Local News

Wesley Chapel High senior ranks among state’s top 14

February 6, 2014 By B.C. Manion

She didn’t move on to the nationals, but Savannah Renberg was among 14 young women from across the state vying for that chance.

Renberg, a senior at Wesley Chapel High School, was one of 16 Distinguished Young Women in Florida selected to compete earlier this month in Winter Garden.

Distinguished Young Women is a national scholarship program in which high school seniors from across the country compete for scholarships. The competition requires contestants to interview effectively, demonstrate physical fitness, and perform on stage.

The young women first compete in local events to advance to the state competition, and then on to the national level.

While 16 qualified for the state contest, it turns out only 14 — including Renberg — made the trip to Winter Garden.

Renberg, who is a member of Suncoast Dance Theatre in Lutz and has been dancing since she was 1, showcased her dancing skills in the competition. While the 18-year-old wasn’t one of the top finishers, Renberg said she’s glad she took part.

“It was just a very unique experience,” said Renberg, who is the senior class president at her school. “Every day we would have rehearsal. I kept forgetting that there was a contest, that there was going to be a winner at the end because it just felt like, to me, like a performance.”

She also enjoyed meeting young women from across the state, and they became fast friends.

“There weren’t any cliques or anything. We all have the same desires,” Renberg said. The Distinguished Young Women requires its participants to be academically focused.

For her part, Renberg has a 3.9 unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale, and a 4.4 weighted GPA when college-level coursework is considered.

Renberg became aware of the program through a friend and decided to give it a shot. While she knows she eventually wants to be a college professor teaching literature classes, she’s not sure what college she’ll attend. So far, she’s been accepted to the University of North Florida and Winthrop University in South Carolina.

“I’m waiting for my acceptance to Troy University,” Renberg said about the college in Alabama. She wants to go there because it has a dance program, and she’d like to minor in dance.

Renberg credits her mom, Sharon Renberg — a first-grade teacher at Chester Taylor Elementary School outside of Zephyrhills — for helping to develop a love for teaching and learning. After volunteering in her mom’s class, Renberg said she thinks she would be suited for teaching older students.

She’s attracted to the university level because that would enable her to teach and to continue pursuing her love for learning at the same time.

The Winter Garden contest was friendly, Renberg said, and when it was over, the competitors planned to stay in touch.

“We all were swapping numbers and Instagrams and Twitters,” she said.

They’ve even talked of going on a road trip together to cheer on the young women who will represent Florida at the 57th Annual Distinguished Young Women National Finals this summer in Mobile, Ala.

The young women there will compete for more than $130,000 in cash scholarships.

Renberg hopes the Florida contestants make the trip to Mobile.

“I think it would be fun,” Renberg said.

Published Feb. 5, 2014

Program helps seniors get back to work

February 6, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County senior citizens who are 55 or older and have been out of work for a year or more may be able to benefit from The Experience Works Community Service Employment Program.

The program is reaching out to older residents in central and eastern Pasco County who need help getting back into the work force, said Dorothy Myles, state director for Experience Works. To be eligible, applicants must have an individual income of $14,588 year or less, or $19,663 or less for a family of two.

A limited number of slots are available, but there always is turnover as people land full-time jobs, move, or exit the program for other reasons, Myles said.

Participants work for 21 hours a week, receiving the minimum wage of $7.93 an hour. By handling community service jobs, participants can update their skills and use those new skills as a springboard to land permanent jobs.

The program also helps participants pursue jobs they are interested in, Myles said.

“We assist them. This is participant driven,” she said.

The worker indicates the kind of job they’re interested in and the program seeks to help them secure it, Myles said. Some workers who begin part-time positions are hired on to handle full-time roles by the organizations that participate in the program. There also are cases when the participating organization isn’t able to hire the employee, but can alert the worker to an opportunity elsewhere.

Besides providing opportunities for workers to enhance their skills, the program also can help them in their job search and offer referrals for other services, Myles said.

Some program participants were laid off and have been unable to find a job for more than a year, while others have been out of the workforce for years, she said. Some have encountered bias against older workers.

“We do realize, too, that there is some age discrimination out there,” Myles said.

She believes misperceptions about older workers often can be overcome when an employer is able to witness an experienced person’s work ethic in action.

The program is having an enrollment fair on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Career Central, Room A, 4440 Grand Blvd., in New Port Richey.

For additional information, call (888) 859-1051, or visit www.ExperienceWorks.org.

Latest industrial construction to boost area jobs profile

February 6, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Central Pasco County continues its bid to become the high-technology hub of the Tampa Bay region with the start of a 135,000-square-foot office center at ComPark 75. And last week, development owner Larry Morgan welcomed Gov. Rick Scott and other dignitaries for a ceremonial groundbreaking at his latest $15 million effort.

Larry Morgan, center, chief executive of Morgan Family Ventures, stands with Gov. Rick Scott, left, and Ross Kirk, executive managing director of Cassidy Turley, in front of Building C at ComPark in Lutz. Lawmakers labeled the construction off Wesley Chapel Boulevard the first major commercial construction in Pasco County since the start of the economic recession. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

“There is something else much more important going on here than just the construction of these buildings,” Morgan, chief executive of Morgan Family Ventures and former owner of Tires Plus, told the crowd outside of his Building C on the chilly, damp morning. “The American way is for the people to have the opportunity to invest their money and time and things of that nature, and that entrepreneurial spirit certainly exists here at ComPark.”

The walls for Building C are already up, with the larger Building D planned to be built not far behind it on Pet Lane. Both buildings will offer more than 30 office units ranging in size from 3,030 square feet to 5,175 square feet. Three of the units in Building C have already been leased, including the Pasco County Tax Collector’s office, which signed on after a Wesley Chapel location at The Grove fell through.

Getting the building off the ground required more than 30 permits, but the bureaucratic red tape has not been as restrictive as it once was, Morgan said. The county has come a long way.

“I have been a critic of regulation my whole business life, but things are definitely getting better in Pasco,” he said. “The whole county organization is getting better.”

The construction project has employed nearly 600 people, and will create more than 250 jobs once the units start filling up. Many of those jobs, Morgan said, would be high-waged.

And that could give a local boost to Scott, who is facing a tough re-election this year potentially against his predecessor, Charlie Crist, and working to raise what has been consistently low approval ratings.

“We all care about what happens to you,” Scott said. “We want jobs. The most important thing we can do is create an environment that will get to work.”

Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, says he can only see growth in Wesley Chapel’s future thanks to projects like ComPark.

“Wesley Chapel is the hotbed of economic opportunities in the state of Florida,” he said, adding that government can help developers by getting “out of the way.”

“It’s an honor to get out of your way and let you do your job,” Legg said.

ComPark 75 is 60 acres of developable land just off Wesley Chapel Boulevard to the west of Tampa North Aero Park.

Only three units remain available in the first phase of ComPark’s construction of two nearby buildings that total a little more than 100,000 square feet. Morgan also hopes to build a four-story office building on the eastern side of the property fronting Interstate 75.

New State Rep. Amanda Murphy, who succeeded Mike Fasano in the Florida Legislature, was the only Democratic lawmaker on hand at the ceremony. She said the ComPark project would help the entire county, although she did wish it was in her district.

“I am a little jealous because the other side of the county doesn’t get something as wonderful and beautiful as this,” said Murphy, who is based in New Port Richey. “But it benefits all of Pasco County, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Published Feb. 5, 2014

Political Agenda 02-05-14

February 6, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Ross officially running again
U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, officially announced the start of his re-election campaign on Jan. 21 at events in Lakeland and Plant City.

Ross, currently in his second term, is a conservative Republican with a platform to lower taxes, protect individual freedoms, and reduce government mandates.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to work on behalf of the good people of Polk and Hillsborough (counties) these past three years in Congress,” Ross said in a release. “I care deeply about our community, and I have been tirelessly fighting for families across the 15th District to ensure that they can keep more of their hard-earned money and maintain their freedoms. I will continue to do all that I can to promote job growth and certainty for the future.”

Ross has already raised more than $380,000, and so far would face former television journalist Alan Cohn in the general election if no one else files to run.

Littlefield won’t seek endorsements
Former State Rep. Ken Littlefield knows his main primary opponent in the Pasco County Commission race has some major endorsements from other local leaders, but he isn’t looking for any himself.

“I will be asking you for your vote because you like me, and because I’ve been able to explain to you” my experience, Littlefield told the Republican Club of Central Pasco last week. “Rather, I will never come to you and say, ‘Vote for me’ because there’s another elected official that thinks I’m pretty cool. I will never come to you and say ‘Vote for me’ because there is another leader in our county who thinks I’m pretty good.”

Littlefield is referring to one of his Republican primary challengers, Mike Moore, who already touts nine endorsements on his campaign website. They are from people like Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning, and two mayors — Tim Newlon of San Antonio, and Danny Burgess of Zephyrhills.

Littlefield entered the race Jan. 16, and has yet to file campaign finance reports. Moore, however, is leading the money pack with just under $41,000 raised. The third Republican in the race, Bob Robertson, has raised a little more than $10,000 since announcing his candidacy last summer.

Business Digest 02-05-14

February 6, 2014 By Michael Hinman

St. Luke’s welcomes Glass
Dr. Paul Glass has joined St. Luke’s Cataract & Laser Institute as an optometrist.

He will work in conjunction with many St. Luke’s specialties, including cataract, retina, and glaucoma.

Glass previously led an optometry practice at Sam’s Club in Wesley Chapel. He attended the University of Miami before transferring on an accelerated path to Nova Southeastern University’s College of Optometry.

Glass will work out of St. Luke’s Tarpon Springs, Tampa and St. Petersburg offices.

For more information, call (800) 282-9905, or visit StLukesEye.com.

New name for Gulfside Hospice
Gulfside Hospice now has a new name: Gulfside Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care.

The new name, according to a release, highlights care across the spectrum for patients facing both end-of-life and chronic illness. Gulfside Hospice provides care to Pasco County residents facing a terminal illness with six months or less to live. Pasco Palliative Care patients can receive care at any stage of a chronic sickness, and can continue seeking curative treatment for their illness.

Gulfside Hospice was initially licensed in 1989, and serves more than 375 patients daily. The company employs 250 professionals, and has more than 550 volunteers.

For more information, call (800) 561-4883, or visit GHPPC.org.

Campaign starts for Bayfront Health
Bayfront Health Dade City has launched a multi-media campaign to help spread the word of not only the hospital’s new name, but also what it describes as multiple benefits of having access to its Bayfront Health network.

That network is comprised of seven hospitals and more than 6,000 professionals serving the central Gulf Coast.

The campaign has already launched in January with billboards, and will move into print, radio and television advertising by the middle of February.

“This network gives us the ability to offer a broader range of expertise and services to the community we serve, and it creates tremendous opportunities for our dedicated staff and physicians,” said Shauna McKinnon, chief executive of Bayfront Health Dade City, in a release.

Bayfront Health St. Petersburg will be the flagship hospital for the new network, with other facilities located in Brooksville, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Spring Hill and Venice.

Retail jobs grow by 5.5 percent
Florida retailers added 55,000 jobs between December 2012 and last December — an annual growth rate of 5.5 percent, according to the January release of employment numbers from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

From that, retail trade accounted for nearly a third of the 192,900 jobs created in Florida in 2013, and topped the statewide job growth rate of 2.6 percent, according to the Florida Retail Federation.

The growth of retail in Florida has fueled an increase in sales tax collections, which account for approximately $21 billion of the state budget, the group added.

Overall, the greater Tampa Bay area led all Florida metropolitan areas in over-the-year job growth, according to Gov. Rick Scott’s office, gaining 35,400 new jobs. Unemployment during that period also dropped from 7.9 percent in December 2012 to 5.9 percent last December.

The biggest gains in the area came in trade, transportation and utilities with 9,500 jobs. Close behind was education and health services with 8,500 jobs, followed by professional and business services with 7,900 jobs.

More than 5,700 construction jobs were created compared to the year before, while financial activities added 4,000 jobs.

In December, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported more than 40,800 Floridians were placed in jobs. This represents anyone who receives employment and training assistance through a One-Stop Career Center, and finds a job within 180 days. Florida requires those receiving unemployment benefits to find assistance through a One-Stop Career Center.

For the state as a whole, unemployment dipped from 6.4 percent in November to 6.2 percent in December. Florida has remained below the national unemployment rate average since last April.

Eastern Time, Central Time … Florida Time?

January 30, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Spring forward. Fall back.

Using the seasons as a guide, Americans have used those expressions to figure out when they should set their clocks back an hour, or forward an hour, to switch between standard time and daylight saving time.

Cars line up outside of Steinbrenner High School in Lutz shortly before sunrise this week. Daylight saving time ensures it’s not completely dark when these students go to school, and some lawmakers want to make that time permanent. (Photo by Michael Hinman) — Cars line up outside of Steinbrenner High School in Lutz shortly before sunrise this week. Standard time allows more light in the morning for many students going to school, and some lawmakers want to make daylight saving time permanent. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

The debate over whether to continue this decades-old tradition has raged probably as long as it’s existed. And there have been numerous attempts to abolish it in the past.

None of those attempts have come from State Rep. Mark Danish, however. The New Tampa Democrat is leading the House push to make daylight saving time permanent in Florida. If successful, that would mean no more springing forward and falling back, and could encourage other states to follow suit.

“We keep calling ourselves the ‘Sunshine State,’ yet we cut ourselves off,” Danish said. “I hate the idea that it gets dark so early throughout the whole winter. We’re losing out on the light, and we could use it later in the day.”

Clocks typically fall back an hour in November, and stay that way until the second week of March. That allows the sun to rise just after 7 a.m., this time of year, instead of just after 8 a.m., during standard time.

The extra sunlight has to go somewhere, however. Right now, the sun is setting around 6 p.m., instead of 7 p.m.

It does mean more light for people on their way to work, and means bus stops aren’t cloaked in darkness for school children. But Danish’s bill — along with a sister bill in the State Senate — would change that.

Daylight saving time dates back to World War I as an effort to conserve fuel, according to some historical publications. It didn’t become formalized in the United States until 1966, which originally started daylight saving time in April, and ended it in October. States were allowed to exempt themselves from daylight savings, but only if the entire state did it. In the last nearly 50 years, only Arizona and Hawaii have opted out.

But those states don’t have the population Florida does, and such a change could have lasting regional impact.

Primarily, Florida would be in virtually its own time zone for half the year. When the rest of the country switches back to standard time, Florida would still be in daylight saving time. That would align the state with Eastern Time in the winter months, and Atlantic Time in the summer months.

Danish suggested the state could market it as “Florida Time.”

“It would be terrific for tourism,” he said. “When you have people coming from the Central Time zone like up in Chicago for vacation, they can get here and wouldn’t even have to change their clocks.”

Florida has tried to pull out of the time change several times in the past, including an effort last year by State Sen. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, who introduced a similar bill in the Senate again this year as a companion to Danish’s bill. Last year’s bill, which would’ve simply exempted Florida from daylight saving time, was withdrawn before a committee ever considered it.

What’s different this time around is that Florida isn’t looking to stay on standard time. Instead, it wants daylight savings to be the state’s new standard time — and that might cause problems.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966, which established daylight saving time for the country, allows states to exempt themselves only if they stay on standard time. The act was modified nearly 40 years later with the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which adjusted when in the year clocks would be changed. However, it didn’t remove the requirement of standard time or bust.

Even if the bill could not take full legal effect, if it did pass, it could send a message to other states, possibly leading to a full repeal of the 1966 act.

“There are some federal rules, but it might encourage other states to go along with it,” Danish said. “We are a big state that keeps getting bigger, and when a big state like ours makes a move, other people are definitely going to be looking at it.”

Note: This story was updated to clarify that Florida is in standard time during the winter months, and daylight saving time during the rest of the year. It was further updated to correct which time zones the main part of the state would be in while others are still shifting clocks.

Published Jan. 29, 2014

Benedictine Sisters celebrate long history of service

January 30, 2014 By B.C. Manion

When the Benedictine Sisters of Florida came to San Antonio nearly 125 years ago, Pasco County was in its infancy.

The new Holy Name Monastery being built on the south side of State Road 52 will be the new home for the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. It’s expected to be completed by Fall 2014. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

“Truly, it was part of Hernando County when the sisters came,” said Sister Roberta Bailey, prioress of Holy Name Monastery.

There were five Benedictine Sisters and they came to the area from Elk County, Pa., Bailey said.

“They came by train to Jacksonville and by horse and carriage the rest of the way,” she added. Along the way, the sisters saw snakes, encountered Native Americans for the first time, and heard about alligators.

“It must have been a terrifying experience,” Bailey told a crowd gathered for a Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting on Jan. 21.

The Benedictine Sisters arrived on Feb. 28, 1899, and began their ministries on March 1.

To honor the sisters’ long tradition of service, a 125th Anniversary Gala Celebration is planned on the very same day that they arrived in the area — just 125 years after those first sisters arrived.

Besides the gala, the sisters also expect to mark the year by moving into their new home that’s now under construction on the south side of State Road 52 at Wichers Road. The sisters expect to make the move in the fall.

The sisters also have received a gift of $100,000 from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous toward their “Recall the Past, Celebrate the Present and Embrace the Future” campaign, which aims to raise $500,000 to ensure the completion of their new Holy Name Monastery.

Ground was broken for their new quarters in October, after the sisters sold 37 acres of land to Saint Leo University. The acreage included the site of the Holy Name Monastery on State Road 52, which is directly west of the university.

The sisters also sold some parcels on the south side of the road to the university. Saint Leo plans to use the land to accommodate enrollment growth.

The sisters decided to leave the monastery, where they’ve been living since it was completed in 1961, because the building had become too large for their current needs. It also had become both a financial and maintenance burden, Bailey said.

“In those days, we had the high school boarding school, plus 65 sisters that were housed in that building. Today, we have 15 sisters and we don’t have the high school,” Bailey said.

To make the move, the sisters will need to do a bit of downsizing, Bailey said. The new building will be one-third the size of the sisters’ current quarters.

If you go
WHAT: The Benedictine Sisters of Florida celebrate 125 years of service with a cocktail hour, a silent auction and dinner.
WHEN: Feb. 28, 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club Ballroom, 10641 Old Tampa Bay Drive, San Antonio
COST: $50 per person
INFO: (352) 588-8320

Note: This story was updated to correct when Pasco County was incorporated.

Published Jan. 29, 2014

Outlet mall completion pushed to July 2015, officials say

January 30, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Dirt could turn soon for a planned outlet mall on State Road 56 near its junction with Interstate 75. But the final product will look quite different from the original designs when it was announced more than seven years ago.

This undeveloped land was once slated for a big box mall, but is now the subject of a planned outlet mall. Site plans have yet to be submitted to Pasco County, however, meaning the project may not be complete until the middle of next year. (File photo)

“It was supposed to be a big box mall,” Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker recently told an economic development committee of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. “Obviously, during that period, many of those (originally announced) tenants had to go elsewhere, so they have a new plan on how they want to be out in the marketplace.”

A lot of that is to move toward an outlet mall concept, which was part of developer Simon Property Group’s and landowner Richard E. Jacobs Group’s unofficial announcement last November when news the mall was back on track first started to leak.

Although the plans have been in the works for years, the modifications are taking a little more time since the project will essentially be redesigned, Baker said. And “presuming nothing really crazy happens in the economy,” the new Tampa Premium Outlets should be on track.

Whether it will actually open by the end of this year, as Simon told The Laker/Lutz News last November, is a big question mark at this point. Amanda Boone, development review manager for Pasco County, said her department is still waiting for a site plan.

“I’m not really sure of what their timetable is, because they control when they submit (their site plan) to us,” Boone said. “I did hear July of next year.”

Simon Property Group itself has remained mum on the mall outside of its initial statement in November. The mall has received barely a mention in public filings with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission since 2012. However, Simon has not released any public filings on its financials since August, and isn’t expected to do it again until the end of January.

When the mall does open, roads surrounding it will have to carry a lot more traffic. That could mean the widening of Wesley Chapel Boulevard leading into the mall is back on the fast track.

“That particular piece of road, down to State Road 54, is already designed,” Baker said. “When we balance our capital improvement budget, we look at the needs for the what and where, and we balance that. The road got pushed out because we didn’t have a mall there that needed it.”

In fact, the county had not planned to begin work on the road until 2022 at the earliest. With a mall now in play, however, it’s likely Simon and Jacobs will want that road operating at higher capacities, and will push for a start date to occur much sooner.

But that depends on what the developers are willing to contribute. The mall developers have around $46 million in unused proportionate share money that was supposed to be used to extend Wesley Chapel Boulevard south through their development, Baker said.

“We have been exploring on whether we can widen Wesley Chapel Boulevard instead, and we might be able to move that forward in our capital plan,” she said. “That’s, of course, depending on how negotiations go with the mall.”

Published Jan. 29, 2014

As classes begin, PHCC becomes Pasco-Hernando State College

January 30, 2014 By B.C. Manion

Pasco-Hernando Community College has changed its named to Pasco-Hernando State College.

The new name reflects the college’s broader mission as it prepares to offer bachelor degree programs. The college’s board of trustees approved the name change at its Jan. 21 board meeting.

Students fill the walkways on the first day of classes at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a new satellite campus for Pasco-Hernando State College. (Photo courtesy of Stephen John Photography)

The vote follows the December approval by board of directors of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to authorize the bachelor degree programs.

“Our new name signifies enhanced opportunities for our current and future students,” John DiRienzo Jr., PHSC district board of trustees chair, said in a release. “This is a pivotal moment in our college’s 41-year history. The transition to a state college is reflective of the college’s enhanced mission to provide accessible, affordable, quality higher education that meets the needs of our local residents and employers.”

PHSC plans to begin offering a bachelor of applied science degree in supervision and management, and a bachelor of science in nursing, both in August.

“These two baccalaureate degrees are in high demand fields that will provide advanced career opportunities in fast-growing, stable industries,” PHSC president Katherine M. Johnson said, in a release. “While the word ‘community’ no longer appears in our new name, the college’s commitment to serve the higher education needs of residents from all of our communities has never been stronger.”

The nursing bachelor’s degree is designed to prepare graduates of associate’s degree nursing programs — who already have a registered nursing license — to obtain additional skills in management, leadership, theory and research to succeed and be promoted within the nursing profession.

Prerequisite courses for this program will be offered at any of the college’s campuses. The bachelor’s degree in nursing program will be offered only online.

Published Jan. 29, 2014

The bachelor’s degree in supervision and management is designed to meet the needs of students with business, technology and workforce-focused associate’s degrees. Several courses in this program will be available at every campus and online, with the full program initially offered at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel.

Besides getting a new name, the college boasted an opening day enrollment of 1,600 students at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, according to campus provost Stan Giannet.

While classes have begun, construction work continues at the campus, Giannet said, adding that the ongoing construction work will not disrupt campus operations.

To learn more about Pasco-Hernando State College degree and certificate programs, visit PHSC.edu, or call (855) 669-7472.

Published Jan. 29, 2014

Business Digest 01-29-14

January 30, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Tucker Carlson headlines Saint Leo conference
Television commentator Tucker Carlson will deliver the keynote address at Saint Leo University’s Fifth International Business Conference, taking place Feb. 19-21 at the university.

Carlson will appear Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Student Community Center’s Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms. Admission to the talk is free and open to the public, but tickets are required to reserve seating. That is available by calling (352) 588-8837, or emailing .

Carlson is host of “Fox & Friends Weekend,” and is a former anchor with CNN’s “Crossfire.”

The Donald R. Tapia School of Business at Saint Leo is organizing the event, with the theme of “innovation and internationalization.” It will include attendees from 14 countries, with some programs geared toward academic audiences and business researchers, and others focused on the experience of professionals and executives in the business world.

Registration is available at SaintLeo.edu/ibc2014. The school is located at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

HR meeting at SmartStart
Dade City’s business incubator SmartStart will host a session addressing human resources Feb. 11 beginning at noon at the facility, located at 15000 Citrus Country Drive in Dade City.

Speaker will be Kelley Rexroad, chief executive of Krex Consulting.

Participants are asked to bring their own lunch.

To RSVP, email Krista Covey at , or call (352) 437-4861.

Gulf Coast Medical gets boost from Fifth Third
Fifth Third Bank has extended more than $10.6 billion in new and renewed credit to business customers late last year, locally benefitting Gulf Coast Medical Center and Florida Institute for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging.

The facility is a multi-specialty outpatient diagnostic medical center with locations in Spring Hill and Port Richey.

Gulf Coast received two commercial mortgages and a line of credit from the bank to realign debt and improve access to working capital for future capital expenditures, according to a release.

Lawmakers try to raise state minimum wage
Two Democrats in the Florida Legislature have introduced a bill that would eliminate the tip credit and raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for tipped and non-tipped workers in the state.

The current minimum wage for tipped workers is $4.91, with the expectation the remaining income would come from tips. However, State Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Cutler Bay, and State Rep. Cynthia Stafford, D-Miami, say they have research that indicates servers use food stamps at double the rate of the rest of the U.S. work force, and are three times as likely to live in poverty.

There is a federal effort underway to raise the minimum wage, but even if that were to be successful, tipped workers would only be required to get a base pay of 70 percent of the new minimum wage.

Both the senate and house bills have been referred to committees, but it’s not clear how strong the chances are they would be passed in the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Upcoming SCORE seminars
The Pasco-Hernando Chapter of SCORE, which historically stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives, will host the following upcoming free seminars:

• E-Marketing Concepts at Centennial Park Branch Library, 5730 Moog Road, Holiday, Feb. 4 at 5:15 p.m. Attendees will learn about e-marketing technologies and how they may help to enhance the ability of small business to reach customers and communicate their brand, products and services.

Cell phones donated to domestic violence victims
The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections has donated 1,100 cell phones used during the last election by employees of the department to the domestic violence shelter program The Spring of Tampa Bay.

The cell phones were used by nearly 4,000 poll workers at 340 precincts. They are being replaced through a new contract that includes new phones at no additional charge.

“The period between elections is all about planning and making sure we’ll have everything we need to run an election cost-effectively and efficiently,” said Craig Latimer, Hillsborough County’s supervisor of elections, in a release. “In this case, we could get new cell phones at no cost to taxpayers, and be able to donate the older ones to those who need some help. It’s good for our voters, and good for our community.”

The county’s next elections are set for the primaries Aug. 26, with the mid-term general elections set for Nov. 4.