The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

World War II history lands at Zephyrhills Airport

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It’s one thing to go to a classroom to learn about history. But this weekend, history is coming to Zephyrhills. In fact, it’s landing at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport Wednesday afternoon.

The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most recognized aircraft of World War II, and this plane — the Nine-O-Nine — will make a stop in Zephyrhills this week as part of the Wings of Freedom Tour. (Courtesy of the Collings Foundation)
The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most recognized aircraft of World War II, and this plane — the Nine-O-Nine — will make a stop in Zephyrhills this week as part of the Wings of Freedom Tour. (Courtesy of the Collings Foundation)

Touching ground are three planes straight out of World War II: The B-24 Liberator, the P-51 Mustang, and the B-17 Flying Fortress.

“It’s one thing to see a plane behind a rope collecting dust, but to be able to physically crawl through one and have a close look at all the various compartments — it’s hard to imagine how these young men were able to do any of this to start with,” said Hunter Chaney, the director of marketing for the Collings Foundation, which hosts the annual Wings of Freedom Tour. “These are bare bone minimalist aircraft made to carry and drop bombs, and spread a lot of lead all over anyone trying to stop them. Crews would have to sit in these planes for hours at a time, and if you lost a glove, you’re automatically facing frostbite.”

The tours at Zephyrhills Airport are much different than a trip to the Smithsonian. These are fully restored — and operational — planes, some of only the few remaining from World War II. Visitors can crawl right through the plane, sit in the cockpit, and for a little more money, actually ride on the plane. Tour tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children (free for World War II veterans), while flights start at $450 for the B-24 or B-17, and $2,200 for the P-51.

Chaney acknowledges the cost to fly is steep, but it’s not cheap to fly planes that were built decades ago. The B-17 itself costs about $4,500 per hour in flight, and requires about 10 hours of maintenance work for every hour it’s in the air.

Every dollar raised goes back into the continued maintenance of the planes, all operated by the nonprofit Collings Foundation. The organization started in 1979 in Stow, Mass., with a focus on preserving history. While Collings began with antique cars, in the 1980s, it really began to focus on airplanes, and have been touring these restored planes around the country for the last 25 years.

Zephyrhills will be the 2,831st stop of the tour, which usually hits more than 100 cities each year, connecting with up to 3.5 million people.

“It really appeals to the curiosity of people from all walks of life,” Chaney said. “It’s such a rare opportunity to touch and experience and interact with this history, particularly when we come into areas like Zephyrhills.”

This is the second time the Wings of Freedom Tour has made a stop in Zephyrhills, and it might not have happened this time if it weren’t for airport manager Mike Handrahan, Chaney said.

“He has been in aviation for years now, and he’s helped us bring the tour into all the various airports he’s worked at,” Chaney said.

The B-24 coming to Zephyrhills was built in 1944 for the U.S. Army, and saw combat in the Pacific Theater with the Royal Air Force. The Liberator is the last of its kind still flying, which is surprising considering it also was the most mass-produced plane in history.

The B-17, known as “Nine-O-Nine,” was finished too late to see actual combat, but it was subjected to the effects of three nuclear bomb detonations. Soon after it was restored in the mid-1980s, the “Nine-O-Nine” had an accident in western Pennsylvania. No one was killed, but the plane was not expected to fly again. It took thousands of volunteer hours and thousands of dollars in donations, but the plane was fully restored and has flown without incident now in nearly 2,400 stops.

The P-51 was designed as a one-seater, but it was Collings that not only restored the plane, but added additional seating so that even passengers without a pilot license could experience the Mustang in flight.

The planes will be open to the public Jan. 22 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Jan. 23 at 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon. Flights usually take place before and after ground tour times.

For more information, call (800) 568-8924.

“We call these guys part of the Greatest Generation,” Chaney said. “What they did and what they endured is incredible. However awful World War II was, we would not have been able to win it without them.”

If you go
WHAT: Wings of Freedom Tour with the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator and P-51 Mustang
WHERE: Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, 39450 South Ave., Zephyrhills
WHEN: Jan. 22 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Jan. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Jan. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon
COST: $12 for adults, $6 for children under 12; World War II veterans free
INFO: (800) 568-8924

Dale Mabry Shell station sold

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A gas station near the busy intersection of North Dale Mabry Highway and Van Dyke Road was sold last month, saving it from foreclosure.

AJA Properties of Clearwater LLC bought the Shell gas station located at 17803 N. Dale Mabry Highway on Dec. 23 for $1.5 million, according to Hillsborough County property records. The station was built in 1999, and is a little more than 3,000 square feet, including a car wash.

The station was previously owned by Jennifer & Mary Kaye Inc., which had purchased the location in 2002 for $2.2 million. Mills 2011 LLC, which held the mortgage on the property, began foreclosure proceedings last September, according to records.

The sale was secured after Risser Oil, a Clearwater gasoline distributor, released its rights of first refusal to buy the gas station.

The new owner is associated with Adams Tank & Lift, a construction and installation company in Clearwater. The two companies — Adams Tank and AJA Properties —share the same principal, Andrew J. Adams, as well as its primary address, according to state corporation records.

Why we didn’t cover the Cobb shooting

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Just about every conversation I’ve had this past week with family, friends or customers quickly gravitated to reports of the shooting at Cobb Theatres/Grove 16 & CineBistro in Wesley Chapel.

And I bet it was the same with you.

Most of us here in Pasco and north Hillsborough go to movies at The Grove and can easily visualize the setting. We know the layout — theaters one through eight are to the left, and nine through 16 are to the right. We’ve eaten popcorn from the same popper that made the snack that is said to have escalated an encounter between two patrons into the deadly scene.

And if you’re like me, the thought crossed your mind that you could have been in the theater when it happened. You too may have been bothered at one time or another by someone close by using their cell phone in blatant disregard for the rules and for others.

There’s little I can add to the discussion of what happened and why, and how this tragedy could have been prevented if only some common sense had prevailed. We all feel horrible that this shooting happened in our community, and because it did, it feels personal and haunting.

You may have noticed that we do not write about the shooting anywhere else in this week’s paper. And you may wonder why that is. How could your local weekly newspaper ignore such a huge news event that has received national and international coverage?

Here’s why. It is not our role to regurgitate news that already has been covered 24/7 by every news organization out there. Within 48 hours of the shooting, you had all the reporting and analysis you’d ever want or need.

Sometimes we do write about state or national news originating in our circulation area if we can localize the story with information specific for our readers. An example is our story about the $590 million Powerball ticket that was sold to an elderly Zephyrhills resident last May.

Before the winner came forward, B.C. Manion wrote about problems that often arise from such instantaneous wealth, interviewing a local psychologist, financial planner and attorney. This story worked in our format because B.C. talked to experts who also are our neighbors.

And because winning the lottery is a fantasy we all share, B.C.’s story gave us helpful suggestions we could all dream about using someday.

My staff and I talked about to how best to cover the Wesley Chapel shooting in today’s paper, a week and a half after it happened. And we decided there really was no local angle that was not already covered by Tampa’s many news outlets in print, broadcast, cable and digital. In fact, we thought some of the stories pursued seemed forced, and we questioned their validity and the amount of attention they received.

So instead of a story, we thought this column was the best way to acknowledge the shooting and to let you know why it is not on our front page this week.

Business Digest 01-22-14

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New hours for urgent care
Centra Care, the urgent care facility for Florida Hospital, now has new hours for its Wesley Chapel location.
The facility, located at 5504 Gateway Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed weekends.

For more information, call (813) 948-5400.

Open house for Royal Oak Nursing Center
Royal Oak Nursing Center, 37300 Royal Oak Lane in Dade City, will host an open house Jan. 30 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, or to RSVP, call (352) 567-3122, or email .

New women networking group
Working Women of Tampa Bay is now hosting monthly networking meetings in Land O’ Lakes, with the next meeting set for Jan. 30 at 9 a.m., at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/WorkingWomenTampa.

Grand opening for Pro Martial Arts
Pro Martial Arts, 30024 County Line Road in Wesley Chapel, will host a grand opening Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The martial arts facility is a franchise of an international company that boasts locations across the United States and Canada. It offers free bully prevention and predator prevention seminars to the community, and has even conducted free women’s self-defense seminars in coordination with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, according to a release.
For more information, call (813) 991-0462, or visit ProMartialArts.com/WesleyChapel.

Official opening for resource center
Restored Hope Resource and Outreach Center, 13703 17th St., Dade City, will host an official opening and dedication ceremony Jan. 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the dedication itself at 5 p.m., at its new location.

Clay shoot sponsors sought
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce is looking for sponsors for its fourth annual Sporting Clay Shoot Feb. 15 at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays.

Various sponsorships are available, ranging from $25 table branding to $2,500 presenting sponsor opportunities. The chamber also is looking for door prizes from businesses willing to donate.
The clay shoot itself will take place at 10514 Ehren Cutoff in Land O’ Lakes with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Cost is $90 per shooter, and $325 per team.

For more information, call (813) 909-2722, or visit CentralPascoChamber.com.

February meeting for Women-n-Charge
Women-n-Charge will meet Feb. 7 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.

The meeting includes lunch, a featured speaker and networking. The speaker for this meeting is Alishia Willardson, creator of “The Money Making Success Formula.”

Cost is $15 for members by the Tuesday before the meeting, and $18 for all guests and those paying after advance registration.

To register, visit Women-n-Charge.com, or call (813) 600-9848.

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.
For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

NetFest seeks sponsors
With NetFest set to return April 3, the Pasco Economic Development Council is looking for sponsors willing to spend between $500 and $2,000.

Opportunities for sponsorship include the chili cook-off, and others.

NetFest takes place between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Starkey Ranch, located on State Road 54 in Odessa.
For more information on how to sponsor, call (813) 926-0827, ext. 226. Deadline is Feb. 14.

Suarez new chair of HART
Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez has been elected chairman of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit board.
Suarez has been a board member since April 2011, and became the board secretary in 2012.

The HART board is responsible for setting policy and making decisions for the authority on matters ranging from system operations, service planning, fare structure, finance and customer service. It is made up of 13 volunteers who are appointed to represent Hillsborough County, Tampa, Florida and Temple Terrace.

Free tax help available
The Hillsborough County Extension Office is offering free tax preparation assistance for individuals and families with incomes of $58,000 or less in 2013.

Tax filers will be able to access a self-guided tax preparation program and receive assistance, as needed, from an IRS-trained and certified volunteer.

The service is offered as part of the United Way Suncoast Prosperity Campaign. Appointments are required, and will be available Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., between Feb. 4 and April 8.
For a list of tax preparation sites, visit MyFreeTaxes.com/tampa.

Website community critique
SmartStart will host a website community critique Jan. 27 at 2 p.m., at the SmartStart facility, 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 103, in Dade City.

For more information, call (352) 437-4861.

Political Agenda 01-22-14

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Moore leads commission fundraising
Michael Moore has picked up a fast fundraising start in the race to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission.

Through the end of the year, Moore — a Wesley Chapel resident who founded CareFirst Home Care in 2004 — has raised $40,715, which is four times as much as his opponent, Bob Robertson. Both are running as Republicans.

Moore’s biggest boost came just after Thanksgiving from Tarpon Springs businessman Lew Friedland, who contributed $8,000 through various corporations.

Robertson, a self-employed asset manager from Zephyrhills, loaned his campaign $3,000 right at the start. In his first few months campaigning, he raised more than $3,500 additional cash donations from outside Florida, primarily in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

At the beginning of November, he picked up $1,500 more from companies controlled by Jeffrey Greenacre on Gunn Highway.

Commissioner Henry Wilson, who looks to hold on to his District 4 seat, is the only candidate to have filed so far. He’s raised $5,750 through the end of December.

Crooked Creek Ranch holds fundraiser
Republican candidates for the state House — Danny Burgess, Shawn Harrison, Chris Latvala and Chris Sprowls — will raise money through a Wild Game Dinner at Crooked Creek Ranch, 29325 Darby Road, Dade City, Jan. 31 beginning at 5 p.m.

Donations will be accepted up to the state maximum of $1,000 per individual to support each campaign.

Burgess, the current mayor of Zephyrhills, is facing a primary against Minerva Diaz in District 38, the seat currently held by Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel. Harrison also has a Republican primary challenger for District 63, Bret Wedding, for a seat currently held by Mark Danish, D-Tampa.

Latvala has filed to run in District 67 in a seat currently held by Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater. He’s facing Christopher Shepard and Frederick Thomson so far in the primary.

Sprowls is a candidate for District 65, in a seat currently held by Carl Zimmerman, D-Palm Harbor. He is expected to face off with Debbie Faulkner in his primary.

For details about the dinner, visit VoteDannyBurgess.com.

Bilirakis endorses Moore for commission
Mike Moore’s run to replace Pat Mulieri on the Pasco County Commission got a boost from U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, who endorsed the Wesley Chapel businessman for the seat.

Bilirakis had presented Moore with a North Tampa Chamber of Commerce leadership award in 2006, and has been following his career ever since, according to a release.

“Mike has the required character traits to help take Pasco County to the next level,” Bilirakis said in a statement. “Mike understands that small businesses are the engine that drive our economy. He knows that cutting red tape and lowering taxes is what it takes to allow businesses to thrive.”

Moore’s previous endorsements include State Sen. Wilton Simpson, Sen. John Legg, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, U.S. Rep. Will Weatherford and Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning, among others.

So far, Moore is running against another Republican, Bob Robertson, for Pasco County Commission District 2.

Ross holds first town hall
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, hosted his first telephone town hall meeting of 2014 on Jan. 14, with nearly 5,000 constituents participating.

The call addressed a number of questions, from the country’s debt, the Affordable Care Act, immigration, the IRS, foreign aid, balancing the budget, Social Security and unemployment benefits.

Anyone with a question, or who might be interested in joining a future town hall meeting, should email Ross through DennisRoss.House.gov/contact, or call his district office at (863) 644-8215.

Ross so far is facing former WFTS-Channel 28 investigative reporter Alan Cohn, a Democrat, for his Congressional seat in November.

Two elections offices reopening
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections recently hosted a grand reopening of its regional offices, located at 12022 Anderson Road in Tampa, and 10439 Gibsonton Drive in Riverview.

These are the same offices that were added during the 2012 election cycle, and will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They join two permanent offices, one in downtown Tampa, and the other in Brandon.

Hillsborough County’s next countywide elections are the primaries on Aug. 26, followed by the general election Nov. 4.

For more information, visit VoteHillsborough.org, or call (813) 744-5900.

Elevated road could bring 1,000 construction jobs

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If everything goes as planned, a team of international developers could break ground on a 33-mile elevated toll road along the State Road 54/56 corridor by the end of next year. And it could mean a nearly $100 million windfall for the Florida Department of Transportation as well through a “confidential” stipend.

The front page of Florida 54 Express’ 83-page proposal includes the development group’s new logo. Efforts to build an elevated expressway along the State Road 54/56 corridor are a joint effort between International Infrastructure Partners LLC and OHL Infrastructure Inc.
The front page of Florida 54 Express’ 83-page proposal includes the development group’s new logo. Efforts to build an elevated expressway along the State Road 54/56 corridor are a joint effort between International Infrastructure Partners LLC and OHL Infrastructure Inc.

A proposal from a development group that includes Gerald H. Stanley’s International Infrastructure Partners LLC was unsealed by the FDOT last week, asking for control of rights of way between Zephyrhills and New Port Richey to build a privately funded toll road. The FDOT sought out proposals after IIP made an unsolicited proposal last June to build such a road, creating mixed reaction from those who travel the corridor and those owning businesses along it.

The proposal provided no details about how much such a project would cost, although some rough estimates put that figure at more than $2 billion. However, the developers say it will create 1,000 direct jobs for the construction of the road.

On top of that, the partnership — officially known as Florida 54 Express LLC — has offered the FDOT a stipend of slightly more than $1 million a year over the course of the agreement to “offset any costs incurred by FDOT in its management of the agreement.” It’s not clear what that figure is based on or how much the state agency would have to spend each year to manage the agreement, but a citation in the proposal indicated this stipend offer was a “trade secret” by Florida 54 Express, and should remain confidential.

Kris Carson, a spokeswoman for the FDOT, told The Laker/Lutz News the offer was not redacted from the public proposal because the FDOT doesn’t do confidential stipends. She also added that while the agreement still needs to be negotiated, the FDOT does not require $1 million a year to manage the agreement.

The development group also is asking for a 99-year lease through an initial 45-year agreement with built-in conditions that would allow them to extend it another 54 years.

A 99-year lease is exactly what one group that has studied privately constructed roadways in-depth has recommended against. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund shared a report in 2009 authored by Phineas Baxandall that any agreements between the government and a private entity should clearly spell out expectations and not last more than 30 years.

That way, if the road struggles or fails, it won’t get caught in limbo for years while the legal and financial aspects are worked out, a lot of it at taxpayers’ expense.

Once again, even that aspect of the agreement would have to be negotiated, Carson said.

Joining IIP on the project is OHL Infrastructure Inc., an American subsidiary of Spain’s OHL Group. The century-old company boasts 25,000 employees in 20 countries, with total revenue in 2012 topping $5 billion, according to the road proposal.

OHL’s Brazilian operations controlled nearly 2,000 miles of toll roads in that country before selling a substantial portion of that subsidiary in 2012 to a group led by Brookfield Infrastructure of Toronto. It also operates toll roads in other countries, including Mexico and Spain, with some of them being similar in scope to what is proposed for Pasco County.

Financing for the project could come from a variety of sources, including banks and private activity bonds. The group also could explore using the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program, which provides loans and lines of credit to road projects. There are, however, limited funds available through that program, expected to reach $1 billion in 2014.

If constructed as planned, the finished toll road would not only provide an express route across the county, but also interconnect with other major arteries, including the Suncoast Parkway and Interstate 75, although the latter would require federal approval.

Although Florida 54 Express hopes to finish negotiations on the overall agreement by summer, the FDOT has not provided a timeline for its completion. The road developer also did not say when the first legs of the new system, if approved, would open.

Cox Elementary principal wins new state honor

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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)
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

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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)
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

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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.
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

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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, 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.