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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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A year abroad offers student life-changing insights

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When Jennifer Roberts returns to classes at Wiregrass Ranch High School next week, she’ll be a far different person than she was when she last attended classes there.

Roberts, who is entering her senior year, left the United States last September to take part in the Rotary Youth Exchange program, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon.

Jennifer Roberts wraps herself in an American flag and poses with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Her experiences abroad changed her life, she says. (Courtesy of Jennifer Roberts)
Jennifer Roberts wraps herself in an American flag and poses with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Her experiences abroad changed her life, she says.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Roberts)

Roberts went to high school in Zaragoza, Spain — the country’s fourth largest city —situated between Barcelona and Madrid. The 17-year-old said the experience was nothing short of life-changing.

When she arrived there, Roberts barely knew enough Spanish to introduce herself and to say that she’s from Florida. “At first, it was really difficult,” she said.

Even a simple conversation was challenging.

“It makes you miss your native language, because you really have to think when you are speaking another language,” Roberts said.

She mastered some coping skills, to help her through.

“You learn how to just smile and nod,” Roberts said.

She was thrilled when her Spanish-speaking skills had improved to the point where she understood what was going on. When that clarity came, “You just get the moment of joy, ‘Oh, I can understand you,’” she said.

Despite the initial language barrier, Roberts said she felt welcome from the moment she arrived.

“I stayed with two different host families,” she said. “They were amazing. They just accepted me.”

The kids she met at school were nice, too. When they found out she was from the United States, some told her: “Oh, that is so cool.”

Some had misconceptions about Americans, Roberts said. Rampant media reports about guns in the United States have painted the wrong picture.

“They think that Americans just carry guns in their purses,” she said. Some even asked if she had a gun, and if she was carrying one around Spain.

“I was like, ‘I don’t actually know anyone that has a gun in their house,’” Roberts said.

Of course, because she’s a Floridian, some wanted to know if she had alligators as pets. When Roberts told them there was an alligator in the pond of her backyard, some wanted to know how she wasn’t killed by it.

On the pop-culture front, Roberts said, the music and movies are exactly the same. In fact, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” came out a week earlier in Spain than it did in American theaters.

Going out for dinner is different, though.

“It’s very expensive to go out to eat, so typically people don’t go out unless they’re wealthy,” Roberts said. “There, when you go out to eat, it’s a three-course meal. When you order off the menu, it has three options for the courses. It’s a set price for everything.”

Meals are leisurely affairs, too.

“If you go to lunch, it’s usually a four- to five-hour process,” she said. “Or if they’re trying to rush it, it would be two hours.”

Other differences? There are no drink refills or ice, Roberts said.

While in Spain, she craved fast food and Starbucks.

“Before I left, I was not a big fast-food person, but after you’re away, you kind of miss it,” Roberts said. “You kind of miss things like Chick-fil-A.”

She was never so happy to see a taco in her life as she was when a Taco Bell opened in the Spanish city where she lived.

“The only time I got to go to Starbucks was when I was in Madrid, Barcelona or at the airport,” Roberts added.

During the school year, she studied nine subjects, with different classes on different days. At her school, the students stayed in a group together throughout the day, while teachers changed classrooms.

Besides her time in Spain, Roberts had the chance to tour other European countries, including stops at the Berlin Wall, and in Paris where she got to see the Eiffel Tower and the “Mona Lisa.”

As she traveled about, Roberts noticed how similar Spanish is to French and Italian, and now she wants to learn those languages, too.

Roberts thinks her experiences abroad will help her in a future career, whether it be law, politics or international affairs.

She thinks they will help in her day-to-day life, too.

“After being an exchange student, you don’t sweat the little moments,” Roberts said.

Published August 13, 2014

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Wells seeks next generation of leadership on commission

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They share a name, they share values, and even share a penchant to serve the people through elected office.

Mike Wells Jr., is seeking a spot on the Pasco County Commission, just like his father, Mike Wells Sr., did some three decades ago. And while it’s tough to get out from under the shadow of his father, the younger Wells still aspires to be just like his dad, a respected government leader who is currently the county’s property appraiser.

His father is a popular man, but Mike Wells Jr., says he’s his own person, and is ready to provide some much-needed leadership to the county commission. (Courtesy of Mike Wells Jr.)
His father is a popular man, but Mike Wells Jr., says he’s his own person, and is ready to provide some much-needed leadership to the county commission.
(Courtesy of Mike Wells Jr.)

Mike Wells Jr., has worked to establish his own credentials over the years, leading a regional office for Enterprise Rent-A Car, and now working as a Realtor to help families find homes.

Like his father, Mike Wells Jr., has worked to develop strong leadership skills, and that’s exactly what he wants to bring to the county commission.

“We need leadership there, and we need it right now,” said Wells, who is running for the District 4 seat currently held by Henry Wilson Jr. “We lost Ann Hildebrand on the commission a few years back, and now Ted Schrader says he is retiring in a couple years. Quite frankly, that creates a vacuum that needs to be fixed.”

The political bug first bit Wells when he was 12 and his father decided he was going to run for county commission. Now, three decades later, Wells is running for a seat on that board himself, getting support from his own 12-year-old son, Cole.

“I remember going to events and meeting people all the time,” Wells said about his father. “It gave me a true look at how people can be involved in government, as long as you have leaders willing to listen.”

One thing potential voters have told Wells on the campaign trail is that they don’t want new taxes, even as the county struggles to continue providing services many have come to expect.

“We went through the most harsh economic times, and it’s only now that the real estate market is finally starting to come back,” he said. “This is just the wrong time for property taxes to be going up.”

Instead, the rise in property values should help provide the extra funding the government needs, Wells said, as the prosperity there can be passed along to much-needed government programs.

Of course, that does mean continued economic development, and what Wells sees as a greater role for the independent Pasco Economic Development Council in government. The organization had presented some ideas earlier this year on how the county could manage some of its Penny for Pasco money to fuel economic development, but the commission started pushing in a different direction that doesn’t necessarily include the Pasco EDC.

“We are all in this together, we’re all on the same team,” Wells said. “We have to work together, and Penny for Pasco is there to use, and we need to use it right.”

That also means encouraging smart development, and creating the right transportation infrastructure to support it.

Right now, the county is struggling to get people from one side of Pasco to the other. While there have been some unpopular proposals on how to expand the State Road 54/56 corridor, Wells believes more attention is needed for State Road 52 to the north, and for the county to finally get a handle on the embattled Ridge Road extension project that has yet to move forward.

And there isn’t solid economic development without more jobs coming to the county.

“We need to be able to bring jobs and bring companies to Pasco County,” Wells said. “But it starts with roads. It starts with having a plan to attract them there. And we need to work closely with our partners, like the PEDC, to make it happen.”

It also means getting residents more active in government, starting with the commission itself. It’s one thing for a commissioner to reach out whenever possible, but meetings need to be accessible as well.

Wells plans to push the commission to have at least some of its meetings in the evening, so that people who work can also participate in the process. He also wants to find ways to streamline meetings that right now can typically run for six or seven hours at a time.

“I’m not saying that we should necessarily do this, but when my dad was a commissioner, that board met at least once a week,” Wells said. “The county is now three times larger than what it was back then, and the commission only meets every other week. That’s something I really think we need to look at.”

MIKE WELLS JR.
Republican candidate for Pasco County Commission, District 4

OCCUPATION
Realtor, F.I. Grey & Son Residential Inc.

FAMILY
Tiffany Wells, wife
Cole Wells, son

RESIDENCE
New Port Richey, 8 years
Pasco County, lifelong

FUNDRAISING
through Aug. 1
$74,680

Published August 13, 2014

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Wilson depending on divine hand in re-election quest

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God is in control. At least that’s what Henry Wilson Jr., believes when it comes to his campaign to keep his seat on the Pasco County Commission.

But then again, it was probably only God that could’ve got him in that seat in the first place.

Henry Wilson Jr., has faith, and a lot of it, that he will get another four years on the Pasco County Commission. And he’ll find out after the open primary set for Aug. 26. (Courtesy of OurTownFla.com)
Henry Wilson Jr., has faith, and a lot of it, that he will get another four years on the Pasco County Commission. And he’ll find out after the open primary set for Aug. 26.
(Courtesy of OurTownFla.com)

Few people were looking at the District 4 commission race in 2010 when the last remaining Democratic commissioner, Michael Cox, appeared to be on his way to a comfortable re-election win. He had amassed nearly $163,000 — double that of the second highest fundraiser, Pat Mulieri — easily dwarfing the $8,700 and some change Wilson put together.

Yet, it was an election probably best described as a miracle. Wilson won by more than 6,000 votes, and took over Cox’s chair a short time later.

“My faith has kept my actions in check,” Wilson said. “I know that God is in control of my campaign, and that he knows the results already. I sleep well at night, knowing that I make decisions for what’s best for the county as a whole.”

And Wilson hasn’t been afraid to go against the grain. His vote was just enough last year to kill an increase in the local gas tax that commissioners say would’ve helped fund road maintenance and construction. And he’s been one of the strongest voices in his efforts to streamline the private companies going through neighborhoods collecting trash.

In the upcoming budget cycle, commissioners are faced with the question of how they are going to pay for a hugely underfunded streets and roads department. Solutions have included charging up to a nickel more in taxes per gallon at the gas pump, or an increase in property taxes, to raise the needed $8 million extra. Wilson, however, isn’t interested in either.

“We built roads over the last 30 years, and never had the operations or the budget to maintain those roads,” Wilson said. “What I’ve talked about is looking at the real estate transfer fee, the doc stamp tax. There is a fund in Tallahassee with $20 million in it that we would split with the school board. All we have to do is have the Legislature change two sentences in the law that manages it.”

One of those sentences is on what the county can spend the money, collected each time a piece of land changes hands. Critics have said it would raid money earmarked for affordable housing.

“Right now, we don’t need more affordable housing,” Wilson said. “A lot of our community development is funded by federal funds already. We need to have the option to use those dollars for roads instead of affordable housing.”

Those road projects would not include the more than 500 miles of dirt roads in the county, which right now are only paved after homeowners along those roads are hit with special paving assessments.

“The people who live on the dirt roads like the dirt roads,” Wilson said. “At least the ones who have come talked to me about it say they live on dirt roads for a reason.”

Maintaining a dirt road is more expensive than paving a road, Wilson said. Yet, if residents like the road, they shouldn’t have to be compelled to pave it.

Plus, there is no money for paving dirt roads anyway.

“Right now, there is no other option on the table to pay for it except with a paving assessment,” Wilson said.

Although taxes are expected to hold steady for the most part this coming year, Wilson believes it’s only a matter of time before some tough choices have to be made.

“When I ran four years ago, I said the millage rate was too low to maintain the current level of service we’re at,” he said. “We can only tread water for so long.”

Parks and libraries are being hit the most from a reduced budget, Wilson said.

“Those are quality of life issues we need in order to grow as a community,” he said. “We want services, but we also have to realize that somebody is going to have to pay for them.”

HENRY WILSON JR.
Republican candidate for Pasco County Commission, District 4

OCCUPATION
Pasco County commissioner

ELECTED OFFICE
Pasco County Commission, 2010

FAMILY
Rita Wilson, wife
Christopher Wilson, son
Cailin Wilson, daughter

RESIDENCE
New Port Richey, 32 years

FUNDRAISING
through Aug. 1
$36,515

Published August 13, 2014

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The power of friendship revealed through barrel racing event

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Lots of people don’t know a thing about barrel racing. There are probably even fewer who have heard of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

But even if those who don’t have a clue about either of those, chances are they’ve had a friend or two in life that has made them feel special. And, along the way, if that friend were in trouble, they have wanted to be there to help.

Kristy Bryant Flynn, front, and Tanya Dadez enjoy Busch Gardens during Flynn’s healthier days. (Courtesy of Tanya Dadez)
Kristy Bryant Flynn, front, and Tanya Dadez enjoy Busch Gardens during Flynn’s healthier days.
(Courtesy of Tanya Dadez)

That’s what motivated San Antonio resident Tanya Dadez to organize Kristy’s Can-Cer Vive Benefit Barrel Race. She hopes the event will ease some of the financial burdens the disease has caused to Kristy Bryant Flynn, her lifelong friend.

Part of the event’s name is a play on the words “can survive.”

Slated for Saturday, the barrel race is expected to draw at least 100 competitors. It’s a timed race, and those clocking the fastest finish — by racing through the course without hitting a barrel — will win cash awards.

In addition to the races, spectators can see riders and their horses checking out the arena in exhibitions that begin a couple of hours before the competition kicks off.

Many riders will compete with more than one horse, Dadez said.

Admission is free, but barbecued meals will be available for purchase, at $7.50 a plate, including drinks. There also will be vendors and a silent auction, with bidders vying for about 50 different items.

Planning for the event began months ago when Dadez began discussing the idea with Dennis and Tammie Rogers, owners of Double R Arena in Dade City. They generously agreed to host the event, Dadez said.

Ierna’s Heating & Cooling, Chandelle Veterinary Associates and Embroider Too all stepped up to contribute funds to sweeten the purse for the barrel race winners.

Charlene Ierna was quick to help out, Dadez said. She’s also been a dear friend of Flynn’s for years as they both played on the same softball team when they were kids.

Ierna also asked Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que to get involved, Dadez said. The popular barbecue restaurant agreed, donating meals and drinks, with proceeds to benefit Flynn’s family.

Dadez said she felt compelled to find a way to help.

“Kristy and I have been best friends since kindergarten. We went to Sanders Elementary, Pine View Middle and we both graduated from Land O’ Lakes High School,” she said.

Flynn began noticing symptoms she didn’t understand when she was in her 20s. She couldn’t take hot showers, for instance, because they nearly knocked her out. She frequently dropped dishes and other items, because she couldn’t get a tight grip on them.

And then, when she bent over to pick up the items, she felt nauseous when she began to straighten up.

Flynn was diagnosed with her condition in 2008. The disease is a form of blood cancer, and there is no known cure. It is especially rare for someone as young as Flynn to have the condition, according to medical websites.

There has been progress in developing medications, but so far Flynn has not responded well to drugs now available for long-term treatment.

Dadez, who is a barrel racer herself, said she knew that barrel races sometimes are hosted for charitable causes, so she decided to organize this one. She hopes the fundraiser will lessen the financial pressures that Flynn, her husband, Scot, and the couple’s children have faced since Flynn had to stop working.

“She’s just the epitome of innocence and wholesome and everything good that you could possibly imagine,” Dadez said. “She never says an ill word about anybody. She’s an angel, really. I just love her to death.”

Dadez said Flynn wanted to pitch in when she heard about the fundraiser.

“She said, ‘I feel really bad. I feel like I need to be doing something,’” Dadez said. “I said, ‘This is for you and your family. I want you to come out and enjoy, have a good time. This is all about you. You don’t have to worry about anything. We’ve got everything covered.’”

Even though Flynn wants to help, she acknowledges she probably wouldn’t be able to do much. On some days, just making breakfast is about all she has the energy to do. On other days, she runs out of breath just walking out to the family’s mailbox.

Flynn would like to work, but she can’t because she never knows from one day to the next how much energy she’ll have. When she has done a few hours of work, she has found herself wiped out for days afterward, she said.

Despite the challenges, Flynn remains upbeat.

Besides helping to raise money for Flynn, Dadez said she thinks the event will be fun for the entire family. Those attending will have a chance to see horses up close, watch competitive races, eat a nice meal, check out the vendors, and bid on items at the auction.

Spectators should be sure to bring lawn chairs to the event, Dadez added.

Initially, Dadez was hoping to raise at least $3,000 for her friend.

“I do believe, and I’m pretty hopeful, that we’re going to be able to exceed that,” she said.

If you go:
WHAT: Kristy’s Can-Cer Vive Benefit Barrel Race, featuring about 100 racing around barrels, vying for the fastest time and cash prizes
WHERE: Double R Arena, 32640 Amberlea Road, Dade City
WHEN: Aug. 16, exhibitions begin at 4 p.m., show begins at 6 p.m.
COST: Admission for spectators is free. Entry fee for riders is $40 a horse. Event also features barbecued dinners, vendors and a silent auction.
INFO: Tanya Dadez, (813) 787-6448

Published August 13, 2014

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‘D’ stands for ‘discipline’ at Wiregrass Ranch

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After back-to-back 0-10 campaigns, the Wiregrass Ranch Bulls turned things around in 2013 with a respectable 4-6 record.

As a result, they lost the losing mentality that comes with winless seasons.

Yori McMillan, left, and Austin Stroup will be part of the offensive line assigned to protect quarterback Shane Bucenell this season. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Yori McMillan, left, and Austin Stroup will be part of the offensive line assigned to protect quarterback Shane Bucenell this season.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Heading into 2014, however, they’ve lost something else: their head coach.

Mike Lawrence parlayed his successful year with the Bulls into a position with Bethany College in Kansas. That leaves Arturo Meza at the helm, who was co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Bulls last year. Before that, his resume includes Zephyrhills, East Bay and Spoto high schools.

And the United States Marine Corps. Meza said his background will factor into the Bulls’ philosophy this season.

“We have a saying, ‘Discipline is the key.’ You have to say it, you have to think it, you have to believe it,” Meza said. “Discipline is going to be a big thing in continuing to move forward.”

The players already believe it as they move forward with their preparations. At Wiregrass Ranch High School, practice includes a lot of whistles, horns and players rotating to different sections of the field, working hard at drills and remaining in constant motion. And last week, Meza had representatives from the Marine Corps visit the team to instill some mental toughness and add a little something to their physical regimen.

According to Austin Stroup, a senior who plays on the offensive line, the team is feeling the effects of Meza’s approach.

“We run so much,” he said. “We run more than any team I’ve ever been a part of. Everyone’s going to be so disciplined. There are going to be less mistakes.”

Mistakes and a lack of conditioning are part of what prevented Wiregrass Ranch from turning a respectable year into an excellent one last season. Close games and early leads turned into disappointment as the team failed to keep up with their opponents as the games progressed.

“In the Steinbrenner game, we just fell apart,” said senior quarterback Shane Bucenell, recalling how a 17-7 halftime lead against the Warriors turned into a 27-20 defeat last season.

“We have to put in the work every single day and make sure that we finish all our conditioning drills.”

Yori McMillan, a senior who also will protect Bucenell on the offensive line, believes Meza is the right coach to make sure the team puts in the necessary effort to limit errors and advance as a program.

“Coach Lawrence was big on discipline, but Coach Meza, he really wants to enforce that we don’t make mistakes,” McMillan said.

In addition to the Steinbrenner defeat, Meza pointed to the game against Gaither High School as a missed district opportunity, which they lost by 20 points. While the Bulls went 4-6 last year, they were 0-5 in Class 7A-District 7.

One of the team’s goals is to become a force in their district, where they haven’t won in three seasons.

To achieve their goals, Wiregrass Ranch will need steady production from their offense, which Meza considers to be improved over last year, but suffered some losses due to graduation. Meza isn’t as concerned with the offensive line, which lost a few starters, and he has confidence in his quarterback and receivers.

But he admits the running game lost quality players who will be a challenge to replace.

“The running back position is the question mark,” Meza said. “That’s where we’re trying to solidify some things.”

The Bulls’ off-season program has included elements of CrossFit training for strength and conditioning, agility drills and plenty of running. And while it hasn’t been easy, the players have bought into the hard-work philosophy, and are confident in the results it can bring.

Even if they don’t like all the running while they’re doing it.

“I hate it,” Stroup said. “But I know at the end of the season I’m going to be looking back and be like ‘I’m glad we did that.’”

WIREGRASS RANCH BULLS:

LAST YEAR: 4-6
0-5 in district play
Sixth place in Class 7A-District 7

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS:
Jay Minor, linebacker and wide receiver
Austin Stroup, offensive line and defensive line
Yori McMillan, offensive line and defensive line

PLAYER TO WATCH:
Shane Bucenell, quarterback
“He has prepared and studied very hard for the upcoming season, and we expect big things out of him.” – Coach Arturo Meza

2014 Bulls Schedule
8/29 – Gulf
9/5 – at Hudson
9/12 – at River Ridge
9/19 – Tampa Bay Tech
10/3 – Gaither
10/10 – at Ridgewood
10/17 – at Steinbrenner
10/24 – at Sickles
10/31 – Freedom
11/7 – Wesley Chapel

Published August 13, 2014

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Business Digest 08-13-14

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BizDigest-TaylorSamantha Taylor gets a little tough in her efforts to help a struggling gym in the Spike reality series ‘Gym Rescue.’ Taylor owns Pure Health & Fitness Studios in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Spike)

Local business owner on reality television
Samantha Taylor, the owner of Pure Health & Fitness Studios in Land O’ Lakes, appeared Aug. 10 on the new Spike reality show “Gym Rescue.”

“I flew out to Fort Lauderdale last year for a week to film this show, and it’s finally airing,” Taylor said, in a release.

The show, Taylor said, is similar to programs like “Kitchen Nightmares,” where someone goes in and helps a failing restaurant, except this one is for gyms and fitness studios. MMA fighters Randy Couture and Frank Shamrock host it.

Taylor had only 45 minutes to “change the life” of the gym owners in the episode, she said, “so I had to toughen up a little on the owners to help them stop making excuses for why they weren’t succeeding, and just listen to the experts giving them advice.”

Couture, according to the cable channel, owns a successful chain of gyms called Xtreme Couture MMA, while Shamrock owns Shamrock MMA.

To learn more about Taylor’s studio, visit PureHealthStudios.com.

Wesley Chapel Walmart opens
The newest Walmart at 28500 State Road 54 is set to open Aug. 13 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m.

The store created 300 jobs, and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Stephanie White will manage the store. She began her Walmart career in 1988 as an hourly cashier in Port Richey.

The store will offer the Site to Store program where items purchased online can be delivered to the local store. It also offers fresh produce and a full line of groceries. A pharmacy will offer a full range of products and services, including an iPhone and Android Walmart mobile app.

The grand opening celebration includes presentations of $7,000 in grants from Walmart to local community groups. Those recipients include the Wesley Chapel Lions Club, Wesley Chapel High School, Watergrass Elementary School, and Lily of the Valley food pantry.

A celebration is planned Aug. 16 that will include family activities and free food samples between noon and 3 p.m.

Lennar opens new phase at Concord Station
Homebuilder Lennar has opened a new phase with 145 lots at Concord Station, the company’s master-planned community located off State Road 54 and Sunlake Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes.

Lennar plans to build 52 new three- and four-bedroom houses beginning at $180,000, along with 93 new three-, four- and five-bedroom houses at a higher price point.

Concord Station has a 5,000-square-foot community center with a swimming pool, fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, a sport court, a lake pond, and a community park with a picnic area.

Upcoming PHHCC events
The Pasco Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will have its regular luncheon Aug. 13 at 11:30 a.m., at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 20735 Leonard Road in Lutz.

Lunch is $20 per member, or $25 for non-members. To RSVP, call (813) 435-1499.

The chamber will host a mixer Aug. 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Good Faith Insurance Services, 5854 Argerian Drive, Suite 101 in Wesley Chapel.

For information, visit PHHChamber.com.

TBBA council wins award
The Sales and Marketing Council of the Tampa Bay Builders Association received an Excel Award as Florida’s Best Sales and Marketing Council during the recent Southeast Builders Conference in Orlando.

The council was honored for outstanding achievements in membership efforts, programs, seminars, education, council marketing and awards programs, including the annual Parade of Homes and Awards of Excellence.

The council boasts membership of more than 250 sales and marketing professionals in the Tampa Bay area. Through networking, speakers and a variety of educational programs for sales professionals, the council promotes better and more efficient sales practices so consumers can enjoy a more positive and informed home-buying experience, according to a release.

Zephyrhills looking for contest entries
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominees for its annual business and community awards, which will be honored during the chamber’s annual meeting and banquet Sept. 18 at Scotland Yards Golf Club.

Nominees do not have to be a member of the chamber, but should meet the criteria established in each category. Winners from last year are not eligible, and deadline to enter nominees is Aug. 13.

For information, visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org.

Dade City chamber wants award winners
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce will host its annual awards banquet Oct. 16. With that, it’s seeking nominations for various awards.

Typically, awards are open to members who have been a part of the chamber in good standing for at least a year. Some of the categories include Business Leader of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Civic Association of the Year and Citizen of the Year.

To learn more about how to nominate, contact Jo Uber at the chamber office at (352) 567-3769, or email her at .

Bank stands up to cancer
Fifth Third Bank has returned its “Pay to the Order” of campaign that earlier this year raised more than $2.3 million for Stand Up to Cancer.

The campaign was first launched in January and leverages new checking accounts to help drive donations that support collaborative cancer research programs, the company said in a release. For each new customer who opens a checking account with direct deposit, and makes three online bill payments, Fifth Third will give $150 to the customer and donate $150 to the cancer organization, more commonly known as SU2C.

The campaign runs through Oct. 17.

Political Agenda 08-13-14

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Simpson to speak at chamber breakfast
State Sen. Wilton Simpson will speak at a business breakfast hosted by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce Aug. 19 beginning at 7 a.m., at The Commons on Pretty Pond, 38130 Pretty Pond Road in Zephyrhills.

Cost is $5 per person.

To RSVP, email , or call (813) 567-3769.

Early voting in Hillsborough
Hillsborough County will have 15 early voting sites open between Aug. 14-24, including weekends, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., for those who want to participate in the primary election.

Once voting begins, those who wish to cast their ballot early can visit VoteHillsborough.org, and find out both locations and wait times. Hillsborough voters can go to any of the 15 sites to vote.

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 Sept. 9 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 Oct. 14 and Dec. 9.

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

PACA to talk long-range transportation plan
The Pasco Alliance of Community Associations will host Matthew Armstrong, Pasco County’s executive planner in charge of the long-range planning group, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

PACA is a not-for-profit organization whose members include 70 of Pasco’s homeowner associations, community development districts and condominium associations, as well as individuals residing in the county. It assists members by educating them on common issues, and finding solutions to shared problems. It also represents the interests of members before all levels of government.

For information, call Ron Litts at (813) 475-4561, or visit MyPACA.org.

Bilirakis to host office hours
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis will host office hours Aug. 27 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at the Congressman’s Wesley Chapel office, 5901 Argerian Drive.

The office hours are part of his ongoing effort to solicit feedback from his constituents, according to a release.

Appointments, which are scheduled on a first-come basis, can be made by calling (727) 232-2921.

 

Homeowners worry about value drain from golf course

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In the three months since the links at Plantation Palms Golf Club closed, a homeowners association has been left powerless, and confused neighbors listen to any rumor they can about the fate of the 156-acre course.

A small party tent, which once provided shade to golfers near the clubhouse, now sits neglected, its dirty canopy flapping in the wind. Equipment that used to keep the greens pristine is buried in overgrown grass.

Golfers have been replaced with wildlife along the Plantation Palms Golf Club, which has been deserted since MJS Golf Group closed the course last May. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Golfers have been replaced with wildlife along the Plantation Palms Golf Club, which has been deserted since MJS Golf Group closed the course last May.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

One hole, not far from the entrance, still sports a small flag, desperately calling attention to golfers who may never come.

Patty Stach doesn’t play golf, but the deserted course has become a nightmare for her. She’s ready to move to a new town, but she can’t even put her Plantation Palms house up for sale because of what’s happening just a block or so away.

“If you’re a golfer, it affects your way of life,” she said. “But even if you’re not a golfer, it affects the value of your home. Who would want to buy into a community where the golf course looks like this?”

Mitch Osceola, Jayson Ray and Steve McDonald — collectively known as MJS Golf Group LLC — bought the course in 2011 through a $2.2 million loan from Native American Bank of Denver. All three have Native American roots: Osceola is a Florida Seminole, Ray is from the Klamath Modoc tribe of Oregon, and McDonald from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation of Kansas.

Despite their different upbringings, they found common ground in golf. Osceola, Ray and McDonald realized their dream to own a golf course when a Vero Beach developer decided to sell a course they built in the heart of Land O’ Lakes.

“We’ve got big ideas for Plantation Palms that will help the HOA grow as well,” Ray told The Laker at the time.

But now, the ownership is quiet. They haven’t communicated with the HOA, and they didn’t return a message seeking comment from The Laker. The doors that used to welcome golfers are now adorned with a citation from the Pasco County code enforcement office, demanding the grass get cut.

Dave Brooks, a former member of the HOA and a longtime member of the club, says there’s nothing the community can do except wait for something to happen.

“It’s frustrating that the course is in such bad shape, and it’s frustrating that we can’t play the course,” he said. “But at the same time, there’s not much we can do. It’s a privately owned golf course.”

After the May closing, the HOA president David Gunsteens told residents to stay off the course, and that he would close the front gates to the community during the day to stop people from coming in trying to get free trips around the links. Each month, he would update residents on what’s happening with the golf course in the community’s newsletter — at least as much as he could with the little information he had.

“Once again this month, I have to report that we still have no word on the status of the golf course,” Gunsteens wrote in the most recent newsletter. “We continue to attempt to obtain permission from the course owners in order to do some basic mowing in some of the more visible areas, but have continued to be unsuccessful in that area.”

If the county does have to come in and mow, it could make the property even more difficult to sell or bring back online. Especially since the cost to just maintain a 30-foot buffer from neighboring properties would be in the thousands of dollars, said Joaquin Servia, the county’s code enforcement manager.

“The government isn’t really equipped to deal with a situation like that,” Servia said. “It’s such a large area, and there’s no way that any government is going to be able to maintain a golf course like that to the standards that people would really expect.”

The county has three other golf courses that also are in limbo, Servia said. However, the owners at those are doing at least the bare minimum to keep code enforcers at bay.

If the county does come in and do work, they will lien the property, which will make it that much more expensive to sell.

The biggest rumors circulating around the community are that at least two groups — including one led by a resident — have tried to make offers on the golf course, but neither have received a response from Native American Bank. None of those rumors could be verified, and Joel Smith, a senior vice president and chief credit officer for the financial institution, didn’t return a call seeking comment.

However, a receptionist who answered the phone at the bank said they have received a number of calls from people asking about the course.

One way or the other, something needs to happen soon, because Stach says she’s ready to leave.

“It’s a beautiful community, and everybody loves it. It would just be nice to have the golf course up and running,” she said. “Nobody can move right now. We’re all kind of stuck. And as that grass gets deeper and deeper, we’re starting to realize it might be a while.”

Published August 6, 2014

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We never doubted that bigger is better

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Unless you’re reading this column online, by now you should have realized that something big is different about this week’s paper.

Really big.

We are 6 inches longer, or 25 percent bigger, than we were last week. This makes us the same size as most daily newspapers, and gives you two sections of the paper instead of one.

We’ve been working on this transition since May, so today is a big day for my staff and me. We are thrilled with how our new paper looks and feels, and hope you are too.

Converting to a larger size has touched just about everything we do, from the size of our ads to the size of the plastic bags we use to deliver your paper. It’s been more work, and has affected more aspects of our business, than we ever imagined.

But we’ve never doubted our decision to go bigger. We truly believe this is the best way to meet the changing needs of our readers and advertisers.

There are many reasons behind the change that we’ve talked about in promotional ads and in our news columns for the past month. But the biggest one is a larger paper gives us more space to print local stories for you and your family.

Becoming the same size as a daily also communicates that we’re no long the “little community paper” that some people may perceive, but rather a “real newspaper” to be taken seriously.

We’ve stepped up our game to fill the void left by the two daily newspapers in our market — The Tampa Bay Times and The Tampa Tribune — which have steadily cut back their local news coverage and frequency of their regional sections in Pasco and north Hillsborough counties. These big dailies once had neighborhood news sections they published seven days a week. As they scaled back their news staffs, their regional editions dwindled from seven days a week, to five, to three and now just once or twice a week.

We have picked up their slack by expanding The Laker/Lutz News, both in size and content. We still give you the human interest stories you’ve always loved, but we’ve increased our coverage of growth and development, new and expanding businesses, public and private education, and city and county government.

There’s no doubt that size does matter and bigger is better — at least when it comes to newspapers in the communities we serve in Lutz, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and Dade City.

Going bigger has energized my employees and the business community that supports us like nothing before. And we’re confident our new size also will inspire our readers and make you more loyal than ever to The Laker/Lutz News.

Please let us know what you think of our new size. We’re betting the only complaint we’ll hear is the larger size is harder to hold when drinking a cup of coffee and reading your paper Wednesday morning.

Published August 6, 2014

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New schools, new programs on tap for 2014-15 school year

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The days of relatively easy rush-hour commutes are approaching an end as students, teachers and other employees gear up for a new school year.

Students in Pasco County Schools begin the 2014-15 school year on Aug. 18, and Hillsborough County public schools begin classes a day later.

These children arrive at school at Quail Hollow Elementary School on the last day the school had classes before closing down for renovation. Quail Hollow is slated to open in the 2015-16 school year. (File Photo)
These children arrive at school at Quail Hollow Elementary School on the last day the school had classes before closing down for renovation. Quail Hollow is slated to open in the 2015-16 school year.
(File Photo)

Wiregrass Ranch High School already is urging students and parents to give themselves ample time to arrive.

“Traffic in the morning is always busy,” Robyn White, the school’s principal, noted on the Wiregrass Ranch website. “With 40 buses arriving, 500 student drivers, 200 employees and hundreds of parents driving to school, you must arrive early to prevent being late to school.”

If that’s the scene at just one school, imagine how it will play out across two massive school districts.

In addition to traffic generated by Hillsborough and Pasco public schools, there also are thousands of students in both counties attending private schools and charter schools, including Academy at the Lakes, Land O’ Lakes Christian School, Countryside Montessori, The Reading Corner, Learning Gate Community School, Imagine School and Academy at the Farm, just to name a few.

The traffic jams will begin in earnest when students return to classes, but the volume will pick up a bit earlier as teachers and other school employees begin reporting back to work to get ready for another year.

Many parents are already hitting the malls, discount stores and local shops to buy their kids new school clothes and supplies for the coming year. Parents who want to be in the know should check their school’s website to make sure they are getting the supplies that their kids will need. Most websites offer a list of supplies that differentiates between grade levels.

Parents also can benefit from attending “meet the teacher” day at elementary schools and orientation sessions for older students to get a better feel for their child’s campus and the school’s rules. Again, all that information is available on schools’ websites.

The coming school year is ushering in new educational options for students in both school districts. Pepin Academies has a new public charter school in New Port Richey that will serve students with special learning needs throughout Pasco County.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the county, Darby Christian Academy in Dade City will offer a community school model, based on a biblical worldview. That school, a ministry of Darby Community Church at 14745 Bellamy Brothers Road, offers instruction for kindergarten through 10th-graders.

Stewart Middle School and Zephyrhills High School are adding The Infinity Academy, a program that blends online instruction with classroom learning to give students the chance to quickly move through material they master, but spend more time on lessons that cause them to struggle.

Both schools also are offering a program called AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. At Zephyrhills High, AVID will be available for 60 incoming ninth-graders who will take it as an elective. The class will focus on organizational skills, text coding, reading and writing coaching, and math and science tutorials.

At Stewart, the AVID elective will be offered for students in grades six through eight.

In Hillsborough County, the public charter Lutz Preparatory School has added a middle school. This year, the school will serve sixth- and seventh-graders. Next year, it intends to add eighth grade.

Three elementary schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area have new principals.

Claudia Steinacker will lead Cox Elementary School, and Christina Twardosz is at the helm of Centennial Elementary School, both in Dade City. Gretchen Rudolph-Fladd is the new principal at Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.

This school year also signals the first full year of operation for Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a new satellite of Pasco-Hernando State College.

The college campus is next door to Wiregrass Ranch High and not far from Wesley Chapel High School, which is expected to lead to enhanced educational opportunities for the high school students and to give the college a chance to recruit more future students.

Pasco County Schools Calendar 2014-15
Aug. 18 — Students’ first day
Sep. 1 — Labor Day
Oct. 20 — Teacher planning day
Oct. 27— Report card distribution
Nov. 24-28 — Thanksgiving break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 — Winter break
Jan. 5 — Teacher planning day
Jan. 12 — Report card distribution
Jan. 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 16 — President’s Day
March 16-20 — Spring break
March 23 — Teacher planning day
March 30 — Report card distribution
April 3 — Non-student day
May 20 — Seniors’ last day
May 25 — Memorial Day
June 3 — Students’ last day
June 11 — Final report card distribution

Hillsborough County Schools Calendar 2014-15
Aug. 19 — Students’ first day
Sept. 1 — Labor Day
Oct. 20 — Teacher planning day
Nov. 3 — Elementary report card distribution
Nov. 7 — Secondary report card distribution
Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
Nov. 24-28 — Fall break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 — Winter break
Jan. 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 20 — Non-student day
Feb. 2 — Elementary report card distribution
Feb. 10 — Secondary report card distribution
March 9–13 — Spring break
March 16 — Student’s return to school
April 3 — Non-student day
April 13 — Elementary report card distribution
April 17 — Secondary report card distribution
May 25 — Memorial Day
June 5 — Elementary report card distribution
June 5 — Last day of school
June 12 — Secondary report card distribution

– Compiled by Ashley Schrader

Published August 6, 2014

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