The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Town hall reveals VA problems hitting close to home

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Whether it’s overburdened, improperly run, or a combination of the two, veterans are struggling to get the health care they need from clinics and hospitals run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The issue has led to the resignation of the department’s longest-serving secretary, Eric Shinseki, and has been fodder in political campaign ads and debates.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis listens to a veteran share his story about problems he had receiving medical care during a town hall meeting June 5 in New Port Richey. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis listens to a veteran share his story about problems he had receiving medical care during a town hall meeting June 5 in New Port Richey.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

In his seat as vice chair of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, has earned national media attention in recent months as he digs into what’s causing delays at VA-run medical centers, and what can be done to fix it. The Palm Harbor Republican has since opened the door to hear from veterans themselves, inviting them to a town hall meeting June 5 in New Port Richey to find out other struggles facing those who have returned home from war.

“We have an obligation to do whatever it takes to solve this problem,” Bilirakis said. “We must make sure that our veterans have access to a broad range of services that meet their specific needs,” he said.

Last month, Bilirakis co-authored a letter with U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Indian Shores, to then-Secretary Shinseki asking him to change internal policies at the VA to allow veterans easier access to programs like the Non-VA Care Coordination program that would allow veterans to seek subsidized health care from medical providers outside of the VA system.

Veterans who attended the recent town hall expressed some specific concerns with types of service they’ve received over the years — some dating back more than a decade — but many agreed problems are typically focused on routine care outside of the emergency room.

“The system has been broke for a long time, since I got out of the service in 1973,” said Michael O’Dell, who also is president of the Hillsborough County Veterans Council. The care he receives at the James A. Haley VA hospital near the University of South Florida’s main campus has always been good, as long as it’s been an emergency.

“This last time has not been an emergency, and they’ve been screwing around with my knees,” O’ Dell said. “When the doctors decided that I can’t take the pain anymore, they said it would take three or four months (for the surgery). Now with all this stuff going on (the controversy), they miraculously told me that they can operate in three weeks.”

One veteran, Peter Spatz, said he lives across the street from a VA medical center, and while he has had no problems with the care he receives once he gets there, where he really struggles is just trying to get in the front door.

“When I was hearing on the news all the problems with the VA, I didn’t really believe it,” he said. “I really felt that facility just ran like a Swiss watch, and I never had a single issue.”

However, Spatz has a condition that requires treatment, and he couldn’t see a doctor because they kept rescheduling him. He finally decided to reach out to the patient advocate line, but said no one was available to take his call.

“I was so frustrated, I didn’t know what to do,” Spatz said. “If you have a question you need answered, or a problem resolved on the phone, the fact that they have the audacity to (not man the lines) is just beyond belief. Something has to change on that.”

Bilirakis has been a sponsor of H.R. 4810, which passed the U.S. House last week unanimously, and has been sent to the U.S. Senate. If passed, the resolution would expand access to health care and other medical facilities for veterans outside of the VA system. It also requires the VA to conduct an independent investigation of its operations and create a plan of action to correct them within 120 days.

The Senate passed its own bill, which lawmakers say is similar to H.R. 4810, and both sides believe they can come together to finalize a bill to present to President Barack Obama.

Published June 18, 2014

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Raulerson bill changes who watches the watchers

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Gov. Rick Scott signed 94 more bills into law last week, including one from state Rep. Dan Raulerson, R-Plant City, that has some government observers applauding.

H.B. 1385 shifts the management of inspectors general from individual department heads to the chief inspector general.

Dan Raulerson
Dan Raulerson

Inspectors general are typically responsible for maintaining the accountability, efficiency and integrity in a government department. However, many lawmakers said the positions were easy to influence, since each inspector general’s boss was the head of the department, and made it difficult to implement needed changes.

Integrity Florida, a nonpartisan government watchdog group, championed the bill.

“Inspectors general are the public’s watchdogs within state government, but they need more independence to do their jobs effectively,” Integrity Florida executive director Dan Krassner said, in a release. “This law should reduce the influence of state agency heads over the internal government watchdogs who audit and investigate their agencies.”

Before the new law, state agency heads could appoint and remove their own inspectors general, Krassner said, which created built-in conflicts of interest.

“Agency heads and their deputies should not be able to prevent an inspector general from conducting an audit or investigation,” he added.

Other bills recently signed into law from local lawmakers were:

S.B. 272 – Water Utilities
Introduced by state Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, this law now gives water customers the right to petition the Florida Public Service Commission if they feel their water quality is unsatisfactory.

Someone wanting to start a petition would have to first let the commission know of their complaint, and then wait 10 days for instructions. After that, the customer has 90 days to collect signatures from 65 percent of the customers in the affected area, specifically outlining the problems they have with the water.

Depending on the outcome with the commission, a water utility would then have to meet with the customers and outline immediate ways to resolve the problems. If the utility doesn’t work to correct the issues, it could be subject to fines, according to a staff analysis of the bill.

This bill passed the Senate 37-0 and the House 99-15 in late April.

S.B. 536 – Reclaimed Water
Also introduced by Simpson, this law requires the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the five water management districts — including the Southwest Florida Water Management District — to conduct a study and submit a report by the end of next year on how to expand the use of reclaimed water in the state.

It passed both the House and Senate unanimously in April.

S.B. 1070 – Fuel Terminals
Introduced by Simpson, this law would prevent local governments from outlawing existing fuel terminals.

Terminals, according to a staff analysis of the bill, are typically storage and distribution facilities that serve as nodes to deliver fuels throughout the region. Florida has 42 active fuel terminals, with 11 of them in the Tampa Bay area. The Port of Tampa alone receives approximately 500 petroleum ships a year, and 2.4 billion gallons of fuel.

The law also allows fuel terminals that were damaged or destroyed by natural disaster or other catastrophe to be rebuilt to their previous condition, whether a local government says they are conforming or not to its code of ordinances.

It passed the Senate 36-0, and the House 112-5 in April.

S.B. 1142 – Ticket Sales
First introduced by state Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, this new law increases the criminal penalties for counterfeit tickets and “multi-use tickets” at theme parks, in many cases upgrading the crime from a misdemeanor to a felony for repeat offenders.

It’s currently a first-degree misdemeanor to counterfeit, forge, alter or possess any ticket with the intention to defraud a facility, according to a Senate analysis of the bill. However, a second violation — or any violation that involves 10 or more tickets — would elevate the charge from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony.

Multi-use tickets can’t be transferred if part of the ticket has already been used. Penalties here have been increased from a second-degree to first-degree misdemeanor for the first offense, and a third-degree felony for later offenses.

The legislation passed both the House and Senate unanimously.

Published June 18, 2014

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Homebuilders want compromise on potential ban of feather signs

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Pasco County has strict ordinances against temporary signs, but the proliferation of tall advertising flags known as “feather signs” has some county commissioners looking to make those ordinances even more restrictive.

However, Pasco County commissioners said they would wait at least long enough for the homebuilding community to weigh in — an industry that heavily depends on such temporary advertisement.

Pasco County commissioners are looking to ban temporary signs like these, known as ‘feather signs,’ because of safety and aesthetic concerns. However, homebuilders have asked the commissioners if they can help craft a way to regulate the signs, while still allowing them to be effective advertising, especially for developing communities. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Pasco County commissioners are looking to ban temporary signs like these, known as ‘feather signs,’ because of safety and aesthetic concerns. However, homebuilders have asked the commissioners if they can help craft a way to regulate the signs, while still allowing them to be effective advertising, especially for developing communities.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“We’re hoping that you’ll allow us to put together a policy that provides us a pathway for compliance,” said Jennifer Doerfel, executive vice president of the Tampa Bay Builders Association, which represents homebuilders locally. “We do not want to see blight, and we certainly don’t want to see tattered signs, and we’re part of this community, too. We want to make sure this looks great, because that’s what attracts buyers to our homes.”

The signs have become common in front of businesses, especially on U.S. 41 through the center part of Pasco, where retailers fight to grab attention from a heavily traveled highway artery. They are usually anchored into the ground like flags, and are noticeable by how they freely flap in the wind.

Pasco typically requires a temporary sign permit and a limit for how long they can be displayed. However, the signs usually addressed in that ordinance have been temporary banners, which are typically secured on all sides. Feather signs have been virtually overlooked by the ordinance, and county officials are suggesting implementing an outright ban on those types of signs.

“Feather banners have two key issues, one being the visual impact,” said Rebecca Stonefield of the county’s planning and development department. “There are also general safety concerns associated with them. If they are not anchored appropriately, they could fly out and become a hazard.”

The planning and development department recommended not including the feather signs with other temporary signs the county allows. However, that could create some legal problems for the county in how a court might differentiate between the types of signs.

“Do you believe that it’s defensible, to attempt to defend in court, the difference between a banner and a feather banner?” Commissioner Ted Schrader asked. “I see it as being the same thing.”

County attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder disagreed, however.

“They are two different styles of advertising, and there is a physical difference,” he said. “It’s easy to define.”

Pasco is a community with hundreds of new homes under construction, many in growing communities. The builders depend on attracting attention from the main road, especially since their product might not be as apparent because it is hidden inside a neighborhood, Doerfel said.

“The reason that you see as many feather signs as you do is that it is the last option that we have to be compliant with the sign ordinance,” Doerfel said, referring to the quantity and time limits for temporary banners. “We have to be able to attract people to our communities, and most of these communities are not even on the GPS. Most of the people are finding model centers through signs.”

Mike Southward, the local division president of Beazer Homes, said unlike standard retailers, homebuilders typically don’t jump onto the radar of someone looking for a new house until after they are inside a neighborhood they want to move to.

“If you look into the buyer’s psyche, they do a lot of research when buying a home,” he said. “They look for things like schools and shopping and lifestyle, and they will go and drive around.”

It’s not until they start driving the area that they start looking for builders and communities, and that’s where having good signage helps get their attention, Southward said.

“If we don’t have an opportunity to direct them into our communities, we lost an opportunity to gain a customer,” he said.

How the county handles signs in the near future is something the commission should explore slowly and deliberately, Commissioner Pat Mulieri said.

“We receive tons of email, and we’re pushing the idea that we want to be premier,” she said. “We don’t want to be shoddy looking, but we also want business, who are also applauding the fact that now we have people buying houses. I don’t know what the problem would be to put this off for a month or six weeks to get other ideas and work from there.”

The commission will look at a potential revision of the temporary sign ordinance again at its July 22 meeting.

Published June 18, 2014

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Grove 16 Back to School Bash needs more local partners

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If Cobb Theatre Grove 16 & CineBistro’s 2014 Back-to-School bash were a movie, it would be in need of a few more heroes.

Eager parents and students lined up at this back-to-school bash before classes began a couple of years ago. Cobb Theatres Grove 16 & CineBistro plans to have its sixth annual bash on Aug. 9, beginning at 10 a.m. (File Photo)
Eager parents and students lined up at this back-to-school bash before classes began a couple of years ago. Cobb Theatres Grove 16 & CineBistro plans to have its sixth annual bash on Aug. 9, beginning at 10 a.m.
(File Photo)

This will be the sixth year the Wesley Chapel movie complex has staged the annual event to help ensure children heading back to school have the supplies they need for academic success.

As always, the theater needs local businesses and organizations to help make that happen. The success of the program hinges on it, said Demene Benjamin, Grove 16’s theater manager.

Since the beginning, some local businesses and organizations have stepped forward to make the event a success, Benjamin said. But new organizations and businesses are encouraged to become part of the annual tradition as well.

Those helping out are asked to provide at least enough supplies for 500 students. They also are asked to bring tables and volunteers to dole out their goodies.

Items that are needed include backpacks, paper, pencils, tissue, crayons, markers, hand sanitizer and other school supplies.

Besides helping kids stock up for school, the event features activities including face painting and games, and it offers some health screenings, haircuts and refreshments.

The theme of the 2014 Back to School Bash is the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” which will be the movie theater’s summer release.

Benjamin expects more than 1,000 to attend this year’s event, which is set for Aug. 9, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the theater, 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd. The theater is at The Grove, a shopping venue in Wesley Chapel.

Those wanting more information should contact Benjamin at (813) 334-6006.

Published June 18, 2014

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Massive project in Lutz gains county’s approval

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The Hillsborough County Commission has cleared the way for a massive project at the northeast corner of Van Dyke Road and North Dale Mabry Highway.

The land, characterized by its towering stands of pines and open fields, has been rezoned to allow a mixed-use development including upscale houses, multifamily dwellings, offices, retail uses and a congregate care facility.

A pair of rezonings would transform land near the northeast corner of Van Dyke Road and North Dale Mabry Highway into planned developments that call for upscale homes, retail, office, multifamily and possibly congregate care uses. (File Photo)
A pair of rezonings would transform land near the northeast corner of Van Dyke Road and North Dale Mabry Highway into planned developments that call for upscale homes, retail, office, multifamily and possibly congregate care uses.
(File Photo)

Commissioners approved the rezoning request, without debate.

While Lutz residents have a reputation for battling proposals they believe will disrupt their way of life, in this case they worked with the applicants to devise a plan that the Lutz Citizens Coalition and nearby communities supported. It even had coalition president Mike White saying that at the time that “thus far, the system has worked exactly as it was intended to.”

The development must undergo a site plan review by the county before any construction can begin, White said. But he expects the county will ensure the plan follows the conditions approved by commissioners.

Attorney Joel Tew represented Geraci Land Acquisition LLC, and attorney Richard Davis represented Standard Pacific Homes of Florida on the side-by-side rezonings, covering approximately 251 acres. The rezoning applications were presented as companion requests at an April 21 public hearing before a land-use hearing officer.

Plans call for substantially less development than would have been allowed otherwise under the county’s long-range plan. One rezoning incorporates the Landings at Lake Pearl, a previously approved rezoning that includes 650 multifamily units and 70,000 square feet of office.

Besides those existing entitlements, the rezoning allows 240 single-family houses and 177 multifamily dwellings.

Standard Pacific Homes plans to build a gated, high-end residential community on the property.

The approved zoning allows about 25 percent of the residential development than would have been possible under the county’s long-range land-use plan. The retail uses, under the rezoning, represent about one-third of the potential allowed under the long-range plan designation.

Representatives from all sides testified at the public hearing that considerable effort was made to work out conditions that addressed concerns expressed by the community, while delivering a quality project.

“We have had a total of eight meetings with the major community associations that are directly affected by this project,” Tew said. “We’ve had very valuable, constructive input from them. We’ve listened to their concerns and we’ve made significant changes to the plan.”

The proposed developments include conditions that exceed the county’s land development code, including requirements such as increased setbacks from surrounding properties, enhanced landscaping, more stringent sign requirements, and even conditions dealing with building orientation.

Both zoning requests received favorable recommendations from the county’s planning commission and land development staff.

Conditions of the Luce’s recommended approval includes a number of transportation improvements. One calls for a signalized intersection at Exciting Idlewild Boulevard and North Dale Mabry Highway, and another calls for a new alignment leading into the Veterans Expressway that essentially will square up that intersection.

The plans also show a single access point off of Van Dyke Road, instead of the three access points that were initially requested. The limited access on Van Dyke was essential to gain the support of area residents and the Lutz Citizens Coalition, who were concerned about traffic impacts both on Van Dyke and nearby neighborhoods.

Published June 18, 2014

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Southport Springs honors veterans with new memorial

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There has always been a strong connection between Zephyrhills and veterans who have served their country, dating right back to when its first cornerstone was laid as a retirement community for aging Civil War veterans.

The tradition of honoring the men and women who served continues to this day, now in Southport Springs off Chancey Road just outside Zephyrhills, where veterans — including more than 200 who live in the community itself — were honored with a new memorial.

A granite stone near the Southport Springs clubhouse says that ‘this place is dedicated to those men and women who have served honorably in the armed forces of the United States of America. May we always remember.’ (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
A granite stone near the Southport Springs clubhouse says that ‘this place is dedicated to those men and women who have served honorably in the armed forces of the United States of America. May we always remember.’ (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Summer rains held off just long enough June 14 for local dignitaries and more than 300 people to dedicate the memorial, located next to Southport Springs’ clubhouse, that recognize the people who served both abroad and even at home over a century’s worth of conflicts.

“Thank you for your sacrifice,” said U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, who attended the dedication ceremony. “We owe you so very much, our true American heroes.”

The memorial includes six service flags representing various branches of the military, as well as the American flag, and a second flag remembering prisoners of war. It is supported by a large brick wall with two benches, as well as flowerbeds to represent the red stripes on the nation’s flag.

“Look around, and you’ll see representation of the U.S.A. — past, present and future,” said Douglas Baulch, one of the people who led the way to build the memorial. “The wall was done for all conflicts of America. It will be a living memory for all of us.”

The monument is designed to recognize those who served in the armed forces, as well as those who supported the war effort from home.

“It’s really an honor and a privilege to represent this county,” Bilirakis said. “We all care so much, and I appreciate that very much.”

The memorial is located at 3737 Southport Springs Parkway in Zephyrhills.

Published June 18, 2014

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Teen coach is all business on football gridiron

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On a rather hot day earlier this month, Zachary Cooper attended a football camp at Lutz Chiefs Stadium.

The 16-year-old did some conditioning, went through drills, and even participated in a scrimmage. Later, Cooper said it was a worthwhile event and the participants had a good time.

Zachary Cooper is a 16-year-old coach who takes his work seriously. He’s already coached at the youth football, middle school and high school levels, and has college and arena football in his sights. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Zachary Cooper is a 16-year-old coach who takes his work seriously. He’s already coached at the youth football, middle school and high school levels, and has college and arena football in his sights.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

But he wasn’t there to learn. He was there to teach. It was his camp, and he was the coach.

“I felt it went fantastic. The coaches really came out and they worked their butts off,” Cooper said. “We definitely had some kids that showed their talent and just showed that they are dedicated, and that’s what matters most is dedication. If you’re not dedicated you probably can’t play the sport.”

With some Steinbrenner High School football players to assist him, Cooper led around 50 middle school-aged attendees through a free two-hour camp, teaching them football basics as well as specific skills according to their position.

Cooper is already a recognized leader, serving as head coach for Martinez Middle School and an assistant coach for the junior varsity team at Steinbrenner. He’s also coached for the youth football Lutz Chiefs and been in touch with the Arena Football League’s Tampa Bay Storm about participating with their staff.

And Cooper is in discussions with a college in Georgia to continue his education — and his coaching career — once he graduates high school in 2015.

He might still be a couple of years away from voting, but Cooper’s already an experienced football coach who loves teaching the game.

“Being a coach, I really enjoy helping the kids out,” he said.

Cooper acknowledges it might sound strange to hear a teenager talk about “the kids,” especially considering he sometimes coaches athletes who are older than he is. But when teaching middle school players, he believes his age is an advantage.

Instead of having decades separate them, Cooper is just a few years older than they are, so the players relate to him and communicate with him easily. And while the older players might be skeptical at first, after a meeting or two, they’re on board as well.

“What I try and do is prove that I know what I’m doing and help these guys,” Cooper said. “After that, it’s full-on respect.”

That respect comes from the effort Cooper puts into his work. If he’s not guiding players on the field, he’s reviewing game film, or designing his own plays. Even though most of his coaching is for the defensive side of the ball, he has an offensive mind for the game as well. Cooper played offensive line as recently as his sophomore year.

That effort has paid off with players like Steinbrenner wide receiver Fernando Mallicote. The soon-to-be sophomore has learned a lot from Cooper from his time on the Steinbrenner junior varsity squad and the Chiefs.

Mallicote has made the jump to varsity for the fall campaign. Cooper played an instrumental role in helping him improve his game, he said.

“He cares,” Mallicote said. “He doesn’t just coach. He knows what the players are capable of.”

Mallicote helped Cooper with the football camp and said he enjoyed working with younger players, and even learned a few things himself at the event.

While he’s become friends with Cooper, Mallicote said that doesn’t mean anything when they take the field. The young coach will yell with the best of them, trying to wring the most out of his team on game day.

In fact, Cooper is as excited to participate now as he was when he was wearing a uniform.

“I’m probably just as hyped if not more,” he said. “When referees are making those bad calls like they always do, I’m definitely the first one out there to give them the what for.

“When my guys score, you’ll see me jumping up and down, hugging the guys just like I would if I was padded up.”

Cooper might still be padded up if not for a concussion that sidelined him earlier in his career. Coupled with other injuries, Cooper decided that playing the game wasn’t in his future and figured he’d give coaching a try. He didn’t expect to like it as much as he does, but coaching activities now dominate most of his time.

Due to the success of his camp on June 7, he wants to schedule another football-focused event in the future as well.

When he’s not in school or focused on his sideline duties, Cooper is producing the “Two Cents Radio Show,” a sports-related, Internet-based audio program. He also handles commentary for local wrestling shows, which are then streamed on the Internet.

But coaching is never far from his mind, and it’s something he expects will be a part of him for a long time to come.

“I tell my kids, I plan on doing it until my 60s or 70s,” Cooper said.

For more information about Cooper’s show or football camps, visit 2CentsSports.com.

Published June 18, 2014

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Business Digest 06-18-14

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Local RadioShacks could be spared
The odds are getting better that three local RadioShack stores will survive the budget knife as the national chain scales back its store closing plan.

After announcing in March that it planned to close 1,100 stores nationwide by spring, RadioShack Corp., instead is saying it will close 200 stores this summer, and will work to convert the remainder of their stores into a new concept it says will help bring it into the 21st century.

“Even in this environment, we are making progress in our turnaround strategy,” RadioShack chief executive Joseph Magnacca said, in a release. “We are building a pipeline of new products that will bring differentiation and newness to our stores in the form of high-margin private brand and exclusive items, including those from new partnerships like Quirky and PCH.”

RadioShack operates three locations locally, including at 23012 State Road 54 in Lutz, at the Shops at Pebble Creek in New Tampa at 19416 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., and at 7248 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

Kentucky investor buys Dairy Queen, Tuffy lots
The land under the Dairy Queen and a Tuffy Service Center in Wesley Chapel has a new owner from Kentucky.

An acre of land at 27329 Wesley Chapel Blvd., sold June 1 for $2.35 million to Monticello Properties LLC. That company is connected to real estate developer and bank chairman Jack Sheidler.

Its previous owner, J & J Wesley Chapel LLC, had originally bought the land in 2006 for $1.8 million. The buildings, according to county property records, were built in 2002.

The land is an outparcel of the former Sweetbay supermarket location in Wesley Chapel, which has since concerted to Winn-Dixie.

Sheidler has developed real estate since 1984, according to published reports. He is the chair of Citizens First Bank Inc., which operates primarily in the Bowling Green area of Kentucky.

Scott, USAA break ground on new facility
Gov. Rick Scott joined United Services Automobile Association last week to break ground on the company’s new Tampa campus.

USAA has hired 130 employees in the Tampa area since January, and is continuing to hire more, according to the governor’s office.

“I applaud USAA’s commitment to growing jobs in Florida, and supporting our active duty military, veterans and their families,” Scott said of the insurance provider, in a release.

“For more than 40 years, Tampa has been a critical part of our success as an association,” said Shon Manasco, an executive vice president of USAA, in a release. “USAA’s expansion in this vibrant city marks an important step in broadening the impact that this community, and our employees who live and work there, will have as we continue in the pursuit of our mission to serve even more military families.”

USAA will continue to remain in New Tampa off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, but will use the new campus as part of its plan to create up to 1,215 new jobs and $164.3 million in capital investment by 2019.

Arbor Woods opening new phase
Taylor Morrison has opened a new phase to its Arbor Woods community in Wesley Chapel.

This new phase will have 48 additional lots, with frontage between 55 and 75 feet, and will include a new floor plan.

The Elmhurst III is a four-bedroom single-story home with 2,329 square feet of space.

Arbor Woods is located on 423 wooded acres — 338 of them set aside for conservation — near Cypress Creek. It includes more than 200 single-family homes.

For information, call (813) 280-7976, or visit ArborWoodsTM.com.

Political Agenda 06-18-14

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MacManus to speak at Republican Club
The Republican Club of Central Pasco will host University of South Florida professor and political analyst Susan MacManus June 25 at 6:30 p.m., at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

MacManus is a Land O’ Lakes native, and has written two books on the history of the area, including “Citrus, Sawmills, Critters & Crackers” in 1998, and “Going, Going, Almost Gone: Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Pioneers Share Their Precious Memories” in 2010.

For information, call Steve Graves at (813) 996-3011.

Remsberg qualifies, picks up endorsement
Erika Remsberg, a Land O’ Lakes resident seeking to replace the retiring Pasco County commissioner Pat Mulieri, has picked up an endorsement from the West Central Florida Federation of Labor.

That endorsement came soon after she officially qualified as the only Democratic candidate for the seat. Remsberg says her experience as a social worker has provided extensive knowledge of the problems suffered by families in the community.

“I seek to provide a voice for our community’s working families on the commission,” Remsberg said in a release. “My perspective as a working mom and community advocate puts me in a unique position to represent the voice of the people who live in Pasco.”

Remsberg has raised just $553 so far in her campaign, including nothing in May. Unless any other Democrats enter the race, she will not have a primary, and will face off against the winner of the Republican primary that currently involves former state Rep. Ken Littlefield, entrepreneur Mike Moore and financial analyst Bob Robertson.

Moore has raised more than all his competitors — more than $80,500 — including $7,650 in May. His top donors include Royal Investments and SB General Partners, both operating from the same location in Tampa, each writing $1,000 checks.

Robertson raised $953 in May, bringing his total to just under $12,400. However, $600 of the money raised came from outside Florida, most of it through a $500 donation from a case manager in Pennsylvania.

Littlefield picked up $600 in May, $100 of it from a Trinity donor, and the rest as a loan to himself. Littlefield has now loaned his campaign $1,500.

Moore, Littlefield and Robertson will battle it out in a primary Aug. 26, with the winner facing off with Remsberg in November, if no one else files to run.

Chambers get together to host forums
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will host two forums to introduce members to candidates facing off in primary and general elections.

The first forum takes place Aug. 4 beginning at 7 p.m., at East Pasco Adventist Academy, 38434 Centennial Road in Dade City. That event will include candidates ranging from the state House to the Mosquito Control Board.

The second event will be Oct. 20 beginning at 7 p.m., in the same location, once again including the same races.

The chambers will provide two moderators to ask questions. Candidates also will have a chance to set up tables and meet voters beginning each night at 6 p.m.

Wilson experiences county work first-hand
Pasco County commissioner Henry Wilson, who is defending his seat against political newcomer Mike Wells Jr., spent 24 hours shadowing fire rescue workers at Pasco Fire Station No. 11.

“It was an eye-opening experience,” Wilson said, in a release.

It’s all part of Wilson’s work since being elected in 2010 to experience different offices first-hand.

“Working in each of the departments has been very beneficial,” he said. “I believe it has helped me make a more informed decision when it comes budget time.”

Wilson, however, is well behind Wells when it comes to fundraising. Wilson had his best month since January when he raised $4,715 in May. His biggest donors were real estate-related companies where NISSI Inc., Trinity Club Apartments and Forty Nine Acres of Tarpon Springs each donated $1,000.

Wells, however, topped his first big month of campaign donations with a bigger one. The son of Pasco County property appraiser Mike Wells Sr., picked up just under $25,000 in May, bringing his two-month campaign war chest to almost $45,600.

Wells received a number of $1,000 checks from developers as well, including Forty Nine Acres, NISSI and Trinity Club Apartments. Nearly $7,000 of his donations came from outside Pasco County, however.

Unless a Democrat or other type of candidate enters the race, Wells’ and Wilson’s race could be decided in an open primary Aug. 26.

Clay shoot for Mike Moore
Mike Moore is looking to raise more money for his Pasco County Commission campaign with a clay shoot June 21.

It will take place at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays, 10514 Ehren Cutoff in Land O’ Lakes, with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. The cost would be $125 per person, or $500 per team of four. All payments would be considered political donations.

For more information, email .

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.

Land O’ Lakes teen is an artful entrepreneur

By

Izzie Brown’s foray into the business world began with an assignment from her eighth-grade art teacher at Rushe Middle School.

The teacher asked her to create a portrait of the Jamaican singer Bob Marley, which Brown did — using the titles of Marley’s songs to form his image.

Izzie Brown, 14, creates portraits of famous personalities using words or, in the case of Albert Einstein, numbers. She also creates commissioned works, including this surrealistic piece called ‘Consummation.’ (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Izzie Brown, 14, creates portraits of famous personalities using words or, in the case of Albert Einstein, numbers. She also creates commissioned works, including this surrealistic piece called ‘Consummation.’
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The teacher liked the work so much she asked if she could keep it.

Brown posted an image of the work on Facebook and people told her that’s something they would buy. And her uncle was so impressed, he encouraged her to launch her own business.

So, she did.

She calls it Word Tangles. She sells portraits and T-shirts on Etsy — an online retail outlet for artists —  as well as on a Facebook page and at local markets.

Besides her Marley portrait, she’s created likenesses of Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Albert Einstein.

The Jackson and Presley images are crafted from song titles. The Monroe portrait is made up of song and movie titles, and her Einstein uses the first 222 digits of pi.

She created Einstein’s image to celebrate Pi Day, which was March 14.

“My Algebra II teacher wanted us all to do a little project for Pi Day. The first thing that came to my mind was to do Albert Einstein,” she said.

The 14-year-old also does custom work. She did a commissioned portrait of the musical artist Sting, and is working on a large-scale surrealistic work called “Consummation” that her uncle hired her to do.

She also used her artistic skills to “zentangle” an entire wall in the upstairs bathroom in her Land O’ Lakes home. Zentangle is an art form that involves drawing structured patterns.

She’s young, but she has savvy business instincts.

“I really have to play to my audience,” Brown said. “At first, it was just doing what I wanted to do. But now, it’s kind of like I have to listen to what people want me to do. On my Facebook page, I’ll ask my viewers, ‘Hey, what color should I do for the background for this one?’”

She sells merchandise at kids’ markets affiliated with Tampa Fresh Markets.

“They go around to Carrollwood, Wiregrass, Hyde Park, Seminole Heights,” she said. “It’s free if you’re under 17.”

Brown also uses the events to get a pulse on what people would like her to produce.

“People will go by and they’ll say, ‘Oh, my gosh, do you have Jim Morrison?’”

She doesn’t. But she plans to do his portrait in coming months. Brown also expects to create images of Jimi Hendrix, and possibly Audrey Hepburn.

There are limits on what she will produce, however. She needs to feel a degree of respect for the subject of her portraits, she said, to get into the right creative mindset.

“Over the summer, I’m going to do the Beatles, all four of them,” Brown said. “I am going to have them on square canvases. I’m going to do all of their faces out of Beatles songs. I’m going to put all four of the Beatles together, and I’ll have them on a shirt.”

When she’s ordering T-shirts that display her portraits, she considers marketing issues.

“When I did Marilyn, I thought I should get some feminine-fit shirts because all I had done was unisex,” Brown said. “I was just thinking about my audience.”

When her Michael Jackson T-shirts weren’t selling that well, she decided to get some smaller, feminine-fit T-shirts, and after that, her sales picked up.

She sells her canvas works for $125 each, and her T-shirts for $12 for solid colors and $15 for the Bob Marley, featuring the Rastafarian colors of green, yellow and red.

Brown also is selling a T-shirt she designed to benefit autism research. She plans to donate 20 percent of the profits from those sales to the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the University of South Florida.

She’s also planning to do a T-shirt with a breast cancer ribbon in October, sharing a portion of those proceeds as well.

Brown, who attends the International Baccalaureate program at Land O’ Lakes High School, has ambitions to attend business school at Harvard University.

She’s not entirely sure where her career path will lead, but she enjoys being in a leadership role. Ultimately, her primary goal is to accomplish something of significance, she said.

“I just want to be remembered for doing something great,” Brown said. “I want to have that kind of credential.”

To find out more about Brown’s work, check out her Etsy shop listing at Etsy.com/shop/wordtangles. Or her Facebook business page at Facebook.com/ wordtangles.

Published June 11, 2014

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