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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News

Connecting Overpass Road to I-75 now up to county

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Seven months might seem like a long time to await a decision. But when it comes to building major roads, time isn’t always on your side.

Florida Department of Transportation District 7 secretary Paul Steinman announced to Pasco County commissioners last week that the Federal Highway Administration has approved a new interchange that will connect Interstate 75 with Overpass Road.

Overpass Road will finally get its connection with Interstate 75, the first step toward what could be Pasco County’s new hot spot with sports fields, schools and a massive community that could help fuel growth over the next 50 years. (File Photo)
Overpass Road will finally get its connection with Interstate 75, the first step toward what could be Pasco County’s new hot spot with sports fields, schools and a massive community that could help fuel growth over the next 50 years.
(File Photo)

The project will add yet another entry into the county in an area where Wesley Chapel District Park already exists and a new high school is planned, and could even alleviate current and future congestion on State Road 52 to the north, and State Road 54 to the south.

“The exciting part of that is that it does open up the east side of the county for you once it gets developed,” Steinman said at the meeting.

The Overpass Road interchange will provide additional access in the Wesley Chapel area as well as East Pasco County, where several developments have been approved, or are in various stages of planning or construction, such as Pasadena Hills.

That is a 22,000-acre project that will create more than a dozen high-density villages that could help the area manage growth for that region over the next few decades.

To build the interchange, that portion of Overpass Road near I-75 will be expanded to four lanes with the possibility of expanding into six in the future. Eventually, the plans are to extend Overpass to connect Old Pasco Road and U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

The cost for the project will be more than $55 million, and while federal money will eventually be available to the county, officials have to show initially they’re able to fund the overall work on their own. Funds could come from an expanded gas tax, Penny for Pasco funds, and even mobility fees.

“Whether the state or federal government will put in any money, you can’t depend on that,” county transportation planning manager James Edwards told The Laker last January.

But the clock is ticking, county planning and development director Richard Gehring told commissioners.

“Whenever you get this finally inked and approved, you have eight years to construct,” he said. If the county fails to do that, federal approval of the project is withdrawn, and both the county and the state would have to apply all over again.

Population studies have shown the number of people who live in the area Overpass would serve will explode 400 percent to 218,000 people by 2035. Right now, just fewer than 60,000 people live in the area.

Capacity on I-75 also will increase through that area from the current 51,000 vehicles daily between State Roads 52 and 54, to 165,800 in 2040. That kind of volume would create traffic nightmares for existing interchanges in San Antonio to the north and Wesley Chapel to the south. It could even back up State Road 56 just north of the Hillsborough County line.

The county may have been waiting for months to hear back from Washington, D.C., but plans to improve Overpass Road have been afoot for more than a decade.

In 2003, county officials first looked at how the road could be improved between Old Pasco and Fort King roads, without looking at any potential connection with I-75. That changed with a new study in 2006 that gained favorable reviews from FDOT and federal highway officials.

Because the interstate is a federal road, any connections to it would have to be approved by the federal government. To show the viability of such a plan, the county produced a project development and environment study and a preliminary interchange justification report, officials said.

The county already has started to put some funds aside for this particular project to the tune of $15 million. Additional money could come from the renewed Penny for Pasco when those funds start to come in next January.

Published July 16, 2014

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Don Porter: He was a forward-thinker, with deep community roots

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When Don Porter was growing up in Wesley Chapel, he attended elementary school at a one-room schoolhouse and rode a bus to Dade City for high school.

Much has changed in the Pasco County community where he grew up — and Porter and his extended family have played a considerable role in creating that change.

Don Porter was described by state Rep. Will Weatherford as a ‘giant of a man.’ Porter died on July 1 at age 73. (Courtesy of the Porter Family)
Don Porter was described by state Rep. Will Weatherford as a ‘giant of a man.’ Porter died on July 1 at age 73.
(Courtesy of the Porter Family)

The memorial service to honor his life was July 12 in the conference center at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a satellite campus of Pasco-Hernando State College. The campus opened in January on 6 acres of the 60 acres of land the Porters donated to the college.

That campus is just one tangible sign of the forward-thinking and big picture approach that the entire family has used in making decisions regarding the development of thousands of acres they have owned for decades, Porter’s son, J.D. Porter, said in a recent interview.

The Shops at Wiregrass, a regional shopping mall, and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, an 80-bed facility, are two other projects built within the 5,100-acre development of regional impact approved in 2006 on the Porters’ land.

Porter, the eldest son of the late James and Martha Porter, moved into Wesley Chapel in the 1940s, long before development hit the area.

He died on July 1, at age 73.

In personal interviews and during the memorial, family and friends described the kind of man Porter was.

They characterized him as a passionate fighter for justice, but also a patient listener. They said he was a deep thinker, a loving father and a faithful friend.

Porter enjoyed single malt scotch and Little Debbie snack cakes. He had musical tastes that ranged from Pavarotti to Dave Brubeck, had his own sense of style, and was a fierce competitor in everything from baseball to Scrabble to table tennis, they added.

State Rep. Will Weatherford said he was 26 and making his first run for state office when he met Porter. Over the past decade, Weatherford had numerous roundtable chats with Porter, his brothers, Tom and Bill, and his son, J.D. The men didn’t talk about what Wiregrass would look like in the next five to 10 years, Weatherford said. They took a much longer view.

“I never knew a man who could speak less and say more than Don Porter,” Weatherford said.

Whatever project they worked on together, “it was always about the long-term sustainability and legacy of this community,” Weatherford said.

“In my business, you get to meet a lot of families that have very large landholdings. It’s not rare for a family to have thousands of acres — there’s a lot them in the state of Florida,” Weatherford said. “But I’ve never met a family, I’ve never met a man — until I met Don — that was so keenly more focused on the future of his community than on how much money he would make off of it.”

While Porter was proud of the accomplishments in the development arena, he would resist being credited as the leader or the patriarch of the family, J.D. Porter said. That role belonged to Don’s father, James Porter.

J.D. Porter said his father, his uncles and the rest of the extended Porter family have shared a collective vision and a collective will for what has been done so far, and for the foundation that has been laid for future achievements.

“Development was a very important part of his life,” J.D. Porter said. “But if you had a top five list, I’m not sure it would make it.

“At No. 1 was family. It wasn’t just my mom, my sister and myself,” he said, but his dad also cared tremendously for his parents, his brothers and their families.

Porter’s daughter, Quinn Miller, recalled a father who taught her how to ride a bicycle, accompanied her to father-daughter dances, and was her biggest fan during her softball days.

Known for his deep, rich voice, Porter did some radio broadcasting in college and later in Zephyrhills. He also used those talents to announce Quinn’s softball and J.D.’s baseball games.

“He was the voice of Berkeley Prep softball,” Miller said.

Porter was quite the athlete himself. He held a baseball state record for years after striking out 20 of the 21 batters he faced during a championship. He attended Ole Miss on a baseball scholarship, and he used the signing bonus he received from the Houston Colt 45s to buy his family’s home on land now occupied by the hospital.

Miller said her dad taught her to think for herself. She remembers being frustrated by him when she would want to commiserate over a problem or disappointment, and he wouldn’t let her or offer her advice.

Instead, he listened and then asked her questions.

She now understands that he wanted her to arrive at her own solutions.

“He had a way of offering perspective by forcing introspection, not (offering) his opinion,” Miller said.

Porter’s cousin, Mike Gramling, and Porter’s friends Will Roberts, Doug Manson and Tom Touchton, also spoke at the memorial. When the Porters arrived in Wesley Chapel, there was no electricity and the family lived in a moonshiner’s cabin, Gramling said. Porter’s mother, Martha, prepared meals on a Coleman stove.

Porter learned to drive a tractor when he was 6, and he didn’t have a store-bought shirt until he went to college, Gramling said.

Roberts said they used to joke that Porter was “sweater-rich.”

“He had more sweaters than Bill Cosby,” Roberts said.

He recalled a time when Porter took him, his brother and J.D. to a basketball game at the University of South Florida Sun Dome. Porter was wearing a beret, a sweater, brown leather pants and black Italian zippered ankle boots.

“Nowadays, the sight of man dressed like that with three young boys might be cause for an Amber Alert. But that was Don in all of his glory,” Roberts said, drawing a roar of laughter from the nearly 240 at the memorial.

Manson was in his late 20s when he met Porter.

It was obvious, he said, that Porter’s life was centered on his family. The two men never had a conversation that didn’t begin with an update on their families.

When Manson had a problem he didn’t know how to solve, he turned to Porter, who would listen for as long as it took, whether that was a few minutes or hours.

“He showed me what friendship is,” Manson said.

Porter was a multi-dimensional man, with many interests, said Touchton, who knew Porter for about 60 years. One of his favorite poets was Lawrence Ferlinghetti, of the beat poet generation.

Porter especially liked Ferlinghetti’s “I am Waiting,” which repeated this phrase, “I am perpetually awaiting the rebirth of wonder.”

“I suggest Don has to wait no longer,” Touchton said, “because in leaving us, he has finally found his rebirth of wonder.”

Published July 16, 2014

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Don Porter’s vision for Wiregrass Ranch area lives on

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Don Porter, whose vision helped transform ranch land into an urban center in Wesley Chapel, has died. He was 73.

Porter’s family, which owns the sprawling Wiregrass Ranch, sold the land that is now occupied by The Shops at Wiregrass and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. The family also donated 60 acres of land for Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, which now occupies about 6 acres of that land.

Members of the Porter family joined Pasco-Hernando State College president Katherine Johnson at the open house and dedication of Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. From left are J.D. Porter, Bill Porter, Johnson, Don Porter and Quinn Miller. (File Photo)
Members of the Porter family joined Pasco-Hernando State College president Katherine Johnson at the open house and dedication of Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. From left are J.D. Porter, Bill Porter, Johnson, Don Porter and Quinn Miller.
(File Photo)

There’s also a high school in the community named after the Porter’s Wiregrass Ranch.

While Porter had a hand in projects of a regional scale, that is not what meant the most to him, said his son, J.D. Porter.

“Out of all of the accomplishments, I think the thing that he was most proud of was his family,” he said. “He wanted to see everyone do well.”

Pasco County commissioner Pat Mulieri recalls when her colleagues were considering approval of The Shops at Wiregrass. She and Commissioner Jack Mariano supported the request, but they needed a third vote, which came from Commission Ted Schrader.

“I believe that Don’s generous spirit and clear vision made a difference in the Wesley Chapel area, and set the tone for all future development there,” Mulieri said. “Don will be missed. He was a good steward of the land and a southern gentleman.”

Greg Lenners, general manager of The Shops at Wiregrass, said it was easy to see that Porter was a highly respected man in the community.

“He will truly be missed,” said Lenners, who oversees the main-street style shopping mall at the intersection of State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The mall is a popular gathering spot and pulls shoppers and visitors from across the region, especially during the holidays and for special events.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel also issued a statement paying tribute to Porter’s contributions.

“Don Porter’s vision was to transform the Porter Ranch into a Wesley Chapel community centered around family … a community with quality health care, education, and recreation services for its residents,” hospital officials said. “It was wonderful to work with Don and his family to bring that vision to life. The entire Porter family has been very supportive of the hospital and our programs to improve the health and wellness of the entire community.”

Katherine Johnson, president of Pasco-Hernando State College, recalled the first time she met Porter. It was her first day as the college’s president, and she was being introduced around the community. Those introductions included a lunch with Porter at Saddlebrook Resort.

Porter was approachable and she immediately felt at ease, Johnson recalled.

“We clicked. We just clicked,” she said.

At that very first lunch, Porter told Johnson about his vision for higher educational opportunities for students living in the community. The family’s later contribution of 60 acres for the campus played an instrumental role in making that vision come true, Johnson said.

“Clearly, we would not have been able to have a campus in Wesley Chapel without that family,” she said. Beyond helping to bring that vision to life, Porter became a friend and mentor.

When Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch opened in January, it signaled the first time in Wesley Chapel history that a student could attend preschool through college without leaving the Wesley Chapel community.

When the Porters moved to Wesley Chapel during the 1940s, there wasn’t much development in the area. Over the years, the community has evolved, and Porter had a clear vision for the future, Johnson said.

When plans were being discussed for the Porter Campus, he envisioned a campus with multi-story buildings.

“He wanted an urban, corporate look,” Johnson said.

Porter is survived by son, J.D., daughter, Quinn Miller and her husband, Matthew, as well as three grandchildren, Johannah, Cooper, and Lillian Jane, of Odessa; and his brother, William H. and his wife, Debby, of Dade City.

Don Porter memorial service
A memorial service for Don Porter has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on July 12 at the conference center at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Published July 9, 2014

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Three days of fireworks: Local events display patriotic spirit

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Local residents wanting to see fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July can enjoy them before, during and after the actual holiday.

The third annual Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel Freedom Festival at The Shops at Wiregrass features a fireworks display on July 3 at 9 p.m. (Courtesy of Tony Masella/OurTownFla.com)
The third annual Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel Freedom Festival at The Shops at Wiregrass features a fireworks display on July 3 at 9 p.m.
(Courtesy of Tony Masella/OurTownFla.com)

Multiple venues will host fireworks shows as part of special holiday celebrations July 3-5, along with a number of other activities to help celebrate Independence Day in Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes.

Those who want to celebrate early can visit The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel, on July 3. The shopping complex, home to around 100 different retailers, is the site of the third annual Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel Freedom Festival. Last year’s event drew around 30,000 people.

The free event begins at 5 p.m., and includes a watermelon-eating contest and a bicycle-decorating contest. But one of the highlights is a patriotic-themed pageant to crown Little Miss and Mr. Firecracker across several age groups.

The pageant was a favorite in 2013, and should be bigger this year, said Debbie Detweiler, director of marketing for The Shops.

“It’s grown so much that we’re having it hosted up on the center court stage this year,” she said. “It was a really popular part of the event last year, and we want to make more room for it.”

Winners will be announced for participants in three separate categories: Ages 3 months to 1, ages 2 to 4, and ages 5 to 8.

The fireworks show begins at 9 p.m., with approximately $9,000 worth of pyrotechnics on display.

On July 4, the annual Sparklebration event will be held at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City. It includes a watermelon-eating contest, a hot dog-eating contest and bounce houses.

Gates open at 3 p.m.  The fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m. The cost is $5 per person, with children younger than 12 admitted free. Parking also is $5.

For anyone who missed the events on July 3 and July 4, or wants to celebrate a little longer, there are a couple of local options the following day. Avalon Park West, 5227 Autumn Ridge Drive in Wesley Chapel, will host its free Independence Day Festival on July 5.

According to Kristin Muslin, marketing and events coordinator for Avalon Park West, it’s more important for the community to schedule an event when people can attend than to make sure it falls on the Fourth of July.

“Having an event during the week is a little bit more difficult for a lot of people to attend,” Muslin said, noting that July 4 falls on a Friday this year. “So it’s kind of important for us to make it a little bit easier for families to be able to spend time together on the weekend.”

Avalon Park West also wants to use the event as an opportunity to showcase its neighborhood, which has around 70 occupied homes. With future planning allowing for 4,800 homes to be built, the Independence Day Festival allows the community to learn a bit more about them, Muslin said.

Avalon Park West’s town center will serve as the focal point of the festival.

The event includes bounce houses, giveaways, community performances and food trucks. More than 50 vendors are expected to be in attendance. A bicycle parade starts at 5:30 p.m., and the fireworks begin at 9 p.m.

That same day, Connerton, a community located on U.S. 41 about seven miles north of State Road 54, will host a free Fifth of July event starting at 5 p.m. Its celebration also is a chance to show off the 8,000-acre community, which includes a 3,000-acre nature preserve.

The celebration includes live music, games, prizes, and bounce houses. Food trucks and refreshments will be available, and guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets. The fireworks start at 9 p.m.

For more information about the Freedom Festival at The Shops at Wiregrass, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.

For more information about Sparklebration at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, call (352) 567-6678, or visit www.pascocountyfair.com.

For more information about Avalon Park West’s Independence Day Festival, call (813) 482-5361.

For more information about Connerton’s Fifth of July event, visit Connerton.com.

Published July 2, 2014

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Grove 16 Back to School Bash needs more local partners

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If Cobb Theatre Grove 16 & CineBistro’s 2014 Back-to-School bash were a movie, it would be in need of a few more heroes.

Eager parents and students lined up at this back-to-school bash before classes began a couple of years ago. Cobb Theatres Grove 16 & CineBistro plans to have its sixth annual bash on Aug. 9, beginning at 10 a.m. (File Photo)
Eager parents and students lined up at this back-to-school bash before classes began a couple of years ago. Cobb Theatres Grove 16 & CineBistro plans to have its sixth annual bash on Aug. 9, beginning at 10 a.m.
(File Photo)

This will be the sixth year the Wesley Chapel movie complex has staged the annual event to help ensure children heading back to school have the supplies they need for academic success.

As always, the theater needs local businesses and organizations to help make that happen. The success of the program hinges on it, said Demene Benjamin, Grove 16’s theater manager.

Since the beginning, some local businesses and organizations have stepped forward to make the event a success, Benjamin said. But new organizations and businesses are encouraged to become part of the annual tradition as well.

Those helping out are asked to provide at least enough supplies for 500 students. They also are asked to bring tables and volunteers to dole out their goodies.

Items that are needed include backpacks, paper, pencils, tissue, crayons, markers, hand sanitizer and other school supplies.

Besides helping kids stock up for school, the event features activities including face painting and games, and it offers some health screenings, haircuts and refreshments.

The theme of the 2014 Back to School Bash is the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” which will be the movie theater’s summer release.

Benjamin expects more than 1,000 to attend this year’s event, which is set for Aug. 9, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the theater, 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd. The theater is at The Grove, a shopping venue in Wesley Chapel.

Those wanting more information should contact Benjamin at (813) 334-6006.

Published June 18, 2014

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Liberty eighth-grader earns ‘primer lugar’ at Spanish spelling bee

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An eighth-grader at Liberty Middle School tied for first place in a recent spelling bee. To get there, however, she had to spell words like “piel” — that’s “skin” in Spanish.

From left are students Jack Richardson, Tania Sexauer and Catherine Weng, with their teacher Katie Smith. The students vied with competitors from 16 schools at the May 15 Spanish spelling bee. Weng won in the Spanish I category for non-native speakers. (Courtesy of Liberty Middle School)
From left are students Jack Richardson, Tania Sexauer and Catherine Weng, with their teacher Katie Smith. The students vied with competitors from 16 schools at the May 15 Spanish spelling bee. Weng won in the Spanish I category for non-native speakers.
(Courtesy of Liberty Middle School)

Catherine Weng shared top honors at the Spanish spelling bee held May 15 at the Roland Park magnet school. Roland Park was one of 16 Hillsborough County schools that participated in the event, which featured categories for beginners and second-tier Spanish speakers in both native and non-native divisions.

But this isn’t the first time Weng has found success in the spelling bee. She won first place last year while taking introductory Spanish classes.

Weng competed in the Spanish I category for non-native speakers this year, and earned the tie when she and another student exhausted all the words prepared for the bee.

“It’s really great getting to go back to school and say, ‘Hey guys, I won first!’” Weng said.

Weng’s first language is English, but she also speaks a little Mandarin at home. Being familiar with another language helps her acclimate to learning a new one, she said. And because Spanish words often are spelled the way they sound, Weng found success easier in the Spanish spelling bee.

But that doesn’t mean it’s a matter of just sounding out words and collecting a trophy. To spell Spanish words in the competition correctly, Weng also had to mention a letter’s accent mark by declaring “con acento” — or “with accent” — after that particular letter. Failing to designate the proper accents meant the spelling would be considered incorrect.

And, like all languages, some words don’t follow the expected protocol. For a non-native speaker, the challenge is knowing the foreign words well enough to recognize when to go with how the word sounds, and when the spelling is somewhat different.

According to Katie Smith, one of the Spanish teachers at Liberty Middle School, the Spanish spelling bee benefits students who are trying to grasp Spanish for the first time.

“The spelling bee itself helps the kids really recognize some of the nuances of the language,” she said.

By understanding where the words have accents, for example, they can improve their pronunciation and speak the language properly.

But it also helps those students who are native speakers, Smith said. Many children who come from Spanish-speaking households don’t necessarily get to write it. They grow up learning both Spanish words and English spelling rules, which can be confusing. The competition allows them to recognize the spelling protocol for Spanish, and helps keep the rules for both languages separate.

Weng joined fellow schoolmates Tania Sexauer and Jack Richardson, who competed in the beginning Spanish category. And while they didn’t finish as high as Weng, Smith said they should be very proud to have advanced through Liberty’s difficult internal competition to compete at the final event.

“That’s the thing I kept stressing to them,” she said. “Even though you may not have made it to the top five (in the spelling bee at Roland Park), it’s really OK, because the fact that you were able to go and represent the school is a big accomplishment in and of itself.”

The beginning Spanish classes are particularly large, with Weng, who has only been learning Spanish for a couple of years, plans to continue studying the language when she enters high school. But for now she’s excited that her studying paid off with another first-place finish, and the Spanish spelling bee has helped her learn a new language.

“I had done it last year so I knew it was coming up again this year, so I really made sure I knew how to spell the words correctly when we were learning them,” Weng said. “I think it’s a great experience. I think it really helps me focus on Spanish.”

Published June 4, 2014

Wesley Chapel welcomes ice in new $20M sports complex

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By the end of next year, State Road 56 will be more crowded than ever.

A new Mercedes dealership. A long-awaited outlet mall and the different stores it will bring. Yet another hotel, this time 120 rooms.

Gordie Zimmermann, from left, is joined by Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano and retired Tampa Bay Lightning star Dave Andreychuk last week in a presentation unveiling a new four-pad ice sports complex just off State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel. The new arena is expected to open by late next year. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Gordie Zimmermann, from left, is joined by Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano and retired Tampa Bay Lightning star Dave Andreychuk last week in a presentation unveiling a new four-pad ice sports complex just off State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel. The new arena is expected to open by late next year.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Not bad for a road that, just a little more than a decade ago, didn’t even exist.

Joining all that, however, is an ice and sports complex so big, it might make existing facilities in Ellenton, Oldsmar and maybe even Brandon a bit jealous.

Apartment developer Gordie Zimmermann and his colleagues Z Mitch LLC, closed on 13 acres of land last week on Cypress Ridge Boulevard for $2.6 million, where they plan to build a 155,500-square-foot ice and sports complex complete with four pads of ice, a restaurant, and room for other sports in the community.

Zimmermann’s development team is investing more than $20 million in the project, all so that Zimmermann’s hockey team — and other teams like it — won’t have to travel so far anymore to find a sheet of ice in Florida.

“I was operating down in the Brandon facility, and I noticed that the adult hockey program had taken over,” Zimmermann said of Ice Sports Forum, a two-pad complex he also owns. “The kids had limited ice time there, and had to drive 60 to 70 miles to an ice practice.”

Zimmermann, in his off-time, coaches the Wiregrass Ice Hawks, a youth team that includes his son, incoming Wiregrass High School junior Luke Zimmermann. The Ice Hawks finished as one of the top youth hockey teams in the state, second only to Mitchell High School.

The long drives and fighting for time on the ice limits the younger Zimmermann’s practice time to just a few days a week. But having a sports complex within walking distance of his Seven Oaks home could actually get him out on the ice much more frequently.

“I’d probably be going there every day,” Luke Zimmermann, a center for the team, said.

Although the facility is tentatively called the Cypress Creek Ice and Sport Complex, Gordie Zimmermann said he’s not opposed to finding a corporate sponsor to buy the naming rights. But even if that happens, it would probably be hard for people not to refer to the facility based on where it is geographically, like Cypress Creek or even Wesley Chapel.

And that’s exactly what Jeff Novotny wanted to hear. Not only is he president of American Consulting, which helped with the Zimmermann project, but he’s also president of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, which has been working tirelessly on branding new development along State Road 56 in the name of Wesley Chapel.

“I can tell you that the Tampa Bay area has a shortage of ice availability for all age levels,” said Novotny, whose American Consulting headquarters is literally next to the site where the ice complex will be built. “I can count on one hand the number of ice arenas in a one-hour drive. And thanks to the Tampa Bay Lightning, it is better than what it was 15 years ago.”

The Lightning was represented by Stanley Cup winner Dave Andreychuk who, coincidentally, went to high school with Zimmermann in Hamilton, Ontario. Andreychuk stood behind Zimmermann last week during a news conference where the new facility was unveiled, and lent his support to the facility.

Although there are plans to build a two-pad ice sports complex near The Grove in Wesley Chapel, Zimmermann seemed to dismiss the possibility that the local market could become too saturated with ice.

“I think we’ve done our homework,” he said. “I come from an area that has 200 rinks — eight-plexes and six-plexes, and it’s kind of the way of the world to build a minimum of four.”

The facility will be two stories tall, complete with two National Hockey League-level ice pads, and one meeting Olympic specifications. A fourth smaller ice pad, which can double as a non-ice sports court, could be made available when needed for young kids just getting their start, or even to help goalies learn position playing, Zimmermann said.

A restaurant would be situated on the second floor, with a clear view of all the rinks.

“During tournaments, some people’s children’s games might be an hour or two apart, an they can go up and grab a quick snack,” Zimmermann said. “Others might have six- or seven-hour gaps, and they can go to Wiregrass mall, and maybe to a restaurant.”

Coming right behind it is a planned 120-room hotel expected to close on 3 acres of land this summer, developers said. It would complement offerings already in that area, including an existing Hampton Inn & Suites.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano joined other government leaders at the presentation in endorsing the project, calling the project a crowning achievement to what the county is trying to accomplish in the State Road 56 and Interstate 75 corridor.

“Two rinks would’ve been great, three rinks is phenomenal, but with four, everyone is going to want to come here and play this from all around the world,” Mariano said, highlighting potential interest to travel here from groups outside Florida, and even outside the United States. “If you had to go to Canada or down here to play hockey, where would you want to go?”

Published June 4, 2014

Barnes & Noble offers showcase for local authors

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If you’re looking for a new recipe, want to make a quilt, are in the mood for a little dark humor or want to be inspired, a selection of books by local authors may appeal to you.

Seventeen local authors will gather at Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass May 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., to sell their books and chat with patrons. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Seventeen local authors will gather at Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass May 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., to sell their books and chat with patrons.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Seventeen local authors will gather at Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass May 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., to offer their works for sale, chat with potential patrons, and sign books.

“It’s Barnes & Noble’s way to recognize the community,” said Paul Brouillard, assistant store manager at the bookstore, which is located at 28152 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel. “Our customers are readers. A lot of them aspire to be authors and have their books for sale in our store. So this is a great way to get the authors who are local to our store.”

It’s a fun event for the authors, Brouillard added. Besides having a chance to sell their work, they get to talk to customers and to network with each other.

The store will set the writers up in clusters at different locations in the store, with a sprinkling of genres at each table, Brouillard said.

“I’ll have a teen book maybe next to maybe one of the cooking books and the quilting book, something like that,” he said.

Some authors have been there before, such as Leigh Kenyon, a teenager who wrote “The Zebra Riders,” and Madonna Jervis Wise, a retired educator who has written several books, including “Wildcat Creek Kids,” “Sam & Company,” and “Juanita in Blue.” She’s also co-author of “Kachina and the Bully.”

Evelyn Johnson-Taylor, a women’s ministry leader, will be there with her book “A Woman’s Call, Living a Life of Purpose.”

Those interested in learning to quilt can pick up some pointers from Elizabeth Dackson, author of “Becoming a Confident Quilter.”

Guy Cote will offer his book “Long Live the King: Book One of the Charlemagne Saga.” Milt Harris will have three titles available, a book for young readers called “Foxy Roxy,” a self-help guide titled “Ceilings,” and the cookbook “Just Friggin’ Cook.”

Gail Yip-Chuck’s book, “The New Life Diet: A New Way of Eating and Being,” shares her message for diet and health, with the aim of helping readers transform their lives.

Jamie Elizabeth Tingen’s book, “Butterfly Messages,” is a story about second chances. It’s a particularly timely topic in this age of reconnections enabled through social media and of rekindled romance among former sweethearts who have found each other a divorce or the death of a spouse.

If you enjoy dark humor, “The Funeral Portrait” by Vincent Vinas, may be right up your alley.

Those who are drawn to history and photography may want to check out the work of R. Wayne Ayres, author of “Florida’s Grand Hotels from the Gilded Age” and “St. Petersburg: The Sunshine City.”

Other authors expected to be there are Jenice Armstead, Sarina Babb, Shelby Bender, Susan Noe Harmon, Paul Sunshine Murphy, Alison Oburia and  Ria Prestia.

Readers drawn to poetry may want to pick up a copy of “Eyes Open, Listening,” by Janet Watson, at the Barnes & Noble author gathering May 17 at The Shops at Wiregrass.

Here’s a selection from her book:

The Artist
His studio was under the basement stairs,
next to shelves of canned tomatoes,
beneath the foundation window through
which he could watch leaves scuttling by.

His day-job at the factory shared space
with thoughts of going home,
of what he’d sketch or paint—
a remembered face, the valley in spring.

His assembly line labor supported us,
and although I understood that need,
when people asked me what he did,
I always said my father was an artist.
-Janet Watson

Published May 7, 2014

Eat, drink and help charity with wine walk

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Next Wednesday, patrons at The Shops at Wiregrass will drink wine, sample food, listen to live music, and do a little shopping.

And they’ll help a charity at the same time.

Hundreds of people helped The Shops at Wiregrass raise more than $8,000 at last month’s Wine Walk Wednesday. Next week’s event will be the last one until September. (Courtesy of The Shops at Wiregrass)
Hundreds of people helped The Shops at Wiregrass raise more than $8,000 at last month’s Wine Walk Wednesday. Next week’s event will be the last one until September.
(Courtesy of The Shops at Wiregrass)

Wine Walk Wednesdays, a series of four events scheduled for this year, continues on May 7 at the shopping center, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel. The annual charity series benefits the Jason Ackerman Foundation, an organization that provides educational opportunities and entertainment experiences for young people who have endured various types of tragic circumstances.

They provide scholarship funds directly to four-year universities, community colleges and vocational training schools to benefit recipients based on financial need and their desire to make a positive impact on the community.

Wine Walk Wednesdays is fun for anyone looking for a fun destination, said Shops marketing director Debbie Detweiler.

“It’s a great thing not only for ‘girls night out,’ but also for couples as well,” she said. “And there are families who come out and they’re enjoying the entertainment and activities. It’s really casual and just a fun night, and it’s all for a great cause.”

Those who want to eat and drink will receive “passports” and a map, showing them the location of each tasting station. In addition to sampling wine and food, visitors can enjoy live music on two stages, mini-massages and models showing off the latest fashions.

There also will be caricature artists and free painting classes available.

While Wine Walk Wednesdays has been happening for a few years, the format changed for 2014. Instead of having it on four consecutive Wednesdays in one month each year, The Shops decided to host it on the first Wednesday in four different months: April, May, September and October.

Detweiler admitted that she wasn’t sure how the new format would be received, and was a little nervous before last month’s event. But when she saw people lining up for their passports, she knew it was going to be a success.

Judging by the final numbers, the change was a good one: April’s Wine Walk Wednesday attracted 560 participants and raised about $8,400 for the charity, making it the biggest opening of any year so far. While the first event is normally a bit slower, the strong start in 2014 allowed them to pace well ahead of their annual goal of $20,000.

The event is a true collaborative effort, Detweiler said, with several sponsors donating wine, food and many activities so the community can come together and support a good cause.

“It’s all of us working together, we’re going to be able to put a lot of scholarship dollars in the hands of these students,” she said. “We’re doing a lot of good for the community.”

The Jason Ackerman Foundation also takes an active role in the event, providing volunteers and helping put it together.

“They’re just a great organization and have a strong source of volunteers who are committed to the cause,” Detweiler said. “They’ve been a great partner for us the last three years and we’re really excited too work with them again this year.”

Wine Walk Wednesday runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event is free, but participating in the wine and food tasting has a donation request of $15, of which 100 percent goes to the charity.

And in thanks for their donation, each participant also receives a wine tumbler to keep.

For information on Wine Walk Wednesdays, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com, or call (813) 994-2242.

For information about the Jason Ackerman Foundation, visit JasonAckermanFoundation.org, or call (813) 915-2766.

Published April 30, 2014

Local woman revels in Boston Marathon run

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Trish Trout can scratch an item off her bucket list.

The Wesley Chapel woman completed the 118th Boston Marathon on April 21, finishing the 26.2-mile course in 6 hours and 14 minutes.

It was a day that she’ll never forget.

Trish Trout is taking it all in as she runs in the 118th Boston Marathon. (Courtesy of Trish Trout)
Trish Trout is taking it all in as she runs in the 118th Boston Marathon.
(Courtesy of Trish Trout)

“I was in the center of the Boston Marathon,” Trout said. “You’re a rock star for a day. It’s like everybody’s your best friend.”

It came a year after bombings rocked the event, and security was tight, Trout said. Military police, Boston police and other law enforcement officers were stationed about every 150 yards along the route.

Helicopters hovered over the crowds. Armored trucks blocked roads. Bomb-sniffing dogs walked through the crowds, Trout added.

“My cheering section could not get to the finish line because it was lockdown. Even VIP ticket holders were kept out,” she said.

Despite the heavy security, the atmosphere was festive.

“It was a beautiful day. The energy was unreal,” Trout said. “At times, it was breathtaking, just seeing all of those people in support, and all of the runners. All ages, all shapes and sizes. It was awesome.”

Spectators lined the course, cheering on runners. People grilled on barbecues at nearby marathon parties.

Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” blasted, as Trout made her way through Natick, a town on the route. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” filled the air as she ran through the suburb of Newton. All along the way, Trout high-fived little kids.

Her name was printed on the front of her shirt, and as she ran past, spectators offered encouragement.

“When I would hear my name — and I heard it a lot — I would give a thumbs up,” Trout said.

She was delighted to see her former colleague Steve Twitty, who came with his wife, to watch her run. They made a sign to cheer her on.

Her running partner, Jacqueline Pastika of Land O’ Lakes, was not able to come, so she sent a life-size cardboard cutout that Trout’s kids, Alexa and Adam, lugged around from place to place to offer Trout moral support.

“Runners along the course also encouraged each other. Literally everyone was there to finish, and we all helped each other cross the finish line,” she said.

The crowds, the signs and the flags people waved along the course inspired Trout.

“There were only a few quiet areas along the course, and that’s when I tried to regroup and clear my mind,” Trout said.

Trout had a hip injury shortly before the marathon. While her hip didn’t bother her, she had some foot problems. So, she ran when she could, but also walked for three miles.

“I wanted to run smart. Also, I wanted to take everything in,” Trout said. “I wanted to be able to remember it. It was a huge deal.”

As she made her way through the course, she drank water and Gatorade at stations along the way.

“And, probably from Mile 15 to 21, people along the route would have orange wedges, pretzels, Twizzlers, Gummy Bears, anything to keep you going. I took it all in,” Trout said. “Right before I made the final turn onto Boylston Street, I heard someone in the crowd yell to me ‘Trish, you’re going to be a Boston Marathon finisher.’”

That was nearly the same thing Trout’s daughter told her before she went to the hotel.

“She told me, ‘The next time I hug you, you will be a Boston Marathon finisher.’ Each time I heard it, I cried,” Trout said. “I knew going into it that I was going to start and I was going to finish. Nothing was going to stop me. I didn’t have to roll. I didn’t have to crawl.”

Instead, she was running at a slow jog when she hit the finish line.

Before she injured herself, Trout had hoped to complete the race in five-and-a-half hours. She gave herself another hour after her injury.

She beat that goal by16 minutes, and she made memories for a lifetime.

Still raising funds
Trish Trout took part in the 118th Boston Marathon on April 21 as a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston provides cancer treatment for adults and children.

Trout pledged to raise at least $9,650 for Dana-Farber.

The race is over, but she’s still collecting funds for the cause. So far, she has raised $11,600. If she hits her goal of $13,100, she will shave her head as a sign of solidarity for people suffering from cancer, who don’t think they have anyone who cares.

Fundraising closes on May 21.

Those wishing to make a donation can visit RunDFMC.org/2014/trish.

Published April 30, 2014