The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

County’s vo-tech program needs some TLC, Luikart says

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After spending decades as a teacher and administrator in Pasco County Schools, Steve Luikart was ready to enjoy retirement. That is, until a letter to the editor in an area newspaper caught the attention of his wife, Nancy, and his life would never be the same.

Steve Luikart feels he’s earned another term on the school board, especially since there’s still much work to do on the district’s vocational technical program. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
Steve Luikart feels he’s earned another term on the school board, especially since there’s still much work to do on the district’s vocational technical program.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“The letter writer wanted to know when someone with the background and experience in the school system would run for the school board,” Luikart said. “My wife got me up at 5:30 that morning and made me read it. ‘Do you know what I’m saying?’ she asked me. I said, ‘Yes, I do.’”

Later that week, Luikart was in the supervisor of elections office, filing paperwork to run for school board, a seat he won in 2010 with 45 percent of the vote in a three-person race. Since then, Luikart has called himself a representative of the men and women who work in the school system, providing a voice he says they may not have otherwise.

“I know how the teachers feel, and how the custodians feel, and how the cafeteria and support staff feel,” he said. “I have worked with all those folks for so long, I can bring a different perspective when some of these things come up” on the board.

Luikart championed the opening of health clinics across the county that he said not only helps keep employees healthy, but saves the school district money in medical costs. Luikart also pushed for a program led by England’s University of Cambridge that provides accelerated methods of academic study, as well as an aeronautics program at Sunlake High School.

“One of my main goals, if I’m re-elected, is to look at our vocational technical programs and get more involved,” Luikart said. “I want to find out more what the students and the community need, because we need to be able to train our students who are not going on to college, and who are not getting higher paid jobs coming out of high school.”

The vo-tech programs have been something close to Luikart’s heart in his more than three decades as an educator. He was a second-generation graduate of Gulf High School in New Port Richey, and returned to the high school after college to become an educator.

Luikart’s first job was as a work experience coordinator and he focused on freshmen who were at high risk of eventually dropping out of school. He would work with them to make sure they had the necessary life skills to succeed on their own, including how to fill out job applications and to balance a checkbook.

“The expectation was that just about 8 (percent) to 10 percent would actually stay in school and graduate,” Luikart said. “I didn’t take what I did lightly, and my graduation rate was actually closer to 60 (percent) to 70 percent, and the state came in and adopted my curriculum elsewhere.”

Whenever Luikart travels around the country, he visits various vo-tech programs, looking for ideas. He realized in observing those programs, Pasco’s vocational technical programs are falling short.

“They are nowhere close to the levels they should be at,” he said. “We have to make sure that when these students graduate, they will get two steps in front of the average guy. We need to expand some of the programs that we’re offering.”

Luikart also wants to break out various career academies so that they are more centralized and accessible to students across the country, and not just specifically with a high school, like the culinary academy at Land O’ Lakes High School.

“If I’m at Sunlake, I have to drive over to Land O’ Lakes High School and try to enroll in it,” Luikart said. “If these academies were part of the Marchman Technical Education Center, it would become more economically viable from the district’s standpoint.”

Luikart says he wants his next four years to be like the last four on the board, and that starts with listening to everyone affected by the board’s decisions.

“I don’t rule with a heavy hand,” he said. “I rule with the people.”

STEVE LUIKART
Non-partisan candidate for Pasco County School Board, District 5

OCCUPATION
Retired administrator, Pasco County Schools

ELECTED OFFICE
Pasco County School Board, 2010

FAMILY
Nancy Luikart, wife
Steve Luikart, son
Jamie Golubeff, daughter
Shawna Luikart, daughter

RESIDENCE
New Port Richey, lifelong

FUNDRAISING
through July 25
$9,786

Published August 6, 2014

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Yacht says school district needs protection from itself

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It’s not uncommon to find education leaders with the “doctor” title before their name. But Marc Yacht is not one of those kinds of doctors. He’s actually a medical doctor, the retired director of the Pasco County Health Department.

Health in education is important to Marc Yacht, but so is protecting public education from those who want to privatize all of it. (Courtesy of Marc Yacht)
Health in education is important to Marc Yacht, but so is protecting public education from those who want to privatize all of it.
(Courtesy of Marc Yacht)

And he now wants to lend his medical knowledge and experience to Pasco County Schools as a member of the school board.

“I’m advocating for more nursing services in the schools, since many children now have chronic medical problems that require more attention,” Yacht said. “I also would like to offer my expertise when it comes to health policy issues that come before the school board. That’s a big one for me, and something we haven’t really had since Marge Whaley left a number of years ago.”

However, Yacht is not looking to just address medical needs in the school district. He also wants to rein in what he says is the district’s out-of-control dependence on charter schools and voucher credits, which eats money that could’ve otherwise been spent on improving public schools.

“We are No. 43 nationally when it comes to public schools,” Yacht said. “We are so low on the list for funding, it really concerns me when money is being drained from public schools for charter schools.”

More than 87 percent of voucher credits, he said, are going to religious schools.

“That is a Constitutional issue for me,” Yacht said. “I am a 100 percent advocate for public education, and I feel no Florida tax dollar should go to religious or private schools. Yet, I’m hearing no voices about this. I’m not hearing anything from school boards or superintendents addressing concerns about how significant tax dollars are being drained.”

Teachers also are getting unfairly blamed for a school’s poor performance, Yacht said.

“We do not understand the problem that children have when they are coming into a school,” he said. “Much of it is poverty, and they don’t have the resources others do. And our teachers are being demoralized by all this, plus they haven’t received a raise for five years, so that’s not helping much either.”

One thing that Yacht hopes to share with fellow board members, if elected, is to be more open-minded to the concerns brought to them by the community. Far too often, it seems the board has made up its mind in advance, and what parents and students feel is usually left on the table.

The worst example, he says, was when the school board decided last year to allow a cell tower to be built at Seven Oaks Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.

“Parents came before the school board and really addressed concerns,” Yacht said. “They didn’t just come mad, they came with information. More than 50 of them spoke in front of the school board. But still, in the end, there were four votes for the cell tower, and only one against.”

Yacht isn’t sure a cell tower would actually have long-term health effects on students learning near it, but it just didn’t need to happen.

“There are lots of places to put a cell tower, so why do you need to put it on school grounds?” he said.

The school board also needs to refocus some of its attention on the larger issues affecting the county, Yacht said. Far too often, time is wasted in areas it shouldn’t be.

“The school board deals with a lot of minutiae, like when a teacher needs to get disciplined or a child apologizes for bad behavior,” Yacht said. “They are getting involved, and it’s kind of like Nero fiddling while Rome is burning. They are looking at smaller issues when the house is falling down.”

Yacht’s focus is to protect the very education system he says is being threatened by the push of privatization. And he’s ready to do that from a spot on the school board.

“We have to start looking at the larger issues, because if we don’t, public schools are going to be gone,” Yacht said. “That is the agenda of this (state) government, and we can’t let it happen.”

MARC YACHT
Non-partisan candidate for Pasco County School Board, District 5 

OCCUPATION
Retired director, Pasco County Health Department

FAMILY
Helen Yacht, wife
Philip Yacht, son
Becky Yhap, daughter
Susan Michelle Hinkle, daughter

RESIDENCE
Hudson, since 1987

FUNDRAISING
through Aug. 1
$3,953

Published August 6, 2014

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Wesley Chapel school offers individualized instruction

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A small private school, tucked in an office park off Ancient Oaks Boulevard in Wesley Chapel, offers a style of education tailored to the individual needs of children.

Hailey Ferrara works on a lesson at the white board during last school year at the New LEAPS Academy in Wesley Chapel. It is a school that aims to prepare its students to live independent lives. (Courtesy of New LEAPS Academy)
Hailey Ferrara works on a lesson at the white board during last school year at the New LEAPS Academy in Wesley Chapel. It is a school that aims to prepare its students to live independent lives.
(Courtesy of New LEAPS Academy)

The school, which calls itself New LEAPS Academy, is licensed for kindergarten through 12th grade. But so far, it has students ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade.

The school specializes in serving students with special needs. Its acronym, LEAPS, stands for:

• Listening to needs
• Educating to abilities
• Achieving goals
• Partnering with families
• Succeeding

As the school enters its second year of operation, it has an enrollment of 16 students. The hope is to increase that enrollment to 20 by the time classes begin on Aug. 18, said Deb Natale, the president and co-founder of the school, at 27724 Cashford Circle, Suite 101, in Wesley Chapel.

“There are no other schools that do what we do,” Natale said, noting what makes her school unique is that it serves children with a wide range of disabilities, instead of serving only children with a particular disability such as autism or hearing loss.

Natale said the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area needs this kind of school. And she knows this firsthand. She and her husband Tony, who is on the school’s board and is chairman of fundraising, have a granddaughter who has special needs.

Each student is evaluated individually to gain an understanding of his or her needs, said Jessie Wamsley, the lead teacher and school manager. Goals are set for each student, and educational plans are revised as a child progresses.

“We fit our curriculum to fit the students’ needs,” Wamsley said, versus trying to use a one-size-fits-all approach. “Our classroom is purposely small, so the kids do get that one-on-one attention.”

Children who attend the school have a variety of challenges, Wamsley said. Some do not speak, for example, and the school uses various strategies to help those children communicate, including using American Sign Language.

Some children have anxiety issues and others have learning disabilities, the women said.

Tuition is $8,700 and the school accepts McKay scholarships, which are available through the state for children with special needs. Special services, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy, also are available from specialists for additional fees.

The school’s aim is to prepare its students to lead independent lives, Natale said. Its goal is to help each child reach his or her potential, Wamsley said.

While the school serves children of diverse needs, it is not equipped to help every child, Wamsley said. Some children have severe medical or behavioral problems that are beyond the reach of the school’s capabilities.

Parents who are interested in learning more about New LEAPS Academy are invited to come in for a visit to see if the school can meet their child’s needs, Natale said.

To arrange a meeting time, call (813) 973-7938.

For more information about the school, visit NewLEAPS.org.

Published August 6, 2014

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Lutz player is simply all soccer, all the time

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Robbie Soronellas is never too far from a soccer ball.

At practice, the 13-year-old is working on drills. In games, he’s the center-midfielder, directing the ball to the teammate with the best chance to advance the attack.

Soronellas’ bedroom is a tribute to his love for soccer, from his bed to his medals to his heroes on the wall. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Soronellas’ bedroom is a tribute to his love for soccer, from his bed to his medals to his heroes on the wall.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

And when he’s at his home in Lutz, he’s usually kicking around a smaller, toy version of a soccer ball.

Soronellas usually earns a lot of praise for his skills. Except when his parents catch him doing it in the house.

“They’ll get mad at me because I might break stuff,” he said.

When it comes to soccer, Soronellas is more likely to break records than home furnishings. He was part of Tampa Bay United’s U-13 team that won the Florida state cup for their age group, and competed in the regional finals in June. The team fell in the regional championship to the Georgia state champion by the score of 2-1.

It wasn’t his first state title — he also won that honor with the Lutz Rangers when he played for the U-11 squad — but Soronellas admits to feeling some pressure in the regional championship.

“I was really nervous going into that game,” he said. “The other team was really big, so I was thinking, ‘Man, it’s going to be really hard to beat them.’”

When it comes to sheer size, big players will always have an advantage over Soronellas. At 5-feet tall and 85 pounds, he won’t tower over any opponents. But he uses his coordination and skills to out-maneuver the other side, and said that smaller players also can pick up extra fouls when players clash.

His team’s success has translated into championships and successful runs in tournaments, but that doesn’t mean a lot of goals to add to his personal statistics. Soronellas didn’t score in the regional tournament or the state cup, and he’s fine with that. As long as the team is doing well and he has space to deliver passes to the team’s scoring threats. It’s more important to put team goals ahead of individual ones.

“My dad always tells me that,” he said.

His father, Frank Soronellas, knows a bit about winning soccer himself. A center-midfielder in his playing days, he helped bring a junior college national championship to Miami-Dade College, and later played for the University of Central Florida.

Soronellas admits his son would have had an edge over him at that same age. He takes pride in watching Robbie play, and notes that it’s his aggressive mindset toward the position that has led to great success.

“He’s a tenacious player,” Frank said of his son. “When he’s on the field he’s not going to let you by.”

That kind of playing style can frustrate opponents, which is exactly what the younger Soronellas wants. Even large, talented players can make mistakes if they’re taken out of the game mentally. It’s part of his team’s strategy, and Soronellas said it becomes obvious when the strategy is working.

“They start yelling at each other and they basically break down,” he said. “Sometimes when you start beating a team really badly, they start getting mad at each other.”

Soronellas tends to stay calm during matches, though he admits to throwing a few tantrums when he was younger (he started playing soccer when he was 4). As he got older, he learned discipline and can now put tough losses in perspective: He’s proud of what Tampa Bay United accomplished in the regional tournament and was excited to see the United States advance to the knockout stages at the World Cup last month.

Perhaps the only time Soronellas gets agitated is when he’s not able to include his favorite game. When there are no matches or practices, he’ll go see his brother Steven play soccer or practice for Steinbrenner High School. Or he’ll do some running at a local community center.

He might even play a soccer video game. And sometimes he’ll grab a smaller ball and do what young athletes have done as long as parents have worried about nice things breaking at home.

“Sometimes around the house I have a mini-soccer ball and I’ll start juggling it,” he said.

Published August 6, 2014

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Zephyrhills coach focused on playoffs, not Pasco

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Three years ago, a late-season loss to Pasco High School derailed the Bulldogs’ chances at the playoffs.

The following year, it happened again: The Pirates won, and Zephyrhills High School stayed home for the postseason.

From left, Tyler Kirby, Ty Tanner, Jalen Pickett and Jackie Tucker will drive the Zephyrhills Bulldogs’ offense in 2014. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
From left, Tyler Kirby, Ty Tanner, Jalen Pickett and Jackie Tucker will drive the Zephyrhills Bulldogs’ offense in 2014.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Last season the division rivals played again, with both sides needing a victory to make the playoffs. And just like the previous two contests, Pasco came out ahead and Zephyrhills was left out.

The rivalry might have fans circling this year’s matchup on their calendar, but to Zephyrhills head coach Reggie Roberts, it’s still just another game on the schedule.

“It’s not something I sit around and think about,” Roberts said. “Contrary to what people believe, I’m not worried about Pasco. We have a lot of games. If we lose all our games and win the Pasco game, we’re still not in the playoffs.”

Making the playoffs is the next step for the Bulldogs and Roberts, who is now entering his fifth year as the school’s coach. The team has finished with a winning record for three straight years, but has fallen short of the postseason each time in Class 5A-District 6.

To build on their success and make the playoffs, Zephyrhills will need to improve over last year, and Roberts likes what he’s seen so far. The team has been working out hard, getting stronger and faster, and has impressed in seven-on-seven drills.

In particular, Roberts thinks the Bulldogs will be known as a defensive force.

“They swarm to the football,” he said. “They’re very speedy, but these guys are strong, too. They’re very strong guys who will hit you.”

But Roberts expects a more dynamic offense on the field as well. With playmakers at the receiver position like Jackie Tucker and Tyler Kirby, Roberts wants to see the offense stretch the opposing defense and not allow them to focus on the running game.

Zephyrhills also will benefit by having more players focus on just offense or defense instead of having to play both ways, Roberts said. In the past, with perhaps just 26 or 27 players on the team, there simply wasn’t enough talent to let athletes concentrate on one side of the ball. This year the coach wants to suit up 40 players, allowing them to stay fresher during the games and focus on where they can best help the team.

He thinks that change alone will make a difference for the Bulldogs this season.

“That was our problem the last three or four years, ever since I took over this program,” he said. “That always hurts when kids have to go both ways.”

It also hurts when a team loses talented seniors, and Roberts admits the Bulldogs took a hit on the offensive line. They lost four seniors at that position, and other players will need to step up and fill those roles.

Roberts feels optimistic about the team’s ability to take the next step, however, in part because he’s been able to change the attitude in the locker room. With a tenure that’s eclipsed a high school athletic career, all the players on the team know Roberts, his philosophy, and his expectations.

They have years of winning under their belts (Zephyrhills has gone 20-10 in its last three seasons) and Roberts has installed an attitude that winning is not only attainable, it’s expected, when they give their best effort.

“Every year is getting easier, I’ll be honest with you,” he said. “It was a little easier last year. It’s hard to change a locker room and the kids from my first year are gone. Right now these kids have the attitude that we can win every time we get on the football field.”

One goal for the Bulldogs is to get off to a strong start (three of their first four games are at home) so they aren’t scrambling for wins later in the year. If it comes down to beating a rival, the team will give it their all, Roberts said.

But he expects the team’s fortunes to be set before they face Pasco at the end of October in their last district game of the year.

“I have a feeling that the playoffs are going to be set long before that game,” he said.

ZEPHYRHILLS BULLDOGS
LAST YEAR: 7-3
4-3 in district play
Third place in Class 5A-District 6

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
Ty Tanner, quarterback
Jalen Pickett, running back/wide receiver/safety

PLAYER TO WATCH
Jackie Tucker, wide receiver
“I guarantee you Jackie Tucker is going to be known after this year. He’s a tall kid who’s already gathering a ton of attention.” – Coach Reggie Roberts

2014 Bulldogs Schedule
8/22 – Wesley Chapel
9/5 – Gulf
9/12 – at Mitchell
9/19 – South Sumter
9/26 – at Weeki Wachee
10/10 – Nature Coast Tech
10/16 – Central
10/24 – at Hernando
10/31 – at Pasco
11/7 – at Sunlake

Published August 6, 2014

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Browning, Sunlake eye district title in 2014

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Sunlake High School has come a long way since head coach Bill Browning led the Seahawks onto the field for their inaugural season back in 2007.

They started out by losing 21 out of their first 22 games, and didn’t win a district contest until their third season.

Running back Nathan Johnson, left, and linebacker Austin Yeloushan will be key to Sunlake’s fortunes in 2014. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Running back Nathan Johnson, left, and linebacker Austin Yeloushan will be key to Sunlake’s fortunes in 2014.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Now they’re enjoying a run, which includes two playoff appearances and just five regular season losses in the past four years. They have playoff appearances, plenty of wins, and a reputation as a tough team to beat in Class 6A-District 6.

But something’s missing.

In all that time, the Seahawks have never won a district title. Three times in their history — including last year — they lost just one game during the regular season, but that game was to the eventual district champion.

And the players want that title for themselves in 2014.

“We’re planning on doing that this year,” said Austin Yeloushan, a senior who plays middle linebacker and tight end. “We’ve been working hard in the weight room.” The team also got in a good deal of game experience against quality opponents at a recent football camp at Stetson University, he said. Those performances give Sunlake confidence heading into their first game, an Aug. 29 road tilt against the talented Pasco Pirates.

While it’s not the only thing on his mind, Browning also wants to see a district title on the team’s resume.

“It’s missing right now, but it really just provides more motivation for us,” he said.

Since last year’s losses were so close — the total time remaining when their opponents took the lead was less than one minute for both games combined — Browning feels the Seahawks are on the right path.

To continue, Sunlake will have to overcome some heavy losses due to graduating seniors. Their defense will be retooled, with nine out of last year’s 11 starters gone from the team.

But Yeloushan, one of the two remaining starters from last year’s defense, believes the changes in personnel won’t hold them back. In fact, he expects them to surprise their opponents with their ability once the games start, and that includes contributing on the scoreboard.

“I think a lot of defensive touchdowns are going to happen this year. We have a lot of playmakers,” Yeloushan said.

Sunlake’s running game should continue to be a strong point, with star running back Nathan Johnson returning for duty. Johnson is ready to build on last year’s successful season — in more than 250 attempts, he lost just one fumble. But Browning believes a good running game is about more than a skilled runner in the backfield.

“He’d be the first one to tell you that the offensive line will be key, of course, in determining the kind of season he has,” Browning said.

Turns out, that’s exactly what Johnson said.

“I love my offensive line. I had 1,500 yards last year, and I couldn’t have gotten any of that without them,” he said.

While the line lost two starters from last season, Johnson believes their replacements are actually better players, and is excited to see what they can accomplish in 2014.

While Sunlake might be considered a run-first team, Browning said they have enough skill at quarterback and receiver to avoid being one-dimensional. The team will welcome back quarterback Dayton Feidon, who went down with an injury last October.

The coach also expects big things from returning receiver Nick Valdes, who has had an impressive offseason.

While Browning can look back at his tenure at Sunlake and note the considerable progress, it’s not in his nature to be happy just winning a lot of games and having a respectable finish each year.

“You always want to take it to the next step,” he said. “As a coach and as a competitor, you’re never satisfied where you’re at.”

SUNLAKE SEAHAWKS
LAST YEAR: 9-2
3-1 in district play
Second place in Class 6A-District 6, lost in first round of playoffs

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS
Austin Yeloushan, middle linebacker/tight end
Logan Wolfe, outside linebacker and fullback
Nick Valdes, wide receiver

PLAYER TO WATCH
Nathan Johnson, running back
“He was our workhorse last year. Very rarely goes down on first contact. A physical football player.” – Coach Bill Browning

2014 Seahawks Schedule
8/29 – at Pasco
9/5 – River Ridge
9/12 – at Anclote
9/19 – Springstead
9/26 – Ridgewood
10/3 – at Mitchell
10/10 – at Wesley Chapel
10/17 – at Land O’ Lakes
10/31 – Fivay
11/7 – Zephyrhills

Published August 6, 2014

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Business Digest 08-06-14

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(MIchael Hinman/Staff Photo)
(MIchael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Lowe’s Rising
The walls are now up on the long-awaited Lowe’s, being constructed on 42 acres of land on State Road 54 just east of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. The 152,000-square-foot store is expected to open by winter, bringing 125 jobs to the area. The store was originally planned to open in 2009, but the poor economy pushed it back a few years.

Chambers consider merger
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce has opened up talks with the New Tampa Chamber of Commerce with the idea that the two could explore “integrating membership” of the two chambers. The goal, Wesley Chapel chamber executive director Hope Allen said, would be to “build a strong organization focused on membership development, community development and economic development in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area.”

The Wesley Chapel chamber’s board of directors have appointed a task force to explore the logistics and benefits of a merger, and are now conducting a due diligence review, Allen said.

“While discussions are still in their infancy, we are always interested in reviewing partnerships that enhance our business community,” Allen said, in a statement. “After the task force completes its review, the next step is to engage a broader pool of people in the discussion, including current chamber members and community leaders.”

The New Tampa chamber, founded in 2009, has a little more than 100 members. The Wesley Chapel chamber was founded in 1998, and maintains about 460 members.

It’s not clear how big a new combined chamber would be, since some businesses are members of both chambers.

A decision is expected by October.

RN job fair
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills will host an experienced RN job fair Aug. 7 from noon to 5 p.m., in the hospital’s main lobby.

Hiring managers will be on hand to try and recruit registered nurses for the hospital.

Those who apply for an open RN position before the fair can receive a welcome gift, as well as learn about open opportunities and sign-on bonuses.

New owner with Jan’s Wines & Boos II
Norma Ruckey, along with her daughter Kristen Ruckey and son T.J. Ruckey, have purchased Jan’s Wines & Boos II at 19233 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz.

The location offers wine as well as a full-service bar with beer and a wide range of liquor and gourmet cheese trays.

It is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to midnight. It’s open Sundays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For information, call (813) 948-0619.

Pep Boys coming to Lutz
Construction is set to begin soon on a new Pep Boys automobile service shop on State Road 54, just blocks from Collier Parkway in Lutz.

The company is planning a 5,500-square-foot service and tire center with six service bays, according to spokeswoman Lizabeth Galantino, and will hire six people.

The land is located on the corner of State Road 54 and Catfish Lake Lane, and is currently owned by Jerry and Linda Newton of Indian Rocks Beach, according to county property records. The Newtons purchased the 1.6 acres of vacant land in 2005 for $875,000.

This would be the area’s first Pep Boys location, complementing the closest one on North Dale Mabry Highway just north of Ehrlich Road.

Pep Boys recently remodeled many of its stores, removing a lot of the sterile garage environment many locations were known for, and replacing them with lounges that include flat-screen televisions, a beverage station, and free high-speed Wi-Fi access.

The Philadelphia-based company, founded in 1921, has nearly 800 locations nationwide.

Construction jobs slowly climbing
The number of construction jobs available in the greater Tampa Bay market rose 3 percent in June compared to what it was a year ago to 58,600 workers. Yet, when compared to the rest of the state, that growth is below average, according to a new report by Associated General Contractors of America.

The Fort Walton Beach and Naples area had the largest growth in the state with a 16 percent increase in workers. However, those two areas combined have just a little more than 16,000 construction jobs, a fraction of the Tampa Bay region.

The greater Orlando area, which has the second highest number of construction jobs with 54,900, had an 8 percent increase year over year.

The state added 44,500 construction jobs since June 2013, an increase of 12 percent.

Dollar Tree buying Family Dollar
Two popular low-cost retail chains with dozens of locations locally will become one company by early next year.

Dollar Tree Inc., says it will buy Family Dollar Stores Inc., in a deal said to be worth $8.5 billion.

While both Dollar Tree and Family Dollar will share the same main office, not much else is expected to change, Dollar Tree executives said in a release. Stores will continue to operate under their own banners and their own policies, creating a combined force to compete with Dollar General.

The new Dollar Tree company will have 13,000 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces, with annual sales expected to hit $18 billion.

Family Dollar operates six stories locally, including four in Zephyrhills, and a store each in Dade City and San Antonio. Dollar Tree has stores in Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Zephyrhills and Dade City.

Honors for Homes by WestBay
Homes by WestBay has won three awards from the Florida Home Builders Association Sales & Marketing Council’s 2014 Excel Awards, handed out during its annual Southeast Building Conference last month.

Among its awards, Homes by WestBay won for Best Interior Merchandising of a Model Home for its model at The Biscayne at FishHawk Ranch in Lithia. It also won for Best Corporate Video and Best Website.

Homes by WestBay is a builder in several local communities, including Connerton and LakeShore Ranch.

Political Agenda 08-06-14

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Moore meet and greet
Mike Moore, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Pasco County Commission District 2, will have a meet and greet Aug. 7 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Alice Hall, near Zephyr Park on State Road 54 in Zephyrhills.

There will be entertainment and light refreshments.

Bilirakis champions Ridge Road, scolds Corps
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis is calling for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reform its permitting process, saying it’s hurting work on projects like the Ridge Road expansion in Pasco County.

“The Ridge Road expansion is a matter of public safety for the people of Pasco County and the Tampa Bay region,” the Palm Harbor Republican said, in a release. “My constituents have been waiting too long for action by the Army Corps of Engineers. They have only been met with stonewalling by the Corps, which continues to require a seemingly endless array of redundant and costly environmental reviews and evaluations.”

Bilirakis looked to reform the organization by trying to defund the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Works, which oversees the Corps.

The project has been delayed for years because of concerns of the environmental impact it would have.

The road project is designed to expand Ridge Road to connect Moon Lake Road with the Suncoast Parkway.

Time to talk long-range transportation
The elevated toll road along the State Road 54/56 corridor might be gone as a private project, but it could still be alive and well as something taxpayers would eventually have to fund.

That and other projects are up for discussion when the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization makes a few stops next month around the county to talk about its long-range transportation plan for the next 25 years.

Meetings will take place the first two weeks in August in Land O’ Lakes, Dade City and New Port Richey. All of them begin at 5 p.m.

Upcoming meetings include Aug. 6 at Lacoochee Elementary School’s media center at 38815 Cummer Road in Dade City.

After a meeting at the New Port Richey Public Library Aug. 7, the MPO will return to the eastern side of the county with a meeting Aug. 12 at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

For more information on the meetings, or the long-range transportation plan itself, visit Mobility2040Pasco.com, or call (727) 847-8140.

Poll workers needed for August, November elections
Energetic? Service-oriented? Then the Pasco County supervisor of elections may be looking for you.

Poll workers are needed for both the primary election Aug. 26 and the general election Nov. 4. Positions are paid, but potential candidates will need to be able to stand, bend, stoop, lift approximately 30 pounds, and have normal vision and manual and physical dexterity.

Applicants also need to write and read English, have an email address, and be able to work the entire day from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

All positions receive mandatory paid training the month preceding both the primary and general elections.

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

Free rides to the polls
Pasco County Public Transportation will do its part to help get out the vote by offering free rides to the polls on election days for the upcoming cycle.

The deal was worked out between PCPT and county elections supervisor Brian Corley, and was approved by the Pasco County Commission last week.

On both primary day Aug. 26 and the general election day Nov. 4, voters who present their voter information card will ride free to their local polling location. The goal is to encourage and promote participation in the election process, while also introducing public transportation as a viable option for travel throughout the county, said PCPT director Michael Carroll.

In return, Corley’s office will use available media advertising and respective websites to inform potential riders and voters how to access and navigate the transit system.

Mobile hours for Ross
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, will host mobile office hours Aug. 12 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Lutz Library, 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz.

Other dates in Lutz include Sept. 9, Oct. 14 and Dec. 9.

For more information, call (863) 644-8215, or (813) 752-4790.

MOSI gives health screenings new meaning with theater upgrades

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When the Imax theater first opened at Tampa’s Museum of Science & Industry in Tampa in 1995, the technology behind the larger-than-life films was still quite revolutionary.

Lines to see Imax movies at the Museum of Science & Industry could be a lot longer in the near future once planned upgrades to the theater are complete, thanks in part to a $2 million donation from Florida Hospital. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Lines to see Imax movies at the Museum of Science & Industry could be a lot longer in the near future once planned upgrades to the theater are complete, thanks in part to a $2 million donation from Florida Hospital.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Today, however, it’s hard to find a movie complex without an Imax screen, and nearly all of them are digital — leaps and bounds beyond MOSI’s now almost antiquated film-based system.

But that’s changing after a $2 million donation from Florida Hospital that will not only rename the dome theater after the hospital chain, it will bring science to the masses in ways that were never imagined 20 years ago. Called “Florida Hospital Presents Live SX,” surgeons at local hospitals will perform routine surgeries, which will be broadcast live to MOSI’s Coleman Science Works Theater for middle school, high school and college students.

“Live SX” will be a lot like the more traditional surgery amphitheaters, except without the need to travel to a hospital. Surgeons will answer questions from the audience, and provide a glimpse into surgery many may not have had otherwise.

“We believe that investing in MOSI is important for the community,” said Mike Schultz, president and chief executive of Florida Hospital West Florida Region, during a check presentation at the Fowler Avenue museum last week. We believe our investment will help support MOSI as it moves forward, to create long-term sustainability of the museum, and further (develop) future scientists and health care professionals while helping develop the work force in the greater Tampa Bay area.

“We want to make a difference.”

Access to medical professionals in this way is something many don’t get to experience otherwise, especially in suburban areas like northern Hillsborough and southern Pasco counties, said Molly Demeulenaere, MOSI’s vice president of growth.

“A lot of hospitals don’t open their operating rooms, and we’ll be working with families in Pasco County to help make that possible,” she said. “Younger kids especially are going to have access to this information before they start to figure out what they want to do for a living, and (it) allows them to spark that interest at a much earlier age.”

Where the surgeries will take place depends on Florida Hospital itself, Demeulenaere said. They could be hosted from Tampa, Wesley Chapel, even Zephyrhills.

The Imax dome image is 10 times larger than a conventional 35mm frame, and three times larger than a standard 70mm frame, museum officials said. The dome theater offers a six-channel, high-fidelity motion picture sound system manufactured by Sonics Associates Inc., as well as a projector, which when it was installed, was one of the most advanced, using technology to keep the picture steady and prevent film hiccups.

MOSI always has prided itself as a hands-on museum, bringing science directly to people who visit.

“When people think of a museum, they normally think of these big open spaces where you don’t touch anything,” Demeulenaere said. “But museums are a true lab of creativity and education, and play a vital role in the community as a whole.”
MOSI did not say when work would begin on the theater, and it may have to wait its turn in line as other science centers are undergoing similar transitions and there are few companies qualified to do the work. Most of the money donated by Florida Hospital will go into the “transformation,” as MOSI is calling it, although remaining funds can be used to help supplement other programs at the museum.

“Florida Hospital is demonstrating true community leadership, and I think we should really thank our lucky stars for Florida Hospital and all the work that they do in our communities throughout Florida,” MOSI board chair Robert Thomas said. “I just can’t begin to tell you how important this is, and how thrilled we are to have them as a partner in the future of this organization.”

Published July 30, 2014

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Proposed school taxes to be lower this year

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After years of gut-wrenching personnel cuts, Pasco County Schools expects to add employees this year, while reducing tax bills for property owners and balancing a budget of nearly $1.2 billion.

The proposed budget is based on a tax rate of $7.15 per $1,000 of taxable value compared to a tax rate of $7.36 this year.

Joanne Hurley
Joanne Hurley

Based on this year’s proposed budget, the owner of a $100,000 home, after $50,000 in exemptions, would pay $357.50 in school taxes, a reduction of $10.50 from the current rate.

The proposed budget anticipates the district’s enrollment to be 67,955, an increase of 925 over last year.

Allocations in the budget include:

• $500,000 to cover costs associated with opening Sanders Memorial, Quail Hollow and Shady Hills elementary schools, which are slated to reopen in the 2015-16 school year.

• $7.9 million for the equivalent of 176 full-time positions, primarily to comply with state class size requirements.

• $2.8 million for professional and curriculum mandates.

• $1.5 million for increased health insurance costs.

The budget assumes a $1 million reduction in district energy costs and $1.6 million in savings from cutting the district’s early retirement program.

The proposed budget also reflects an expected increase of 607 students attending charter schools, receiving McKay scholarships for special needs or enrolled in Department of Juvenile Justice centers. Those 607 students represent $2.4 million in funding, which comes into Pasco, but goes to those programs.

The total projected enrollment for those programs is 3,762, representing more than $23.3 million.

The district expects to have a total of $3.4 million available for salary increases, based on these budget projections.

School board member Joanne Hurley said this year’s budget deliberations are a welcome departure from the previous seven years. In those years, the board was forced to make “painful, painful decisions,” Hurley said.

“It is so nice at this time of the year to say we have a balanced budget,” she said. “This is a real luxury after the past seven years.”

A final public hearing on the district’s budget will be held in September.

Published July 30, 2014

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