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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Already a local inspiration, Keppel now takes national coaching stage

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Brooks Sports Inc., is known for its running shoes and apparel. But once a year, the Seattle-based company gives people a chance to choose among 25 high school coaches across the nation they feel is the most inspiring.

One of the coaches making the cut is none other than Land O’ Lakes High School cross-country coach Kris Keppel. And now his team — and the school — is depending on everyone to get to Facebook and vote for him in the 2014 Brooks Inspiring Coaches Award before the end of July.

Coach Kris Keppel, right, warms up with his Land O’ Lakes High School cross-country team during summer training at Pine View Middle School last week. Keppel is up for a national coaching award based on how he inspires his runners. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Coach Kris Keppel, right, warms up with his Land O’ Lakes High School cross-country team during summer training at Pine View Middle School last week. Keppel is up for a national coaching award based on how he inspires his runners.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“I opened up my email on the first day of my treatment this cycle, and I was just kind of blown away,” Keppel said. “I didn’t think this was real.”

The treatment Keppel is talking about is chemotherapy, which he’s undergoing to battle pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed late last year, but still made it out to as many practices and meets as he could muster.

Enduring a new round of chemo hasn’t stopped Keppel from moving forward with summer practices, waking up as the sun rises to get that little bit of cool air typically found only in the mornings during Florida summers.

That’s the kind of effort that really motivates his runners, like incoming senior Noah Thomas.

“He’s just one of the strongest men I’ve ever met,” the 17-year-old said. “All throughout this, he’s still been there for us, and he’s still pushing us hard, and we push back for him.”

It’s the runners, his fellow coaches like Karen DeHaas, and the parents that motivate him to get up and tackle each day with fresh energy, Keppel’s wife Dar said.

“I think cross-country has been a godsend,” she said. “It has monopolized our life, and I was jealous of it at times. But I think if he didn’t have cross-country, he wouldn’t be in the mindset that he’s in. And that is something that is a great outlet.”

For just being named a finalist, the Land O’ Lakes team has won $5,000 in running shoes, apparel and accessories from Brooks, as well as $500 in cash for team expenses.

The coach chosen as the most inspiring on Facebook will win an additional $5,000 in Brooks apparel, plus $2,000 more in cash to the school’s athletic department.

DeHaas, who Keppel recruited some years back to coach the girls cross-country team, did the initial work to get her colleague nominated. But it was a nomination that almost didn’t happen.

“I spent a couple hours writing up everything online, and then when I went to go get a picture, I came back, and what I wrote wasn’t there anymore,” said DeHaas, who runners affectionately refer to as “Mima.”

“I had some good ideas there, too, and so I had to think of it all again so that I could write it a second time,” she said.

Keppel spent years as a media specialist at Land O’ Lakes High, but moved into the American history department after those positions were cut last year. Yet, he still finds a way to connect with students, even off the track.

“He’s a model for so many kids,” DeHaas said. “He has helped so many kids get into colleges, and wrote letters — you wouldn’t believe how many. Anyone who came to him for help, he would help them, whether it was something to do with sports, or something to do with academics. He is just a wealth of information.”

Keppel and his wife are heading to Seattle to learn who will win among the 25 coaches in August. For someone as well-traveled as Keppel is, this is the first time he’s ever been to Washington, and he’s looking forward to it.

However, he’s also looking to not have too many distractions as he prepares his runners for what Keppel hopes will be another successful season, both as a team, and as individual athletes.

“The true gratification of a coach is to see the transformation of a kid who just ran a couple miles to a kid who can run a half-marathon by the end of summer,” Keppel said.

To vote, visit tinyurl.com/KeppelInspire.

Published June 25, 2014

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A glimpse of paradise awaits at Honeymoon and Caladesi islands

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Located at the extreme west end of State Road 586 in Dunedin, there’s a state park called Honeymoon Island, which draws more than 1.1 million visitors a year.

This idyllic scene provides a glimpse of the tranquility and beauty awaiting visitors at Caladesi Island. You can get there on a 20-minute ferry ride from Honeymoon Island State Park, or walk about four miles north from Clearwater Beach. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
This idyllic scene provides a glimpse of the tranquility and beauty awaiting visitors at Caladesi Island. You can get there on a 20-minute ferry ride from Honeymoon Island State Park, or walk about four miles north from Clearwater Beach.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Beyond that, just a 20-minute ferryboat ride away, there’s another place called Caladesi Island — rated as America’s No. 1 Beach in 2008 by Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach.

Both islands offer visitors plenty of opportunities to splash in the surf, search for shells and savor nature’s splendor. There are boating, fishing and kayaking options too for those who enjoy being out on the water. There also are places to buy refreshments and shady picnic areas to gather with family and friends.

Though quite different, both islands offer their own glimpse of paradise.

Caladesi Island, for instance, is secluded.

“You’re away from it all when you’re out there,” said Pete Krulder, park manager for Honeymoon Island State Park. “It is a very special place for a lot of people.”

Lots of tourists visit Caladesi because they’ve heard about its beach rating, Krulder said.

Honeymoon Island, on the other hand, draws substantial numbers of people from Florida, and from Tampa Bay in particular.

“We’re the most-visited state park in the state of Florida,” Krulder said. “We have folks who are in here twice a day. Caladesi is more of the occasional visitor. Honeymoon, you see the same visitor every day.”

The busiest times at Honeymoon Island State Park are from March until right after Labor Day, Krulder said. There also is an annual uptick when winter residents arrive.

Caladesi’s busy times mirror Honeymoon Island’s, though it tends to draw more snowbirds when the weather is nice, Krulder said. Caladesi gets a fair amount of boat traffic on a regular basis, too.

On a recent day at Honeymoon Island, the parking lot was filled with cars, mostly from Florida. But there also were cars from Ohio, Illinois, Vermont, New Jersey, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Connecticut, North Carolina and Arkansas.

The top draw on both islands is the beach. Both islands also boast excellent shelling and beautiful nature trails, Krulder said. And at Caladesi, there’s a marina.

There’s also a kayak trail that traverses through the mangroves.

“There are spots where you can barely paddle, it’s that narrow,” Krulder said.

“Both Honeymoon and Caladesi have some of the few remaining virgin slash pine forests in the state of Florida,” Krulder added, noting those forests have never been logged.

One tree, on the north end of Honeymoon Island’s nature trail was core dated in 2007, and discovered to be at least 185 years old, he said. That means the tree would have sprouted during the second term of President James Monroe, the nation’s fifth president.

Other interesting features along the Honeymoon Island nature trail include osprey, bald eagle and great-horned owl nests.

Wildlife on the islands includes raccoons, snakes and gopher tortoises. While the Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake has been known to slither there, snake sightings are uncommon, Krulder said.

Island visitors who enjoy local history may find it interesting to learn that Honeymoon and Caladesi islands were both once part of a larger land mass called Hog Island, named after the hogs that roamed freely there. A hurricane struck that island in 1921, splitting it in two. The resulting water passage between the two islands is called Hurricane Pass.

Hog Island took on a new persona through a promotional campaign by its owner at the time, Clinton Washburn. Washburn and Life magazine in 1939 had a contest for newlyweds, with winners receiving a two-week stay on what became known as Honeymoon Isle.

Little cottages were constructed to house the honeymooners, who were flown on and off of the island. The palm-frond honeymoon huts had appropriate names, such as “Lover’s Nook.”

Pictures from 1940 at the Rotary Centennial Nature Center on Honeymoon Island depict some of those couples, hamming it up for cameras.

Krulder recently received a scrapbook and other memorabilia from the daughter of a couple who honeymooned at the island. He plans to have a special case built to display it.

Caladesi Island, which became a state park in 1967, also has a colorful history.

Ancient ceremonial and burial mounds show Native Americans occupied the island long before Europeans arrived, according to a historic sign there.

After the Spanish conquest of La Florida in the 1500s, the island was used for seasonal encampments and fish ranches. Tall ships moored offshore, and soldiers and sailors came ashore to hunt, fish and camp, the sign says.

No one seems to know the origin for Caladesi Island’s name, Krulder said, but an entire book has been written about a homesteader who settled there in 1892.

In her book, “Yesteryear, I Lived in Paradise,” Myrtle Scharrer Betz describes the idyllic life of growing up on Caladesi Island, a place where her father, Henry Scharrer, built a house.

When Betz was growing up, Krulder said, “She rowed a boat from the south end of Caladesi Island to Main Street in Dunedin. They say she very rarely missed a day of school.”

The future of Honeymoon Island was threatened during the 1960s.

“There was an attempt to develop the island. What they wanted to do was make the island 10 times its natural size,” Krulder said.

A developer envisioned thousands of residents moving onto the island. That effort, however, was thwarted and officials from both Dunedin and the state began acquiring the land for Honeymoon Island State Park, which opened in 1981.

If you go …
WHAT: Honeymoon Island State Park

WHERE: 1 Causeway Blvd., at the extreme west end of State Road 586 in Dunedin

WHEN: 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year.

COST: Ranges from $2 to $8 for vehicles up to 8 people, pedestrians and bicyclists; Sunset fee is $4 per vehicle, one hour before

INFO: Call (727) 469-5942

If you go …
The ferry for Caladesi Island departs from Honeymoon Island beginning at 10 a.m., with half-hour departures from mid-February through mid-September. Departures are hourly in other months.

The ferry cost, roundtrip, is $14 for adults, $7 for children up to 12, and free for kids 5 and younger.

Visitors are allowed up to a four-hour stay on Caladesi Island.

Published June 25, 2014

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Creativity wins local kids trip to Washington, D.C.

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The trio jetted to Washington, D.C., to meet with a member of Congress, to hear remarks from the chief executive of an international company, and to take part in television interviews. And they are all still in elementary school.

Sophia Nobles, left, Catie Tomasello and Joey Santana have their picture taken with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson while visiting the nation’s capital. The kids won the trip by placing second nationally in the 22nd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM competition. (Courtesy of Heather Tomasello)
Sophia Nobles, left, Catie Tomasello and Joey Santana have their picture taken with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson while visiting the nation’s capital. The kids won the trip by placing second nationally in the 22nd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM competition.
(Courtesy of Heather Tomasello)

Joey Santana, Sophia Nobles and Catie Tomasello recently returned from a trip to the nation’s capital, and a whirlwind of appearances there. The Countryside Montessori Charter School students took the trip to receive their second-place honors in their age division in the 22nd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision STEM competition, provided by the electronics company and the National Science Teachers Association. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The team, coached by Lorna Cohen, finished among the top eight in the country. The contest itself drew more than 4,900 entries, representing nearly 15,300 students and 550 schools across the United States and Canada, according to the contest website.

It is the world’s largest science and technology competition for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It encourages them to develop problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration skills.

Contestants are asked to imagine what technology might be like in 20 years. They work in teams to propose ideas for innovative future technology based on what already exists. They simulate scientific research to outline how they plan to test their idea, and they build websites to further illustrate and communicate their concepts.

For their entry, the Countryside Montessori students envisioned WateRenew, a concept that uses the technology of Wave Wings  — which are wings that sway back and forth in the ocean, creating mechanical energy that can be converted to electricity. That electricity would then be used to power a leading edge desalination plant, which in turn creates clean drinking water for homes and businesses.

Florida’s water shortages inspired the team to search for a solution, Nobles and Tomasello said. The team began meeting in September, and team members spent at least a couple of hours each week working on the project.

The team worked well together because they are friends and they respect each other, the girls said. The team divided the project into pieces, and each team member became an “expert” on one part of the project.

Nobles also noted that the team benefited from the help of Lee Marcum, of Clean and Green Enterprises, who took the time to talk to the team about his invention, the Wave Wing.

While in Washington D.C., team members met with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, and went a tour of the Capitol Building led by staff members of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis. Santana’s family also dropped by the office of U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, where they posed for photos.

The kids also took part in two television interviews with Bill Nye the Science Guy, and they participated in a science showcase. Other highlights included hearing remarks from Atsutoshi Nishida, chairman of Toshiba Corp., and doing some sightseeing.

Other winners in the competition also proposed creative solutions to challenging issues, according to the competition website. Third-grade students from Merion Station, Pennsylvania, developed a system designed to save people who are stuck in rip currents.

An entry from second-graders from Edmond, Oklahoma, aimed to save lives of babies, toddlers and animals left accidentally in a car. A team of fifth-graders from Locust Valley, New York, created an innovative plant power de-icing system for planes, while 10th graders from Toronto created a new technology that uses light signals to boost optical computing.

Besides the expenses-paid trip, the young students also each received a $5,000 U.S. Savings Bond.

Since its inception in 1992, more than 330,000 students have participated in the ExploraVision program.

Published June 25, 2014

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Demands from sheriff, other departments, could raise taxes

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Pasco County is losing deputies and command staff at an alarming rate, Sheriff Chris Nocco said. It’s a crime he says can be solved only one way: more money.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco already commands more than half of the county’s taxpayer dollars, but he’s looking for more. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco already commands more than half of the county’s taxpayer dollars, but he’s looking for more.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

About $6 million more, to be exact, bringing the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office closer than ever before to that $100 million budget threshold.

The Pasco County Commission, however, might not be ready to surrender those dollars just yet. But Nocco believes commissioners can’t wait any longer to get a handle on making salaries more competitive in his department with surrounding counties.

“I got two more letters of resignation today,” Nocco told commissioners in a meeting last week. “It is heartbreaking when you have people leaving, and they say it’s about the money. I know it’s a tough situation.”

Salary increases alone would require an additional $2.6 million in funding, and that’s money the county doesn’t really have — unless it raises taxes. But commissioners say they have other departments also expressing a legitimate need for more money.

“I know it’s expensive for you to train your deputies and have them leave. It is very frustrating to see that happen,” Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said. “But we have increased demand on our staff with development picking up, and it’s hard for us. We have to go out there in the market and compete with the private sector.”

Yet, it’s not new hires the sheriff’s office is watching depart, but instead people with experience, Nocco said.

“We are not losing the one- or two-year person to Pinellas, we’re losing people with six to seven years experience,” he said.

That may be enough for Starkey and other commissioners to warm up to the idea that a property tax increase may be needed to get everything paid for.

“I am for having a better-funded county government,” she said. “Local government is not the same as our federal government, where I think there is a lot of waste. We have no hidden money, we have no extra money. We are all scraping by barely.”

The amount of taxes collected equates to about $420 per resident, which ranks Pasco above just 12 other counties, according to one study cited by Starkey.

“Our libraries, our parks, the quality of life, all at $420 per person,” she said. “It is pretty darn tough to have a premier county at that kind of level of taxes.”

Commissioner Henry Wilson agreed.

“In 2010, when I ran for the first time, I said the millage rate was too low to sustain us, and I still agree to this day that the millage rate is too low,” he said. “I would rather the sheriff’s office be 55 percent of our budget than the tax collector or the supervisor of elections. Our No. 1 goal is public safety.”

All of that has created tremendous burdens on county employees from across various departments, burdens that many are looking to get lifted this budget cycle. But it could be difficult to accommodate everyone’s requests.

“We want to continue to support public safety, but a lot of our other departments have suffered because of the financial constraints that we have been under,” Commissioner Ted Schrader said. “The economy seems to be recovering … so we’re trying to facilitate that so that we can add tax base and continue to provide that funding.”

Only part of the money Nocco seeks would go to pay raises. The sheriff also wants to earmark $333,000 to overtime, and another $300,000 for maintenance on the department’s helicopter, and to purchase a $94,000 night-vision infrared camera.

Nocco has worked to lower costs in his department, primarily through privatization. And he said he’ll continue to look for ways to reduce costs as he moves forward as well.

“It’s hard to compete,” Nocco said. “We are not putting milk, bread and potatoes on the table for our families. When people are leaving to go to Pinellas, they are leaving strictly because of pay.”

Commissioners could see a first draft budget for the next fiscal year in July.

Published June 25, 2014

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Commission race an open primary, other candidates qualify

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A last-minute write-in candidate almost made the race for the Pasco County Commission District 4 race even more interesting than it already is. However, Grady Peeler Jr., pulled out of the race just as quickly as he entered last week.

Volunteers for Pasco County Commission candidate Bob Robertson gather in pray to lead off a sign-waving event last week near the intersection of State Road 54 and Eiland Boulevard, west of Zephyrhills. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Volunteers for Pasco County Commission candidate Bob Robertson gather in pray to lead off a sign-waving event last week near the intersection of State Road 54 and Eiland Boulevard, west of Zephyrhills.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

That leaves just Commissioner Henry Wilson Jr., to defend his seat against Mike Wells Jr., during an open primary in August that will allow all voters — no matter what their party affiliation is — to decide between the two Republicans.

Wilson is working hard to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself. He was first elected to the commission in 2010 after a major upset of incumbent Michael Cox, and is trying to stop being on the wrong end of another incumbent defeat, this time at the hands of Wells, the son of county property appraiser and former county commissioner Mike Wells Sr.

Wells entered the race with a boom, showing he has the ability to raise a lot of money fast. In just two months of campaigning, Wells has raised $45,600 compared to the just under $24,000 from Wilson.

But money never worried Wilson too much. In his first race, Wilson raised just $8,700 — pennies compared to the massive $163,000 campaign war chest collected by Cox, who at the time was the one Democrat on the commission.

If Peeler had qualified for the race, Wilson and Wells would’ve still met Aug. 26, but only Republicans would’ve been able to vote. Instead, all voters will have a chance to decide between Wilson and Wells, the winner claiming the District 4 seat.

In the other county commission race for the District 2 seat currently held by Pat Mulieri, all three Republican candidates — Ken Littlefield, Mike Moore and Bob Robertson — have qualified. They will battle it out in the August primary among Republican voters, the winner facing Land O’ Lakes resident Erika Remsberg, the only Democrat to file.

If Remsberg were to win, she would be the first Democrat on the commission since Cox departed in 2010.

Mike Fasano got a big vote of confidence from county residents as no one challenged him for his seat as the county tax collector. He will serve a two-year term, facing election again in 2016.

Also returning to their jobs without opposition are two school board members, Allen Altman and Cynthia Armstrong. The District 5 seat will see incumbent Steve Luikart face challenger Marc Yacht.

At the state level, however, Minnie Diaz said she got a lesson in how not to run a campaign. The Pasco-Hernando State College adjunct professor failed to qualify in her race to succeed state Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, after misunderstanding when she was supposed to file her financial disclosure form.

“I assume full responsibility,” Diaz said. “I did not fully grasp the process of qualifying week, and I did not understand what it truly meant. There was a certain amount of confusion on my part.”

Diaz had filed most of her paperwork a year ago, and even collected the necessary 986 signatures before Christmas. However, she said she believed she had until July 1 to file her financial disclosure form, but later learned that was only for incumbents.

Diaz filed that form, but more than two hours too late.

Because of that, former Zephyrhills mayor Danny Burgess wins the Republican nomination, and won’t have to go through a primary battle with Diaz. Instead, he can focus on his race in November against Democrat Beverly Ledbetter, who also qualified last Friday.

Returning to Tallahassee unopposed are Trilby Republican Wilton Simpson in the Senate, and both Land O’ Lakes Republican Richard Corcoran and Tampa Democrat Janet Cruz in the House.

Rep. James Grant, R-Tampa, earned a primary challenger on the final day of qualifying from Miriam Steinberg, a quality engineer for Honeywell Aerospace. They both will fight in a closed primary because Daniel John Matthews of Tampa, who says he works for a company called Cats on Deck, earned a spot as a write-in candidate. That means only Republicans will likely choose who represents House District 64.

Dan Raulerson, R-Plant City, won’t need a primary, but he will have to appear on the ballot after he received a write-in challenge from Jose Vazquez Figueroa, a self-employed Tampa resident.

Also getting a write-in challenge is Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, who attracted two opponents, Brandon Thebeau and Steven Warren, although neither will be listed on the ballot.

Rep. Mark Danish, D-Tampa, qualified for his race against Republican challenger Shawn Harrison. Voters in House District 63 will choose between them in November.

Published June 25, 2014

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‘Papa’ Jay Muffly is retired, but still eyes Guv’na title

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When the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club wanted “Papa” Jay Muffly to run for Lutz Guv’na this year, he said yes. But in reality, they didn’t give him much of a choice.

“They’ve been trying to get me to run for Guv’na for what, 10 years?” Muffly said. “They called and said, ‘Well, the club already voted on it.’”

Jay Muffly has a number of items lying around his Lutz home that recalls his days with the Lutz Volunteer Fire Association. One of them is a large check — in both size and dollar amount — the organization used to create annual scholarships for local students. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Jay Muffly has a number of items lying around his Lutz home that recalls his days with the Lutz Volunteer Fire Association. One of them is a large check — in both size and dollar amount — the organization used to create annual scholarships for local students.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Muffly, 72, was clearly the one the group wanted to sponsor, and they got their wish: The longtime board member and president of the Lutz Volunteer Fire Association is one of five candidates for the ceremonial title of Lutz Guv’na. The candidate who raises the most money for local groups is declared the winner at a ceremony during the annual Fourth of July celebration.

While Muffly has never run before, he’s very familiar with the process. He’s attended several Guv’na debates, understands its purpose, and likes the idea of raising money to help local groups that need funding.

“Last year there were 20 different organizations that got funds from the Guv’na’s race. That’s the biggest thing,” he said.

“For some of these things, that’s the only money they get and that’s how they make ends meet,” said Barbara Muffly, his wife of more than 30 years. The couple lives on property once owned by her grandfather not far from the Old Lutz School.

Muffly also is familiar with helping out locals. When the fire association closed last year after the county took over fire rescue services, they set up a fund with more than $260,000, which will provide scholarships for local students for decades to come.

Muffly is from Watsontown, Pennsylvania, a borough that takes up around one square mile and 2,200 people. It was less crowded when Muffly lived there. He recalls a small-town feel where kids could play safely and everyone knew each other.

His grandfather was a local firefighter, as was his father and uncles. And after serving in the U.S. Air Force and relocating to the area, Muffly kept the idea of community service. During emergencies or times of need, it’s the local community that usually bands together and gets things done, he said.

“You see it all over America, like when there’s a flood or something, how these volunteer organizations in a local community just pour together,” he said.

Helping local organizations with Lutz Guv’na funds fits in with that philosophy.

To reach the goal of raising the most money, Muffly’s campaign has had plenty of fundraisers. Drawings, dinners and garage sales are some of the activities designed to put him over the top and claim the title of Guv’na.

The race usually includes outlandish campaign promises, and Muffly has a few ideas to undo some of the changes he’s seen over the years and bring back some favorites that aren’t around anymore.

“One of the things I told them was if I ever ran for Guv’na, I was going to tear down Winn-Dixie and build Whataburger back,” he joked.

If he does win, he won’t tear down any businesses, but he will take part in the events expected of the office. The grandfather of 12 and great-grandfather of two knows, however, he’s not going to match the enthusiasm and activity of the current titleholder.

“Suzin Carr has raised the bar,” Muffly said. “She’s out there doing stuff all the time. There’s no way I can match that.”

Carr, a two-time Guv’na, has done an excellent job representing the community, he said.

Although he was almost more of a recruit than a volunteer to the race, Muffly said he likes continuing a tradition that lets surrounding areas know that Lutz has a proud, distinct identity that isn’t going away.

“The biggest thing about it is it supports all the nonprofits in Lutz and it kind of says, ‘Yeah county, we’re still us!’” he said.

Published June 25, 2014

Pasco and Hillsborough students improve test scores

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Students across Florida, as well as in Pasco and Hillsborough counties posted gains on statewide end-of-course, or EOC, exams.

Scores improved in all of the assessment areas in Florida, with the biggest gain being a 10 percent improvement in U.S. History.

Pasco has one of 13 school districts in the state that posted gains in all four EOC assessments, with its biggest improvement being an 8-point increase on the U.S. History assessment, Florida Education commissioner Pam Stewart reported.

The passing rate for Pasco students taking the test for the first time improved on all four assessments, improving by 2 percent in Algebra I; 2 percent in biology; 3 percent in geometry and 8 percent in U.S. History.

Hillsborough’s scores improved in two of the four assessment areas, with a 14 percent percentage gain in U.S. History and a 4 percent gain in Algebra I.

Pasco students outperformed the state in the percentage of students achieving a passing score or higher in 2014, except for Algebra I.

Some notable scores from Pasco schools include a 5-percent bump in the passing rate on the Algebra I assessment at Land O’ Lakes High School, a 7-percent gain by Wiregrass Ranch High School students on the Biology I assessment, and an 8-percent improvement on the same assessment at Zephyrhills High School.

Both Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass also posted big improvements in the passing rate on the geometry assessment. Wesley Chapel’s passing rate improved by 22 percent. Wiregrass Ranch boosted its passing rate by 13 percent. Students at both Zephyrhills and Sunlake high schools improved their passing rate by 6 percent, with Sunlake achieving a 73 percent passing rate and Zephyrhills boosting its passing rate to 60 percent.

Wesley Chapel principal Carin Nettles was delighted with her school’s results.

“I am thrilled about our scores,” she said. “We are very proud of the work our math department has done.”

The principal credits collaboration among faculty members during professional learning community meetings. Teachers are sharing “the best common lessons and assessments for our students,” she said.  Teachers also have provided tutoring to help their students succeed.

Superintendent Kurt Browning said in a release that because the scores “reflect what we are teaching in the classroom, end-of-course exams present a much more accurate picture of our students’ learning during this time of transition than do high-stakes tests” like the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Published June 25, 2014

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Commissioners might tackle redevelopment without PEDC

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The Pasco Economic Development Council might have plans on how the county can spend new revenue from the Penny for Pasco tax. But the group itself might have to take a back seat in how that money is used.

Ted Schrader
Ted Schrader

“We’ve been entrusted by the public to spend $5 million a year over the next 10 years, and the Pasco Economic Development Council has asked to participate in that spend with us,” county administrator Michele Baker told Pasco County commissioners at a recent meeting. “Instead of being buried in planning and development, it needs to be in a place where it is clearly transparent. And nothing against PEDC, but I’m not comfortable with handing over that money. They are not subject to the same oversight as we are.”

The Pasco EDC, a private organization that works to market the county to businesses and industry, had proposed to the commission last April that it borrow against the Penny for Pasco tax. They could then use the funds for projects like assembling land, constructing offices and warehouses on speculation, and even possibly considering a convention center, all to help attract outside business to the county.

“We’d rather get some of that revenue upfront now, so that we can get more of an impact over the 10-year period, rather than wait,” Pasco EDC president and chief executive John Hagen told commissioners at the time. “We need jobs, and we need economic development now.”

Baker did agree with one of the primary recommendations Hagen made: the county needs to act sooner rather than later. Even with nearly $5 million sitting in the bank right now from projects yet to get underway like from Raymond James Financial and T. Rowe Price, those funds are for small players, Baker said, and not enough for something “big and impactful.”

For the county to take command, however, commissioners need to beef up the development staff, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said. Melanie Kendrick has been a one-woman show when it has come to such projects in the past, but it’s too much for just a single person to handle.

“To me, this is one of the most important things we can do,” Starkey said. “This is how we lift our county up and become that premier county and be attractive to those kind of companies that we want to bring here.”

Money to add people to the payroll is going to have to come from somewhere, however, and commissioners may have to look at ways to accomplish it, either by raising development fees — which are by far some of the lowest in the state — or possibly even by raising taxes.

If property owners paid the same amount of taxes they did last year, the county would increase its overall revenue by $3.4 million — fueled primarily by new construction. If Pasco decided to keep the same millage as last year, at 7.3441 mills, taxes for typical homeowners could go up by as much as $12.40 each year. But it would generate an additional $5.87 million in revenue, with new construction once again contributing, as well as rising property values.

Even those dollars, however, might not be enough to pay for everything commissioners want to budget — like a 3 percent pay increase for county employees, across the board.

“We would like to have an increase in salary,” Commissioner Ted Schrader said. “But that is going to eat up the $5.8 million to get that done, so we know where we’re starting.”

With road improvements still needed, there’s a strong possibility that part of those funds will come from an additional increase in property taxes, something Schrader has said he opposes. If that were to happen, it would generate approximately $5 million in additional revenue, but cost typical homeowners an additional $24 in property taxes each year.

Commissioners have yet to be presented with next year’s budget, but could start seeing early drafts as soon as next month.

Published June 25, 2014

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Chef Rigberg is on the kitchen’s cutting edge

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Around the Academy of Culinary Arts at Land O’ Lakes High School, Michael Rigberg is known as Chef Rigberg.

In July, he’ll be known as an inductee into the American Academy of Chefs.

Chef Michael Rigberg, who leads the Academy of Culinary Arts at Land O’ Lakes High School, will be inducted this summer into the American Academy of Chefs. (Courtesy of Michael Rigberg)
Chef Michael Rigberg, who leads the Academy of Culinary Arts at Land O’ Lakes High School, will be inducted this summer into the American Academy of Chefs.
(Courtesy of Michael Rigberg)

The induction will take place at the American Culinary Federation National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, where Rigberg will be included in a group of men and women who have distinguished themselves in the culinary arts.

It’s an honor that requires recipients to meet rigorous requirements, and those attaining it are considered to represent the highest standards of professionalism in the organization, society and industry.

That honor will follow another distinction that Rigberg received in April at the American Culinary Federation’s Southeastern Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. He was among four chefs receiving Cutting Edge awards from the federation.

Those awards, bestowed by regional vice president Michael Diehl, recognize leadership and service to the culinary profession.

Rigberg, who is president of the Tampa Bay Culinary Association, said he had no idea he was being considered for that award. So, when he heard the phrase, “This chef resides in Land O’ Lakes, Florida,” his ears perked up.

“I was shocked,” Rigberg said.

Hundreds of chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals were at the conference in Charleston, and thousands will be at the national convention. Rigberg said he’s not sure what he did to merit the award, but it was nice to receive recognition.

Performing well is important to Rigberg, and he strives to pass that ethic along to his students in the culinary program at Land O’ Lakes High. His goal is to give students a solid foundation for a career in the culinary arts. He also wants them to have a good idea of what they will face in the field.

Along those lines, students have a chance to compete with students in other programs. They also have a chance to gain practical experience in the field, and they occasionally get to take part in special events.

When the Republican National Convention was in Tampa, for example, Rigberg worked out a deal to become part of the catering crew. He joined his teaching colleague, Jessica Cooper, at the Tampa Bay Times Forum while 26 students from their culinary arts program were there preparing food for the convention’s hungry masses.

“That is something they will never forget,” said Rigberg, who was influenced by his son to become an instructor.

When his son graduated from high school in Hillsborough County, he was interested in becoming an architect. So, he enrolled at Tulane University, where he quickly became discouraged, Rigberg said.

During orientation, a dean told the incoming crop of 90 freshmen that if five made it, they’d be lucky.

“After one semester, he came back home,” Rigberg said.

Instead of pursuing architecture, he went to Hillsborough Community College, then on to get a business degree at the University of South Florida. Rigberg’s son would eventually earn a master’s degree in mental health counseling.

Rigberg had already wanted to become a teacher, but after his son’s experience, he decided to teach at the high school level rather than at a college. He wanted a chance to help shape a life, and he figured high school would be a better place to do that.

Rigberg tells his students that people with culinary skills are always in demand.

“Whether you’re a mechanic, whether you’re an electrician, whether you’re a plumber, or whether you are a cook — you will always, in a trade, always have a job,” he said.

In his program, Rigberg said he tries to instill a sense of devotion, a desire to succeed and a sense of urgency. When students graduate, he wants them to understand that “what they have gained or learned here is just the beginning.”

Published June 25, 2014

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Legg, lawmakers build path to collegiate high schools

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High schools have come a long way in preparing students for schools, with Florida especially hanging its hat on dual enrollment opportunities that allow many juniors and seniors to earn college credit before receiving their high school diploma.

John Legg
John Legg

State Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, is celebrating a new law signed last week by Gov. Rick Scott that would expand those opportunities into collegiate high schools.

“Finally, every student in each of Florida’s 67 school districts is afforded the opportunity for advancement through a collegiate high school, and is more adequately prepared for their future careers,” Legg said, in a release.

S.B. 850, according to a committee analysis, requires districts to provide a pathway for high school students to earn a full year of college credit with funding and acceleration programs to offer 30 credit hours to juniors and seniors.

The collegiate high schools would be a joint venture between a school district and a nearby college or university. School districts can look beyond local universities if they both can’t come to an agreement by the 2015-16 school year.

Scott signed 57 bills into law last Friday, including these from local lawmakers:

S.B. 424 – Discriminatory Insurance Practices
Originally introduced by state Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, this law makes it illegal for insurance companies to deny someone coverage, or raise their rates, based on their ownership of a firearm.

It doesn’t stop the insurance company, however, from issuing a separate rider to a policy that would specifically insure a gun. But it does prevent insurance companies from disclosing information about a gun ownership to others, especially third-party vendors.

The bill passed the Senate 36-3 in March, but had a little more opposition in the House in April, passing 74-44. Those voting against it included local lawmakers Rep. Mark Danish and Rep. Janet Cruz, both Democrats.

H.B. 513 – State Poet Laureate
Florida has had various poet laureates over the last 100 years, but a new law originally introduced by Dan Raulerson, R-Plant City, will now make the position official.

The Florida Council on Arts and Culture will submit at least five nominees to the Florida secretary of state, each of whom are permanent Florida residents known for their poetry both inside and outside the state.

The secretary of state, in turn, will pare the list down to three, and submit those names to the governor, who makes the final decision.

The bill passed both the House and Senate unanimously last April.

H.B. 523 – Licensure to Carry a Concealed Weapon or Firearm
This law allows county tax collectors to administer fingerprints and accept applications for those seeking a concealed weapon permit.

Tax collectors wanting to participate would have to apply to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, but would be able to tack on a $22 convenience fee on top of the standard $70 initial permit application, and a $12 convenience fee for a $60 renewal.

The law also budgets $736,600 to create and maintain 11 new positions with the agriculture department, and a $105,500 one-time payout. It’s related to H.B. 525, which exempts personal information of gun owners from public records laws, which also was signed by the governor.

The bill sailed through the Senate, but had a couple bumps in the House, where it passed 94-22. Cruz was among those local lawmakers who voted against it.

H.B. 7035 – Juvenile Sentencing
Originally introduced by state Rep. James Grant, this law addresses the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court case Graham v. Florida that said the Constitution prevents courts from sentencing juvenile offenders who did not commit a murder to life.

After the decision, several past cases were brought back to courts for re-sentencing, where many had prison time drastically reduced.

This law gives judges an option to sentence a juvenile offender to 40 years instead of life, if he feels it’s appropriate. It also provides the chance for someone convicted of a capital crime while a juvenile to have his sentence reviewed after 25 years.

The bill passed both chambers unanimously in April and May.

Published June 25, 2014

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