participate with them in the classes. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information about VSA Florida, call (813) 974-0715, or visit VSAFl.org.

Published July 30, 2014

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Forget Comic-Con, Pasco welcomes LAMECon this weekend

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Just last weekend, tens of thousands of fans converged on San Diego for its annual Comic-Con event, paying obscene amounts of money for travel, hotel and tickets just to get inside.

But this weekend, local residents can get their geek on. And they don’t even have to spend a dime.

Stephanie Stonebridge and Jessica Samuelson show off their costumes during last year’s LAMECon in Land O’ Lakes. The event returns this weekend at both the Land O’ Lakes library and the recreation center on Collier Parkway. (Courtesy of Paul Stonebridge)
Stephanie Stonebridge and Jessica Samuelson show off their costumes during last year’s LAMECon in Land O’ Lakes. The event returns this weekend at both the Land O’ Lakes library and the recreation center on Collier Parkway.
(Courtesy of Paul Stonebridge)

The Library Anime and Manga Enthusiast Convention, more affectionately known as LAMECon, kicks off Aug. 2 at the Land O’ Lakes Library and at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center on Collier Parkway. The free event attracted more than 700 people last year, and organizer Paul Stonebridge says his goal is to top 1,000 this year.

“Our central audience is teens and 20-somethings, so it’s like the 14 to 30 crowd,” Stonebridge said. “But it’s really open for everybody. We have stuff for kids, and even a ‘Game of Thrones’ panel for adults. We’ve really doubled our convention size this year.”

LAMECon got its start six years ago in Hudson before moving to Land O’ Lakes in later years. It provides a way for young people to celebrate their love of anime and manga — more or less Japanese comics and animation — without spending the kind of money expected at larger conventions like Metrocon, held earlier this month in downtown Tampa.

“We’re pretty far from the conventions in South Tampa and Orlando, and there are a lot of people in Pasco who simply can’t afford it,” Stonebridge said. “These are mainly high schoolers and college kids, and they desperately wanted to go. And now they have something they can go to.”

Although food and games are one way to attract people to conventions, Stonebridge says it’s the panels hitting popular topics among fans that draw the most attention. This year, LAMECon will have two tracts that will include discussions like the aforementioned Emmy-nominated HBO series “Game of Thrones,” as well as trivia, Asian horror and Japanese culture.

There will even be a panel featuring readings from bad fan-fiction — stories set in the universe of popular television shows, movies and even anime and games, written exclusively by fans.

One feature this year is an achievement system designed to encourage attendees to participate as much as possible. More than 50 achievement badges are available, which can be earned from attending panels, asking questions, visiting vendors, and simply just showing up.

Hosting a convention is not cheap, and LAMECon doesn’t earn any money from the typical ways conventions generate revenue like ticket sales or vendor rental fees. In fact, local businesses can set up and offer wares for free.

LAMECon is funded through grants and donations, as well as sponsors like Publix Super Markets and the DeBartolo Family Foundation, Stonebridge said. The convention also offers premium memberships for a small donation, which can include food, T-shirts and other offers.

Conventions like this have earned a lot of new respect over the years, growing from the early days of Star Trek conventions that were typically ridiculed in the mainstream. The success of shows like “Game of Thrones” and the “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy has helped that, Stonebridge said.

But it’s the comics entertainment company Marvel that deserves a lot of the credit, he said.

“Marvel has had a huge hand in all of this, more than anyone else,” Stonebridge said. “All the comic boom movies, those have been in the mainstream. And so it’s OK to like comics and video games now.”

WHAT: LAMECon 2014, Library Anime and Manga Enthusiast Convention
WHEN: Aug. 2 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway on Saturday; Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center, 3032 Collier Parkway on Sunday
COST: Free
INFO: LAMECon.com

Published July 30, 2014

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Business Digest 07-30-14

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Local businesses boast successful events
The Connerton community on U.S. 41 recently treated 700 guests to an extended holiday celebration with its July Fifth Big Event — an old-fashioned neighborhood party in its new town community.

The event included local bands, food trucks, games, and 30 minutes of holiday fireworks.

Also having a successful recent event was Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care for its first Founder’s Day celebration in New Port Richey. More than 150 people attended.

The program celebrated 25 years of the company, which was originally founded as Central Gulfside Hospice in 1988.

Watch N’ Play comes to Radiant
David and Aggie Gainer of Land O’ Lakes will compete with Redbox with a new Watch N’ Play kiosk at Radiant stores in the area.

The first has opened at the Radiant on the corner of Collier Parkway and State Road 54, with a second location in the next couple months at a new store under construction near State Road 54 and Interstate 75 near the entrance to The Grove shopping center in Wesley Chapel.

The kiosk offers new DVD movies and video games 28 days ahead of Redbox, David Gainer said, as well as the ability of customers to purchase movies and games directly from the kiosk.

The franchise, also owned by Selma Jones and Keisha Jones, plans to open seven locations in Pasco and northern Hillsborough counties over the next year, joining more than 190 Watch N’ Play locations at Radiant nationally.

The Pasco locations are the first in Florida for the service.

Marketing summit in Tampa
The Tampa Bay Marketing Summit will take place Aug. 8 beginning at 8:45 a.m., at Mainsail Conference Center, 5108 Eisenhower Blvd., in Tampa.

The event is hosted by EMSI in Wesley Chapel, which provides news content for print and online news outlets, as well as television and radio talk shows.

For information, visit TampaBayMarketingSummit.com, or call Marsha Friedman at (727) 443-7115, Ext. 201.

Florida Traditions acquisition finalized
Home BancShares Inc., the parent company of Centennial Bank, has finalized its acquisition of Florida Traditions Bank, and its branches located in eastern Pasco and Hillsborough counties, among other places.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but previous published reports put the sale at $43 million in stock. The combined Centennial Bank will now boast $7 billion in total assets, and $5.5 billion in total deposits in nearly 150 branches in Florida, Arkansas and Alabama.

Bud Stalnaker, the chief executive of Florida Traditions, will stay on with the new Centennial as division president for Central Florida.

Florida Traditions was founded in 2007 by a group of East Pasco County business owners who saw a need for a locally owned and locally managed bank, according to the company’s website. It had eight branches in Zephyrhills, Dade City, Spring Hill, Winter Haven, Lakeland, Plant City, Kissimmee and St. Cloud.

Pasco EDC annual banquet
The 2014 Pasco Economic Development Council annual banquet will be Sept. 2 beginning at 5 p.m., at Saddlebrook Resort Grand Pavilion, 5700 Saddlebrook Way in Wesley Chapel.

Cost is $75 per person.

For more information, or to make a reservation, call (813) 926-0827, or email .

EDI2 needs applicants
Hillsborough County’s Economic Development Innovation Initiative will stop taking applications for its fourth funding cycle Aug. 1.

The program is developed to drive the growth of technology and innovation at start-up companies and small businesses. It encompasses the need for financial, technical and infrastructure support, and addresses the Hillsborough County Commission’s support of the business community.

Since its launch last year, 55 applicants have received just under $600,000 in funds to support the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem through support of events, industry promotions and service providers.

For information, visit HillsboroughCounty.org/EDI2, or call Jennifer Whelihan at (813) 272-6217.

‘Dancing With Our Stars’ returns
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will once again host “Dancing With Our Stars,” with a performance scheduled for Oct. 18.

The chamber still has a few dance slots to fill, as well as a need for volunteers to help behind the scenes for the “stars” who will be trained by dance professionals to perform a short routine.

The overall winner will be based on monetary votes, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting arts programs in the community.

To participate, volunteer or even sponsor, visit CentralPascoChamber.com, or call (813) 909-2722.

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

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

For information, call (813) 073-1657.

Political Agenda 07-30-14

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Brand USA bill moves forward
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, says his bill in Congress — the Travel Promotion, Enhancement and Modernization Act — passed the House recently by a vote of 347-57.

“Tourism is an integral part of our economy, especially in Florida,” Bilirakis said, in a release. “Increased tourism means more American and Floridian jobs.”

Bilirakis says his bill will create job growth without utilizing any taxpayer dollars.

The U.S. Senate is taking up a companion bill that Bilirakis has asked them to pass “without delay.”

The bill strengthens American competitiveness in the global travel and tourism markets by reauthorizing Brand USA — a public-private partnership designed to encourage tourism in the country, according to Bilirakis. The Congressional Budget Office says Brand USA would reduce the nation’s deficit by $231 million.

The travel and tourism sector is the top industry in Florida, employing more than 1 million Floridians and generating nearly $71.5 billion in spending.

Goulbourne gets state appointment
Christine Goulbourne of Trinity has been appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to serve on the Florida Rehabilitation Council.

Goulbourne, director of programs at the Family Network on Disabilities, fills a vacant seat for a term that ends June 30, 2016.

Also appointed are John Pribanic of Bushnell, Shawn Peters of Royal Palm Beach, Janet Servet of Edgewater, Kara Tucker of Neptune Beach, and Rebecca Witonsky of Boca Raton.

Interest sparks in electric car conversions

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When Steve Azzoli pulls his bright blue car into an auto parts store and pops open his hood, he invariably draws a crowd.

That’s because the retired Land O’ Lakes man is tooling around in an all-electric car, and people want to take a look.

Steve Azzoli said his electric car creates a buzz when people take a look under its hood. He invested about $23,000 on the car, but gets 110 miles to 120 miles per battery charge, and doesn’t have to spend a dime on gasoline. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Steve Azzoli said his electric car creates a buzz when people take a look under its hood. He invested about $23,000 on the car, but gets 110 miles to 120 miles per battery charge, and doesn’t have to spend a dime on gasoline.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Azzoli got the car for his project in 2011, and didn’t get the parts to convert it into an electric vehicle until the middle of 2012.

It took six months to restore the car and another 18 months to convert it.

Rebirth Auto of St. Petersburg helped Azzoli get the right battery system and motor controller, while Diamond Auto Works Inc., in Lutz did the bodywork, welding and fabrication work, and car painting.

Diamond Auto’s Bobby Boles said when Azzoli first told him what he was planning to do, he thought he was crazy. But Boles figured if Azzoli was willing to invest so much in the electric car project, Azzoli must know what he was talking about.

The bodywork made the car more aerodynamic, Azzoli said.

Since completing the project, Azzoli has driven 5,700 miles without using a drop of gas. He estimates he saves about $300 a month with his electric car.

Beyond saving money on fuel, he’s also spending less on maintenance.

The project cost about $23,000, but Azzoli said that is less than what it would cost for a Chevrolet Volt, a popular gas and electric hybrid car. He also notes his car gets more mileage per charge than a Nissan Leaf, another popular electric car.

Before a recent upgrade that reduced the weight of his car, Azzoli said he was getting about 110 miles to 120 miles a charge. Azzoli recently removed about 150 pounds of steel, and changed his battery boxes from steel to aluminum. Once he does some more testing, he’ll know how much the mileage between charges has improved.

Azzoli’s next project will be to change the 14-inch tires to 16-inch tires, improving  highway mileage, he said.

The Land O’ Lakes man isn’t the only one drawn to electric vehicles. Jose Barriga of New Tampa said he became fascinated with the notion of converting a gasoline-powered car into an electric vehicle once he found out it was possible.

He has converted a 2004 Nissan Sentra into an electric car. At first, he was able to get 50 miles per charge.

However, he’s in the midst of upgrading the batteries and expects to be able to get 80 miles per charge once that project is done.

Barriga is sold on the concept of electric cars. He likes the idea of using a car that doesn’t use gasoline or oil, and which doesn’t directly cause pollution.

His second car is a hybrid, which requires him to fill his gas tank about twice a month.

Barriga said he’d like to do another car conversion project, but simply doesn’t have the time.

Steve Messerschmidt, who’s associated with two vehicle companies in St. Petersburg — Rebirth Auto and Evnetics — sells electric vehicle conversion kits to customers around the globe.

There’s a big demand to convert gasoline-powered cars into electric cars, Messerschmidt said.

Some people want to save money on gas. Others enjoy do-it-yourself projects.

Some people want to reduce the carbon footprint. Some people like to show off their cars and they want to have a unique vehicle.

Others want electric cars, but don’t want to be limited to what’s available commercially. They want to choose the make and model of their electric car.

And there are those who want to make a business out of it, Messerschmidt said. “They want to do conversions for other people,” he added.

Edward R. Monfort, chief executive and president of electric driveshaft manufacturer Adomani Inc., is one of those people. He’s looking to convert school buses and trucks into electric vehicles to make money for his company and to save money for school districts and private businesses.

The Tampa man said he’s also exploring the possibility of working with the U.S. Postal Service to provide a fleet of vehicles for its use.

Monfort drives around a Ford F-150 truck that’s been converted to an electric vehicle. His interest in electric vehicles began in 2008 when he was getting into the car business and built an all-electric Mustang.

The car was popular at car shows, but never developed a strong market, Monfort said.

Now, he’s focusing his efforts on finding customers in the fleet market for trucks and buses.

Electric vehicles offer a wise economic choice, Monfort said, noting they can cost less than half as much as a gasoline-powered vehicle over 10 years, considering the purchasing and operating costs.

“There’s a demand for the product,” Messerschmidt said. “Municipalities, as time goes on, they’re going to demand that the carbon footprint go down. This business, in general, is really in its infancy.”

Published July 23, 2014

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Express route to downtown Tampa in jeopardy, HART says

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The number of people who depend on HART’s Route 51X connecting Pasco County to downtown Tampa is dwindling. And so is the organization’s money.

So it’s probably no surprise to some of the remaining riders that officials with Hillsborough Area Regional Transit want to make some significant changes to the route, possibly removing the express route altogether. But at the very least, adding some local stops to finally bring such mass transit service to the New Tampa area.

Park-and-rides like this one at CrossRoads Community United Methodist Church on County Line Road attract maybe six cars a day, HART officials say, while costing riders $24,000 a year. That could change soon for Route 51X. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Park-and-rides like this one at CrossRoads Community United Methodist Church on County Line Road attract maybe six cars a day, HART officials say, while costing riders $24,000 a year. That could change soon for Route 51X.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“It is important as an agency that we consider the needs of the current riders,” HART interim chief operating officer Ruthie Reyes Burckard told concerned riders during a recent meeting at the New Tampa Library. “There is no transportation along Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. We have been looking at this area, and are trying to get some service into this area, whether it’s local or some kind of hybrid option” of both express and local service.

Right now, the express bus takes workers from Pasco County and New Tampa into downtown Tampa early workday mornings, and returns them late in the afternoon. HART is looking at three options to change its service, all of them at least coming with a name change for the route: 51LX.

All the new options include local stops along Bruce B. Downs in places like County Line Road, Tampa Palms Boulevard, and even one route that would make its way to the University of South Florida. However, to add the university to the stops, HART would have to give up on its express service.

But that’s not the only change HART is considering. The transit company says it plans to close two park-and-ride lots in Pasco County that it’s paying nearly $24,000 a year to maintain at Victorious Life Church on Old Pasco Road, and CrossRoads Community United Methodist Church on County Line Road.

“Yes, we are considering closing both, but not until a suitable replacement is found,” HART spokeswoman Sandra Morrison told The Laker/Lutz News. “We are trying to find sites closer to Bruce B. Downs.”

But it’s not just 51X that will have park-and-rides replaced, HART wants to make adjustments to parking situations on other routes like 25LX in the Brandon area, and 47LX in SouthShore.

“We are always looking at more cost-effective locations for park-and-rides on all express routes,” Morrison said. “As a rule, private business and organizations provide parking as a public service at no cost.”

Paying for the Pasco lots eats up nearly half the $3 cash fare, Morrison said. The route carries about 17,000 passengers a year, but the lots average only about six cars per day.

One rider who attended a recent public hearing said HART should focus more on the quality of service it’s providing customers of the 51X to help stem declining ridership, not spend time changing the routes.

“The buses are just in horrible shape,” said Beth Derby from Heather Sound Drive. “We get rained on inside the bus. There is no air-conditioning, and we are lucky that we get downtown in time to get to work.”
Buses, she said, are typically running behind schedule, and riders miss connections at the Marion Transit Center in downtown Tampa.

“If this is your only mode of transportation into town, then you don’t have a choice,” Derby said. “But you know a lot of us do, and if it comes between taking a bus that risks my job because I can’t make it on time to work, then I’ll drive. I’m not going to lose my job because HART can’t get its act together.”

HART is struggling with funding, hampering its efforts to replace aging buses, said the organization’s senior manager of service planning Steven Feigenbaum. And some of the problems keeping the buses on schedule are actually outside of HART’s control.

“The synchronization of the (traffic) lights, and the engineering of the lights, are the responsibility with the city of Tampa,” Feigenbaum said. “I’ve been in contact with them time and time again to be more liberal on their timing, but we have not had a lot of luck.”

Without the lights being in sync to help move traffic, buses are getting stopped at multiple lights in a short road span, he said.

What changes, if any, will be made to Route 51X now depends on HART’s board of directors, a group of 13 people representing local and state governments. They are scheduled to hear the presentations on the various options in a September meeting, as well as input from riders of the service. While the board could implement changes as early as November, Feigenbaum said it’s more likely riders won’t see any changes to 51X until March at the earliest because of manpower shortages.

State Rep. Mark Danish, D-Tampa, attended HART’s public hearing on Route 51X earlier this month, and said he favored keeping the express route with local options.

“In this state, we are trying to increase mass transit, and (options) two and three (removing the express route) are going in the opposite direction,” Danish said. “A lot of people here already have been using it to go downtown, and it seems kind of strange to basically kill that bus route now.”

Published July 23, 2014

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Land O’ Lakes resident wants return of Flapjack Festival

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For nearly 30 years, Mark Ballard had a routine when it came to the Land O’ Lakes Flapjack Festival.

“The kids would go to eat the pancakes in the morning, then we would go and spend pretty much all day on the rides,” he said. “Then we could go home and come back again at night.”

The Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest doesn’t have a parade, but it does have rides, games and entertainment for area residents, as well as providing fundraising opportunities for local organizations. (File Photo)
The Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest doesn’t have a parade, but it does have rides, games and entertainment for area residents, as well as providing fundraising opportunities for local organizations.
(File Photo)

Ballard lives on what was once the festival’s parade route, and he would take his children — and later his grandchildren — outside with chairs to see it every year.

For more than three decades, even before Ballard moved to Land O’ Lakes, the Flapjack Festival was a community event that included a parade, pageant and rides. Businesses had booths, food trucks served customers, and children played games.

And everyone ate flapjacks.

Over the years it became an annual staple in the community and was a popular destination for area residents. In a way, it was too popular: The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce decided to move the festival from the Land O’ Lakes Community Center on U.S. 41 instead to a place that could accommodate its growth and parking needs. In 2008, the Flapjack Festival flipped over to the Pasco County Fairgrounds in Dade City.

But the public didn’t support the festival at the new location. A year later, it shut down for good. And Ballard still isn’t happy about the move that ended an annual tradition.

“If somebody came down there and took the Gasparilla parade away from Tampa and said they were going to move it to New Orleans, people would say ‘what’s going on there?’“ he said.

The Flapjack Festival was more than a community event. It was a community fundraiser, with local schools and churches benefiting financially.

The year after the festival left Land O’ Lakes, one of the recipients of those funds decided to fill that gap in the schedule. The Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club began an event that’s now known as the Land O’ Lakes Swamp Fest, held at the same location and also with rides, games and an opportunity for local organizations to make some money.

But there’s no parade and no flapjack theme. It’s a smaller event as well. But according to coordinator Doug Hutchinson, that’s the way they want it.

“Swamp Fest is more like a community fair, more so than the Flapjack Festival,” he said.

Hutchinson believes that a smaller event can still be a fun destination for residents, but not get so big that it might grow out of its current location. Hutchinson, a member of the booster club for decades, was also a coordinator with the Flapjack Festival during its heyday. And like Ballard and others, he didn’t want to see it moved to Dade City back in 2008.

“In my opinion, you can’t have a community event and not have it in the community,” he said.

But now that it’s gone, Hutchinson feels Swamp Fest maintains a strong area presence like its predecessor.

Ballard believes that others share his desire to see the Flapjack Festival return, even if it means just seeing the name and theme make a comeback. But Hutchinson said they’ve worked to create something the community could embrace, the event is growing, and they never considered adopting the Flapjack Festival name.

“Flapjack was Flapjack. We wanted our own identity and our own little event,” he said.

Ironically, Swamp Fest itself is in jeopardy this year, and the venue is again the issue. Scheduled to begin Oct. 31, that timeframe could coincide with much-needed improvements to the Land O’ Lakes Community Center the county has budgeted and planned.

While the upgrade should be good for Swamp Fest and other area events in the future, Hutchinson isn’t sure if it will go on as planned this year, possibly facing cancellation until the work is completed. His organization should have a clearer picture of the county’s plans next month, he said.

Ballard has attended Swamp Fest, and said many elements of the Flapjack Festival are still there. But it’s not the same to him, and even though it’s been several years and a replacement is in place, the loss of the Flapjack Festival has left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“It just seems like the identity was stolen from the community,” he said.

Published July 23, 2014

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Dade City hospital readies $3M surgical expansion

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With a new owner and a new name, change has been a constant for Bayfront Health Dade City.

But while some may say too much change is bad, Shauna McKinnon knows that what the Dade City hospital has experienced in recent months will only make it better. And that includes planned major changes coming up this winter.

Change has been the order of business at Bayfront Health Dade City over the past year, but hospital chief executive Shauna McKinnon feels the community has embraced all those changes as positive, including the recent announcement to expand surgical services. (Courtesy of Bayfront Health Dade City)
Change has been the order of business at Bayfront Health Dade City over the past year, but hospital chief executive Shauna McKinnon feels the community has embraced all those changes as positive, including the recent announcement to expand surgical services.
(Courtesy of Bayfront Health Dade City)

McKinnon, who has led the hospital as its chief executive since January 2013, has been making stops around the community sharing news of a $3 million expansion planned to start later this year that will expand the five existing operating rooms, and make some much-needed updates to the pre-operation area and recovery rooms as well.

“We have five rooms there right now, but they are quite small,” McKinnon said. “Everything in the medical field evolves over time, and it creates more of a demand for space. We’re simply responding to that demand.”

The renovation and expansion could take close to a year to complete, but McKinnon is not anticipating any interruptions in service. Enough space will still be made available during construction to keep surgeries going, and the hope is that seeing contractors will build excitement instead of creating any inconvenience at the 13100 Fort King Road facility.

Renovating the surgical areas was next on McKinnon’s list once a $3.5 million expansion of the hospital’s emergency room was completed in 2012. McKinnon, however, didn’t lay out the plans with her parent company until after Community Health Systems Inc. completed its $7.6 billion buyout of previous hospital owner Health Management Associates last year.

“When I talked to them about it, they agreed that we need to be able to respond to the needs of our community and our patients,” McKinnon said. “We had a huge expansion of our ER a couple years ago, and the OR was the next obvious step.”

For McKinnon, it’s hard to believe sometimes how much has happened to the 120-bed hospital in just the past year, with the new name, new owners and expansion. But one thing she’s been proud of is how the community has embraced those changes, especially putting “Dade City” back in the hospital’s name for the first time since the 1990s.

“One of the benefits that we have in going through a rebranding is to be able to retain the name which the hospital has been recognized for in the community,” McKinnon said. “Lending ourselves to the Bayfront name in brand recognition has been wonderful. And to be able to retain the name Dade City was very welcomed by our community.”

Upgrades to the surgical units won’t finish McKinnon’s wish list for future improvements. There is still a lot more she’s looking to do to help Bayfront Health Dade City keep up with the ever-changing medical environment.

“We already have a lot of ongoing projects, like the redesign of our patient rooms, and the redesign of our orthopedic joint center,” she said. “We need to be prepared for more growth and how we’re going to respond to that. And because we care about our patients and the community, we’re prepared.”

Published July 23, 2014

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Lutz girl’s prize-winning photo is in Ranger Rick magazine

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Sarah Robison took a prize-winning photo last fall when she was visiting a park in Rochester, New York.

The 11-year-old was admiring some Canada geese when she noticed a young deer just a few feet away. The young shutterbug knew that she had only an instant to react, and she took advantage of that moment. She took out her iPad and captured the shot.

Sarah Robison, 11, of Lutz, is one of six national winners in a photo competition sponsored by Ranger Rick magazine. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Sarah Robison, 11, of Lutz, is one of six national winners in a photo competition sponsored by Ranger Rick magazine.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The result was a prize-winning image in Ranger Rick magazine’s “Your Best Shots” photo competition. As a winner, her photograph captured one of six spots in a photo display in the August issue of the children’s magazine, published by the National Wildlife Federation.

Other photos in the spread include a swamp scene in the Everglades, a polar bear taking a plunge at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, a hummingbird in a backyard garden in California, some wild mushrooms in the woods, and a giant mola fish off the coast of New Hampshire.

Robison is thrilled that her photo was selected.

“I love taking photos. That’s my hobby,” she said.

Her parents, Randy and Deborah of Lutz, are delighted by Sarah’s achievement, and couldn’t be more proud. Her grandmother, Gloria Russell of Land O’ Lakes, said Sarah has been interested in photography for years.

“Even when she was small, she used to take pictures with my camera,” Russell said.

She’s also had an interest in nature since she was quite young, said Deborah Robison, who homeschools Sarah.

Sarah Robison recalls her mother reading her Ranger Rick stories when she was small. Now that she’s older, Robison thumbs through the magazine herself, learning facts about animals.

Robison loves animals and wants to become a veterinarian when she grows up. She also plans to continue pursuing photography, which she intends to keep as a lifetime hobby.

Robison takes her iPad wherever she goes, in case she sees a good photo opportunity. The iPad has its limitations because she can’t zoom in and get clear shots.

That’s why capturing the photo of the deer was so special, she said.

“I really couldn’t believe he was standing right there,” Robison said.

She kept thinking the deer would run away. But he didn’t, she said.

The photo competition is an ongoing contest, with winners selected three times a year from hundreds of entries, said Mary Dalheim, editorial director of children’s publications for the wildlife group. The judges select photos that fill the frame well and don’t have a cluttered background.

They also seek out images that are interesting and use the proper lighting, she said.

“We’re also looking for an interesting perspective,” Dalheim said. “If you look at the picture of this deer, she’s got him head-on. It’s sort of as if she met eye-to-eye with this deer. We were amused by that.”

The photo contest is intended to encourage children to get outdoors and to observe nature.

“You know how some people say, ‘It takes a village to raise a child?’” Dalheim said.
“At National Wildlife Federation we say, ‘It takes a backyard, or a playground or a park.’”

Being outdoors has many benefits, Dalheim said, noting studies show it helps children grow lean and strong, enhances their imagination and attention span, and improves their classroom performance.

It also helps them to become better stewards of the environment, Dalheim said.

Any child younger than 13 is eligible to enter the contest. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/RangerRickPhoto.

Published July 23, 2014

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Coin club offers chance to learn about history, politics, investing

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Richard Schmetisch’s fascination with coins began when he was about 8 years old.

His dad took him to a flea market, and as they browsed through tools and lawn mowers, Schmetisch spied a coin dealer. And so his passion began.

Richard Schmetisch developed a fascination for coins when he was 8 years old, and he’s been collecting ever since. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Richard Schmetisch developed a fascination for coins when he was 8 years old, and he’s been collecting ever since.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“I just went, ‘Wow!’” the now 51-year-old Land O’ Lakes man said. “I think coins interest a lot more kids than adults.”

Schmetisch began by collecting wheat pennies, buffalo nickels and Mercury dimes, but has branched into more sophisticated collecting since then.

“You could still get buffalo nickels in your change back then, and Mercury dimes in your change,” he said.

Schmetisch remembers the weekend ritual he shared with his dad.

“Every Saturday when I would go to the flea market, my dad would let me buy one coin,” Schmetisch said.

He passed his love for coin collecting along to his son, Kyle, who began coming with him to coin club meetings when he was 7. Now 25, Kyle and his dad were both at a recent meeting of The Tampa Bay Coin Club, which draws members from throughout Tampa Bay.

The coin club meetings are useful, both men said.

“They have guest speakers who teach you about coins and collecting and what to look for, what to be careful of,” Richard said. “A lot of the interest in coins is going to be the history. If you start collecting a certain coin, you start finding out about that time in history and why were certain dates rare and other ones not. What was going on? Was there a war? Was there a Depression?”

There are even coins from countries that no longer exist.

“You learn a lot about geography and history from foreign coins,” the older Schmetisch added.

Collecting coins and currency also is a great way to learn about politics and the economy, he said.

“There’s no end to it. And, I love that about coins. It keeps you learning.”

His son, Kyle, said coin collecting has been a fun hobby, and “extremely profitable.”

“There are a lot of coins I got when I was a kid for $5 and $10 that are easily worth $50 now,” said Kyle, a New Tampa resident. In less than 20 years, he’s made a return that’s tenfold the investment.

Kyle said his dad loves learning as much as he can about coins.

As for him?

“I love trading things back and forth. I like trading up,” Kyle said. “I like getting this bag of coins for $10 and trading that for a coin that’s worth $15 and selling that coin for $20.”

Attending the Tampa Bay Coin Club meetings is very informative, Kyle said.

“There’s more knowledge in these meetings than you can possibly imagine,” he said, noting some club members have been collecting coins for more than a half-century. The knowledge they have is phenomenal.”

Anyone interested in coin collecting should feel free to attend a club meeting because members are welcoming and enjoy sharing their knowledge, Kyle said.

Many people who inherit a coin collection have no idea what it is worth, he said. So, it’s a good idea to show it to members of the coin club to help assess its value.

“A coin club like this one, you can get 20 second opinions in 20 seconds,” Kyle said. “Lots of times they’ll put you in touch with a collector.”

Rudy Valentin is one of those people who has stored up decades of knowledge about coins and currency. The Land O’ Lakes resident was 8 when he bought his first coin, and that was 61 years ago.

“A friend of mine found this Spanish coin, of Isabella II. I bought it from him for eight cents. I still have that coin,” he said.

Initially, it was a mild interest, Valentin said, but he became more serous about it during the 1960s. He’s collected coins from the United States, Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Germany.

“I have a beautiful German coin collection,” said Valentin, who has published articles in Numismatist, the magazine of the American Numismatist Association.

Valentin is humble about his knowledge. “You stay along long enough, you’re going to be an expert.”

The coin club aims to be a fun place for coin and currency lovers to gather, said Joseph Crespo, the club’s president. Crespo, who lives in Wesley Chapel, said he began collecting coins when he was 8.

His interest began when his mother gave him some coins she had saved from his grandmother’s store. That sparked his interest, so he went to the bookstore and bought a catalog.

The 40-year-old said he’s most interested in U.S. coins, especially between 1850 and 1899. He favors coins that were minted in San Francisco and New Orleans.

For those who are interested in learning the values of coins, Crespo recommends they join coin clubs, read publications, attend coin shows and surf the Internet.

It’s important to know what coins are worth before buying or trading, he said. If people realize you lack knowledge, they’ll charge you too much or pay you too little, Crespo said. “Learning is power.”

Coin collectors can invest substantial amounts of money, but they don’t have to, Crespo said. It’s possible to enjoy the hobby without spending a fortune.

“You don’t have to be Donald Trump,” he said.

If you go
WHAT: Tampa Bay Coin Club
WHERE: Forest Hills Park Community Center, 724 W. 109th Ave., Tampa
WHEN: Second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.
COST: $10 annual dues
INFO: TampaBayCoinClub.org

Published July 23, 2014

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