Local News

Cox Elementary principal wins new state honor

January 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Yvonne Reins, principal at Cox Elementary School in Dade City, has been named an “Elite Principal.”

She is being honored as part of a new program that’s a collaboration between Florida TaxWatch and Learning Systems Institute Principal Leadership Initiative.

TaxWatch is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit taxpayer research and government watchdog. The Learning Systems Institute is part of Florida State University.

The data-driven awards were based on the ability of students to surpass predicted scores, given their prior achievement, and other student and school characteristics. The predicted student achievement scores were determined by using previous Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores.

Yvonne Reins has been named an Elite Principal in a new awards program that is based entirely on academic gains being made by students in Florida’s high-risk schools. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Two elementary, two middle and two high school principals of high-risk Florida public schools will be honored in a Jan. 23 ceremony in Tallahassee, where they will receive statewide recognition and a $5,000 cash prize.

Reins, who is from a family of educators, said her mother will accompany her to the ceremony.

The award aims to acknowledge that schools that perform well require great leadership, said Dominic M. Calabro, president and chief executive officer of Florida TaxWatch. A principal has to balance many competing demands. Principals are the CEOs of their school.

While teachers are on the front lines delivering instruction, it takes excellence at the top to create the atmosphere that nurtures, advances and retains great teachers, he said.

High-risk schools were selected for the award because the idea is to demonstrate that all students can, in fact, learn – regardless of language barriers, income level or other potential obstacles, Calabro said. An outstanding leader can turn around a school that’s not working, but a poor leader can quickly undo excellence, he added.

The goal of the program is to study what these principals are doing and to replicate successful approaches elsewhere. It’s also important to include these principals in discussions about state educational policy, he said.

The principals will be incorporated into a five-year study performed by the Learning Systems Initiative to identify a principal’s role in recruiting, retaining and developing outstanding teachers.

The awards are based solely on state Department of Education data.

When Reins received word she’d been named an Elite Principal, she was shocked.

“I had no idea that that award even existed,” said Reins, who has been at the helm of Cox Elementary for five years. “What’s so nice about this award is that it is based on data. Not nominations. It’s based on facts. The data doesn’t lie. It is what it is.”

She said her school uses a team approach.

“This is a tribute to the hardworking staff that I have,” Reins said. “I told the teachers, ‘It’s because of you. This is our award, not mine.’”

But it’s not just the teachers who deserve kudos, she said.

“Everybody here in this school is very dedicated to our students in more ways than one,” she said. “We all truly care about them — everyone from the cafeteria staff, who provides nutrition to our students, to the custodial staff that maintains a clean and safe learning environment.”

There is a culture of high expectation, coupled with support, Reins said. “There are no excuses. We know that our children can rise to the occasion, rise to our expectations. We just need techniques and strategies to help them move along.”

Teachers meet weekly to share strategies and do grade-level planning. It allows them to talk, solve problems, and plan lessons to meet the needs of each and every student, she said.

“There may be a child that is low in reading, but high in math. They’re going to emphasize those strengths,” Reins said. “This significantly affects their (students’) self confidence and their eagerness to learn. It affects their whole attitude about school and its relevance to their lives.”

The teachers use data to inform their instruction. They seek advice from other teachers for strategies to help students succeed.

“That’s all part of being a professional,” Reins said.

Teachers also pay attention to what students already know, so they can build on that, Reins said.

Cox qualifies for additional funding because it is a school serving many children from low-income households. This year, the priority is to use those funds for additional staff and for professional development for teachers, Reins said.

Involving parents is important, too.

“The teachers try to develop a strong school-home relationship,” she said. “They want their parents to become more involved in their children’s education.”

The school soon will host a night for parents of kindergarten, first- and second-grade children to help parents learn how they can help their children with reading strategies.

“Many parents don’t know how to help their children, and it’s through no fault of their own,” Reins said.

While the school is committed to academic success, it still has a long way to go, Reins said. This award, however, is appreciated.

“It’s encouraging,” Reins said.

Lutz Preparatory readies new middle school

January 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Lutz Preparatory School is gearing up to add a charter school for middle school students, beginning with the fall 2014-15 school year.

Lutz Preparatory is adding a public charter middle school on its campus at 17951 N. U.S. 41 in Lutz. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

While the school will be located on the Lutz Prep campus, 17951 N. U.S. 41, now occupied by a kindergarten through sixth-grade program, the middle school will be considered a separate entity, under the charter approved on Dec. 10 by the Hillsborough County School Board. The final step to the charter, which involves signing the five-year contract, is expected in March.

Diane Farmer, principal of Lutz Prep, said the new middle school would open for students in sixth and seventh grades. Eighth grade will be added in the 2015-16 school year.

The new charter middle school, like the elementary school, will focus on providing a traditional education, in which all students have learning plans, Farmer said.

A middle school committee has been visiting charter schools and kindergarten through eighth-grade schools in Florida that are known for their excellence to learn about the programs they offer. The committee is researching curriculum options.

The plan is to create a schedule that focuses on student achievement, Farmer said. The goal is not merely to add more grades at the campus, but to create an outstanding middle school.

In the long-term, Lutz Prep wants to add a high school, too, Farmer said.

The middle school, like the elementary school, most likely will draw students not only from Hillsborough County but also from Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando and Polk counties, as well, Farmer said.

The principal believes parents are drawn to the school because it has such a dedicated staff. It’s not a bit unusual, she said, to see many cars in the parking lot long after the school day has ended because the teachers are so committed to delivering live and engaging instruction.

Before teachers are hired to teach at Lutz Prep, they must demonstrate their skills by delivering a lesson to students, Farmer added.

Besides having a dedicated staff, Farmer believes another chief strength of the school is the commitment of its parents.

“Our parents stay engaged,” Farmer said. “The culture is total family involvement.”

By state law, all of Lutz Prep’s fifth- and sixth-graders will be given preference for enrolling in the middle school before any new students will be enrolled. The school expects a few seventh-grade openings, and will be filling those through a lottery system.

Applications must be received by Feb. 3 at 2 p.m., to be considered for this year’s lottery.

Anyone who would like more information can attend an open house and information session on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m., at the school, or can visit the school’s website at LutzPrep.org.

Sharing Chinese culture through music and dance

January 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Kristen Ingle is looking forward to Shen Yun 2014 because she had such a great time attending the show at Mahaffey Theater with her daughter last year.

Ingle’s adopted daughter, Macy, was born in China.

Ingle believes Shen Yun provides her 9-year-old a chance to become more familiar with the culture of her birthplace.

Dancers perform many routines, which require intricate moves and balance, including this dance, which involves balancing bowls on their heads while moving across the stage.

“It’s definitely worth seeing,” said Ingle of South Tampa, who is bringing along her mother and some friends who have also adopted two daughters from China. “I like that it tells the stories of the history of China, all of the folklore. And the music — I really liked that they had both Western and Chinese instruments.”

She thinks it’s great entertainment for people of any age. The children like it because it’s so visual, Ingle said.

In fact, Macy said her favorite parts were the costumes and the dancers who performed with teacups on their heads.

“It’s a story told through dance and music,” Ingle said. “The story really comes through.”

Shirley Hu, a volunteer coordinator for Shen Yun, said she first saw the show while living in New York.

“I fell in love with it because it’s about the revival of the traditional Chinese culture, which I truly believe in,” said Hu, a native of Taiwan. “Traditional Chinese culture is about moral values and ethics.”

Shen Yun, which translates into “the beauty of heavenly beings dancing,” is based in New York. It has three touring companies of about 100 members each, which travel through the United States, Asia and Europe.

Hu is handling the logistics for the upcoming Shen Yun 2014 performances Feb. 5 through Feb. 8, at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. The two-and-a-half-hour show, which includes a 15-minute intermission, features about 20 pieces, including dancers accompanied by orchestral music and vocal performances.

The orchestra combines Western classical music along with music from ancient Chinese instruments including the gong, the dizi and the erhu. The dizi is a bamboo flute, and the erhu is a two-stringed instrument, sometimes called a Chinese violin, which dates back 4,000 years.

When Chinese and Western music come together, they produce what Hu describes as “a glorious sound.”

Orchestral music plays as dancers glide gracefully across the stage, using the movement of their body, as well as facial expressions, to tell stories. The dances incorporate high-flying leaps, spins and acrobatic moves, but are much more than sheer technique, according to interviews by principal dancers on YouTube videos.

Shen Yun performers seek to convey a spiritual connection behind each dance movement and musical note, they said. They seek to express of joy, sorrow, delight, grief, anger, illness and majesty by immersing themselves into the mindset and emotions of the characters they portray.

“You can actually see the facial expressions,” Hu said. “I always feel what makes the show so successful is because of the spirituality behind it.”

The pieces move from one story to another, sharing Chinese folklore and legends, as well as true stories.

The dancers wear handmade costumes, representing everything from the Tang Dynasty’s Raiment of Rainbows and feathers to imperial dragon robes, coronets and cloud caps. They wear colorful flowing robes, as well as the attire of the Manchurian Tibet, Dai, Mongol and Uyghur ethnic groups.

More than 400 costumes are used in a single show, Hu said.

The show also uses a 3-D backdrop to help bring stories to life.

Performers tour for half of the year then return to New York to prepare for the next year’s tour. It takes thousands of hours to hone their technique and learn the choreography. Each year, they tour with an entirely new show.

“Every year, I look forward to different stories,” Hu said. “A lot of the stories are the stories I was taught by my mom.”

WHAT: Shen Yun, a production that revives 5,000 years of Chinese culture through music and dance
WHERE: The Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S., St. Petersburg
WHEN: Feb. 5-8
COST: Tickets range from $52.50 to $202.50

Cusp of history: Pasco leads way to amend Constitution

January 15, 2014 By Michael Hinman

It’s nearly impossible to get Democrats and Republicans in Congress to agree on anything these days, but a state senator from Pasco County might have a way to bring them together — even if it’s to campaign against his plan.

State Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, right, and Single Subject Amendment PAC founder W. Spider Webb Jr., middle, meets with Florida Senate president Don Gaetz, left, on Jan. 9 to discuss calls for a Constitutional convention.

State Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, wants to do something this country hasn’t seen in 227 years: to call a Constitutional convention, with a goal of adding what he feels is an important amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

He wants to force the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to limit all bills to a single subject.

“This is about having the federal government start conducting themselves in a professional manner,” Simpson said. “Most of the frustration we have with our government is that you have something like a spending bill in Congress. They always add on several hundred millions of dollars of something that has nothing to do with the subject they are dealing with. And as a citizen of the state of Florida, I am tired of our federal government being operated this way.”

Simpson is referring to what are known as “riders,” typically additional controversial legislation added to a major bill that would likely never pass on its own, and usually used to help negotiate support on a bill from individual members. Those riders can contain all kinds of requests, but more often than not approves some project in a congressman’s district that might not have been funded otherwise.

Riders also can be used to delay other major bills by adding unrelated items to it those supporting the main bill would be against.

“Both parties are guilty about the use of riders,” said W. Spider Webb Jr., a former Tallahassee-based lobbyist who founded the Single Subject Amendment organization. “We are not trying to give Congress a black eye. We are trying to improve the way Americans view Congress.”

Approval ratings of Congress are at historic lows, a lot of it based on the gridlock found within the walls of its chambers on Capitol Hill. Many on the outside don’t believe the word “bipartisan” exists anymore, and unpopular riders to bills dealing with the federal budget have stalled many of them on the floor of Congress.

Riders are business as usual in Congress, but it’s not that way in Florida and 40 other states, Simpson said.

“Our federal government should learn to live within its means, have a balanced budget, and pass bills on their own merit, just as states have to,” Simpson said.

State governments prevent riders either by requiring bills to be single-subject, or giving governors the power to veto specific portions of a bill and approving the rest.

President Bill Clinton signed a line-item veto act into law introduced by U.S. Sen. Bob Dole in 1996, but it was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court two years later.

Simpson wants Florida to be the first of the 34 states needed to call for a Constitutional convention, which would put Pasco County on the forefront of history. The last time a Constitutional convention was called, it took place in Philadelphia in 1787, and created what would become the U.S. Constitution.

“If Florida passes this, then other states will take a more serious look at this,” Simpson said. “Doing a Constitutional amendment is such a large task, and I think it will pick up momentum as more states pass it.”

All Constitutional amendments since the Bill of Rights have gone through Congress. Simpson and Webb, however, suspect Congress won’t be so quick to take on an amendment that would change everything they know in Washington, D.C. A Constitutional convention would bypass Congress, and any approved measure would then require 38 states to ratify.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, said he likes the idea, but has some reservations.

“In general, I support the idea of single-subject legislation,” Ross told The Laker/Lutz News in an email. “Although it may be more difficult to pass a lot of bills, at least we would remove irrelevant riders that are usually attached to current legislation.”

The problem, however, is when Congress has to deal with large complicated issues, which would be difficult to break down into individual bills.

“My concerns with a Constitutional amendment limiting all bills to single-subject bills is that it would restrict the ability to take legislative action in an omnibus fashion in the event of an emergency or catastrophe,” Ross said.

Webb knows it’s an uphill battle from here to get a Constitutional convention. In the last 50 years, two attempts to call a Constitutional convention fell just short. And if it were to happen, it might open a plethora of other legal issues — especially on the topic of whether a Constitutional convention has to be single-subject or not. Some scholars believe that once a convention is called, any subject can be brought to the table.

It’s worth that risk, Webb said.

“This simple procedural, nonpartisan provision would have a profound effect on the way Congress conducts business,” he said. “As a result, you would be limiting pork barrel spending … and you would be increasing the institutional accountability of Congress.”

Simpson’s Senate measure has a companion in the House introduced by State Rep. Halsey Beshears, R-Monticello. Simpson says his measure should have its first committee hearing next month.

For more information on the national movement, visit SingleSubjectAmendment.com.

Brandon expansion won’t hurt USAA’s local campus

January 15, 2014 By Michael Hinman

With more than 2,000 employees already flocking to its New Tampa campus every day, the United Services Automobile Association, better known as USAA, is already a major economic player in the region.

The New Tampa campus of USAA will continue running, even when the company expands its work force to Brandon. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

A planned expansion over the next five years may shift new jobs south to Brandon, but the insurance company that grossed nearly $21 billion in revenue in 2012 won’t be abandoning its northern campus just off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard anytime soon.

Before settling on Brandon to bring in another 1,100 people, USAA had already been looking for new campuses nationwide, according to Robert Hoyland, USAA’s vice president and general manager in Tampa, during a recent breakfast meeting with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. It was not only land and facility costs that kept USAA in the Tampa Bay region, but Brandon has one asset the insurance company was most interested: veterans.

“You might ask, ‘You’re up here and (have) been successful, why are you going all the way down here?’” Hoyland said. “If you ever go to Brandon, you’ll find that a large concentration of active duties and veterans live there. By putting this building there, it helps us with one of our targets as a company — that 20 percent of the work force we hire is either veterans or spouses of veterans.”

The move also gives USAA a chance to pull in more employees from the Pinellas County area, something they enjoyed in their original South Tampa location when the company first came to the area, but lost when it opened its 500,000-square-foot facility in New Tampa more than a decade ago.

“This will still be our main office,” Hoyland assured those attending the breakfast. “We still like the employees we get from the main area, and we get a lot from Pasco County. They come as far away as Brooksville to come to our facility.”

USAA was founded in 1922 after a group of U.S. Army veterans struggled to get affordable car insurance because existing companies at the time thought they were too risky to ensure.

The company now boasts more than 10 million members, all of who are, or are associated with, military service members.

In recent years, USAA has begun to expand its offerings into mortgages, wealth management and investments. In fact, many of its new positions — including 500 in two temporary locations in Tampa — focus primarily on those fields, Hoyland said. The new facility in Brandon, not far from where Amazon is planning a distribution facility, will eventually hold 1,100. It will also add up to 5,000 other people nationwide, growing the existing employee base of more than 26,000.

Kumquat Festival aims at old-fashioned, down-home fun

January 15, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Somewhere between 40,000 and 50,000 people are expected to head to Dade City on Jan. 25 to attend the 17th annual Kumquat Festival, one of Pasco County’s most popular events.

The festival that pays homage to the diminutive orange fruit had humble beginnings. Phyllis Smith, Roxanne Barthle and Carlene Ellberg were looking for a way to help inject new life into downtown Dade City. They put their heads together and decided to have a festival to honor the kumquat.

John Moors holds a poster promoting the 17th annual Kumquat Festival presented by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. He thinks the event will draw between 40,000 and 50,000 to the East Pasco County city this year. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

The inaugural festival was on the lawn of the historic Dade City Courthouse. It included a few vendors, some food and some kumquat growers.

This year, there are 430 vendors offering fine arts, craft items, food and other services — and that’s after about 150 vendors were turned away, said John Moors, executive director of the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event.

There also will be two entertainment stages, a car and truck show, children’s activities, and a health and wellness section, Moors said.

The festival is a magnet for visitors and has raised Dade City’s profile. It was heralded by the Pasco County Tourism Board as the Pasco County Event of the Year in 2012 and has enjoyed the distinction of being named a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeast Tourism Society, which selects premier events in 13 Southeastern states.

It gives the community a chance to show off its old-fashioned charm and gives event-goers an opportunity to enjoy a family-friendly event, with free parking and admission, Moors said.

Offering the event without charging an admission means that organizers must cover costs from vendor fees and sponsors, and drum up support from volunteers. Fortunately, the festival enjoys the help of the city, county and state governments, as well as corporate sponsors. Community volunteers play a vital role, too, Moors said.

Volunteers from Calvary Assembly of God Church, for instance, help set a friendly tone for visitors by doling out bottles of water to people who park in the satellite lot at the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

Getting ready for the festival requires thorough planning and some elbow grease, starting a year ahead of the event to make sure all of the logistics are covered, Moors said.

On festival day, volunteers are up well before sunrise to pitch in.

“We have hundreds of local volunteers that start at 4:30 in the morning to get all of the vendors in and get all of our things in and set up,” Moors said. “By 9 o’clock, which is the festival opening time, we’re all ready to go.”

There’s plenty of parking with the satellite lots, but last year organizers discovered that those using the shuttles had to wait too long. So, this year there are more shuttle buses, and the bus routes have been tweaked to prevent long waits.

Moors expects the festival to attract 5,000 to 10,000 more people this year because of increased marketing efforts. This year, event organizers are making a bigger push to try to entice people from Sun City Center, The Villages, Wesley Chapel, New Tampa and the Nature Coast in Pinellas to make the trip to Dade City.

The event has a regional impact, Moors said. Using the same formula Visit Florida uses for fairs and festivals, he believes $1 million exchanges hands over the course of the festival.

Of course, much of that money goes to the vendors, but the event has an impact in Dade City, too, he said.

“I’ve had restaurants tell me that they do one week’s worth of business in that one day,” he said. “Our merchant’s association is geared up. They know that if they don’t make a sale on that day, there’s a good possibility that they can make a connection for somebody to come back and visit again and perhaps buy because they like what they see.”

The king of the event is the kumquat. Described as the “little gold gem of the citrus industry” by kumquat promoters, the fruit can be found in virtually every form at the festival.

Vendors will offer kumquat pie, kumquat salsa, kumquat jam, kumquat jelly, kumquat preserves, kumquat ice cream, and even kumquat lotions and soaps.

It’s easy to understand why the event attracts big crowds, Moors said.

“It’s a wonderful, wonderful family experience and experience for mature adults who enjoy a good, old-fashioned, down-home unique Florida experience,” he said.

EVENTS:
WHAT: Miss and Mr. Kumquat Festival Pageant
WHEN: Jan. 18 at 3 p.m.
WHERE: Calvary Assembly of God Church, 13544 U.S. 98 Bypass
DETAILS: Contestants in various age categories will be judged on their poise, personality, communication skills and overall appearance.

WHAT: Kumquat Growers Open House
WHEN: Jan. 23 and Jan. 24, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE: 31647 Gude Road, Dade City
DETAILS: Visit a farmer’s market, tour grove houses, view antique equipment and sample kumquat products.
COST: Tours are free
INFO: Call (352) 588-2761, or visit KumquatGrowers.com

WHAT: 17th annual Kumquat Festival
WHEN: Jan. 25, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Historic downtown Dade City
DIRECTIONS: Take Interstate 75 and go east on State Road 52; or take U.S. 301. Follow signs.
COST: Free admission, free parking and free shuttles from remote satellite parking lots at the Pasco Fairgrounds on State Road 52 approaching Dade City, or near Jarrett Ford, 38300 Dick Jarrett Way.
INFO: Visit KumquatFestival.org, or drop by an information booth at the festival. There are information booths at Third Street and Meridian Avenue, and at Seventh Street and Meridian.

Business Digest 01-15-14

January 15, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Honors for Avalon Park West
Avalon Park West on State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel recently earned three awards from the Tampa Bay Builders Association Awards of Excellence for sales and marketing.
Developed by Avalon Park Group, Avalon Park West earned top honors for Best Sales and Marketing in 2013, ad well as Best Brochure for a community or builder. Avex Homes, which partners with Avalon Park Group, was honored for best logo.
The awards are judged by TBBA’s Sales and Marketing Council.

Tax collector’s office opening in Lutz instead
Plans to open a Pasco County tax collector’s office at The Grove in Wesley Chapel have fallen through, and instead will open in Lutz.
The new location will be at Compark 75 Center, 4610 Pet Lane, in Lutz, and will “still offer superior convenience to our residents in an area of the county which has been underserved,” said Billy Poulos, the deputy tax collector, in a memo. It will be near the entrance to the Grand Oaks community on Wesley Chapel Boulevard.
It is expected to open by summer.

Seminar explores ‘Growth on the Horizon’
The Pasco County Economic Development Council, in conjunction with Business Development Week 2014 with the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce, will host the seminar “Growth on the Horizon,” Jan. 31 beginning at 11 a.m. at the Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club, 10641 Old Tampa Bay Drive in San Antonio.
John Jung, executive director of BB&T Capital Markets, will demonstrate what he says are the key drivers of the U.S. economy.
Cost is $30 per person by Jan. 17, and advance registration is required.
To register, visit PascoEDC.com/events.

Cardiology group moves to Wesley Chapel
Brooksville Cardiology now has a new home in Wesley Chapel.
The center is at 2204 Ashley Oaks Circle, Suite 201, across from The Shops at Wiregrass, and behind Sam’s Club.
For more information, call (352) 592-4938.

PEDC chooses Mitchell as new leader
Dewey Mitchell, owner of Prudential Tropical Real Estate, has been named chairman of the board for Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.
With his new position, Mitchell is responsible for governing the organization and providing leadership in implementing the organization’s strategic plan. The governance structure enables the private and public sectors to collectively leverage knowledge, passion, influence and relationships to achieve their goals.
“Dewey Mitchell comes from a family with deep roots on Pasco County,” PEDC’s president and chief executive John Hagen said in a release. “As a member of our policy council, Dewey has been an important part of developing the plans that will drive future growth in Pasco County.”
Besides his work with PEDC, Mitchell also serves on the board of trustees for BayCare Health Systems and Saint Leo University. He sits on the board of directors for Morton Plant Mease Hospital. Mitchell also is the former chairman of the Tampa Bay Partnership.
When not volunteering in the community, Mitchell has led one of the Tampa Bay area’s primary real estate firms since 1984.
Over the last year, PEDC helped create 627 jobs with 388,227 square feet occupied and $43.3 million in capital investment, according to a release.
For more information on PEDC, call (813) 926-0827, or visit PascoEDC.com.

Small business workshop at Saint Leo
Saint Leo University’s Small Business Development Center will host a workshop on how to start a small business Jan. 22 beginning at 6 p.m., at the Donald R. Tapia School of Business, State Road 52, in St. Leo.
The seminar will talk about how to generate business ideas, how to obtain a business license, how to structure a business, and the importance of business planning.
Registration is only available online at SBDCTampabay.com/training.
For more information, call (888) 929-2221.

Landmark theater turns to Internet for help

January 8, 2014 By Michael Murillo

A few years after moving to Lutz, Wayne and Cindy Valenti decided to start a business on North Dale Mabry Highway. The concept of a movie theater with nightclub-style seating serving a wide variety of food and alcohol sounded like one with potential, and offered a change of pace from traditional movie-going.

They named it Tampa Pitcher Show.

Wayne Valenti of Lutz, who opened the Tampa Pitcher Show in 1982, loads up the film projector that has served his North Dale Mabry Highway business since the beginning. He is now raising money to replace it with a digital projector — an upgrade that could cost $60,000.

That was back in 1982. More than three decades years later, some things haven’t changed much.

“We’ve lived in the same place and worked in the same place for over 30 years,” Wayne Valenti said with a laugh.

Unfortunately, the business climate for Tampa Pitcher Show is no laughing matter. Entertainment competition and technology have made success more difficult, and the venue is now in danger of closing. The 220-seat theater that used to have frequent sellouts looks empty many nights, and getting prints for their 35mm projector (the same one they opened with) is getting more and more difficult. Some movies, like last year’s “Gravity,” aren’t released on 35mm film at all. It was a digital-only release, and Tampa Pitcher Show isn’t equipped to show movies in that format.

To turn things around, the business has turned to the Internet for help. A Kickstarter program has been launched in order to raise $30,000 — roughly half the cost of the digital upgrade. Kickstarter is a crowdsourcing platform where someone can pitch an idea, and convince everyday people to pledge donations for that idea from their computer or cell phone. The amounts can be as little as $1 and go up to several thousand dollars.

Kickstarter launched in 2009, practically redefining how ideas can be financed. Those who contribute money, however, are considered donors and not investors. That’s because they don’t actually get any ownership or product in return for that pledge, except incentives offered by the group looking for pledges based on how much is contributed.

Valenti is offering incentives to those who contribute to the Tampa Picture Show Kickstarter. They range from a movie ticket and website recognition for a $10 contribution, up to a private movie screening for 75 people with a $2,000 donation — with food and soft drinks included.

“We need to let people know that they’re not just donating. They’re getting something for their money,” Valenti said.

One person has already taken them up on the private movie screening. Tom Mitchell, also a small business owner with a location not far from Tampa Pitcher Show, wanted to demonstrate his support of the Valentis, especially since he is a longtime patron and fan of the theater.

“It’s a great theater,” Mitchell said. “We’ve enjoyed going there for a long time.”

He finds the ticket prices to be cheaper than a traditional multiplex, with a wide variety of food and drink available, and the opportunity to support a local business. He plans to treat some of his employees at Actsoft to a movie with the perk he earned for the donation.

While Tampa Pitcher Show has raised more than $5,000 so far, the theater might not see a penny of it. If a project doesn’t meet its fundraising goal in the specified time — in this case, by Feb. 1 — all donations are returned and the company gets no money.

While they hope to meet that goal, Valenti said he can’t afford to wait for it, either. Tampa Picture Show already is beginning the digital upgrade process, with the understanding that the equipment will have to be returned if they don’t have the money to pay it off.

Installing the system will allow customers to enjoy better picture and sound, and have access to movies that aren’t distributed in the old format. But failing to make the digital conversion permanent would be devastating to a business that’s already struggling to keep up with the times, and make it harder for the Valentis to keep the small business they’ve had for more than three decades.

“We’ve got our fingers crossed,” Valenti said. “We need it to work.”

Tampa Pitcher Show is located at 14416 N. Dale Mabry Highway. For more information about the company’s Kickstarter project, visit SaveTampaPitcherShow.com.

Woman’s club loses one of its brightest stars

January 8, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club is grieving the loss of one of its most cherished members.

Mary Martin, a longtime member of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, lost her battle with cancer on Jan. 1.

Mary Martin, a club member who served for 35 years in nearly every capacity, lost her battle with cancer on New Year’s Day. She was 85.

She fought courageously to overcome two bouts of cancer and again tolerated heavy treatments, but sadly lost her third battle.

Mary was a lovely and petite American of Japanese-English descent, known for her quiet dignity, kindness and meticulous style. Wherever she went she always was perfectly turned out and made up.

She was a talented artist and crafts woman, and for many years, played tennis with a Tampa Bay area group.

She was a woman of great faith and a longtime member of First United Methodist Church of Lutz. Her faith sustained her and gave her the strength to bear the heavy burdens she faced, especially during the last few years.

Mary recently spoke of wanting to “go home to the Lord” and rejoin her beloved Duane in their Father’s House. She suffered the loss of her husband of 48 years, Duane Martin, a few months ago.

She is at peace, now.

Mary is survived by three sons and two daughters-in-law, and two grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Woman’s Club members mourn the loss of their dear friend, but are consoled in knowing the heavenly skies burn more brightly now, with her twinkling glow.

“As gentle as a snowflake, may peace come to your heart.”

-Japanese proverb

By Patricia Serio

Local men set off on worldwide sailing adventure

January 8, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Brian Fox, of Odessa, was preparing last week to push off on a sailing trip that will take him around the world. Joel Heyne, of St. Petersburg, is joining him for this grand adventure.

Brian Fox and Joel Heyne look over the first chart for a sailing trip that will take them around the world. The men planned to set sail from Boca Ciega Yacht Club on Jan. 4.

The two men will cruise on a 40-foot sailboat called American Spirit II, setting sail from the Boca Ciega Yacht Club in Gulfport on Jan. 4. They’ll begin circumnavigating the globe when they join 35 other sailboats taking part in the World Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.

Fox and Heyne plan to join the Round the World Rally, which includes sailors from all over the world, when it makes its first stop in the San Blas Islands.

“”The largest contingent will be United Kingdom,” Fox said, noting that’s where the organizers of the rally are from. “There will be French. There will be Russian. There will be American. There will be Germans. There will be South African. There will be Norwegian.”

They will travel around the globe, sailing on the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. They’ll complete 17 legs, covering 26,000 nautical miles, in 15 months. Along the way, they’ll encounter natural wonders and stop to sample cultural offerings at exotic and historic locales.

The itinerary includes exploring the Galapagos, checking out Napoleon’s prison, witnessing Carnival, visiting the Great Barrier Reef, and on and on.

Along the way, they’ll restock provisions, repair breakdowns and follow the route that sailing vessels took hundreds of years ago to come to America, Fox said. The route, however, avoids areas of political instability, piracy and the storm seasons in both hemispheres.

Fox has been preparing for the voyage for about 18 months. During that time, he and Heyne have made sure to outfit the boat with equipment and technology that will keep them safe, will allow them to stay in touch with others, and will enable them to make repairs.

Fox is ready.

“When I was young, I wanted to sail around the world,” he said. “In middle age, I didn’t.”

As he grew older, however, the idea regained its appeal.

“In 2010, I had a couple of health challenges, both which could have been terminal,” Fox said. “I decided after that — you know what, if you’re going to do something like this, you need to do it.”

Heyne is excited, but he doesn’t expect nonstop adventure.

He knows better.

Sailors have an axiom, said Heyne, who at 62 has been sailing for five decades. “Sailing is hours of boredom, followed by moments of sheer panic.”

When equipment fails or the vessel is damaged, the sailors must react quickly. “Everybody is hustling and hustling and hustling until you have that problem taken care of,” Heyne said.

Whales pose a real danger, Fox said.

“Moby Dick lives,” Fox said. “If you hit a whale, it’s bad.”

Whales have been known to attack sailboats and sink them.

“Sometimes a sailboat will sail into a sleeping whale and it’s like hitting a side of a house,” Fox said. “You’ll suffer hull damage, and in all likelihood, you’ll be leaking. It’s just a question of whether or not you have the time and the resources to stem the leak and stop the boat from sinking.”

Fox expects the first part of the trip to be the most difficult.

“In the winter time, the trade winds in the Caribbean blow very strong, east-to-west,” he said. “We’re going to have to contend with those rounding Cuba to get to Panama. When I say blow strongly, I mean 25 to 30 knots, quite a wind. Complicating matters more is that you’ve probably noticed about a week or 10 days ago, we started getting really large cold fronts. We have one coming up.”

That means some adjustments to the travel plans. Originally, the two were going to leave Tampa and head to the western tip of Cuba. Now, however, they’ll have to travel to the Dry Tortugas and wait there a few days for a weather window that will allow them to cross the Gulf Stream and around Cuba.

“The waves are only forecast at about 15 feet,” Fox said. “Because we have to cross the Gulf Stream, typically the waves are double. So you could have 25- to 30-foot seas, if you follow a front across the Gulf Stream. So, we’re going to have to wait until the front clears and go after that.”

Still, he’s confident that he and Heyne are up to challenges they’ll encounter.

The sailboat has an autopilot, which is far easier than steering by hand. It also has equipment that can make fresh water from salt water. The boat can take advantage of solar power and hydropower.

It also has a kitchen, bathroom, shower, two bedrooms and a flat-screen television below deck. The men also will take hundreds of DVDs along them to entertain them when things get slow.

They also are taking advantage of the latest technology to protect them and the boat. The vessel is equipped with devices that notify either the boat or authorities that a person has left the boat.

“Most people don’t have the kind of safety equipment we’re talking about,” said Fox, who owned a security guard business before he sold it and retired in 2008.

The boat also has a life raft, buoys and flares to use during emergencies.

As they prepared to head off, both men were looking forward to the people they’ll meet, the places they’ll visit, the sites they’ll see and whatever adventures they’ll encounter.

“I think sailing around the world, to sailors, is like climbing Mount Everest, to climbers,” Heyne said.