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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Ready for the ring: Amateurs prepare for May 3 event

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On a weekend evening, hundreds of people gather for fight night.

They cheer for two boxers, who punch, jab and defend their way through round after round in the ring.

Benjamin Vazquez, 15, prepares for his amateur boxing debut at the American Olympic League’s May 3 event. The fights are sanctioned by USA Boxing. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Benjamin Vazquez, 15, prepares for his amateur boxing debut at the American Olympic League’s May 3 event. The fights are sanctioned by USA Boxing.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

In the end one emerges victorious, sometimes by knockout and other times after the judges reveal their scoring. Records improve or fall, momentum will be gained or lost, and fans applaud the winner and await the next two competitors.

That scene occurs at boxing events all over the country, as professional and amateur fighters compete in front of fans for a shot at advancing their career. It could be in New York, or Las Vegas, or Atlantic City.

It also happens in Wesley Chapel.

The American Olympic League hosts regular boxing events at its home, 5807 Ellerbee Road in Wesley Chapel. The organization trains athletes and has classes in disciplines such as boxing, wrestling, judo, jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai. But their regular fight nights draw hundreds, and the next event on May 3 will feature several amateur boxers of all age ranges who are ready to show off their skills in the ring.

“It’s amazing the talent that you can find, you see these kids have ambition and you see it carry through with their skill level,” said Carlos Valle, who serves as general manager and promoter.

The boxing events normally feature between 17 and 20 fights, with competitors usually ranging from 7-year-olds to teenagers. Some adult amateurs also compete, but the event is mostly for younger fighters who will eventually turn pro.

All fights are sanctioned by USA Boxing, so the format, protective gear, officials and judges all meet the standards required for a bout that counts toward a fighter’s record.

But Valle explained that American Olympic League isn’t about just selling tickets to events or having classes. They also sponsor Sports League of Wesley Chapel, a non-profit where Valle also is active. The two organizations work together to help area underprivileged kids learn a new skill and stay focused on their schoolwork.

“They really can’t afford to train, the uniforms, the gloves, the headgear. It gets expensive,” Valle explained. “So we pick them up from school, we bring them here and we help them with homework. We have a tutor here who helps them, and when they’re done with homework, then they come here and box.”

In addition to those participants, the events draw other groups and fighters who are interested in adding to their record. And even the younger fighters can run up significant stats.

“I was impressed when I saw some of the kids, 8-year-olds with 45 to 50 fights, because they’re competing every month and sometimes twice a month,” Valle said.

The boxing event also is a chance for less-experienced fighters to start their path into the ring. Benjamin Vazquez, a 15-year-old freshman at Wesley Chapel High School, will be on the card May 3, marking his first amateur fight after months of preparation.

“I’m ready for it. I feel confident,” Vazquez said during a training session. His confidence stems from his previous experience competing in karate, and also a strict regimen where he trains every day after school.

Shadow boxing in the ring, instruction and more boxing with a trainer who wears pads and timed work on a punching bag, are part of his daily routine.

Vazquez is ready for his match against a to-be-named opponent, and said that his training has required a lot of hard work.

“The conditioning is intense. There’s a lot of stamina, running. It’s not easy,” he said.

While his fight will be a one-on-one battle with his opponent, Vazquez won’t be alone that night. His mother, Maribel, will be one of around a dozen friends and family who will be there cheering him on and watching him compete.

“I can’t wait,” she said. “He’s going to have uncles, sister, brothers, friends” at the fight.

Maribel grew up watching boxing, and won’t hide her eyes while her son competes. She wants to watch the entire fight, and believes his hard work has prepared him well for his first boxing match.

“He trains very hard, and he has a good coach,” she said. “I have confidence in my son.”

The event begins at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m. The cost is $15.

For information, call (813) 284-8888.

Published April 30, 2014

Business Digest 04-30-14

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 Zephyrhills chamber business breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will have a chamber business breakfast May 1 sponsored by Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. Randy Surber, president and chief executive of the hospital, will speak at Golden Corral, 6855 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, with the event beginning at 7 a.m.

Cost is $7 for members.

Martin to lead Saint Leo advisory council
Saint Leo University has launched a new Communication-Marketing-Multimedia Industry Advisory Council, with Summer Martin from the Pasco Economic Development Council, elected as chairwoman.

The council’s mission is to serve as an advisory body, working collaboratively with the instructional faculty and students by providing ideas and opinions on matters concerning the industry, and to help advance the department’s strategic plan.

“Talent is always No. 1 on a company’s wish list when choosing a location for its business,” said Martin, in a release. “This is a great opportunity for industry professionals to weigh in on the skills they would like to see future graduates have as it relates to their business and the field of marketing, communication and multimedia.”

Martin joined the PEDC in 2012, and has since helped the organization win four awards recognizing its marketing efforts. She also serves on the Tampa Bay Partnership’s Regional Marketing Council, and in 2012, participated as a member of the Communications Action Group for the Tampa Bay Host Committee.

“Saint Leo University is preparing students for future jobs, and we want to stay on the cutting edge,” said Michael Nastanski, dean of Saint Leo’s Donald R. Tapia School of Business, in a release. “We look forward to working with industry professionals to develop the Tampa Bay region’s talent.”

Waterline project will slow Lutz traffic around U.S. 41

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Motorists heading south on U.S 41 through Lutz will notice that the right lane has been closed from just north of Crenshaw Lake Road to slightly south of Crystal Lake Road, as workers install a new 12-inch water pipe.

Orange-and-white construction barrels close off the right lane on a portion of U.S. 41 so work can be done to install a new 12-inch water pipe that will serve the Manors of Crystal Lake. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Orange-and-white construction barrels close off the right lane on a portion of U.S. 41 so work can be done to install a new 12-inch water pipe that will serve the Manors of Crystal Lake.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Crews have started work on a $5.4 million Hillsborough County project that calls for laying 4.5 miles of pipeline to improve water reliability and quality for the Manors of Crystal Lake. The project also lays the groundwork for future connections to the county’s water system by other Lutz customers.

Traffic will continue to flow through the community, but there will be fewer lanes while the pipeline is being installed, said Lloyd Horton, the county’s project manager.

The entire project should be completed by early 2015, Horton said.

The road will be restored to a drivable condition and then the Florida Department of Transportation will do a resurfacing project on U.S. 41, which also will cause traffic disruptions.

The state DOT’s resurfacing project on U.S. 41 is expected to begin around October. The $12 million project will involve road resurfacing, drainage work, signal improvements and CSX rebuilding the railroad track crossing on U.S. 41, said FDOT spokeswoman Kris Carson.

The county water project will use a looped system, giving Manors of Crystal Lake residents a backup in the event of any disruptions, said county section manager Rick Kirby.

The Manors of Crystal Lake already is a part of the county’s water system, but has been served by two wells. Those wells and a nearby chlorination plant will be shut down once the new waterline begins operation, according to the county’s website.

The water flow also will be improved with the new line, bringing it up to the current standards for fire protection.

The waterline project will be completed in three segments:

• From the west side of Florida Avenue, from West Chapman Road to approximately 250 feet north of Lake Drive.

• From approximately 1,200 feet south of Crenshaw Lake Road, along the west side of U.S. 41 to Crystal Lake Road. One branch will continue west along the north side of Crystal Lake Road to the point of connection at Clear Lake Drive.

The other branch will cross beneath the CSX railroad tracks and U.S. 41, from just north of Crystal Lake Road to the east side of U.S. 41, to the point of connection just north of Sunset Lane.

• From the connection point just south of Fourth Avenue S.E. on the east side of U.S. 41 to just south of First Avenue S.E. The pipeline will cross beneath U.S. 41 and the CSX railroad tracks to the corner of First Avenue S.W., and First Street S.W. Then, the pipeline will continue north along the east side of First Avenue S.W., to Lutz Lake Fern Road, and along the south side of Lutz Lake Fern to just east of North Dale Mabry Highway.

Flagman will direct traffic when work is done on Lutz Lake Fern, Horton said. That portion of the project will take up to four months.

Lutz residents and passersby also may have noticed that some trees have been removed from medians on U.S. 41. Four trees were removed March 24 in a median near Fifth Avenue because they failed to meet state safety standards. Two others were removed from the apex because they were dead.

Those removals kept with the county’s previous announcement that it would need to take out some trees that either posed safety problems or were diseased.

Published April 23, 2014

Saint Leo grads ready to learn something new from Petters, Davidson

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Last year, Huntington Ingalls Industries earned more than $6.8 billion.

Huntington Ingalls Industries president and chief executive C. Michael Petters, right, shakes hands with employee Timothy Madden at the yard at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. Petters hails from Pasco County, and he and sister Susan Davidson will speak May 3 at Saint Leo University commencement ceremonies. (Courtesy of Chris Oxley)
Huntington Ingalls Industries president and chief executive C. Michael Petters, right, shakes hands with employee Timothy Madden at the yard at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia. Petters hails from Pasco County, and he and sister Susan Davidson will speak May 3 at Saint Leo University commencement ceremonies.
(Courtesy of Chris Oxley)

Chances are, you’ve never heard of this Virginia-based company. But you should definitely be familiar with its products — nuclear-powered aircraft carriers that are more than 1,000 feet long and weigh 100,000 tons — and you may even know its president and chief executive officer.

C. Michael Petters has led Huntington Ingalls since before it was spun off from Northrop Grumman. Petters is a preeminent shipbuilder who learned his skills through the U.S. Naval Academy and the College of William and Mary, but the foundation of his success goes back even further — all the way to the small German Catholic St. Joseph community in Pasco County.

There, Petters and his siblings worked hard on the family’s orange groves, but still remained focused on education and service. So it’s no surprise that not only has Petters been invited to speak at upcoming commencement exercises at Saint Leo University, but so has his sister — U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Susan Davison.

The Class of 2014 graduation marks a milestone in the Petters’ family history — it’s 60 years after their father graduated from what was then Saint Leo Prep School.

“My parents were committed,” Petters said. “They were committed to the farm and their business and to their acquaintances and all that, but the one thing that they held out there more than anything else was education.”

Petters’ grandfather said each person should strive to learn something new every day. That prompted a daily question from his own father, asking what he’d learned.

“If you said ‘nothing,’ that wasn’t a good answer,” Petters said. “It didn’t matter to my parents whether it was classroom training or not. It was learning, and it wasn’t just words to them. They went the extra mile to make sure they could afford to send us to schools.”

Yet, good schools cost money, something the Petters didn’t necessarily have a lot of. So Mike Petters and his siblings would work their way through school, and even paused long enough to serve their country in the military. Petters would end up on the USS George Bancroft, a nuclear-powered submarine in the 1980s. And sister Susan Davidson would make her career in the military.

Davidson received her commission in 1983, but didn’t begin active duty until 1986 after a short delay when she had to help replant the family orange grove that was damaged in a hard freeze.

Davidson served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in the 1990s, and later in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Two years ago, she assumed command of Defense Logistics Agency Distribution. But they are not the only Petters children who have found success.

“The whole gang has been successful,” Petters said. “We even have a rocket scientist and a helicopter pilot in there. And they’ve all been successful because they have taken this never-stop-learning approach, and made it the drumbeat of their lives.”

Commencement ceremonies are set for May 3, honoring the portion of Saint Leo’s 16,000-student body who have finished this level of their education. However, if graduates walk away from anything after Petters’ remarks, he hopes that it’s with the understanding that education never ends.

“Where you’re from is an asset,” Petters said. “Everything you have done up to today prepares you for what you’re going to be doing tomorrow.”

Published April 23, 2014

Phyllis Hoedt works hard to keep Lutz traditions alive

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Phyllis Hoedt quietly goes about helping to preserve a sense of community that residents cherish in Lutz.

Her activities on the evening of Dec. 17 offer a glimpse into the level of her involvement. It was then Hoedt was at the Christmas Card Lane celebration in downtown Lutz. The event featured over-sized Christmas cards made of plywood, representing local organizations and businesses. It also included a showcase of local talent.

Phyllis Hoedt uses her time and energy to help keep traditions alive in Lutz that cherishes its small-town feel. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Phyllis Hoedt uses her time and energy to help keep traditions alive in Lutz that cherishes its small-town feel.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The celebration attracted hundreds, and was the last in a series of special events the Lutz Centennial Committee planned.

After hanging out at Christmas Card Lane, Hoedt headed down U.S. 41 to Christmas House at the Old Lutz School. That free annual tradition draws friends and families to the historic school building to spend time together and enjoy the festive décor.

Long before the crowds arrive at Christmas House, Hoedt and other volunteers had spent weeks decking out the schoolhouse, inside and out, for the holidays.

On evenings the school is open to the public, Hoedt is there before spectators show up to get the coffee brewing and make sure things are in order, said Shirley Simmons, one of Hoedt’s long-time friends and another committed community volunteer.

In addition to those activities, Hoedt has been involved in the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club for 39 years.

She and Simmons are co-directors of the annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Festival, sponsored by the woman’s club. The event, at Lake Park each December, includes hundreds of vendors and attracts crowds topping 100,000.

The Old Lutz School is another one of Hoedt’s passions. She was involved early on in efforts to prevent the old school from being torn down or being used as a storage building. She was a leading force in ensuring the Old Lutz School remained available for community use.

The Hillsborough County School Board gave the building to the county, and The Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building Inc. leases it from them.

“We leased it for five years and that expired,” Hoedt said. “Then we leased it for 25 years and that expired. Now, we’re back again. We got a new lease, renewed. They do it five years. They kind of automatically renew it every five years.”

That building, which has become a community icon, is the setting for pioneer family reunions, Lutz Guv’na events, flea markets and other community gatherings.

Hoedt has her finger in many other pies, as well.

“She’s a close friend to the library,” said Suzin Carr, the current Lutz Guv’na. “She was right there for the centennial.”

When Hoedt pitches in — with such events as the annual Fourth of July Parade, or the Christmas House, or the Arts & Crafts Festival — she’s not looking for any personal gratification beyond the satisfaction that comes from knowing she’s helped bring friends and family together, Carr said.

“She has no expectation other than hoping that the people who come out enjoy themselves,” Carr said.

Simmons agreed. “She doesn’t want any recognitions. She doesn’t want any buttons.”

Hoedt grew up in West Virginia, but her late husband William grew up in Florida.

They both moved to Florida in 1968 so William could set up his land surveying business. Hoedt worked with her husband, handling office duties.

The couple had two children, Wally and Sarah. Over time, the family grew to include a grandson and a great-grandchild.

The Hoedts were married for 54 years before William died on Nov. 5, 2011.

Hoedt traces her community involvement back to around the time when her husband and son got involved in the Lutz Volunteer Fire Department. Her husband also was very involved in efforts to preserve the Old Lutz School.

In her younger years, Hoedt said she was more heavily involved in her church, Tims Presbyterian Church.

Hoedt is knowledgeable and hardworking, Carr said.

“She has been such an active, important part of the Lutz community. She is a walking billboard of Lutz history,” Carr said, noting she has benefited from working with Hoedt on various projects. “She has given me so much insight.”

Friends describe Hoedt as kind and generous.

“She’s got a heart that is so big, it encompasses all of Lutz,” said another friend, Marilyn Wannamaker.

When something needs to be done, Wannamaker said, Hoedt responds by rolling up her sleeves and asking, “What can I do to help?”

Simmons said Hoedt and other community volunteers like her want to preserve the small-town feel that Lutz enjoys. That’s why they continue to contribute their time and energy to community events and causes.

“That’s what small-town America is all about, doing these small projects and keeping people together,” Simmons said.

Published April 23, 2014

Rediscovering the Old Lutz School

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When you meet a child, you might ask them what school they attend. There are several elementary schools in the area, so you’d have no way of knowing unless you asked.

The Old Lutz School back when it wasn’t so old, as featured in the book ‘Going, Going, Almost Gone: Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Pioneers Share Their Precious Memories.’ (Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Macmanus and Susan A. Macmanus)
The Old Lutz School back when it wasn’t so old, as featured in the book ‘Going, Going, Almost Gone: Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Pioneers Share Their Precious Memories.’
(Courtesy of Elizabeth R. Macmanus and Susan A. Macmanus)

But if you lived in Lutz around 80 years ago, you’d never have to ask that question. You’d know exactly what school they attended, and you’d know exactly where it was. That’s because there was just one school and everyone went there.

The Old Lutz School was a two-story brick structure on North U.S. 41 — and actually, it still is. You’ve probably driven by it at some point, and it might even be part of the view on your daily commute.

It’s kind of hard to miss, since it doesn’t look like anything else. It’s not a school anymore, of course. But it is in the National Register of Historic Places, and it looks awfully good for a building that’s older than FM radio and the ballpoint pen.

OK, it was built in the 1920s, so you know it’s old. For decades it was where local children went until they grew up and went to work, or war, or wherever life sent them.

They all had that one building in common. But when does a location go from just being some old building to a community treasure? For the Old Lutz School, it was around 1977.

And this is the school today. Not much difference, is there? (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
And this is the school today. Not much difference, is there?
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

A couple years earlier, it had stopped functioning as an actual school after nearly 50 years in service, and was a candidate to be torn down. The school board saw an old building: Something that required maintenance and resources when money was tight and actual schools (and their students) needed those funds.

But longtime residents — Lutz is still one of those places where you can actually find longtime residents — saw a community treasure, and stepped up to save it. They worked out an arrangement where the building would stay, but the maintenance and upkeep wouldn’t burden the county.

Today, the county owns the building, but leases it to a group called Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building for a token sum, and they keep it looking pretty much the way it’s always looked.

It does have an unusual look. Its architecture is textbook Georgian Revival. If that doesn’t mean much to you, don’t feel bad. I had to look it up myself.

Back when the school was built, it was popular to emulate the American Colonial style that was used often back in the 1700s. So, this historic school was actually designed as a “modern” tribute to an even older style.

Typically, that means a two-story building with evenly spaced windows in the front. And if you drive by the Old Lutz School today, that’s exactly what you’ll see.

And when it was built, the school was pretty modern. It has indoor plumbing, after all. And there were no water pumps; it had a fancy water tower instead. There wasn’t any air conditioning, of course, but it had a prime location right by the dirt road that we now know as North U.S. 41.

That is a state-of-the-art facility, my friends.

Or it was, anyway. We know all that sounds quaint by today’s standards. So why go to the trouble of saving an old school, anyway? Schools pop up all the time. What’s one more or less?

Well, it has to do with the school, but also the people who live here. Lutz is proud of its heritage. Its history means something, and it’s important to protect it. So with some effort and community support, that’s what they did.

By the way, the Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building really is just that: A small group of citizens who care about the school and the area’s history. It’s not a well-funded organization with a large staff dedicated to overseeing this historical landmark.

In reality, it’s maybe 10 regular volunteers who find creative ways of keeping this building looking nice. And it’s not cheap, either. Utilities can run in the hundreds per month, insurance in the thousands each year, and larger maintenance tasks can only be done in sections. But they do a great job.

If you look at an older photo and compare it to a modern one (like, say, the photos that accompany this story), you’ll see many more similarities than differences. That’s pretty impressive.

Usually you have to seek out local history, and spend a few hours in a museum or go out of your way to see a historic building. But not this one. You can see it every day.

You could get in your car and go there right now if you wanted. I’d prefer you finish reading this story first, though, because I spent a lot of time on it. I even stood in the median to take the photo, and I’m still not completely sure that’s legal.

But the school is probably just minutes away from you. Lutz history is right there, not far from a cellular phone store and right in front of three lanes of paved asphalt going in either direction.

Maybe you’ve seen it, but didn’t know what it was. Or maybe you know all about it, but you’re busy and don’t really notice it anymore. My advice is to pay attention to it when you can. And when they have events, attend them and support the school’s maintenance. They just had one last weekend, but they’ll have more.

Help your neighbors keep it looking nice. And if you have a skill or some time to donate, give them a call. They’re not picky, and they could use the help.

You can reach them by calling Suzin Carr (our current Guv’na) at (813) 453-5256. They also have a Facebook page (after all, what self-respecting historical landmark built in the 1920s doesn’t have a healthy social media presence?). Just look up the group’s name.

So reach out and help if you can, but either way, you should take note of it as you drive by. Even though it hasn’t been an actual school for nearly 40 years, there’s a history lesson waiting for you there.

Published April 23, 2014

Lowe’s, Marshalls bring new jobs in heart of Central Pasco

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Plans for a home improvement store left for dead three years ago is now being resurrected as Lowe’s gets ready to finally come to Land O’ Lakes.

Marshalls will open this summer with space at Village Lakes Shopping Center that used to be home for Walmart. It’s strategically located in the same plaza as its primary competitor, Ross Dress for Less. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Marshalls will open this summer with space at Village Lakes Shopping Center that used to be home for Walmart. It’s strategically located in the same plaza as its primary competitor, Ross Dress for Less.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Crews are now clearing trees and other foliage from a 42-acre tract of land on State Road 54 just east of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard where they expect to have a 152,000-square-foot Lowe’s by winter, according to company spokeswoman Natalie Turner.

The store will bring 125 jobs, and the hiring process could begin later in the year.

“We’re excited as all get-up,” said Dennis Esber, president of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, and owner of Point to Point Printing. “What’s happening is that people are starting to recognize that the Lutz and Land O’ Lakes area is a great area to be in.”

The North Carolina company purchased the land between Winter Quarters Pasco RV Park and the Pasco County fire station there in 2005 for $2.7 million, and had hoped to open the store by 2009. However, Lowe’s abandoned those plans in 2011, with reports the company would try to sell the land.

The new Lowe’s will have a 103,000-square-foot sales floor and a 31,300-square-foot garden center, according to the site plan submitted to Pasco County officials. It also would have enough parking for nearly 525 cars.

Its primary entrance would be on the east side of the property, creating an intersection with the Village Lakes Shopping Center across the street, where a new Marshalls location is just weeks away from opening.

Officials with the Framingham, Mass.-based discount clothing department store chain said they’re not ready to release any details, but Marshalls stores are typically 31,000 square feet, and the newest location hosted a job fair for prospective employees last week in Port Richey.

Marshalls will now be in the same plaza as one of its primary competitors, Ross Stores Inc., which operates a Ross Dress for Less there. The draw of all three stores, along with several others in Village Lakes and surrounding shopping centers, should continue to help draw more and more people to Central Pasco County. It’s also a boon for Village Lakes, which suffered tremendously in the years after losing its Walmart anchor, only to bounce back and be a major player in the area’s growth.

“The county had finally got involved to get things corrected in that little shopping center, and turned it into something real good,” Esber said. “If you have an eyesore, people start grumbling and then start thinking the worst about the area. But now you see a nice change in people’s mentality, and I like to see the positive atmosphere.”

And that includes how people outside of Central Pasco think of the area.

“People have been negating this area for quite a long time, but that’s really starting to change,” Esber said. “They’re finding out there is a lot more here, and a lot of history. And we’re ready to keep growing.”

Published April 23, 2014

Teacher uses technology to open new worlds of learning

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There’s no doubt about it. Language arts teacher Aimee Nadow is tech-savvy.

Aimee Nadow uses a combination of technical skills and a personal touch to make her classes engaging. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Aimee Nadow uses a combination of technical skills and a personal touch to make her classes engaging.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

On any given day, the Academy at the Lakes teacher uses technology to help her students enhance their reading, writing and creativity. On one day, for instance, she’ll set them loose on AutoCAD computer design software to create the balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet.” On another day, students use PicMonkey photo editor to design book covers for the manuscripts they’re writing.

They’re also frequent users of Pinterest to digitally “pin up” work that they’ve done, and they know how to edit digital clips.

Harnessing technical tools in her classes is all in a day’s work for Nadow, whose mother was a children’s librarian, and her father ahead of the crowd when it came to technology.

Nadow has a deep appreciation for the power of language, and a clear understanding of how traditional and modern tools can enliven lessons. She sees the value of being able to skim information, but also knows the importance of being able to delve deeply into subjects to gain knowledge.

The independent private school where she teaches has long understood the quality of Nadow’s teaching skills, middle division director John Pitcairn said. And, Academy at the Lakes is delighted that Nadow has received national recognition.

The middle division teacher recently was named a 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator. It’s a distinction bestowed to just 100 educators nationwide.

As a member of that select group, the Land O’ Lakes woman will take part in a yearlong professional development program.

She is excited by the prospect of being able to learn from other educators who share her enthusiasm for using technical tools to enliven instruction. During a recent class, Nadow used a giant touch-screen television to display images and to foster discussion regarding a Holocaust art project the students will create.

They have been assigned to demonstrate their understanding of the book, “Night,” by Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor. They’ll show the teacher what the book means through an art project of their choosing, and they’ll describe their artistic intentions in accompanying text.

Besides preparing students for that assignment, Nadow also guided them through software called ETS Criterion that analyzes writing to identify grammatical and sentence structure issues that should be addressed. As students navigated through the program, Nadow moved about the classroom, responding to their questions and helping them stay on track.

She offered extra help outside of class, if anyone needed it.

Nadow clearly is in command of her technical skills, but she also has an obvious rapport with students. She said she has a secret weapon: It’s called respect.

On the first day of classes she tells her middle division students that she will treat them as adults, unless they behave as children — in which case, they’ll face the consequences.

“I try to afford them as much dignity as possible, because I remember situations when I was in middle school and I would see a student that would be treated unfairly, or would be embarrassed in front of the classroom,” Nadow said. “That is absolutely not the way to teach. You lose so much time if you’re focused on classroom management, rather than learning.”

“Seventh and eighth grade is my perfect fit,” she said. “I really enjoy their (students’) sense of humor, their creativity, their willingness.”

Nadow also appreciates their trust, and believes in using a personal touch with her students.

As they file into her classroom, she greets each student by name and shakes each hand. As the kids make their way to their places, there’s a low-level rumble as they chat.

The teacher uses a simple routine to settle them down. She counts — 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 — and by the time she finishes, students are focused on her.

It’s easy to see that Nadow strives to create an environment where students are engaged and want to learn. When she poses questions, they are eager to respond and share their ideas.

While she obviously is technically competent, Nadow also possesses other important skills that equip her to be effective, Pitcairn said.

“It’s her enthusiasm, her positivity, her joy, her human qualities that are a critical part of making her the very valuable teacher that she is today,” Pitcairn said.

Posters in her classroom reveal that Nadow has high standards, but a kind heart. One sets out the class rules. Of course, it has such things as “Always tell the truth. Work hard. Listen to your parents. Keep your promises.”

But it also includes these instructions: “Laugh out loud. Be grateful. Use kind words. Try new things. Dream big.”

Another poster offers this message from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Be silly. Be honest. Be kind.”

Finally, a sign above the classroom door proclaims “Carpe diem,” or “seize the day.”

That seems to be Nadow’s motto, and one she wants to pass along to her students.

Published April 23, 2014

De-annexing Lake Jovita could create mess on St. Leo commission

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The results of a recent election in the town of Saint Leo and a bill making its way through the Legislature could be on a collision course that may result in a town commissioner resigning, a special election or an appointment to the commission by Gov. Rick Scott.

All of these scenarios are possible.

Patricia Petruff
Patricia Petruff

It all boils down to the fact that the town’s commission may soon lack a quorum.

The purpose of a quorum is to ensure elected representatives are actually representing the people who elected them by typically requiring more than half of those representatives to be present at a meeting.

It’s a concept nearly as old as organized meetings themselves, and prevents a leader from having more power than he should. Without a quorum, decisions can’t be made, governing virtually comes to a complete halt, and nothing gets done.

St. Leo’s government requires three of its five commissioners to be present to create a quorum.

However, a bill making its way through Tallahassee is expected to pass and once it gets the governor’s signature, three of those five St. Leo commissioners will be removed from office. Thus, there won’t be a quorum available with the remaining two to fix it.

It’s something that could keep attorneys up at night, but not St. Leo town attorney Patricia Petruff. That’s because she has a plan.

“We’re going to have three commissioners (from Lake Jovita) as of May, and if one of them does not resign, we’ll have a little bit of a pickle on our hands,” Petruff said.

With the Florida House back in session this week, work once again begins on H.B. 1401, introduced by Rep. Amanda Murphy, D-New Port Richey, that would remove part of the Lake Jovita subdivision from the St. Leo town limits, and have it join the rest of that community in unincorporated Pasco County.

When there’s a vacancy on the commission, the mayor — with the consent of his fellow commissioners — can appoint a replacement. In fact, that happened in 2005 when Commissioner John Fantone decided not to seek re-election, and no one ran to replace him. Then-mayor James Hallett appointed Bill Hamilton, the son of a former St. Leo mayor, to the seat.

That couldn’t happen this time, because in order for the commission to consent to an appointment, there has to be an actual commission, which doesn’t exist without the three-member quorum.

The battle to de-annex has been ongoing for years, especially as Lake Jovita residents have slowly moved into commission seats. Right now, commissioners James Wells and Robert Inslee as well as Mayor John Gardner hail from Lake Jovita. Gardner chose not to seek re-election, but Ray Davis defeated longtime commissioner Donna DeWitt on April 8, and with that, kept the Lake Jovita majority on the commission.

Whether H.B. 1401 is signed into law before the new commission is seated in mid-May or after, an immediate de-annexation of St. Leo is going to leave three empty seats and a complicated process to fill it. In fact, it could be up to Gov. Rick Scott to appoint at least one member to the commission so that they can order a special election. But Petruff hopes it doesn’t get that far.

In fact, there’s an even easier solution: resign.

“If we have only two members who are from the area impacted by (H.B.) 1401, then after the new commission is seated in May, we would only lose two members, and the mayor could appoint to fill the spots,” Petruff said.

That would mean some trust on behalf of the Lake Jovita residents on the commission, as the mayor would need to appoint someone outside that subdivision to fill the seat, giving non-Lake Jovita residents the majority.

The commission has scheduled meetings already for April 28 and May 5, depending on how far H.B. 1401 has moved in the House.

“I think the plan is that one of them will resign, but nobody has told me that for sure,” Petruff said. “And none of them have come up and said that.”

One person who probably won’t hand in his resignation if this situation continues past mid-May is Davis, who beat DeWitt by just four votes to win her seat. Davis told The Laker/Lutz News after the election his goal was to be insurance in case H.B. 1401 failed.

“They call me ‘Plan B,’” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

Davis himself said he didn’t want to speculate, but DeWitt feared they could keep a move to dissolve the 123-year-old town in their back pocket just in case.

Petruff, however, isn’t focused on that. She is expecting H.B. 1401 to clear both the House and Senate, and find itself under Scott’s pen in the near future. But just in case no one resigns, and there are just two commissioners in the St. Leo Town Hall once that happens? Petruff said she wants the current commission to give her and Town Clerk Joan Miller the power right now to organize and conduct a special election and get the empty seats filled. The two would also run the town until a quorum once again exists.

“We talked a little bit about whether or not the sitting commission could give direction in the event that this happens,” Petruff said, noting no final decision has been made yet.

But those decisions will have to be made soon.

“Timing is critical,” she said. “That’s why we’re watching this very closely.”

Published April 23, 2014

Pasco wants to turn pennies into jobs

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Penny for Pasco starts a new round of funding in January, using an extra 1 percent sales tax to provide nearly $50 million in additional annual funding for Pasco County projects over the next decade.

Commercial building has ramped up in Pasco County, especially in the Lutz area at ComPark. Gov. Rick Scott, left, joined developers Larry Morgan and Ross Kirk during a recent groundbreaking last February that marked the first major commercial construction in the county since the start of the economic recession. But now county officials may use Penny for Pasco to stimulate more. (File Photo)
Commercial building has ramped up in Pasco County, especially in the Lutz area at ComPark. Gov. Rick Scott, left, joined developers Larry Morgan and Ross Kirk during a recent groundbreaking last February that marked the first major commercial construction in the county since the start of the economic recession. But now county officials may use Penny for Pasco to stimulate more.
(File Photo)

But how should the money be spent? In the past, dollars have been dedicated to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, road construction and maintenance, and purchasing land for conservation.

This time, however, nearly 10 percent of funds — or $4.5 million — has been earmarked toward economic development. And if spent the right way, leaders from the independent Pasco Economic Development Council say the impact of those funds could be tremendous, bringing new commercial parks and maybe even a convention center to Pasco County.

“It should create jobs and it should grow the economy,” PEDC president and chief executive John Hagen recently told Pasco County commissioners during a workshop. “If it doesn’t do that, then it’s not economic development. That means attracting businesses that actually bring money into the community.”

Of course, $4.5 million each year might not be the best way to accomplish that goal, Hagen said. But $36 million all up front? That can go a long way.

“We think it’s important to use leverage,” he said. “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. We need jobs and we need economic development now.”

That could mean borrowing up to 80 percent of the projected revenue over the next 10 years, and using revenue from those projects — or simply funds from Penny for Pasco itself — to pay it back.

If commissioners were to take that route, the county could take the lead in attracting new businesses to Pasco, instead of losing them to neighbors like Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. That starts with a business park project, assembling land together somewhere in the county and earmarking all of it for commercial use.

It continues with speculation building — helping developers construct commercial space in hopes it will attract tenants once completed.

And it would be topped off with a convention center, possibly built in conjunction with a hotel, that could provide even more reasons to bring people into Pasco County.

“We have a very pressing need to develop some real estate product, and by that I don’t mean residential,” Hagen said. “I mean office and industrial flex space, something we need to put a significant amount of money into because we’re experiencing the loss of opportunities right now because we don’t have the product” to offer potential relocations.

Commissioners appeared receptive to the concepts, and even saw it as a chance to jump ahead of its neighbors.

“I think Pinellas County’s whole economic development budget is $1.2 million, and we’ve got such an advantage with this penny,” Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said. “I am excited. I like the idea of planning ahead like this so that we know where we need to go.”

Although borrowing to support economic development projects would increase the county’s current debt, Hagen said it could actually save Pasco money in the long run. Construction costs will undoubtedly go up between now and 2025, and if interest rates rise, it will cost more just to borrow in the future compared to today.

Having the right plan and the money to implement it has the potential to put Pasco on the map, county planning and development administrator Richard Gehring said. Places like Triangle Park in North Carolina were created from strong planning and the funding to make it happen. Nothing is stopping Pasco from looking to reach similar heights.

“There is not an upper limit for what we could shoot for,” he said. “The potential for the access and land position is tremendous.”

Although its numbers are meant to show examples, this is how the Pasco Economic Development Council says it can spend part of Penny for Pasco revenues.

$7.5 million
Added to an existing $2.5 million fund used as an incentive to bring large employers to Pasco County.

$20.6 million
Assembling land and promoting speculation building through the development of a business park. Also, construction of a convention center.

$12.7 million
Earmarked for business loans, business investment fund and business incubation.

$3.7 million
Marketing and branding campaign to promote what Pasco County has to offer.

$500,000
Workforce training, enhancing more than $4.5 million from state and federal sources.

Published April 23, 2014