The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News

Free seminars about county services aim to educate, motivate

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With so many different agencies providing services throughout Pasco County, figuring out exactly what each one offers can be confusing.

But the Community Awareness Series at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch aims to make things easier to understand with free lectures that focus on different service providers.

Sonia Rodriguez, associate dean at Pasco-Hernando State College, put together a series of free seminars providing information about community-based organizations and agencies. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Sonia Rodriguez, associate dean at Pasco-Hernando State College, put together a series of free seminars providing information about community-based organizations and agencies. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

The six-part series began with a presentation by Pasco County Community Services on Sept. 5, and continued with the Florida Department of Health on Sept. 19.

The next seminar will take place Oct. 10, focusing on the Sunrise Domestic and Sexual Violence Center, followed by the American Cancer Society on Oct. 24. Veterans Services Pasco County and the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County will round out the series in November.

The series helps satisfy one of the college’s strategic goals of increasing awareness in the community, PHSC associate dean Sonia Rodriguez said.

“Most institutions are microcosms of their environment, and there are a lot of agencies and information out there that people don’t know about,” she said. “Or they have a situation going on where they don’t know where to seek help or find an avenue in which to help someone else.”

Rodriguez has been with the college for 20 years, and was involved with a similar program on their north campus in Brooksville. Attendees often are people who not only want to learn about the specific services each agency offers, she said, but also find out how they might be able to volunteer time or donate to their cause.

The room is set up to hold 60 people, and it was around half-full for the first presentation. Rodriguez considers that a good start. She believes that more people will attend later events as word gets out, and as certain topics generate more interest. The second presentation attracted around 35 people.

She picked the agencies with members of her staff, choosing the ones she thought would be of interest to the community. As the series progressed in Brooksville, different agencies would ask to be featured, providing more topics and covering a wider variety of services.

The popularity grew until it became a weekly series, and Rodriguez hopes to see the Wiregrass Ranch campus offerings to eventually grow to that level.

While she wants to see as many people take advantage of the Community Awareness Series as possible, Rodriguez said the people who might utilize the services directly might not be the ones actually attending the seminars. While unwanted pregnancy and domestic violence issues exist in the county, for example, those topics are unlikely to draw the individuals involved with them.

“The people who need it the most are the people that you probably can’t get to come to something,” Rodriguez said. Instead, individuals who know someone in need might be the ones in attendance.

The college also encourages its faculty and students to attend, since they might interact with people who need those services. The knowledge they gain from the presentations could help them in assisting others.

Each session lasts 90 minutes, with a 60-minute presentation and a 30-minute question-and-answer session. Each agency decides what kind of seminar to give, and could include a PowerPoint presentation, or different agency members speaking on specific topics.

Feedback has been positive so far, and Rodriguez hopes they’ll continue to be well received by the students and faculty, as well as the community in general.

“Pasco-Hernando State College’s mission is to be a part of this community,” she said. Before we were a state college we were a community college, so community never leaves our mission.”

Each seminar starts at 10 a.m., at the conference center in Building B. The Wiregrass Ranch campus is located at 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

For more information about the Community Awareness Series, visit PHSC.edu.

Published October 8, 2014

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Proposed baseball complex could bring in sport’s biggest names

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Has Gary Sheffield done something the late Hugh Culverhouse never could?

The retired Major League Baseball star is excited about working with James Talton and Blue Marble Strategic in bringing a massive youth baseball complex to Wesley Chapel. But he is looking to bring in other big names too — especially those already associated with youth baseball — like former National Football League and professional baseball star Bo Jackson.

James Talton, the owner of Blue Marble Strategic, talks about his company’s idea to build a youth baseball complex in Wesley Chapel, while partner and retired Major League Baseball star Gary Sheffield listens in. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
James Talton, the owner of Blue Marble Strategic, talks about his company’s idea to build a youth baseball complex in Wesley Chapel, while partner and retired Major League Baseball star Gary Sheffield listens in.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

The Culverhouse-owned Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Jackson, the 1985 Heisman Trophy winner, in 1986. But after a trip on Culverhouse’s private jet forced him to forfeit the rest of his collegiate baseball career, Jackson vowed he would never play a single down for the Buccaneers, and refused to sign when the team drafted him.

But 28 years later, Jackson could end up in the Tampa Bay area after all, as one of several sports stars participating in Blue Marble’s proposed 20-field complex at Wiregrass Ranch.

“Bo Jackson wants to be involved,” Sheffield told business leaders at a recent economic development event of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. “I just saw him two days ago, and they came down and met with us. All ex-athletes want to do is give back to kids.”

Jackson, who runs his own baseball program in Chicago, was one of several names Sheffield mentioned as interested in participating in some way or another at the $70 million complex, that will be built in part using $11 million in Pasco County tourist tax money. Another one tied to youth sports is former Baltimore Orioles shortstop and third basemen Cal Ripken, whose youth baseball program also has become quite popular in various parts of the country.

“It won’t be a Cal Ripken facility, or a Bo Jackson facility, but we can always integrate all of those things into what we’re doing,” Sheffield said. “What it does is give us the ability to probably have 20 to 30 MLB players that (at) any one time your kid might bump into, and that ups the brand.”

Talton wants to fill Pasco with 20 diamonds — baseball diamonds, that is. Many will have dimensions similar to Major League Baseball, but would include smaller fields as well for younger players. He wants to target teenagers, tapping into an amateur sports camp industry he says is currently worth $7 billion.

“We could make between $18 million and $20 million, and that’s just in the summertime alone,” Talton said. “If we took the 13- or 14-year-olds, and we did nothing else, I could pay down my debt service of $54 million.”

Several investors are ready to sign on the dotted line to fund the project, Talton said, but only after the county guarantees it will spend $11 million in collected tourist tax money from local hotels to help balance out some of the costs.

The return for the county could be extraordinary, according to Talton’s estimates. That includes the creation of an estimated 8,000 jobs, a $318 million annual economic impact boost to the county, and even $9 million in direct revenue from taxes and other costs, that would go directly back to the county.

“We’re already thinking we can make $53 million in revenue each year, and $16 million in net profit,” Talton said.

The more than 100 acres needed to construct the facility, not far from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, would cost about $5 million, Talton said. And it could create Wesley Chapel into a major destination, especially for families looking to spend the money they need to help their kids play better baseball.

The facility could have other benefits as well. Besides possibly expanding to include a small stadium to attract a Major League Baseball team for spring training, the new baseball complex would need plenty of nearby amenities, including hotels and restaurants — providing even more economic opportunities in the area.

“We don’t want this facility sitting out here by itself,” he said. “We don’t want people rushing to Busch Gardens or to Tampa because there is nothing here. We need to see this kind of growth in the immediate area.”

But a grand opening is still some time down the road. Talton has until next week to secure his overall financing, but then he’ll have to work with the county through the land development and permitting stage. If everything stays on schedule, the complex could be open to its first ballplayers in January 2017.

“We can’t predict how big this is going to be,” Sheffield said. “And I think it’s going to be 10 times bigger than what James is putting to paper right now.”

The county has essentially committed $11 million to the project, but Talton says some language in its legal documents need to be cleared up, so that the final amount doesn’t come in below $11 million.

Could the Atlanta Braves someday call Wesley Chapel its home? Click here to find out.

Published October 1, 2014

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Good grief! New Tampa Players prepare Charlie Brown musical 

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One of the good things about performing the “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” musical is that the audience is familiar the characters. Everybody knows the “Peanuts” gang.

Everybody, that is, except the actress who plays Lucy.

Brooke Stinnett, 21, of Lutz, will play the role of Lucy in the classic Charles Schulz stage production, ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.’ This is Brooke’s first lead part with the New Tampa Players, a stage production company based out of CrossPointe Church. (Fred Bellett/Photo)
Brooke Stinnett, 21, of Lutz, will play the role of Lucy in the classic Charles Schulz stage production, ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.’ This is Brooke’s first lead part with the New Tampa Players, a stage production company based out of CrossPointe Church.
(Fred Bellett/Photo)

“I’m very unfamiliar with Peanuts, unfortunately,” said Brooke Stinnett, who plays the unpopular character in the New Tampa Players production, which runs for two weekends beginning Oct. 10 at CrossPointe Church of the Nazarene, 919 Debuel Road in Lutz. “I’ve seen the Christmas movie, and that’s it.”

To be fair, the Lutz resident is just 21, so she was born well after the comic strip’s heyday in the 1960s, when a series of television specials — and the original version of the musical — began to add to its popularity. Stinnett had to do some catching up for the role, learning Lucy’s bossy attitude and crabby behavior, she said.

But she thinks that not knowing Lucy too well allows her to add something fresh to the character, and the musical gives Stinnett an opportunity to show Lucy’s sensitive side.

According to director G. Frank Meekins, Stinnett brought a lot to the table when she joined the cast.

“She’s a very talented actress with an amazing voice,” he said. The two worked together in the New Tampa Players’ production of “The Sound of Music,” and he thought she’d be a great fit for the Charlie Brown musical.

With just seven cast members, chemistry and camaraderie is important, Meekins said. He feels like everyone fits in properly, with the singing and acting talent necessary to cover the challenges of each role.

“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” is both a familiar and different challenge for Meekins. He performed in the play in high school, and has directed it several times. But in those cases, it was the original 1967 version.

This play is based off the 1999 revival version, and Meekins chose that one because it has more exciting songs with a Broadway feel to them, while retaining the character warmth from the original that people have come to expect from a “Peanuts” production.

Stinnett also brings an acting pedigree to the stage. Her mother, Victoria, has performed for New Tampa Players, and her father, Scott, was in a production as well. Younger sisters Reagan and Eva have had roles with the company, too. In fact, when New Tampa Players performed “The Sound of Music,” grandfather Earl Myers joined Brooke, Victoria and Eva in the production.

“It definitely runs in the family,” Stinnett said.

While singing is almost second nature for her, being outgoing doesn’t come naturally at all. Stinnett admits to being a shy person in her everyday life. But acting and singing allows her to take on a character’s traits and become that persona during the performance.

“I’m a different person when I’m on stage, and it’s always been that way,” she said. “There’s something different about being on stage where I can open up more.”

Stinnett attends the University of South Florida, where she doesn’t do theater but instead studies computer science. While she admits that might sound like a better fit for a shy personality, Stinnett also doesn’t stray too far from her theatrical roots. She volunteers at her alma mater, Wharton High School, where she serves as musical director.

Stinnett will have plenty of scenes to show off her portrayal of Lucy to the audience, and it provides some challenges for her. The hardest part about playing the character is her demeanor. She’s simply not that mean or opinionated in real life.

The best thing about playing Lucy? “I guess it would be the same exact thing,” Stinnett said. “I get to be someone completely different than I normally am, and interact with other actors in different ways than I’m used to.”

“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” features the “Peanuts” personalities people know in a series of stories, Meekins said, with musical numbers that add depth to the characters in a way the audience will appreciate.

“They can expect an evening of musical comedy,” he said. “I would say it’s a series of comic strips that are sewn together.”

If you go …
WHAT: ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown’ from the New Tampa Players
WHEN: Oct. 10-11, Oct. 17-18 at 8 p.m., Oct. 12 and Oct. 19 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: CrossPointe Church, 919 Debuel Road, Lutz
COST: $15 for adults, $14 for senior citizens and students
INFO: (813) 386-6687, or NewTampaPlayers.org

Published October 1, 2014

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New tax collector’s office doing brisk business in opening weeks

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Any time you open a new location, you wonder if people will like the decisions you’ve made, and if the hard work will pay off. That happens if you’re a business owner or a general manager.

Or even the Pasco County Tax Collector.

“You’re always concerned about ‘If you build it, will they come?’” said Tax Collector Mike Fasano, referencing the iconic line from the movie “Field of Dreams.”

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Robert Knox registers his truck at the new tax collector’s office, located off Wesley Chapel Boulevard in Lutz. The location is already drawing around 240 customers a day, exceeding the expectations of Pasco’s tax collector, Mike Fasano. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
U.S. Army Master Sgt. Robert Knox registers his truck at the new tax collector’s office, located off Wesley Chapel Boulevard in Lutz. The location is already drawing around 240 customers a day, exceeding the expectations of Pasco’s tax collector, Mike Fasano.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Six weeks after the county opened its newest tax collector’s office at 4610 Pet Lane, off Wesley Chapel Boulevard in Lutz, Fasano has his answer: They’re coming.

The county set a modest goal of around 125 to 175 customers a day as a start for the location. But less than two months later, they’re seeing 240 on a normal office day, Fasano said.

Even on the weekend, when the office is open for limited hours, people are taking advantage. The location gets around 200 customers during their Saturday hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It’s the area needing the service,” Fasano said. “Wesley Chapel, the Lutz area and west Zephyrhills is growing. The service was needed there.

“They have a location go to now, and not have to travel either to Dade City or all the way to Land O’ Lakes on U.S. 41.”

That decision appears to have advantages as well. Purchasing land and building an office was an earlier consideration, but would have cost several million dollars and delayed the opening by a few years. And when the decision to lease space at The Grove fell through, the current location at Compark 75 proved to be a viable alternative that offered a larger area for driving tests.

As a result, the chosen location allowed the county to have the site up and running in around six months and for less than $1 million, Fasano said.

In addition to the office’s most popular services — obtaining and renewing driver’s licenses and vehicle registration renewals — the full-service location also handles birth certificates, paying property taxes, and obtaining occupational, hunting and  fishing licenses.
And many residents are taking advantage of the driver’s license testing, Fasano said. He attributes the testing’s popularity to area demographics.

“We have a lot of young families in Wesley Chapel,” he said. “We are seeing a larger amount of young people that we are providing that service to than I expected.”

The tax collector’s office could have a new service to offer customers in 2015 as well. Thanks to a new law that allows approved tax collectors to accept applications for concealed weapons licenses, the county’s offices will be able to file them for residents with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

It should take about a year for the Pasco offices to be involved in the rollout, Fasano said.

Comment cards have revealed positive reviews and customer satisfaction with the new location and its services, but Fasano understands that a trip to the tax collector’s office rarely is cause for celebration.

But there’s a focus on keeping wait times down — there are no appointments — for those who need services performed in a timely manner, Fasano said. In some cases, customers might wait 45 minutes to an hour at peak times, but many are getting their tasks accomplished in 20 minutes or less.

While customer traffic can be unpredictable, Fasano suggests doing business in the middle of the month if possible, as people are often renewing auto tags at the end of the month. Wednesdays might be less busy than other days of the week as well, he said.

And customers can save themselves multiple trips by making sure they have all the necessary identification and accepted proofs of residency the first time they come in. Document requirements can be found at PascoTaxes.com.

The location’s customer traffic is growing and people are using the services it offers, which makes Fasano feel good about the decisions and preparations that went into its opening.

“I’m extremely pleased,” he said. “It’s not only met our expectations, but exceeded our expectations.”

Published September 24, 2014

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Raising awareness to fight colon cancer

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Wesley Chapel resident Michelle Giacomino understands the pain that colon cancer can cause.

“Two-and-a-half-years ago my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer just before her 50th birthday,” Giacomino said. “She was the epitome of health otherwise.”

Susan Middleton had many family members and friends turn out to a walk in Fort Myers to raise awareness about colon cancer. She died in 2013, but her daughter, Michelle Giacomino, is bringing Get Your Rear in Gear to Tampa for the first time on Sept. 20. (Courtesy of Michelle Giacomino)
Susan Middleton had many family members and friends turn out to a walk in Fort Myers to raise awareness about colon cancer. She died in 2013, but her daughter, Michelle Giacomino, is bringing Get Your Rear in Gear to Tampa for the first time on Sept. 20.
(Courtesy of Michelle Giacomino)

After a 15-month battle, Giacomino’s mother, Susan Middleton, lost her fight with colon cancer.

Before she died, Middleton joined the family in a Get Your Rear in Gear event in Fort Myers. Her team of family members raised the most money at that event to help fight colon cancer.

To honor her mother, Giacomino decided to spearhead the effort to bring the Get Your Rear in Gear event to Tampa. This year, the 5-kilometer walk and run will be on the morning of Sept. 20 at Al Lopez Park in Tampa.

Giacomino, 33, said she wants to help prevent colon cancer by raising awareness about early detection. She also wants to support people who are coping with the disease and those who, like herself, have lost a loved one.

Giacomino and her husband Justin moved from Pittsburgh five years ago to live closer to her parents. Then her mom, a seemingly healthy woman, started experiencing abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with colon cancer shortly before she turned 50, the recommended age for colon screenings.

The death of her mother was not only a tremendous blow to Giacomino, but also to her three boys — Giovanni, 6; Luca, 3; and Dominic, 2 — who lost a tremendous grandmother.

As of last week, about 100 people had registered for her version of Get Your Rear in Gear, but she expects the number to climb in the days leading up to the event.

Get Your Rear in Gear Tampa is one of 40 scheduled across the nation planned by local volunteers, with help from the Colon Cancer Coalition. It increases awareness of the nation’s No. 2 cancer killer, and raises funds to prevent colon cancer.

Besides the walk and run, the event also features a celebration for survivors, support for caregivers, and a remembrance of those who have died.

Funds raised in Tampa will stay in the area to help with prevention, early detection and treatment, as well as projects to support healthy living.

Florida Cancer Specialists and Tampa General Hospital are among the local sponsors.

If you go …
WHAT: Get Your Rear in Gear Tampa 5-kilometer walk/run to prevent colon cancer
WHERE: Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave., Tampa
WHEN: Sept. 20, with registration at 7 a.m., and runs beginning at 8 a.m.
COST:
5K Run/Walk Adult: $25 until Sept. 18, $35 on race day
5K Run/Walk Youth: 12 and younger, $15 until Sept. 18, $20 on race day
Kids Fun Run: 10 and younger, $15 until Sept. 18, $20 on race day
INFO: ColonCancerCoalition.org

Some facts about colorectal cancer
• Is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer death.
• Affects men and women equally, and people of all races and nationalities. Anyone can get colorectal cancer.
• Affects about 1-in-19 people during their lifetime.
• Usually develops slowly over a period of 10 to 15 years.
• Has a 90 percent five-year survival rate for those diagnosed in first two stages, but just a 12 percent five-year survival rate for those diagnosed in fourth stage.

Published September 17, 2014

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Outlet mall not ready to spring up quite yet

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Site work has begun on the Cypress Creek Town Center site near the intersection of State Road 56 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard. It’s just not for the proposed outlet mall in that area.

Instead, dirt has begun to move across the street from the planned 482,000-square-foot mall, where some outparcel retail stores will eventually be built, said Dawn Sutton with Pasco County’s Planning and Development department.

Some activity on a site where some individual retail stores may be located in the future had some residents thinking the proposed outlet mall work was finally beginning. However, that project — across State Road 56 near Wesley Chapel Boulevard — is wrapping up site plan approvals now. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Some activity on a site where some individual retail stores may be located in the future had some residents thinking the proposed outlet mall work was finally beginning. However, that project — across State Road 56 near Wesley Chapel Boulevard — is wrapping up site plan approvals now.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“There are no site plans for that part of the property just yet,” Sutton said. “Right now, it looks like they are just trying to make it site-ready. It’s not a pad, but more of a central system to get ready for some eventual work there.”

The outlet mall itself, tentatively called Cypress Creek Town Center Premium Outlets Mall, is still going through site plan review, Sutton said. One of the developers involved with Simon Property Group submitted paperwork to the county Sept. 4, all part of the standard back-and-forth between a developer and the county.

If both sides can square away any lingering issues, Simon could start moving its own dirt on the site in 30 days. That means actual construction, once building permits are issued, could get underway before the end of the year.

The mall will almost certainly not hit its originally announced completion date of the end of 2014. In fact, whether the outlet mall will hit the Summer 2015 timeframe county administrator Michele Baker suggested earlier this year is still yet to be seen. Simon did not return an email last week seeking comment.

The entire process for Simon is a little déjà vu, Sutton said.

“The 50 acres that is being planned for the mall sits differently than it did before,” she said. “They have a different layout, and the location is adjusted.”

Simon had originally planned a 1.2 million-square-foot project with 600,000 square feet of retail, and 120,000 square feet of office by 2011. Expanded plans included 350 hotel rooms, 230 apartments, and a 2,582-seat movie theater.

Yet, the east indigo snake and the economy got in the way. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers delayed final environmental approval for years, with one herpetologist telling officials that the land is necessary to help the snake avoid major roadways.

The Army Corps cleared the way for the mall last November.

“We are very excited to be moving forward on this project, and are commencing meetings with the county to determine approvals and a schedule,” Danielle DeVita, senior vice president for development and acquisition at Simon, said in a statement last year.

Simon still needs to finalize its site layout, which would require approval by Pasco County commissioners. However, Sutton doesn’t anticipate their being any additional controversy with the site.

Some of the land work on the mall site had already been done back in 2007, said Carol Clarke, assistant planning and development administrator for the county.

“There was earth working done there, which was part of what they were initially going to do,” Clarke said. “They have this new plan, but it looks like they are endeavoring to use as much of the existing infrastructure there as they can.”

Simon is joined on the project by JG Cypress Creek LLC and Tampa Premium Outlets LLC, and is expected to be built in seven phases, according to plans submitted last April. The overall project will consist of nine buildings, and nearly 2,400 parking spaces. The complete project is expected to offer 1.1 million square feet of commercial space.

Published September 10, 2014

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Bikers honor first responders with annual Gratitude Ride

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Wayne Mancarella knew it would be a long day on his motorcycle, beginning with a trip from his home in Largo to the Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club in Wesley Chapel.

Local roads between Wesley Chapel and Dade City welcomed hundreds of motorcycles on Sept. 6 as the 9/11 Gratitude Ride commenced, honoring the local heroes of Pasco County Fire Rescue. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Local roads between Wesley Chapel and Dade City welcomed hundreds of motorcycles on Sept. 6 as the 9/11 Gratitude Ride commenced, honoring the local heroes of Pasco County Fire Rescue.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

But there was nowhere else Mancarella wanted to be. He joined hundreds of other bikers for the 9/11 Gratitude Ride, raising money for the Pasco County Fire Rescue Benevolent Fund to make sure families of fallen first responders were well taken care of.

“Sometimes we take both the cops and our firefighters for granted,” Mancarella said. “I’m glad there are people out there like them willing to do all the things we need them to do. There’s no one else like them.”

The 9/11 Gratitude Ride is now in its fifth year, settling in at its home at Quail Hollow through the work of Land O’ Lakes Realtor Dan Turner. The Sept. 6 event not only pooled together money to help who Turner called local heroes, but to honor the men and women who died trying to rescue people during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“Make no mistake about it, this is a 9/11 event,” Turner told the crowd on Saturday. “We call it the Gratitude Ride because we can’t go to New York, we can’t go to Pennsylvania, we can’t go to Washington, to express our gratitude to the emergency workers there. So what better way to express our gratitude to the local men and women who protect us every single day.”

The parade of motorcycles traveled more than 50 miles from Quail Hollow that morning to visit Pasco County Fire Rescue stations in Dade City and Zephyrhills. There, bikers met with firefighters and paramedics, learning more about what they do, and the dangers they face every day.

“As the events of Sept. 11, 2001, unfolded, these men and women ran into those two buildings, they ran into the Pentagon, they ran out to the grass site in Pennsylvania,” Turner said. “It was all to do one thing — to save people like you and me. That is what they do. As we are running from danger, what are they doing? They are running into it.”

After the visit to the fire stations, crowds returned to Quail Hollow for an afternoon event that included food, vendors, and live music from The Greg Billings Band.

Final numbers from the recent event were not available, but past Gratitude Rides have raised more than $6,000 for the benevolent fund.

Published September 10, 2014

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Rebels fall to Miami in FBA title game

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The Tampa Bay Rebels, a semi-professional basketball team that plays its home games at Freedom High School, always seem to finish their seasons the same way: In the Florida Basketball Association championship game.

Hard work during training camp led to another strong season for the Tampa Bay Rebels, which fell just short of the title for the second year in a row. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rebels)
Hard work during training camp led to another strong season for the Tampa Bay Rebels, which fell just short of the title for the second year in a row.
(Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rebels)

For the third year in a row, the Rebels were one of two teams left standing. But while they took the title in 2012, the last two years have ended with a loss — this time a 98-82 defeat to the Miami Midnites on Aug. 10.

While it was a disappointing end to the year — it was the first time they were held to under 90 points all season, and just the second time they were held to under 100 — it was still another impressive campaign. A 10-2 record meant they’ve compiled a 31-4 mark over the past three regular seasons.

Finishing with a loss to the Midnites was a tough-but-familiar feeling for the club. Miami was the only team that beat them all year: The Rebels lost two home contests to Miami while winning one against them on the road during the regular season.

Add in a third loss to the Midnites in the title game, and those setbacks mean Tampa Bay had a successful 2014 season, but finished runner-up to Miami in 2014.

The Rebels’ 2015 season will begin next spring. For more information, visit TampaBayRebels.com.

Published September 10, 2014

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Bulls hope to raise big money with funny fundraiser

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Wiregrass Ranch High School believes comedy and cross-country means some cash for their sports program.

Tommy Johnagin, a ‘Last Comic Standing’ runner-up, performs at Side Splitters on Sept. 7. The show also is a benefit for Wiregrass Ranch High School’s boys and girls cross-country teams. (Courtesy of TommyJComedy.com)
Tommy Johnagin, a ‘Last Comic Standing’ runner-up, performs at Side Splitters on Sept. 7. The show also is a benefit for Wiregrass Ranch High School’s boys and girls cross-country teams.
(Courtesy of TommyJComedy.com)

On Sept. 7, the school’s cross-country teams will benefit from a comedy show at Side Splitters Comedy Club, 12938 N. Dale Mabry Highway. The weekend’s headliner, Tommy Johnagin, will perform at the 7 p.m. show, with 70 percent of admission receipts going to the school.

According to Side Splitters general manager Brian Thompson, having a comedy fundraiser is a good way to raise money and have a good time doing it.

“It’s a nice way for the parents to get out and generate some money for whatever event they’re raising for specifically,” Thompson said. Wiregrass Ranch has had fundraisers at Side Splitters in the past, and the comedy club has also had events benefiting other groups.”

The audience can seat 250, and has the potential to bring in thousands of dollars in fundraisers, he said.

Those funds would be welcome, since maintaining good teams can be expensive. It can cost between $4,000 and $6,000 each season to meet all expenses and maintain adequate funds in reserve, according to boys coach Chris Loth. Several rounds of T- shirts and meet entry fees can add up, with an awards ceremony thrown in as well.

Wiregrass Ranch also charters a bus for one meet each season. The school will use it this year to compete in Tallahassee.

As a result, Wiregrass Ranch must get creative with their fundraising, and pairing up with a comedy club seemed like a good fit.

“We have very supportive families and friends and alumni who are going to come out,” Loth said. “So we thought it would be a good night to get some of the families together without the kids, and have a good time and raise some money as a result.”

A fan of stand-up comedy, Loth is familiar with the club and the headlining comedian. He saw Johnagin at a local stop a few years back, and thought his style would be a good fit for the event. Johnagin is a regular on late-night talk shows, and placed second in an earlier season of “Last Comic Standing” on NBC.

If the event does well for the school, Loth said it could become part of their regular fundraising efforts. The Bulls already host a 5-kilometer run, sell advertising space on their T-shirts, and partner with a merchandiser to raise money.

It’s important to stay creative with fundraising and not fall into a routine, he said.

“Our philosophy is we don’t want to do the same thing every single year,” Loth said. “We want to give lots of different people the ability to participate and reach a lot of different folks.”

Loth is hoping for a sellout on Sept. 7, and could see doing a similar event every other year if it’s successful.

The school would be happy to see the event match the success of the teams themselves. Wiregrass Ranch is known to have successful cross-country programs for both boys and girls. They’re considered one of the top teams in Pasco County, and have a number of top 10 finishes at the state meet to their credit.

The parents have been very supportive of the team and they expect to have a successful fundraising evening at the comedy club, Loth said. As a close-knit group, he feels like everyone does their part of make sure the teams, and the program in general, maintain a level of success.

“We ask a lot of ourselves, and in turn ask a lot of our parents and they always come through for us,” Loth said. “We try to make it a family, and family supports each other with whatever you’re trying to accomplish.”

Comedians Alex Stone and Krishna Reddy also will perform.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit SideSplittersComedy.com. Tickets purchased on the website also benefit Wiregrass Ranch’s cross-country teams.

Published September 3, 2014

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Enrollment increases at Wiregrass Ranch’s Porter Campus

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Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch began its fall semester this week, with an enrollment topping 2,100.

That’s an increase of nearly 300 students over its initial enrollment in January, when Pasco-Hernando State College opened the satellite campus in Wesley Chapel.

Stan Giannet, the provost at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, is looking forward to the campus’ first full academic year. The campus is a satellite of Pasco-Hernando State College. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Stan Giannet, the provost at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, is looking forward to the campus’ first full academic year. The campus is a satellite of Pasco-Hernando State College.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“We continue to exceed the enrollment expectations. We’re very delighted with that,” said Stan Giannet, provost at the campus on Mansfield Boulevard, just south of State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel.

“Compared to the spring term, we added another 70 class sections that were necessary based on the projected enrollment,” Giannet said.

On the first day of the fall semester, Patti Rocco, administrative assistant to Giannet, was excited about the 2014-15 academic year. She loves working on the Wesley Chapel campus, even though it means driving over an hour a day from Weeki Wachee to get there.

“It’s just wonderful. It’s like one big family,” Rocco said, noting she can’t say that’s been her experience in all of the jobs she’s had throughout the years.

The campus is a phenomenal place to work, she said. “It’s warm. It’s wanting to do what’s best for the students.”

So far, the most popular courses are those leading to an associate’s degree, as well as programs in information technology, nursing and human services, Giannet said. Students also are expressing an interest in business courses.

Debuting this fall are the bachelor’s degree program in supervision and management, and the surgical technology and pharmacy technician certification programs.

There are tracks within the management and supervision program that gear people for general management, health care management and public service management, Giannet said. The degree provides coursework to enable people to develop and hone the skills necessary to handle the responsibilities that managers and supervisors face.

The surgical technology and pharmacy technician programs will prepare graduates for jobs that are in high demand and that offer good pay, Giannet said.

Figures are not yet available, but Giannet said Porter Campus is attracting students from Hillsborough County, and those numbers appear to be growing. The campus also has a sizable number of students enrolled in its evening programs.

Classes are offered Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9:40 p.m., and on Friday until 4:30 p.m. Registration for this semester ends Aug. 29, while registration for the spring semester begins in early November.

In addition to debuting new programs this fall, the college also will open a café in its library in September. It will offer salads, sandwiches and other light fare, Giannet said. The college always planned to have a café, it just took some time to go through the process to select a provider.

The campus is situated near many good restaurants in Wesley Chapel, so many students leave campus for meals, Giannet said. However, students carrying a full load do not have time to leave campus, so this café will provide a convenient way for them to grab a quick bite.

The campus continues to seek to create a sense of community among the students, faculty and staff, Giannet said. It also wants to play the role of an intellectual and cultural hub for the community at large.

“We want to be very open and inviting to our community,” he said.

One way that Giannet seeks to foster strong relationships with students is by hosting events such as Pizza with the Provost and Picnic with the Provost, where he has a chance to share campus news, to field questions from students, and to hear feedback about how things are going.

He also has a Provost Success Academy, which focuses on themes aimed at helping students succeed. As part of that academy, the college will host a domestic violence awareness symposium in October.

The overall goal of the campus is to engage students and provide assistance to help students succeed, Giannet said. He thinks students are taking advantage of opportunities available on campus.

“The amount of activity in our library — from the perspective of traffic utilizing library services — is comparable to our largest campus, which is the West Campus in New Port Richey,” Giannet said.

He describes the college’s personnel as being “very student-driven, student-focused, compassionate and caring.

“I think it’s clearly evident,” Giannet said. “We want to provide a meaningful experience for students when they’re on our campus.”

Published August 27, 2014

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