Local News

Arts and entertainment showcased at Suncoast Arts Fest

January 8, 2014 By B.C. Manion

If you’re looking to add an artwork to your home décor, want to pick up a piece of pottery, or are looking for some entertainment, the Suncoast Arts Fest may be just the thing for you.

If you’re looking to complete your personal art collection, or are just getting started, you’ll find plenty of choices at the Suncoast Arts Fest Jan. 18 and Jan. 19 at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel.

The event will feature more than 130 juried visual artists and craftsmen. It is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 18, and from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Jan. 19 at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive.

The shopping mall is in the heart of Wesley Chapel, just off State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, a couple of miles east of Interstate 75.

The event, now in its ninth year, is expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors, said Laura Knox, a member of the Fine Arts of Suncoast board, which produces the fest. The event is popular because of the venue and because of the high-quality artists that it attracts.

Art lovers will be able to browse through tents filled with fine art and crafts. Meanwhile, entertainers will set up at the mall’s Center Court, the same setting for interactive art, where volunteers will assist children with art projects.

The entertainment also helps draw a crowd, Knox said.

“A lot of times we give entertainers a chance to jumpstart their careers,” she said.

The entertainment slate this year includes a wide range of singers, dancers and actors. Julie Black, an area singer and songwriter, will perform on Saturday. Her music brings together elements of blues, jazz, soul and rock, and has been featured at music festivals, concert halls and select venues.

Her band includes Dave Eichenberger on guitar, Michael John on keyboard, Father Bill Spicuglia on bass and Frankie Timpanelli on drums.

In addition to promoting cultural awareness, the Suncoast Arts Fest benefits Arts for Kids, a supplemental arts education funding program for area schools.

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the event this year, too, Knox said. The chamber also is planning an Arts and Business Expo, which includes booths, an awards presentation and entertainment, with the expo beginning at 4 p.m., and festivities concluding at 9 p.m. on Jan. 18.

The Suncoast Arts Fest slate of entertainment:
Jan. 18
10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. — Pasco Schools youth music presentation
11 a.m. to noon — Timebandits
12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. — Richey Suncoast Theatre
1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Achobrother
2:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Julie Black
3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. —Pasco Schools youth music presentation
4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Hot Rod Hornets

Jan. 19
11 a.m. to noon — Tampa Bay Ukulele Society
12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. — Aaron Rutter Duo
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Amanda Lynn
2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. — Six Volt Rodeo
3:30 p.m. to 4:15 pm — Pasco Schools youth presentation
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Sarasota Slim
Bay’s best blues and swing dancers will celebrate the art of dance both days.

Arts and Business Expo
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will present the Arts and Business Expo on Jan. 18 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Expo will be on Piazza Avenue, a high-traffic area at The Shops at Wiregrass.
Thirty-five member businesses will have the chance to promote their businesses and show support for the arts. The evening also will feature live musical entertainment and a presentation of awards.
Businesses wishing to participate must bring their own skirted table and 10-by-10-foot canopy or market for shade. Electrical outlets are available, if needed, as is Wi-Fi connectivity. Setup begins at 3 p.m.
The charge is $175 per booth and the event is open to chamber members only.
Parks Fiat of Wesley Chapel is the expo sponsor.
For additional information, email , or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com/pages/ArtsBusinessShowcase.

Key to county growth: More public buses

January 8, 2014 By Michael Hinman

It was years in the making, and some said at least several years too long. But last spring, Pasco County Public Transportation — which manages the mass transit system in the county — finally connected Zephyrhills and New Port Richey with a bus.

The trip takes less than two hours, and riders can take advantage of it simply with a $3.75 day pass.

Bus stops like this one on State Road 54 will have to become much more commonplace in the coming decade as Pasco County works to lead the Tampa Bay region in smart growth.

But if Pasco wants to find a way to lead the suburban growth of the greater Tampa Bay area, it’s going to have to create a network much stronger than that, according to the Urban Land Institute.

“There is very little transit here in the county, as you all know,” said Bill Lawrence, managing director with T.R. Advisors in Boston, who joined the independent growth and development analytical group in a presentation to the county late last year. Yet, while some of that blame falls to county officials, it is part of a much broader problem.

“The transportation planning function in the region really is in disarray,” Lawrence said. “The (high-speed) train to Tampa has been defunded, and the transit initiative in Hillsborough has not been passed.”

The number of cars traveling Pasco roads is growing faster than the roads can be upgraded, Lawrence said. There already are daily traffic bottlenecks in areas like Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and State Road 54, as well as the interchanges around Interstate 75 and the Suncoast Parkway.

While adding lanes will help accommodate the traffic in a county that has grown 143 percent in the last 30 years — the key is an expanded mass transit system, which means changes must come to PCPT.

The system currently runs 10 routes, including the cross-county route along the State Road 54 corridor, compared to the nearly 50 routes operated by its southern neighbor, Hillsborough County.

But how would such expansions be paid for, especially with Pasco County facing a $14 billion shortfall in the current planning cycle?

Lawrence suggested that 5 percent of all transportation funding be earmarked to advancing public transit in the county.

“Most of this would be picked up by local development fees, and there is in place this mobility fee that is supposed to address some of that,” Lawrence said. “I am not sure how that would work, or how much money it would actually raise, although it provides incentives to offset land uses that are desirable, like transit-oriented development, which is a good thing.”

Mobility fees may have some problems getting traction in terms of additional revenue since county officials have waived or reduced such fees in the past to help attract new development to the county.

While jobs are growing in Pasco County by more than 3,000 per year, government officials can’t forget that many Pasco residents — around half by Lawrence’s projections — still travel into Hillsborough and Pinellas counties each day to work. Addressing this need could come through bus rapid transit, something that is now being tried in Hillsborough County, and could be expanded at some point into Pasco.

Transit will always remain a subsidized offering of the county, but the importance lies not just in moving the workforce around, but also in making Pasco an attractive place for business, Lawrence said. Transportation is one of the key issues businesses look at when trying to find business hubs for its operations, and many grants and other funding also hinge on the diversity and effectiveness of transportation options in an area.

Dade City to paint the town kumquat

January 8, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Lucy Avila got the idea to paint kumquats around Dade City and San Antonio during a visit to Dunedin.

Organizers behind the Paint the Town Kumquat campaign show off the new kumquat-painted shutters at the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce office. Participating in the project are, in front from left, project coordinator Lucy Avila, incoming chamber president Bonnie Krummen of CenterState Bank, and Dade City mayor Camille Hernandez. In back, Dade City chamber executive director John Moors, and Saint Leo University media coordinator Kim Payne.

That city, becoming known for its annual Dunedin Orange Festival, was sprinkled with small paintings of oranges. And they were everywhere — businesses, homes, even public areas like a seawall.

“I was sitting there with my Scottish terrier, and I saw an orange painted on a building,” said Avila, a member of the advisory board for the Dade City Center for the Arts. “And then I looked again, and there was another one, and then another one.”

Dunedin might associate itself with oranges, but Dade City and San Antonio have positioned themselves quite solidly with the kumquat, the small orange-like fruit with a sweet rind and sour juicy center the region celebrates with a festival every January. It didn’t take long for Avila to realize such a project would be great for East Pasco County.

“We are the largest kumquat growers in America, and we don’t highlight that as much as we should,” she said. But now, with its own painting project underway, Dade City and San Antonio can do just that.

A collaboration between the DCCA, the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce and Saint Leo University, the Paint the Town Kumquat campaign offers 21 different kumquat designs priced between $50 and $250, depending on the size of the painting. Local artists specially chosen by the DCCA will receive half the proceeds, with the rest going toward art programs in the area. It’s open to businesses, merchants, building owners and even homeowners on the eastern side of the county.

So far, two businesses have officially signed up for the paintings, with more ready to commit in the coming weeks, Avila said. They include the Dade City chamber, which had kumquats painted on the shutters of its main offices, located at 14112 Eighth St., in Dade City.

“The kumquat festival has become an event of regional importance,” said John Moors, executive director of the Dade City chamber. “It’s becoming so well-known across the Tampa Bay region, and it’s really quite remarkable. People are moving back toward more authentic and family-friendly fun sort of activities.”

The Kumquat Festival, which runs Jan. 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in Dade City’s historic downtown, is an example of those events with the slower, more rural easier pace that people in the area have come to enjoy, Moors said. And showing pride in the area’s biggest agricultural export — similar to what Plant City has with strawberries — can only grow through projects like the one organized by Avila.

Yet, the festival draws some 45,000 people each year — six times the size of Dade City, Moors said.

“When you think of the logistics of it, that’s quite a feat,” he said. “It’s basically a volunteer-run situation because we don’t have a professional management company running the festival for us. With the help of the county and the city and the state, we are able to pull this off, and certainly painting the kumquats on buildings year-round can help sustain that.”

The kumquat painting project won’t end with the festival, Avila said. It’s likely to continue straight through until November when plans are made to conduct a scavenger hunt involving businesses that receive the works of art on their exteriors. It’s a way to bring the community back to the businesses, many who work hard to support the arts and the annual festivities in the area.

“They’ll have to go by clues to find out where each and every one of the kumquats are,” Avila said. “And with that, we’ll only be closer to the next kumquat festival.”

For more information on how to participate in the project, contact Avila at (352) 521-5858, or Diana Murcar at (813) 966-3704.

Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch is ready for students

January 8, 2014 By B.C. Manion

When Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch opens its doors to students on Jan. 13, it will mark a new chapter in Wesley Chapel history.

It will be the first time that students in that community will be able to attend college, without having to commute.

Stan Giannet is the provost of Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a new satellite campus of Pasco-Hernando Community College set to open its doors to students on Jan. 13.

Stan Giannet, provost of Pasco-Hernando Community College’s fifth campus, is fired up about the campus’ inaugural day of classes.

“We’re ready. We’re poised to open successfully,” he said.

Porter Campus will have a beginning enrollment of about 1,300 individual students, which is within the college’s projections, Giannet said. Its inaugural staff consists of 48 full-time positions, including 15 faculty members and 33 staff members. There also will be a large number of adjunct faculty members.

Officials theorize students come from Wesley Chapel, choosing the Porter Campus over the college’s East Campus in Dade City and West Campus in New Port Richey. At the same time, the college also expects to pick up some enrollment from nearby counties.

“We also know that many students in Wesley Chapel might not have been going to school,” Giannet said. “There’s no doubt that we’ll be bringing in students from Hillsborough, maybe even Polk.”

Porter Campus officials won’t be able to pinpoint where the enrollment is coming from, however, until they do a ZIP code analysis, expected to take place after the semester begins, Giannet said.

The campus, at 2727 Mansfield Blvd., is situated off State Road 56, about two miles east of Interstate 75, in the heart of Wesley Chapel. It is across the street from the planned Raymond James financial services office park, next to Wiregrass Ranch High School, down the road from The Shops at Wiregrass and around the corner from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

In addition to offering a two-year degree program, the campus plans to launch two bachelor’s degree programs in the fall. One is a bachelor’s degree in nursing and the other is a bachelor’s in applied science, focusing on supervision and management.

In keeping with its new baccalaureate offerings, the Pasco-Hernando Community College board is scheduled to vote on Jan. 21 on a proposal to change the college’s name to Pasco-Hernando State College.

As it opens, the Porter Campus is offering about 160 bricks-and-mortar, face-to-face sections and about 15 hybrid sections, which includes online and face-to-face instruction, Giannet said.

“That’s not counting our nursing courses. We’ll have several courses in our nursing program, which is a limited access program,” he added.

Courses being offered run the gamut from microbiology and human anatomy, to psychology and sociology, to cinema and literature.

The campus also will be the only PHCC location to offer two new certification programs. Those programs are for surgery and pharmacy technicians, both fields where workers are in high demand.

Porter Campus has six buildings, including a seven-story classroom building — said to be the tallest structure in Pasco County. It consists of a three-story parking deck, topped by four floors of classrooms and labs.

The nursing lab on the fifth floor simulates a hospital ward. The equipment is so current that the mannequins there can talk and breathe, officials said during a November preview tour.

Porter Campus boasts a beautiful architectural design, Giannet said, but it won’t truly come to life until the students, staff and faculty are using it.

“We want to create a milieu, an ambience, that will be conducive to a totally meaningful experience — from the learning perspective and from the working perspective,” Giannet said.

He wants the campus’ staff and faculty to enjoy being at the campus, serving students and he wants students to enjoy being there, too.

“We have small classes, “ Giannet said, enabling teachers to know students by name.

He also plans to have an open-door policy.

“Students can come to the provost office at any time,” Giannet said. “If the student perceives that he or she is valued, they feel more invested in their education. The research is unequivocal: The more connected that students feel to the campus, to the faculty, to the events on campus, the greater the likelihood that they’ll be retained and will succeed.”

The college will work closely with guidance counselors at Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel high schools, he said. Besides being able to earn college and high school credits through dual enrollment programs, students also will have a chance to have their questions answered about degree programs available through the college.

Giannet said he’s gratified by the warm reception that the new campus has received.

“The community has shown a tremendous interest in the campus and in the programs we are going to have,” he said.

He expects the college to forge close relationships with businesses and organizations in the community. It already has established a relationship with Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

“We’ve developed a partnership for our students to have their clinicals on that site, for our nursing students and some of the other Allied Health. That’s already in the works,” he said.

Work also is under way to create opportunities for Porter students at the North Tampa Behavioral Health center, a new psychiatric hospital on State Road 56.

“As a psychologist, I’m very excited about that,” Giannet said.

The campus was named to honor the Porter family, which donated more than 60 acres for the facility. It is the same family that sold the land now occupied by The Shops at Wiregrass and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. The family also owns the land expected to become the site for the Raymond James office park.

Many firsts this year as Pigz in Z’Hills gets reboot

January 8, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest got rolling in 2010, spurred by a suggestion from Darrell and Pat Pennington, at the time members of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

A variety of activities will be available for young and old at the Fourth Annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest. Shown here, a woman takes part in a corn toss game.

The chamber was looking for a fundraiser because it needed a way to support scholarships, chamber programs and local causes, Pat Pennington recalled. The couple had gone to a barbecue in Lakeland, and while they were there, it occurred to them that it was something the chamber could do in Zephyrhills.

So, the couple suggested the idea at the next board meeting and the board embraced it. The event has continued to evolve ever since.

The first year, it drew 13 barbecue teams. This year, event organizers hope there will be 35 to 40 teams. Those teams will chase after $8,000 in prize money, trophies, bragging rights and the chance to compete at higher-level barbecue competitions.

This year’s event also will introduce a number of new elements, said Vonnie Mikkelsen, executive director of the Zephyrhills chamber. For one thing, the venue has changed. The new home for the event is Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave., in Zephyrhills.

By hosting the event, the city will have a chance to showcase its airport, airport manager Michael Handrahan said.

Besides being able to buy tasty barbecue and listen to bands, patrons will have a chance to check out interesting aircraft, listen to a talk by a teenage glider pilot, and tour the Zephyrhills Museum of Military History, Handrahan said.

Patrons won’t have access to the airfield itself and there won’t be any flying events, the airport manager said. But there’s a chance some pilots will fly in for the day. That’s because the airport is encouraging pilots to fly in to enjoy some barbecue and music.

Since its inception, Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues, has been a fundraiser, providing thousands of dollars for local youth and education programs, including the YMCA of East Pasco, Zephyrhills Fire Rescue Explorers, Zephyrhills Police Athletic League, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Charities, the Zephyrhills Army JROTC, Zephyrhills High School athletics and clubs, and the chamber scholarship fund.

The event is designed to be a fun day for families, while providing a legitimate contest for barbecue aficionados.

The annual contest has been sanctioned by the Florida Barbecue Association since 2011, and has been designated as a state championship contest since 2012. The grand champion of the professional division qualifies to compete at the American Royal Nationals in Kansas City, Mo., and gets in the draw from the state for the Jack Daniel’s World Championship in Lynchburg, Tenn. The contest is open to professional and backyard teams. Entry fees are $300 for the pros and $200 for the backyard teams.

Besides lip-smacking barbecue, the festival offers music from four live blues bands, a classic car and motorcycle show and a kids’ fun zone, featuring bounce houses and field games, as well as arts and crafts.

Another change this year is the admission charge.

In previous years, event-goers paid $5 to get in, with free admission for children under 12. This year, there is no charge to get in, but parking is $10.

Also different from before is the timing. In the past, the barbecue contest was in October. Now it’s in January, and changing the date has many benefits, Mikkelsen said.

For one thing, it allows the community to welcome a group of residents who were unable to attend the event in previous years, she said.

“We found that a lot of our seasonal residents who come down in November and December were always disappointed to find out that they had missed it,” Mikkelsen said.

Pennington thinks the snowbirds will enjoy being able to eat some barbecue and take their time on the airport grounds, strolling around to take a look at the aircraft and to visit the museum.

The barbecue meals are affordable, too, Pennington said, selling for as little $7 and sandwiches for around $3.

Organizers had another good reason for changing the date of the event, Mikkelsen said. In October, many events are competing for people’s time, attention and resources. While that may be fun for residents, it’s challenging for an event organizer who is trying to raise money because they are competing for sponsors, volunteers and patrons.

While the festival is just a one-day event, planning begins a full year ahead of time, Mikkelsen said. About six months before the event, the committee volunteers start organizing and accepting areas of responsibility.

“You’re looking for sponsors,” Mikkelsen said. “You’re looking for in-kind donations. You’re starting to put together your marketing campaign. You’re starting to do the initial budget projection and fitting all of the pieces together.”

That’s also when the blues bands are selected.

“Then you start rolling into the crunch time, which is 90 days out. You better have your permits done,” Mikkelsen said, noting health, alcohol and tent permits must be secured.

Organizers also need to get insurance for the event, do a site plan and be sure to address such things as water, electrical, trash, security, portable restrooms, stages, parking and other issues that must be addressed to carry off a successful event.

Much of the success of the event hinges on the help that the chamber gets from community partners, Mikkelsen said. Some sponsors have been there from the beginning, like CenterState Bank.

“We sell Pig Bucks. That’s the event currency,” Mikkelsen said. “We have to print up so many Pig Bucks and have them counted, bundled and prepared — just like a bank — for the vendors.”

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Posse also has been there since the beginning, Pennington said, managing the event parking.

Anyone wishing additional information about this year’s event is welcome to call (813) 782-1913, email , or visit ZephyrhillsChamber.org.

Business Digest 1-8-14

January 8, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Lewis family wins $1,000 from Connerton
Scott Lewis, right, receives a $1,000 prize from Stew Gibbons, after he and his wife Erica won the $1,000 drawing as part of New Town of Connerton’s Grand Tour of Homes contest. Connerton visitors were able to enter a drawing at Club Connerton and the four builders’ models — from Ryland Homes, M/I Homes, Taylor Morrison and Homes by WestBay — giving each visitor five chances to win.

Realtors take home Connerton prize
Beth Hibben of Exit Realty Bayshore and Linda Roy of Charles Rutenberg Realty, were $1,000 winners as part of the Grand Tour for Realtors drawing at Connerton.
Hibben resides in Lutz, while Roy makes her home in Land O’ Lakes. Both have sold homes in Connerton in the past.
Both Realtors also have military ties. Hibben is a volunteer agent at MacDill Air Force Base, while Roy has both a husband and son who are retired from the U.S. Air Force.
All Realtors had an opportunity to enter their names in the drawing by visiting Club Connerton and models from four builders — Ryland Homes, M/I Homes, Taylor Morrison, and Homes by WestBay.
Connerton, located on U.S. 41 north of Land O’ Lakes, has had more than 70 sales in the past six months.

Tampa Bay area leads in job creation
Job creation is up statewide, and a lot of that has to do with the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater region, which led all metro areas in job creation over 2013 with 39,300 jobs added.
That resulted in a 1.9 percentage point decline in the unemployment rate for the region, bringing the rate to 6.2 compared to 8.1 percent the year before.
The top jobs in the region included professional and business services with an additional 12,000 jobs; education and health services with 9,700 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities with 7,100 jobs; and construction with 6,400 jobs.
The area also led in online job demand, as well as those in the high-paying areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey shows Tampa Bay area employers are expected to continue hiring at an active pace, with 21 percent of companies interviewed saying they plan to hire more employees.
Statewide, the unemployment rate dropped from 6.7 percent to 6.4 percent. The state has created more than 446,000 private sector jobs since December 2010, according to the governor’s office.

Brenneman retires from tax collector’s office
December capped the end of a 30-year career for Denise “Dee” Brenneman with the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office, not only serving customers as a member of the service staff, but also as a trainer who helped employees learn the often complex tasks of running a tax collector’s office.
“It is with both regret and joy that we see Dee retire from our office,” said Mike Fasano, Pasco’s tax collector, in a release. “We regret that she will no longer be a part of our staff, serving the taxpayers as well as she has done for the past three decades. However, we do feel joy for her as she moves into this new stage of her life.”
During a farewell ceremony on Dec. 20, Brenneman was presented with a plaque commemorating her career with the office.

Another honor for New Identities Hair Studios
New Identities Hair Studios of Tampa — with locations in both New Tampa and Riverview — was selected as one of the Salon Today 200 top 200 salons in the United States.
The annual listing honors the top salons and spas, as judged by the editors of Salon Today magazine in New York. Winners are chosen from thousands of applicants nationwide, according to a release.
This is the fourth consecutive year New Identities has won this award.
New Identities is located in Tampa Palms, 15307 Amberly Drive in Tampa, as well as in South Shore at 10639 Big Bend Road in Riverview.
For more information, visit NewIdentitiesSalon.com.

Florida leads way in aviation
A new study from PricewaterhouseCoopers has ranked Florida first in overall U.S. aviation manufacturing attractiveness.
That joined other rankings of ninth for the state’s industry and sixth for cost in the first ranking of its kind in the nation.
The PwC ranking used a weighted average of variables in the report, which includes costs, workforce, and the number of aerospace companies. Texas was ranked second in the report, and Washington was third.
Florida’s manufacturing sector has 17,500 companies employing 311,300 workers around the state, according to the governor’s office. Manufacturing accounted for 93 percent of Florida’s exports in 2012, and the state ranks first in the nation in manufacturing export intensity — the percentage of total manufactured goods that are exported.
For every dollar invested in manufacturing goods, it creates another $1.43 of activity in other sectors, according to the governor’s office.

Looking back, instead of ahead, this New Year’s

January 1, 2014 By Diane Kortus

Today is Jan. 1. Which means you’re probably making a list of all the things you hope to do, improve or change in 2014.

But let me stop right here before you turn the page. I promise — this is not another column about New Year’s resolutions that are almost certain to go unfulfilled.

Instead, I want to look back, instead of ahead, much like this week’s paper that profiles our favorite stories of 2013.

So here, in no particular order, are 10 achievements of the past year that I’m most proud of professionally and personally.

1.) More readers than ever
In March, we learned that our 2012 circulation audit reported that 80 percent of households in Lutz regularly read The Lutz News. And in Pasco, The Laker is read by 75 percent of households in our distribution area. This is an increase of 8 percentage points in just two years — a statistically remarkable accomplishment.

2.) Better business coverage
Our business reporting really took off after Michael Hinman joined our staff in July. In particular, his focus on growth and development — topics readers told us they wanted more of in a readership study — have added more depth and analysis to our news coverage.

3.) Breaking news reporting
In early November, we reported that the long-stalled outlet mall at State Road 56 and Interstate 75 had finalized a permit with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, clearing the way for construction approvals. We were the first to report this story, which was later picked up by just about every other news outlet in Tampa Bay.

As a weekly newspaper, it is never our priority to be first with a story. We leave that to the immediacy of television and the daily newspapers. But it sure felt good, and made me proud, that our small news staff broke such important regional news.

4.) More faith and worship stories
One of my favorite stories this year was about the Rev. Garry Welsh, a new priest assigned to Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Land O’ Lakes. It was one of many religion stories written by B.C. Manion, a subject she does a superb job exploring and writing about.

5.) Redesigned website
A redesign of our website makes it easier to read and find stories in our archives. Check it out at LakerLutzNews.com, for everything from things to do this weekend to stories you want to share with friends and family.

6.) An active Facebook page
It took us a while to join the conversation with an active Facebook page. But we’re finally there, thanks to the combined efforts of Suzanne Beauchaine of our advertising staff, Michael Hinman of our editorial staff and Stefanie Burlingame of our design staff. This threesome makes our Facebook presence engaging and fun. See for yourself at Facebook.com/TheLakerLutzNews.

7.) Three employees celebrate 10 years
For a small business like ours, it’s quite remarkable that three out of 12 employees celebrated their 10th year with our company. Terri Williamson in sales, Carolyn Bennett in customer service, and Mary Eberhard in accounting are outstanding individuals whose commitment to our customers and company are much appreciated. Another employee, Mary Rathman, also has played a valuable role in our company for more than a decade, with a brief break in service. She’s the one who makes sure our t’s are crossed and our i’s are dotted.

8.) My son’s engagement and marriage
It was a huge year for my son, Andy Mathes, a first lieutenant in the Marines. He became engaged to Erin Morgan on Labor Day and married her Nov. 2, a week before his deployment to Afghanistan. I never imagined I would be marrying off my son last year, and couldn’t be happier with the daughter-in-law he chose for me.

9.) My daughter turned 21
I know my daughter, Rachel Mathes, has technically been an adult since she was 18. But there was something about her turning 21 that has solidified our adult mother-daughter relationship. Rachel graduates from Stetson University this spring, and I am so proud of her perseverance and commitment to completing her degree in four years.

10.) Zeke dies, Jonas lives
On March 27, my family lost Zeke, our 14-year-old yellow lab. We never doubted our decision to euthanize Zeke, but that didn’t make it any easier to say goodbye. Zeke left behind Jonas, our 8-year-old Airedale, who has flourished with all the extra attention and elevation to alpha dog. Sadly, Jonas had a cancerous spleen removed in September, and we were told he had only one to three months to live. Four months later, Jonas is proving the vet wrong and is livelier than ever. We’re beginning to call him our miracle dog.

Zephyrhills to pay $500k more for library

December 25, 2013 By Michael Hinman

The Zephyrhills City Council got an unwelcome lump of coal in their Christmas stocking after finding out the stately brick and stone library they were expecting was going to cost them a lot more money.

And none of them were very happy about it.

Harvard Jolly and A.D. Morgan had originally presented the idea of building a brick and stone library for $1.7 million, using primarily Penny for Pasco money. However, after discovering the reality of the market, they realized it would cost more than 30 percent more to build, and proposed a cheaper stucco building. The City Council opted for the more expensive option instead. (Image courtesy of Harvard Jolly)

The council hired the architectural firm Harvard Jolly and contractor A.D. Morgan after they presented an 8,500-square-foot facility next to the library’s current location on Eighth Street for $1.7 million. However, after going out into the market to look at materials and supplies, the two companies came back with a new price tag: $2.5 million, a 47 percent jump.

The options? Either go with a cheaper, stucco version of the library, or pay more money.

“One of my reasons for picking your company is your guarantees that we were going to be in budget,” Councilman Charles Proctor said. “I run several companies of my own, and being in budget is very important to me.”

Yet, as Proctor pointed out, there was a larger issue.

“The prior councils made promises to the city to build a beautiful library,” he said. “The brick building is going to be a much more substantial, better built, longer-lasting building. We really needed to come in on budget on this.”

Harvard Jolly and A.D. Morgan were able to reduce the overall cost to $2.26 million, but that remained 33 percent over budget. That can be mostly blamed on the existing volatile market for brick and stone, said George Goodspeed, manager of pre-construction services at A.D. Morgan. When the company sought bids on the masonry and concrete, the largest bid was double the smallest bid, and all of them were much more than they anticipated.

The concrete and masonry work, however, would go to Ervin Bishop Construction of Land O’ Lakes.

Councilman Ken Burgess said he felt the architects were practically baiting and switching the city.

“You have two buildings here,” he said. “It’s like giving a kid a shiny penny, but then here’s a dull one. They both do the same thing, but the shiny penny has already been handed to him. It’s a little bit difficult to kind of go back and use the dull penny. It puts us in a bad spot.”

It would, however, bring the library a little closer to what was first proposed nearly a decade ago, said librarian Vicki Elkins. The original plan was to build a 27,000-square-foot library, but that was quickly pared down to an 18,000-square-foot facility for $3.8 million.

Money for it was to come from the Penny for Pasco tax program, with the city making annual contributions to a construction fund.

In 2009, however, a flood at the fire department halted contributions to the library construction fund, and they never returned.

“Had Penny for Pasco funding been added after 2009, the building reserve would have the funds to cover the brick design,” Elkins said. “There is money that is available in the Penny for Pasco reserve to cover the brick design, and that is what we are asking you to consider tonight.”

Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson said if such an overage had happened in the business world, she would’ve been fired. Yet, the library design was intended to help inspire a brick construction style that peeks into the past of Zephyrhills. And the council could not lose sight of that.

“When you go to a place like Dade City and enjoy the country Christmas stroll, and the county hall is lit up, there is a character to that space … that is unmatched,” she said. “For the most part, some of the most beautiful cities in our country have been built with municipal structures being the most enduring, and the highest quality of design.”

With the council reluctantly leaning toward spending more money on the library to maintain its original vision, council president Lance Smith added a stern warning to Harvard Jolly and A.D. Morgan.

“Please don’t come back” for more money after this increase, Smith said, “because it’s not going to be successful.”

Ground should be broken in March for the new library, with an anticipated opening in spring of 2015.

Revival of Christmas Card Lane draws a big crowd

December 25, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Children played drums, rang hand bells, sang, clapped rhythmically and even did a little dancing to entertain the crowd that gathered for the Christmas Card Lane celebration in downtown Lutz.

If there’s a community event in Lutz, you can bet that the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club will have a hand in it. This group raises money with various events, and uses the funds to support numerous community causes. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Hundreds gathered for the event, which also featured a visit from Santa, a few remarks by the community’s honorary Lutz Guv’na, and the ceremonial flipping of the switch to illuminate 16 giant holiday cards.

The 8-by-4-foot cards are posted along the edge of Memorial Park, across the street from the Lutz Depot Building, where the crowd watched the children from Lutz Elementary School perform.

The event marked the revival of the old Christmas Card Lane tradition in Lutz. The tradition ceased some years back, but a special edition of the event was done this year to mark the community’s 100th birthday.

The Christmas Card Lane celebration was the fourth and final event to mark the community’s centennial.

Ligia Grams was there to watch her son Dakota, 8, perform.

She gave the event high marks.

“It’s a good community outing for everyone,” Grams said. “It just brings everyone together. The kids will have a blast.”

Diane DeMarco and her husband, Dan, also came out to watch the Lutz Elementary children perform, which included their son, Joseph, 8. DeMarco also thought the event would be a good way to get into the Christmas spirit.

Her family moved to Lutz three years ago because of the community’s reputation for having a small-town feel.

Indeed, as chronicled in local history books written by Eliabeth Riegler MacManus and her daughter, Susan A. MacManus, community gatherings have long been the social glue for Lutz.

So, when the Lutz Centennial Committee was planning how to celebrate the community’s 100th birthday, they reasoned that community gatherings would be the way to go.

The first centennial event was a food truck rally in March. Next came the community’s massive Fourth of July Celebration, with its many traditions. Like always, it drew thousands of spectators.

After that, the committee had a chili cook-off and classic car show.

Suzin Carr, honorary Lutz Guv’na, was delighted by the turnout at the Christmas Card Lane event. Indeed, all of the celebrations have been well received by community residents and businesses, she said.

“We had fun during all of them,” said Bob Moore, chairman of the Lutz Centennial Committee.

The chili cook-off and classic car show had to contend with morning downpours, causing Moore to nickname it “Rain Fest.” But even that turned out to be a good event, he said.

“We’re from Lutz, we can party in the rain,” he quipped. “We can party under any conditions.”

The collection of giant cards on Christmas Card Lane reflects the community’s stalwart organizations and some local businesses. The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club’s card, for example, depicts Santa riding in a train — a tribute to the community’s deep history involving the movement of goods through it by rail cars.

Troop 12 of the Boy Scouts, and Pack 12 of the Cub Scouts also created cards. There’s also a card from the Civil Air Patrol – North Tampa-Lutz Cadet Squadron.

The Citizens for the Old Lutz School also posted a card, as did Lutz Elementary, Maniscalco Elementary and Learning Gate Community schools.

The cards show varied artistic styles and holiday themes.

One sign that seems perfect for a Florida Christmas depicts a pink flamingo wearing a Santa’s hat, while hanging out under a palm tree at the beach.

There’s a bucket on the sand nearby, chock full of paintbrushes. That card, fittingly enough, was sponsored by The Florida Suncoast Decorative Artists.

Some angels, like this volunteer, don’t have wings

December 25, 2013 By B.C. Manion

When 77-year-old Jeanette Tatro heard her name being called as the Volunteer of the Year for Gulfside Regional Hospice, the Zephyrhills woman couldn’t believe her ears.

Jeanette Tatro, Gulfside Regional Hospice’s Volunteer of the Year, has a long record of serving others through the organization. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

After all, she had received the award two other times in the past, and she also is the sole winner of the organization’s Spirit of Hospice Award.

It didn’t surprise her when her name was announced as one of the organization’s volunteers who had clocked more than 500 hours of service that year. But when the presenter began describing the winner of the volunteer of the year, the petite, silver-haired woman, Tatro thought the speaker was talking about someone else.

“When I heard my name announced, I was actually dumbfounded,” Tatro said. “It was unbelievable. I couldn’t move. I was shocked.”

In just a year, Tatro racked up 541 volunteer hours. She cashiered at the organization’s Zephyrhills Thrift Shoppe. She visited hospice patients. She called families through Gulfside’s bereavement program.

She helped promote the organization by working at information booths at fairs and festivals throughout Pasco County.

Kelly Milner, director of volunteer services, characterized the volunteer as “a very loving and compassionate person” who is always willing to pitch in, wherever needed.

Tatro said she became a hospice volunteer 11 years ago, a year after her husband, Edmund, died from lung cancer.

“He was actually under hospice care for one week,” Tatro said.

Her husband wanted to die at home, but he was a large man and Tatro lacked the strength to manage his care on her own. Tatro also was caring for her ill sister at the same time.

So, her husband went to Hospice House for his final days. After he died and Tatro’s sister died, the Zephyrhills woman stepped up to volunteer.

“I felt that no one should die alone,” she said. “I felt that I could help the family out in that transition, due to the fact that I had gone through it.”

Tatro said another personal loss she experienced also prepared her to help others work through their grief.

“I lost a child, and I think that’s another reason that I can relate,” Tatro said. “It was a miscarriage at five-and-a-half months,” she said. “That’s been over 55 years” ago, she said. To this day, she feels sad on the anniversary of that baby’s death.

Besides having the desire to support others through their grief and loss, Tatro has another motivation for volunteering: “It’s a give back,” she said. “I think I’ve been very blessed by the Lord and I feel I should give back. I can reach out in so many different ways. Not everybody can.”

Beyond helping others, volunteering brings her great joy.

“It’s very rewarding,” Tatro said. “You meet so many different people. There are so many stories that they have.”

Besides suffering through personal losses, Tatro has spent time with many others who have experienced a death in the family. She has been with patients as they took their final breath, and has been with families as they experienced the loss.

“Grief is different for each person,” Tatro said. Hospice is there to help — not only during the time of a loved one’s death, but also through ongoing bereavement support.

She encourages anyone who wants to be of service to consider becoming a hospice volunteer.

“We can do so much for the families,” Tatro said. “We can give them time, either to go to the store or, they might want to go out on an outing for a couple of hours. We can give them a break. They need a break.”

Not everyone is able to sit with someone who is facing the final stage of life, Tatro said. But there are plenty of other ways to help. They can volunteer at the thrift store, or help in the kitchen, or deliver meals, or work at information booths at festival and fairs.

Donating items to the thrift shop is another way to help, Tatro said. If someone has an interest in volunteering, she encourages them to give it a try.

“It is a great experience and the only way they’re going to find out is to experience it for themselves,” Tatro said.