Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News

Child care center coming to Wiregrass Ranch

January 9, 2019 By Kevin Weiss

The Wiregrass Ranch community will soon have its own full-fledged child care center.

Kiddie Academy of Wiregrass Ranch is set to open this fall — serving children from 6 weeks to 12 years old.

The 10,000-square-foot facility is being built at 2900 Hueland Pond Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, right across the street from Wiregrass Ranch High School and Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus on Mansfield Boulevard.

It marks the first child care center in Wiregrass Ranch.

Kiddie Academy of Wiregrass Ranch is set to open in the fall. The 10,000-square-foot facility, being built at 2900 Hueland Pond Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will serve children between as young as 6 weeks up to 12 years old. (Courtesy of Javier Rojas)

Educational day care programming will be offered for preschool, voluntary pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, while aftercare programming will be offered for kids ages 6 to 12 years old; various summer camp programs also will be available.

At build out, Kiddie Academy of Wiregrass Ranch will be able to accommodate 167 students and will have upward of 40 staff members, according to its franchisee and owner Javier Rojas, who was present at a Jan. 3 groundbreaking ceremony for the facility.

Kiddie Academy is a franchise with more than 200 locations nationwide, including a location in Carrollwood and another coming in Westchase. The franchise was founded in 1981.

Rojas, who is chief medical officer at AdventHealth Zephyrhills (formerly Florida Hospital Zephyrhills), said he and his wife, Maggie Delgado, had an interest in opening a franchise in the Wesley Chapel area about two years ago.

Realizing a need for child care in the area, Rojas said the couple set their sights on Kiddie Academy “to give back and be part of this community and extend our roots.”

The Wiregrass Ranch location will utilize the Kiddie Academy Life Essentials curriculum, which promotes each child’s intellectual, social, physical and emotional growth.

A groundbreaking ceremony for Kiddie Academy of Wiregrass Ranch took place on Jan. 3. It will be the first child care center in Wiregrass Ranch. Shown are co-owners Javier Rojas and Maggie Delgado. (Kevin Weiss)

In addition to age-based curriculum, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and music classes will be offered for all ages.

The academy, too, will feature family-style dining, whereby kids will all share in eating nutritious meals together at the same table.

Rojas said at Kiddie Academy, students “learn without knowing they’re learning.”

Rojas added: “Our developmentally appropriate curriculum gives your child a full day of learning no matter what he or she is doing. Some of the best learning happens without your child knowing it.

“Respect, friendship, sharing, compassion and manners — those are the life essentials that Kiddie Academy would like to proliferate,” he said.

The aftercare center, meanwhile, will have playrooms with computers for kids to use for homework, and for fun.

Kiddie Academy also will feature a large outdoor recreation area, equipped with a soccer field, splash pad, playground, race track, and a harvesting garden and other amenities.

Also noteworthy: Instead of a drop-off and pickup line, Kiddie Academy parents will be required to sign in and sign out their children each day, via a check-in system requiring a fingerprint ID.

For more information, call (813) 702-5656, or visit KiddieAcademy.com/academies/wiregrass-ranch/.

Published January 9, 2019

Cypress Creek plaza still expanding

January 2, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The pace of development at Cypress Creek Town Center is picking up, with new shops and restaurants under construction at two sites within the town center.

Most of the action is taking place along Sierra Center Boulevard, a main artery that cuts through the town center, which is located at State Road 56 and Grand Cypress Drive. Two new shopping strips, each fronting Sierra Center Boulevard, will significantly boost the retail development.

Signs staked amid construction activity herald the coming of HomeGoods, Five Below and Burlington. County records also show additional shops will open, including Hobby Lobby, Sleep Number, Pacific Dental, Verizon Wireless, Dollar Tree and America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses.

Restaurants include Blaze Pizza, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Walk-on’s Bistreaux & Bar. Earth Fare, a specialty grocery store, is coming, too.

The town center is part of a mixed-use project of retail, offices, hotel and residential under development by Sierra Properties Inc.

The new retail at Cypress Creek will add to established shops and restaurants that line the south side of Sierra Center, including Men’s Wearhouse, Great Clips, T-Mobile, Noire Nail Bar, Ford’s Garage, Bahama Breeze Grill and Chuy’s Tex-Mex.

Even here, new retail is coming, including Sweetea Café. The restaurant’s menu will have freshly brewed bubble tea, and homemade Vietnamese food and snacks.

The new 130-room Hyatt Place Hotel & Sierra Conference Center opened recently at the far eastern end of the boulevard.

On the south side of State Road 56, Sierra Properties also will gain an Aldi grocery store, at 2215 Sun Vista Drive, on a parcel fronting the Tampa Premium Outlets.

The bounty of new shops, restaurants and offices at Cypress Creek represents a fraction of the development rush that is remaking Pasco County.

It is all part of the warp and weave of bringing a mix of retail, office, hotel, industrial and retail to a county with a long-held reputation as a bedroom community.

Development is bringing rooftops, retail, offices, manufacturing and jobs to the county.

“That’s refreshing,” said Bill Cronin, president/CEO of Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

More development brings new residents, more jobs and added amenities, and it all adds up to a county where people “live, work and play,” Cronin said. “They don’t have to get on the road every day. They don’t have to make the commute.”

More development is on the way in the area surrounding Cypress Creek Town Center, too.

One recent arrival is At Home Décor Superstore on an outparcel at Tampa Premium Outlets.

To the immediate west of Cypress Creek, Brightwork Crossing is well under construction of up to 350 apartments. A WaWa gas station and El Dorado Furniture store also are planned.

The Shoppes at Cypress Creek is being proposed for development at the northwest corner of State Road 54 and Old Cypress Creek Road. Site plans filed with the county last summer show two 9,000-square-foot buildings separated by a breezeway. A “quick service” restaurant also is proposed for an outparcel at the site.

The following stores are scheduled to open in 2019 at Cypress Creek Town Center:

Hobby Lobby
Plans are for a February 2019 opening, according to an email from Hobby Lobby representatives.

Hobby Lobby is primarily an arts and crafts store, but it offers a broad array of merchandise and hobby materials, including picture-framing, jewelry-making, floral and wedding supplies, cards and party favors, and home accessories.

The Oklahoma-based national chain began with a $600 investment in a home-based venture by owners David and Barbara Green. They opened a 300-square-foot store in Oklahoma City in 1972, according to the company’s website. Today, Hobby Lobby has more than 800 stores in 47 states.

Burlington
Burlington traces its roots to 1924 and a wholesale operation selling women’s coats and junior suits.

Its first outlet store opened in 1972 in Burlington, New Jersey, according to the company website.

Today, Burlington sells clothes, shoes and other accessories at discounted prices to women, men and children.

HomeGoods
The Massachusetts-based discount home furnishing store is part of the family of TJX Companies Inc., which includes TJ Maxx.

Five Below
Five Below sells everything from cellphone cases and chargers to yoga pants, footballs, candy and seasonal items for Halloween, Easter and Christmas.

Sleep Number
The Minnesota-based national chain sells mattresses, beds and bedding.

Pacific Dental Services
The California-based chain provides a full-range of dental services. It has more than 630 offices in 20 states.

Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless sells phones and accessories, as well as tablets and “fitbit” products.

America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses
America’s Best offers discounted services, including eye examinations, glasses and contacts.

Dollar Tree
The discount store traces its roots back more than 60 years to the Ben Franklin Variety store, and a concept of selling products for $1. It offers a wide array of products, including drinks, toys, candy, school supplies, home décor, gifts and cards.

Chipotle Mexican Grill
The Denver-based fast-casual restaurant is known for its burritos and tacos, and a philosophy of preparing meals-to-order with fresh ingredients. The company has more than 2,000 restaurants nationwide.

Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar
Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar is a New Orleans-based sports bar that is co-owned by New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees. It was founded by business partners who were walk-ons to the Louisiana State University’s basketball team. They opened their first restaurant near LSU’s Tiger Stadium.

Blaze Pizza
Blaze Pizza is a California-based fast-casual restaurant that serves made-to-order, fresh-from-scratch pizzas.

Earth Fare
The North Carolina-based specialty grocery store stocks its stores with organic, natural and local foods.

By Kathy Steele

Published January 2, 2019

Organization offers hope through jobs for disabled persons

January 2, 2019 By Kevin Weiss

Cindy Bray believes there’s a job out there for everyone, and everyone should have an opportunity for a job — especially those with disabilities.

As executive director of the Wesley Chapel-based nonprofit Hope Services, Bray’s job is just that: Aiding in finding employment opportunities for youth and adults who have disabilities.

She launched the organization by herself in 2003.

Cindy Bray, Hope Services executive director (Courtesy of Hope Services)

Since then, she and Hope Services staff have helped hundreds, if not thousands of people with disabilities find employment with local businesses, through its array of job search and training programs.

Upwards of 400 people have landed jobs through Hope Services in the last year alone, Bray said. Positions have been secured a variety of fields, including retail, food service, warehouses, the medical field and more, she said.

“We have people doing everything. We have people everywhere,” Bray said. “They’re not limited, and their disability does not limit them, either.”

Hope Services is a vendor for the Florida Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

It works from referrals and the support of families as a provider of vocational rehabilitation.

The organization aids in job coaching, on-the-job training, self-advocacy training, work readiness and more. That encompasses resume-building, learning how to find and apply for jobs online, interview techniques, developing socialization skills, understanding human resources requirements and documents, navigating public transportation and more.

Because its funding comes from the state of Florida, Hope Services programming is free to its clientele.

Hope Services itself has grown to over a dozen employees who service the Gulf Coast (Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties).

“It’s really growing,” Bray said. “Other employers want to be more involved in it because they’re seeing our people can make a difference in their employment.”

Bray said the organization’s staff of employment and vocational training specialists work to accentuate people’s abilities, rather than their disabilities.

In addition to assisting people with physical or learning disabilities, the organization helps find meaningful employment opportunities to those who have suffered life-changing injuries or illnesses, providing them “a second opportunity in life.”

Bray observed: “You find a lot of times, with the disabled population, they’re better employees because they’re serious about their jobs and they want to do their best to succeed with their employer, too.”

Each success story brings a feeling of warmth to Hope Services staffers.

“It’s a very rewarding job. It really is,” said Bray, who estimates over 90 percent of Hope Services clients have found success in employment.

In recent years, the organization has placed more focus on ramping up programs for the teenagers and young adults, those ages 15 to 22 that are still in school

Bray explained there’s a “huge need” for servicing that population, noting many have difficulty with the very basics of finding and keeping employment.

Said Bray: “We’re trying real hard to help those students, once they hit that 16, 17, 18-year-old age, to think ahead of employment, and also give mom and dad a ray of hope.”

To help with that, Hope Services will be offering free support group seminars each month that will bring clients (and prospective clients) and family members together, in a supportive and educational forum. The meetings will be guided by a licensed clinician, who will help participants celebrate successes, encourage each other through ongoing challenges, learn new techniques, and provide and receive feedback on their personal journey through life with disabilities.

Seminar topics will include the following:

Mindfulness & Goal Setting
Self-Awareness & Emotional Regulation
Time Management & Organizational Skills
The Challenge of Adjusting Expectations
Encouraging Fatigue: When the Helper Needs Help
Distorted Thinking: Brains don’t always tell the truth
Coping Skills: What helps & what hurts?
Communication Skills: The differences of what is said & what is heard

The first seminar will be on Jan. 7 at 7 p.m., at the Hope Services offices, 2406 Cypress Glen Drive, Suite 102, Wesley Chapel. Seminars will be held the first Monday of each month, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. They are free and open to the public.

For information, visit HopeGetsJobs.com, or call (813) 907-1903.

Published January 2, 2019

Study continues on Wesley Chapel congestion

December 26, 2018 By Brian Fernandes

The Metropolitan Planning Organization heard a report about the Wesley Chapel Roadway Connection project — along with pros and cons on various aspects of potential roadway connections during the board’s Dec. 13 meeting.

Some residents worry about safety issues near schools because of traffic congestion on Mansfield Boulevard. (File)

The presentation was for information only, with no action taken by the board.

Meghan McKinney, of the AECOM organization, has been collaborating with the MPO to conduct studies on the pros and cons of potential connections.

The project is focused on three potential connections:

Mansfield Boulevard and Kinnan Street
Meadow Pointe Boulevard and Meadow Pointe Boulevard Extension
Wyndfields Boulevard and Wyndfields Boulevard Extension

Public workshops have been held, as part of the study, in both April 2017 and May 2018.

“The reasons we wanted to do this study is we wanted to get public input, to hear if views have changed,” McKinney said.

In general, it’s a consensus in the community that the area’s roads can’t handle the current traffic demands, and there are especially concerns about safety near schools, she said.

Of all three potential connections, the most controversial involves a possible link between Mansfield Boulevard and Kinnan Street.

In a 2017 survey, 36 people said they favored the connection, while 37 people were opposed.

Several alternatives are being considered, McKinney said.

No Build Alternative: Would have no connections for public use but only provide a gate for emergency vehicles, and would make accommodations for cyclists and pedestrians
Alternative 1: Would focus on connecting Mansfield Boulevard and Kinnan Street
Alternative 2: Would focus on the Mansfield Boulevard/Kinnan Street and Meadow Pointe Boulevard Extension
Alternative 3: Meadow Pointe Boulevard Extension
Alternative 4: Mansfield Boulevard/Kinnan Street, Meadow Pointe Boulevard and Wyndfields Boulevard Extension

McKinney also told board members that regardless of which alternative is selected, the area’s traffic projections for 2040 reveals significant traffic increases.

“Basically you have an area where just by connecting the road, you’re not necessarily adding more people to the area,” she reasoned. “You’re just shifting the routes they may use.”

However, the projection also showed that the No Build Alternative would have its greatest increase near Beardsley Drive and Mansfield Boulevard.

The alternative’s biggest decrease in traffic would occur on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard between County Line Road and Cross Creek Boulevard, she said.

Aside from the road connection proposed, McKinney also addressed several planned improvements, including additional traffic lights and turning lanes.

One plan addresses concerns about traffic near schools on Mansfield Boulevard.

The bus drop-off and pick-up area near Dr. John Long Middle School contributes to the heavy congestion on the road, she said.

She suggested relocating the bus area from Wiregrass School Road onto Mansfield Boulevard, to enable a more steady flow of traffic.

A new crosswalk on the north side of Wiregrass School Road already is funded and underway, she said.

Another proposal calls for adding lanes at all four stops at the intersection of State Road 56 with Mansfield Boulevard, Meadow Pointe Boulevard and Wyndfields Boulevard.

Any road expansions on State Road 56 would be independent projects from the three proposed roadway connections, she said.

Published December 26, 2018

This fair was a showcase of ideas — turned into inventions

December 26, 2018 By Brian Fernandes

Students at John Long Middle School recently transformed the school’s cafeteria and gymnasium into a venue where students showed off inventions they created, based on their ideas.

Eleven-year-old Logan Cantele rolls out his remote-controlled Clawrider robot, which is capable of moving and picking up items. (Christine Holtzman)

The school’s Maker Mania community night was inspired by the concept of Maker Faire, an international movement which encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to produce something unique of their own.

John Long Middle was the first public school in Pasco County to have such a fair, last year, and it was so successful that this year, the school invited the community — as well as the students’ families — to come take a look.

There was plenty to see.

Throughout the cafeteria and gymnasium, long rows of booths showcased creations from 76 students, in sixth through eighth grades.

Eighth-grader Breanna Martin, 13, shows how a hydraulic arm she made is powered by water. Each syringe of colored water represents a different command that the arm is able to perform.

As people stopped by, students explained what they had made and demonstrated how it works.

“The focus is to learn how to do something they didn’t already know how to do,” explained Darcy Cleek, a science teacher at John Long.

Students are taught about the process of engineering, but they also learn how to market their products, Cleek said.

Eleven-year-old Ava Krutulis, for instance, had a booth displaying her name brand ‘AK Toys,’ which she came up with using her initials.

As part of her brand, she presented her blue robotic snake to viewers.

Eleven-year-old Brooke Wheatley demonstrates how her project, a dance shoe dryer and deodorizer, can fix stinky shoes in 15 minutes by using rice, scented oils and a fan.

The snake’s head, body and pointy tail were carefully shaped and constructed from pieces of plastic — held together with toothpicks, beads, hot glue and thumb tacks.

Ava explained the source of inspiration for her project: “My sister really wanted a snake, but we can’t (have one).”

Her mother, Gina, chuckled recalling her response to the request for a real pet snake: “Mom said no,” she said.

Ava decided to make the next best thing.

During her demonstration, the toy snake twisted and slid across the floor with the help of a battery-operated motor.

Down the hall in the gymnasium, Isabel Martinez, 11, displayed her homemade lava lamp.

Using household ingredients, such as bottled water, vegetable oil, food coloring and Alka-Seltzer tablets, 11-year-old Isabel Martinez, shows off a colorful lava lamp she created to demonstrate at Mania Maker Night.

The sixth-grader said the idea caught her eye while she was doing research on Google.

Soda bottles containing water and oil were each placed on light pads so there would be a glow on the inside.

Her booth had instructional poster boards, and she explained how the lava lamp works, while demonstrating.

Vegetable oil and water don’t mix, so when I put the Alka-Seltzer in, the water reacts and pushes it up towards the oil,” she said.

Along with the tablets, Isabel dropped in food coloring, creating an even more interesting visual.

Next to Isabel stood Breanna Martin whose project used different colors of water, released through syringes, to move a hydraulic arm up, down or forward.

Eleven-year-old Naomi Gibson sits behind her ‘Tide Killer Shark,’ a device designed to eliminate red tide, as a previously produced video demonstration that the sixth-grader starred in broadcasts on the television screen.

The 13-year-old said her father who works in construction, and with hydraulic equipment, helped her with her project.

Besides learning how water pressure works, she also learned how to advertise, she said.

“This would help manufacturers,” she added. “Before you have to present something on what you want to build, you have to show them a diagram.”

Back in the cafeteria, 11-year-old Logan Cantele displayed something similar, but more computerized.

“I have a claw machine that moves on wheels,” he stated. “It’s a reliable source.”

The Claw Rider runs on four motors to help move it up, down, to spin and clench small objects.

Using an app on his tablet and a remote control, Logan demonstrated how the claw could pick up a ball and place it inside a cup.

Eleven-year-old Sylvana Armstrong uses a remote control to change the colors of the LED lights on her Bluetooth stereo speaker project that she named the ‘Alien Party Time Music Box.’

The sixth-grader was compelled to create the machine because his late great-grandmother once had limited mobility.

“What I have here is something that can help someone that can’t walk or can’t really do much,” he said.

When asked if his project helped him develop a greater appreciation for science, he replied, “you bet it does – especially the engineering part.”

Sylvana Armstrong, a sixth-grader, made what is essentially a music box.

She redesigned a portable speaker with painted cardboard – an Alien Party Time Music Box.

She demonstrated with a Bluetooth how to connect her phone to the portable speaker.

As she pulled up a music video on YouTube, she could watch the visual and pace around while getting amplified sound at a distance from the speaker.

She said she wanted her project to be unique, and she said, overall, being involved in Maker Mania has helped her to become more creative.

The faculty at John Long didn’t set out to have the students compete with one another, but to learn the fundamentals of being an inventor.

“The things that you can’t get away from [are] critical thinking and problem solving,” Cleek said.

“That’s at the heart of what this whole thing’s about.”

As Cleek surveyed the booths and the crowds of students, she said the sight makes her feel hopeful about the future.

Published December 26, 2018

Carin Hetzler-Nettles named principal of the year

December 19, 2018 By B.C. Manion

When Pasco County Schools opened Cypress Creek Middle High School, the challenges facing the new leader of that school weren’t the same kind faced by most principals of new schools.

For one thing, the school was the first in the Pasco school district that would be for students in sixth through 11th grade, initially, with a senior class to be added the following year.

For another, the school was pulling students from established middle and high schools — including many families who challenged the school district’s boundaries for the new school.

When it comes to being a cheerleader for her students and staff, Cypress Creek Middle High Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles is out front, and center. The principal was named Pasco County Schools’ Principal of the Year and is now among the candidates for the state title. (File)

And, of course, there was the issue of combining middle and high school students on the same campus — with their obvious differences in the size, maturity level and academic needs.

So, when the school district was deciding on the leader for Cypress Creek Middle High, it had to be sure that whoever was in charge would be able to rise to the occasion.

“The obvious leader for this new school was Carin Hetzler-Nettles,” Tammy Berryhill, assistant superintendent of high schools for Pasco County, wrote in a letter nominating Hetzler-Nettles for Florida’s principal of the year.

Berryhill noted a number of the principal’s achievements, including her work to raise the performance at Wesley Chapel High School, which she led before being selected as the inaugural principal at Cypress Creek Middle High.

The assistant superintendent noted that Hetzler-Nettles is known for being able to help develop teachers and assistant principals for broader district roles, such as instructional coaches, assistant principals, principals, district supervisors and even one assistant superintendent.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning also sees Hetzler-Nettles’ strengths.

In his letter nominating her for the state honor, Browning observed: “Mrs. Hetzler-Nettles was selected as Principal of the Year from among nearly 80 school principals. Her peers nominated her, and all district administrators voted for the winner. They could not have selected a better example of an outstanding school leader. I am certain she would represent the state of Florida with distinction as the state’s Principal of the Year.”

For her part, Hetzler-Nettles said she “was very shocked, and humbled” to be named Pasco’s principal of the year, especially in light of her high regard for her peers across the district.

Hetzler-Nettles said she embraced the leadership position at Cypress Creek Middle High because it presented unique challenges from the outset.

For one thing, the district hadn’t initially intended to have middle and high school students within a single school on the campus. It had planned to build a high school and a middle school, but lack of funding changed those plans.

With pressing needs for more classroom space, the district decided to house grades six through 12 on the campus, temporarily, until the new middle school could be built.

And, instead of having separate principals for the middle and high school programs, Hetzler-Nettles was chosen to lead the entire campus, with assistant principals to support her.

The job had built-in challenges
Hetzler-Nettles described some of them, in an essay she wrote that’s included in her statewide nomination packet.

“I’m not going to lie, and say it was easy, and that all of the students zoned to attend Cypress Creek Middle High School were excited about the change.

“In fact, it was extremely difficult to get the students to buy in to the culture, community and identity we were building at Cypress Creek.

“Who could blame them? For decades, some of the communities that were rezoned to attend Cypress Creek were Wildcats or Bulls, and now they were forced to be Coyotes.

“The idea of having to leave friends who lived in a different neighborhood that was not affected by the boundary change, and attend a new school that had no familiarity, was a challenge for most students.

“It was my job to combat those fears and make the students’ transition from their previous school to Cypress Creek as smooth as possible.”

Long before the school opened, the principal began reaching out to schools that would be sending students and to parents of those students — to begin building the new community that would become Cypress Creek Middle High.

The principal said she knew many parents were worried about having sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders on the same campus as high school students.

Steps were taken to ensure that the middle school and high school students were kept separate.

At the same time, Hetzler-Nettles knew there were opportunities for high school students to develop leadership skills, and for middle school students to take advantage of academic possibilities.

For instance, middle school students could walk across campus for high school classes, and high school students could serve in ways that they could become positive role models for younger students.

“I know how awesome high school kids are. If you set high expectations for them, they will rise to the challenge,” the principal said.

Being named Pasco Schools’ principal of the year is icing on the cake for Hetzler-Nettles.

“I cherish this job and I love the work that I do, and feel that being a principal is an important role,” she said. “I see the power of good leadership — in getting kids excited about all of the possibilities that await them in life.

“I see the power in setting processes and procedures and high expectations for students, and for people who work with me and for me, and for myself,” she said.

She loves being an educator because the field is filled with people who are always striving for improvement.

“That’s a true love of mine: To think of ways that would engage kids to move something forward or make something better, and to have people rally around or come up with ideas and then to put that to work and to see it in action,” she said.

It’s not a passion that everyone shares, she added.

“People don’t always love change. But, I get very excited about, ‘How can we improve this? How can we always be striving to make things better?’

Being a principal is rewarding, but not always easy, she said.

“There’s not a day that I don’t come to work that there’s not a challenge, and it’s not always the same one,” she said.

It’s a job that requires grit and perseverance — but those are attributes that everyone needs in life, she said.

“You’ve got to have grit and perseverance, and set high expectations for yourself, in order to make it through whatever path you choose in life,” the principal said.

“You’re going to get knocked down in life. We all do and we all have.

“It’s really how you approach those challenges and roadblocks that are going to get put in front of you — as to how successful you are going to be in whatever you choose to do,” Hetzler-Nettles said.

Published December 19, 2018

Sports museum coming to Florida Hospital Center Ice

December 19, 2018 By Kevin Weiss

Digit Murphy knows a thing or two about achieving success in the sports industry, as one of the most decorated female hockey coaches of all time.

She was the featured guest speaker during the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce’s Women of Wesley Chapel event on Dec. 7 at Beach House Assisted Living & Memory Care, at Wiregrass Ranch. Her presentation centered on female empowerment and fostering gender equity in sports.

Digit Murphy, left, is shown with Florida Hospital Center Ice Managing Partner Gordie Zimmermann. Murphy’s nonprofit, Play It Forward Sport Foundation, has partnered with Florida Hospital Center Ice to bring a first-of-its kind women’s sports museum to the Wesley Chapel-based ice complex. The interactive museum is expected to open early next year. (Courtesy of North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce)

She was in town for another announcement, also.

Murphy’s Play It Forward Sport Foundation has partnered with Florida Hospital Center Ice to bring a first-of-its-kind women’s sports museum to the Wesley Chapel-based ice complex. Expected to open early next year, the interactive museum will be situated in one of the facility’s viewing rooms, where visitors will scan a QR code to view content. The room will also feature various historic memorabilia in women’s hockey.

Murphy’s personal history includes starring as a collegiate player at Cornell University and then embarking on a 22-year coaching career at Brown University, where she compiled more than 300 career wins.

At one point, she was the winningest coach in Division I women’s hockey. (She now ranks 13th all-time in career wins in college women’s ice hockey).

In the professional ranks, Murphy spent three years with the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, becoming the first American-born coach to win two Clarkson Cup titles. She was the first coach to lead a U.S.-based team to two Cup wins.

In addition to coaching, Murphy in 2016 co-founded the United Women’s Lacrosse League, the world’s first-ever pro league for women’s lacrosse.

Murphy, 57, now serves as an advocate for gender equity in sports through United Women’s Sports and nonprofit partner Play It Forward Sport Foundation.

The Laker/Lutz News caught up with Murphy for an exclusive Q-and-A, where she opined on a number of different topics related to women, sports, and of course, hockey.

On why women need to place value on sports for their children:
“We don’t prioritize what sports can do for our kids. We should even see sports as more important than school at some level, because it develops their whole body, and, in a really great way, their mind. It’s about discipline. It’s about being on time. It’s about respect. And, I’m not saying that you don’t learn that in school, but you certainly learn that with the right coach on the field, and that’s where I really believe when (women) can make a difference, if they make sports a part of their life. It teaches you how to deal with adverse situations, and we don’t look at it (sports) like something that’s necessary, we look at it like an activity, and I really, truly believe that it can change people’s lives; sport is a great way to help empower people.”

On the need for more female coaches, especially at the youth levels:
“I think that a voice of having a woman coach, coaching boys is very important, as well as coaching girls. I believe that women can coach differently. They can become comfortable with coaching, with the right mentoring. Unfortunately, coaching is looked at as a nontraditional female (occupation). You can learn the Xs and Os, but you can’t learn the management of kids, and moms do it best. Moms have eyes in the back of their head. We see a lot, so I think we are actually perfect coaches, especially at the young ages. And, keeping it fun. Again, men make it about the Xs and Os. Women have the potential to be better at the younger ages, because they make it fun.”

On building a successful model for women’s professional sports leagues:
“Women (athletes) right now, in my opinion, can’t get off the dime professionally because they operate in silos and there’s not enough critical mass around the model to have sponsors. Like, I see women’s sports as a huge opportunity in the world, because we’re not where men’s sports is, so any visionary and business is going to see it as an option, especially if we do the model differently. Let’s make it sustainable. It doesn’t have to be as big. Make it smaller. Make it community-based. Make it regional. Take the all-stars from that and make it into a pro league. Change the rules. It’s that simple. There’s just so many different models that people aren’t thinking about, because they’re just not thinking about them, because they just accept the status quo. Why do we have to play in these huge stadiums? Maybe we can play in smaller stadiums. Maybe it can be a mother-daughter event as opposed to a daughter-father event like it always turns into.”

On why women’s professional sports leagues have struggled to become viable in the United States:
“I’ve said for years: The reason women’s professional sports doesn’t succeed is because they’re in the wrong cities. I think you need to be in cities that want you. Not just because it’s Boston, New York, Detroit — that’s where all the men (pro sports organizations) are. Go to outliers; they’ve got nothing to do. I remember when I was at Brown, one of our biggest, biggest, biggest venues to go to was Hanover, New Hampshire (to face Ivy League rival Dartmouth University), because there’s nothing else to do in New Hampshire. Same thing with Ithaca, New York (Cornell University). I think sometimes, because we’re so entrenched in the tradition, we can’t think outside the box. You’ve got to find an environment that will embrace it, that has a progressive mindset, that has a community that’s ready to pop. You need energy, you need passion, and you need that positive growth mindset. If you have that, you really can do anything.”

On the advancement of gender equity in college sports in the Title IX era:
“It’s kind of sad that there’s a long way to go. Unfortunately, Title IX’s an entitlement program because you have to have it, and whenever you have to have something, you’re not motivated to do better. And, sometimes, women’s sports are perceived as a suck on the (college) athletic department, because they have to have it, so they just throw it over there and they just do it because they have to have it. But, if women took control of it and gave back to it and nurtured it like they do other things, I think you would see a major shift in athletics. So, I think the people in charge need to change their mindset. They need to change the people that are implementing the practices, and when you start to see that, that’s when you’re going to see Title IX really take control — when you see people embrace it, instead of seeing it as a detriment. And so, I think Title IX has come a long way, but you still see it go on. The problem is we don’t have enough women in the industry. Because, the second you introduce wealth into it, you don’t see a lot of women coaches. You need to have more women leaders, role models and examples. This is what I always say: Title IX works when you see women coaches crossing over to men’s sports.”

On what she’s most proud of from her hockey playing and coaching career:
“I think the moment that I was most proud of probably was in 2015, winning the Clarkson Cup (with the Boston Blades). The way we won it was very important to me. It was a third-line player that scored the goal to win it, and it was in overtime. You know, it was empowering for me to be able to manage a bench that had a whole team playing and contributing; I think that was important. But, I also think that there’s just so many things for me, because I really was a woman that had done a lot of firsts, because there was no one else. Whatever it was, like those firsts really culminated in my life to give me what I can do, which is to give more opportunities.”

On touring the Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, the largest ice complex in the Southeast United States:
“Unbelievable. I thought I was actually walking into a Canadian rink. It’s very impressive. They thought of all the details. The whole energy that’s around sports in Tampa and Pasco County is very exciting.”

Published December 19, 2018

BayCare wants to build new hospital in Pasco

December 19, 2018 By B.C. Manion

BayCare has received preliminary approval of an application to build a new 60-bed hospital on a 111-acre site, at the northeast quadrant of Interstate 75 and Overpass Road.

The Agency for Health Care Administration on Dec. 10 announced preliminary approval of the hospital’s application for a Certificate of Need.

Tommy Inzina, president/CEO of BayCare (Courtesy of BayCare)

As part of its application, BayCare outlined plans that include:
• Construction of the hospital
• Recruitment of primary care practitioners
• Implementation of additional behavioral health services
• A commitment to community outreach, wellness and education activities
• An investment in training and education for Pasco County school students interested in health care careers.

Tommy Inzina, president/CEO of BayCare, said the new hospital would provide medical services in a growing area of Pasco County.

The proposed site meshes well with the hospital’s need to take the long view, Inzina said, noting, “hospitals have to have a plan for 50 or 100 years.”

When BayCare was considering locating a hospital in Pasco, it began looking north of Wesley Chapel, to meet the growing need moving north along the Interstate 75 corridor, the hospital executive said.

BayCare wanted a site near Interstate 75, to make the site easily accessible, and it wanted 50 acres or more of land, Inzina said.

“There’s just not an infinite number of sites that would meet that definition,” Inzina said.

The property at I-75 and Overpass Road fit the bill.

Inzina noted the property is “a large enough piece of property to not only accommodate the hospital needs today, but what the needs might look like 30, 40, 50 years into the future.”

There are plans to create an interchange at I-75 and Overpass Road, and the area is poised for considerable growth, as new developments occur in the state-approved Connected City corridor, which covers about 7,800 acres in northeast Pasco County, bordered by I-75, State Road 52, and Curley and Overpass roads.

The timing for construction of the new hospital is unclear at this point, Inzina said.

Adventist Health, which operates Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills and Florida Hospital Dade City in Pasco County, has raised objections to BayCare’s application.

Inzina said BayCare expects to know by early January whether Adventist Health will appeal.

Inzina said the state was aware of the objections that were raised and BayCare’s responses, when it issued its preliminary approval for the Certificate of Need.

“If they (Adventist Health) appeal this, it could take perhaps up to a year to work through the appeals process,” Inzina said.

Meanwhile, BayCare will continue preparing for the new hospital, Inzina said.

“You can’t begin construction without a Certificate of Need, but we can do all of the planning we want to,” he said. For example, the hospital can work to secure the proper zoning for the land.

Typically, it takes 3 ½ to 4 years for a hospital project to be completed, including design, permitting and construction, Inzina said.

No specific figures are available for the project’s cost, but Inzina offered a rough estimate ranging from $250 million to $300 million.

BayCare expects hospital construction to bring hundreds of jobs to the area. It also expects about 300 permanent positions at the hospital by the second year of hospital operations.

Additionally, BayCare expects the hospital’s economic impact to include surrounding growth, including medical offices and other businesses.

BayCare Health System operates 15 hospitals in the Tampa Bay and Central Florida regions.

Published December 19, 2018

This club aims to help improve community life

December 13, 2018 By Brian Fernandes

The prospect of teenagers showing up at the door Halloween night asking for canned foods as opposed to sweet treats may seem unusual.

However, that is what the Wesley Chapel LEO club has set to do – stand out in the community in a positive way.

As part of the Wesley Chapel Lions Club youth division, the LEOs – which stands for leadership, experience and opportunity – is a group of teenagers ranging from age 12 to 18.

Members of the Wesley Chapel Lions Club and its youth division, the LEOs, help to pick up an area along a 2-mile stretch of Bruce B. Downs Blvd., on Nov. 11. Shown here, from left, are: Maeher Sukhija, Tricia Gregoire, Zoe Gregoire, Seth Gregoire, Tom Tokish and Tom Mavor. (Courtesy of Wesley Chapel Lions Club)

This fall, the LEOs placed flyers door to door in their Wesley Chapel communities informing residents they would be back, hoping for a liberal donation of canned goods.

Sure enough, on Oct. 31, they kept their promise — putting an entirely new spin on ‘trick-or-treating.’

They collected more than 190 pounds of food, which was donated to the Helping Hands Food Pantry at Atonement Church in Wesley Chapel.

The youth division of the Lions Club is nothing new. The first one began in 1957, with the help of the Glenside Lions Club in Pennsylvania.

It since has grown to have an international presence — with more than 6,500 clubs in more than 140 countries. In addition to encouraging good deeds, the organization has a scholarship program for its members.

Tom Mavor, president of the Wesley Chapel Lions Club, has witnessed the great work the youths have done. He hopes their parents will see them as contributing and competent young adults.

“Their kids are engaged, they’re fun, they’ve got great ideas and they want to do great things,” he said.

LEOs can either be organized through a school or a local Lions chapter – the Wesley Chapel club chose the latter.

“We wanted something that would bring kids from different schools and different cultures together in a place where they can work collaboratively,” reasoned Mavor.

The Lions Club encourages the LEOs to brainstorm ways to help their community, and then take the initiative to put the plans in motion.

Fourteen-year-old Jillian Tokish is president of the Wesley Chapel LEOs, and her grandparents have been Lions Club members for as long as she can remember.

Her grandfather initially approached her with the idea of starting the youth division. She liked the idea and over the summer the club began.

“It’s a really cool experience,” she said.

It gives youths a chance to put aside their phones and gain a greater appreciation of nature, and people, in general, she said.

One Sunday morning in early November, the youth club, along with the assistance of the Lions Club, cleared trash and debris along a 2-mile stretch of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The experience gave the youths a chance to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of maintaining a safe and clean environment, Mavor said.

After Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle, the group joined with other LEO clubs to assemble personal hygienic kits for those needing help.

“What really drives them is seeing success,” said Mavor. “We’re helping children to learn that giving back is important.”

They also have started visiting local nursing homes to spend quality time with the elderly.

“You see the smile on people’s faces – that just brings so much joy,” Tokish said, describing the responses that club members receive.

The group now has 15 members, and they wear their club T-shirts to club gatherings, as well as to school, to advertise their cause.

In the future, they plan to deliver baked cookies to the Wesley Chapel firefighters to thank them for their service.

The Wesley Chapel club also wants to partner with local schools, to implement programs aimed at anti-bullying and also helping youths to interact socially.

They expect to send a representative of their club next year to a U.S.-Canada Leadership Forum, which will be held in Arizona. The forum will give club members from both countries a chance to learn in various workshops.

Mavor sees a difference between how his generation grew up and current millennials, but he said they have something in common: A willingness to help mankind.

Published December 12, 2018

It’s never too early to learn code

December 12, 2018 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Story time happens every week at New River Branch Library, but the program on Dec. 5 was particularly special because the library was one of 250 public libraries across the country to receive a grant from the American Library Association’s ‘Libraries Ready to Code’ initiative.

After listening to Ms. Judy (Judy Curran) read two tech-inspired books during story time, 18-month-old Ava Edouard, of Wesley Chapel, sets her attention on the New River Branch Library’s newest piece of technology, a Fisher Price Code-A-Pillar. (Christine Holtzman)

The initiative, sponsored by Google, aims to help implement and plan coding activities during Computer Science Education Week.

The grant allowed the library to purchase a toy called a Code-A-Pillar by Fisher Price, which can be used to teach young children the basics of computer coding.

In recognition of Computer Science Week, the library, at 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, also set up coding stations, robots, crafts and cool projects throughout the week to teach toddlers to teens about computer science.

By Christine Holtzman