The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Zephyrhills/East Pasco News

Sip and stroll, with a purpose

By

The Dade City Garden Club once again will host its “Uncorked” fundraiser on Nov. 13 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the club, 13630 Fifth St., in Dade City.

Guests can sip wine, have appetizers and listen to music while they stroll through the Dade City Garden Club’s annual ‘Uncorked’ fundraiser. (Courtesy of Joan Hepscher)

This afternoon adventure is for ages 21 and older, and includes wine, food, music, and craft beer.

Guests can sip wine, taste beer, nibble on paired appetizers, win prizes and listen to festive music, all while strolling the club’s gardens.

Six stations will feature red and white wines, along with a station featuring craft beers from Dade City Brew House. Wines will be available for sale from Time for Wine. Guests can have their drinks poured by Dade City’s own “celebrity” pourers.

Looking to relax a bit? Take a seat on the Celebration Patio, a bistro setting in the gardens, and listen to the sounds of the Dennis Alfonso Combo.

Check out cooking demonstrations throughout the afternoon, and taste samples and take home new recipes, too.

Event tickets are $40 each, and can be purchased by emailing Debbie Parks at , or by calling 352-567-9003 or 813-714-5591.

Proceeds from the event will go toward the garden club’s 501C3, benefiting the historic building and garden maintenance and restoration.

Published November 03, 2021

Roadway connectivity is key to Zephyrhills’ economic vitality

By

The Zephyrhills area has experienced burgeoning activity in the way of residential growth and commercial development.

Pasco County Commission chairman Ron Oakley has witnessed it firsthand, since being elected in 2016.

“Zephyrhills has been a very good, working city,” said Oakley, who represents District 1, which covers areas in East and Central Pasco.

“Economically, they’ve done very well over the years, and I mean, it just didn’t start here lately, it’s been that way.

Pasco County Commission chairman Ron Oakley was a featured guest speaker during the fifth annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit in October, at Zephyrhills City Hall. (File)

“They have a good council here, and they have good planners and others,” the county board leader said.

But Oakley is especially enthused about the forthcoming roadway connectivity in and out of the city limits — which he detailed as one of the featured speakers at the fifth annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit held last month, at Zephyrhills City Hall.

The Oct. 13 event was organized by the City of Zephyrhills, Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition, Main Street Zephyrhills, Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC), and AdventHealth Zephyrhills/Dade City.

These were among the finished or active projects that Oakley highlighted:

  • State Road 56 extension, from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wesley Chapel to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills
  • Wire Road pavement rehabilitation
  • County Road 54, east to 23rd Street, which includes traffic signals, turn lanes, and multi-use path
  • U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road, which includes traffic signals and median improvements

“Those are great things happening, because that’s going to help everybody move around better,” Oakley said.

Some countywide roadway upgrades also will benefit the municipality, too, Oakley noted.

That includes the $33.6 million diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 75 and State Road 56, which is expected to be completed in summer 2022.

Oakley put it like this: “What good is a diverging diamond to Zephyrhills? Well, economically, it helps people get in and out of the area, and it helps them get here, and then also to get out of here.”

There’s also the $64 million interstate interchange on I-75 at Overpass Road, south of State Road 52, scheduled for completion in late 2022 or early 2023.

“That’s going to help divide that traffic up from (State Road) 56, to Overpass to (State Road) 54 and then (State Road) 52,” Oakley said.

By spreading the traffic out, “your movement will be much better,” he explained.

Oakley was quick to point out that these big-ticket roadway infrastructure projects would not be possible without the mobility fees paid by surrounding growth and development.

“None of this happens without the fact that we’re doing a lot of residential development that brings in impact fees (mobility fees) and school impact fees that builds schools, and also pays for the roads that you see,” he said.

Large developments are in progress
Oakley also told the crowd about some of the large-scale developments that he said, “are cropping up everywhere around the city.”

He directed attention to Two Rivers, a master-planned unit development (MPUD) zoning off State Road 56, between Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301.

Roadway infrastructure improvements — such as the Overpass Road connection with Interstate 75 — were a key theme during the fifth annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit.

The project is substantial.

The county has approved up to 6,400 residences, more than 2.6 million square feet of office and industrial, and 630,000 square feet of commercial uses.

The 3,405-acre property’s southern boundary is on the north side of County Line Road, and its northern boundary is on the north side of State Road 56.

The Two Rivers development also includes a site for an elementary school, middle school and high school, an 80-acre district park and a public safety site.

“All these developments are going to bring more people into the economy of Zephyrhills; very important for that economy,” Oakley said. “Those people coming in will be really helping a lot of businesses here in Zephyrhills.”

The speaker acknowledged the possible strain on services and utilities such as water and sewer, but assured local citizens that the county is well-prepared.

“There’s nothing wrong with good, planned growth,” Oakley said.

The commissioner also shared his vision and standards for new residential developments popping up in East Pasco.

These large developments, the commissioner said, should entail “good architectural views, good landscaping, and a place you’d be proud to live in.”

In the same breath, he pushed back on small-lot housing subdivisions.

“I honestly believe that we shouldn’t have 40-foot lots,” he said. “We have some, and they work, I guess, somewhere, but they’re really too small.”

He continued, “We want to build a whole residential development that’s more of a community, and not houses right beside each other, with no landscaping. We want something to be proud of in Pasco.”

Elsewhere, Oakley mentioned the county is working on plans to help small businesses, in the way of zero-interest loans, grants and other assistance programs.

“They’re pretty much the backbone of our community, when you think about all the small businesses,” said Oakley. “We have the big businesses, and they’re a different source themselves, but small business is very important.”

State Rep. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills

Burgess bullish on Zephyrhills armory
State Rep. Danny Burgess, R- Zephyrhills also participated in the economic summit, speaking virtually from his Tallahassee office.

His remarks focused on the forthcoming Florida National Guard Armory coming to Zephyrhills that is set to be located near the city’s municipal airport.

State lawmakers earmarked $25 million for the construction of the project during the past legislative session.

Burgess described the project as “a first-of-its kind, state-of-the-art armory.”

He said it will employ many full-time Army officers during the week, plus hundreds of soldiers and service people visiting on weekends.

The legislator views the armory as “a big economic driver” for the city, where soldiers and service members “work and eat and stay and play in our community.”

“It’s not just a military installation, it’s not just a home for the National Guard,” Burgess said. “It’s going to be really good, and it’s moving fast, so we should hopefully have some great direction here soon.”

What makes the project even more special, Burgess said, is that Zephyrhills is a community that has deep military roots and a record of support for the armed forces.

The city was founded by Civil War veteran Capt. Howard B. Jeffries, as a retirement area for union soldiers.

The city’s airport property was used by the U.S. Army in the 1940s as a training airfield for combat pilots.

“We should all be very, very proud of this,” Burgess added of the armory.

Burgess went on to praise the city’s windfall in the latest state budget, which included several appropriations, including $6.5 million for water and wastewater improvements on Handcart Road; $4.6 million for improvements to the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center; and $3 million for improvements to the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

Said Burgess, “It’s a testament to our community, to the things that are happening in our community, to the businesses in our community and our community leaders.”

As a sign of the municipality’s wave of progress, back in June Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared at Zephyrhills City Hall for a state budget-signing ceremony— penning into law a record-setting $101.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2021-2022.

The invite-only press conference drew several dozens of area residents, business owners and government officials, in a standing-room only affair.

Burgess also credited Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson (R-Trilby) for his continuous support of Zephyrhills at the state level.

“He has always looked out for that community, and he sees the value in our location geographically and from an infrastructure standpoint, and he just wants to see us succeed,” Burgess said.

Other featured presentations during the summit came from Zephyrhills Planning Director Todd Vande Berg; David Waronker, CBD Real Estate Investment president; Randy Stovall, Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition chairman; and Tom Ryan, Pasco Economic Development Coalition director of business development.

Zephyrhills is now Pasco’s biggest city
The City of Zephyrhills has surpassed New Port Richey as Pasco County’s biggest city, based on data collected in the 2020 U.S. Census.

The Pasco County Commission discussed the shift during its board meeting on Oct. 26, noting that it will have to make some new appointments to boards that include a representative from the county’s largest municipality.

Census data reports that Zephyrhills had a population of 17,194 on April 1, 2020. Its population was 13,288 as of April 1, 2010.

New Port Richey’s population was 16,728 on April 1, 2020, compared to 14,911 on April 1, 2010.

Census figures for local jurisdictions include:

Jurisdiction                             April 1, 2020               April 1, 2010
Pasco County                          561,891                       464,697
Zephyrhills                              17,194                         13,288
Dade City                                7,550                           6,437
New Port Richey                     16,728                         14,911
Hillsborough County               1,459,762                    1,229,226
Tampa                                     384,959                       335,709

Pasco County Commissioners discussed Zephyrhills’ shift to become the county’s largest city, noting that it will mean that some appointments will need to change next year because certain boards require representation from the county’s largest city.

Published November 03, 2021

Pioneer Florida Museum will guide Dade City Christmas Parade

By

Dade City kicks off its holiday season each year with the Magical Night Christmas Parade, an event that dates back to at least 1982.

It typically draws thousands of spectators, to see floats, entertainment acts, bands, vendors, seasonal displays and Santa Claus.

The annual Christmas shindig will press on, but under new guidance and leadership.

The Pioneer Florida Museum and Village now will host the downtown holiday event, instead of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

The parade is scheduled for Dec. 10 at 7 p.m., in downtown Dade City.

The Dade City chamber indicated it wanted to focus efforts on larger events, such as the signature Kumquat Festival, traditionally held the last Saturday in January, according to Pioneer Florida Museum executive director Stephanie Bracknell Black.

The decision to hand the Christmas parade off to the local museum came after Black recently met with Dade City Chamber executive director John Moors and city administration.

“It was just mentioned to us that the chamber was no longer looking to do the Christmas parade,” Black said.

“They were looking for someone else to take it over…and it just seemed like a good fit for the museum to go ahead and take it over,” she said.

The Christmas parade was canceled last year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Attendees shouldn’t expect too much change from the typical holiday format, at least for this year, as the museum takes the reins so close to the date.

The announcement of the parade organization change came in an Oct. 20 press release from the museum.

Many volunteers who have previously worked on the parade with the chamber are expected to continue to assist the museum.

“We’re doing mostly everything pretty much the same,” Black said. “We’ve had the similar requirements and stuff that they had done in the past. It’s going to be the same. We’re going to try to keep it the same as it always has been. It’s worked in years past, so we’re going to go ahead and give it a try and keep everything pretty much the same.”

The official parade route will begin at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/Fifth Street, head west on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/Seventh Street, south to Church Avenue, and then east to Fifth Street, in front of the local post office.

Simpson Lakes jumped aboard as the parade’s first sponsor and Grand Marshal.

Black, who lives in Zephyrhills, has brought her children and grandchildren to the event many times over, during the parade’s three-decade run.

She’s also been actively involved in the festivities, when she worked for Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco County, which has had floats in the parade previously.

“I think everybody looks forward to the night parade,” she said. “It’s part of everyone’s Christmas tradition in this area.”

It’s customary for people to eat, shop and stroll the city’s downtown area hours before the event kicks off. Attendees also are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for the night’s showing.

Black acknowledged it’s tough to speculate about how many attendees are expected this year, with lingering pandemic issues, but she noted, “usually every year, it’s one of the bigger parades.”

The museum is currently accepting parade entry applications and other sponsors.

Parade entry applications are due by 5 p.m., Nov. 12.

Registration may close early if the parade entries reach the limited capacity of about 80 floats.

Black noted entries “seem to be coming in pretty quickly.”

The Pioneer Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the historic preservation and education of Florida’s pioneer heritage.

The museum is located a mile north of downtown Dade City, just off U.S. 301, at 15602 Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City.

For more information, visit PioneerFloridaMusuem.org, or call 352-567-0262.

Dade City Christmas Parade
When: Dec. 10, at 7 p.m.
Where: Downtown Dade City

Published November 03, 2021

Zephyrhills festival celebrates fall

By

Zachary Balogh, right, and his brother, drummer Caleb Balogh, left, make up the duo, ‘Kid Ambient Arcade.’ They played for a crowd at the Main Street stage at the Zephyrhills Harvest Festival. (Fred Bellet)

Throwing foam and Velcro hatchets, tossing bean bags, listening to music and enjoying refreshments were just some options available at the Zephyrhills Harvest Festival held on Oct. 23 in the East Pasco’s city downtown.

Three year-old Noah Sykes, of Wesley Chapel, dressed in a Chase Paw Patrol costume, seemed to get a kick out of an attraction that had festival-goers throwing foam and Velcro hatchets.

He accompanied his 4-year-old brother, Jayden Sykes, and their dad, Jason Sykes, the festivities.

Oscar Ramirez, of Wesley Chapel, was there, too, and he went home carrying a ukulele he bought from Giorgio Castaldi, of Lutz, one of festival’s many vendors.

Ramirez was with 4-year-old Valentino Neris, 14-year-old  Dereck Neris and 13-year-old Oscar Neris.

Numerous churches also were represented at the festival, which drew people from a wide variety of places, including Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Lakeland, Zephyrhills, Odessa and Plant City.

Published November 03, 2021

A harvested pumpkin was among the seasonal decorations at the Church of The Nazarene booth, one of many churches represented at the Zephyrhills Harvest Festival. Grace Smith, top/right and her daughter, Bethany Smith, make their way down Main Street perusing booths.
Lining up some of his inventory of guitars is Giorgio Castaldi and his wife, Jackie Castaldi, of the Spanish Guitar Shop in Lutz. They brought a number of special guitars to the festival.
Five-year-old Alivia Parker, of Zephyrhills, is delighted with the balloon poodle made for her by Jan Monroe, a member of the Ladies Oriental Shrine.
Carolyn Krug, of Zephyrhills, shows off one of the many lighted glass blocks she crafted and filled with a string of LED lights, that are powered by a small battery.
Under the ‘Scentsy’ tent, stacks of scented wax await buyers, and 8-month-old Rasberri Harper keeps herself busy as her mother April Harper, her grandmother Virginia Anderson, and her aunt Ruth Clark serve customers.
Having their snapshot taken by Samantha Harmeson at the Zephyrhills Harvest Festival are Rosa, right, and Luz Trevino, of Zephyrhills. People who had their picture taken will find the photo in the email addresses they provided.
Lauren Masters, 3, of Plant City, sits on the lap of her great-grandmother, Lori Gay, as they make their way on Gay’s motorized chair, along booths situated on Main Street.
Three year-old Noah Sykes, of Wesley Chapel, dressed in a Chase Paw Patrol costume, admires the one (out of five) foam and Velcro hatchets that stuck to the target. He was at the Zephyrhills Harvest Festival with his 4-year-old brother, Jayden Sykes, and their dad, Jason Sykes.
Pete White, of Odessa, sits behind a sea of seasonal centerpieces on the table at Gigi’s Gifts, at the Zephyrhills Harvest Festival. White’s daughter, Gini Ruggiero, of Wesley Chapel, makes the home decor by hand.
Oscar Ramirez, of Wesley Chapel, carries a ukulele he bought from renown guitar-maker Giorgio Castaldi, of Lutz, one of many vendors at the harvest festival. Ramirez was with 4-year-old Valentino Neris, lower/center, and 14-year-old Dereck Neris, back/left, and 13-year-old Oscar Neris.
Barbara Stetson, of Zephyrhills, sets out a basket of Halloween candy under the tent of Marcie L. Baker, a Zephyrhills attorney — who also happens to be her daughter.

This Dade City festival paid homage to Monarch butterflies

By

Cindy Smith, a recently retired Pasco County Schools art teacher and Land O’ Lakes resident, displays her craft business, Be Dazzled, at the festival. She specializes in handcrafted beaded and clay jewelry, as well as other unique items. (Kelli Carmack)

The Dade City Monarch Butterfly Festival celebrated a winged creature that is perhaps North America’s best-known butterfly.

The Dade City Garden Club and Dade City Youth Council teamed up to present the festivities, which took place on Oct. 23, at Hibiscus Park in Dade City.

Those wishing to do a little shopping could choose from native plants, handcrafted jewelry, pottery and other items.

There were educational displays and presentations on monarch butterflies, raffles and plenty of hands-on activities for the kids.

Dade City was proclaimed a “Monarch City USA” back in 2019. The designation refers to the city’s efforts to maintain the survival of monarch butterflies.

For more information about the Dade City Garden club, visit DadeCityGardenClub.com.

Note: See a short video with scenes from the festival at https://business.facebook.com/LakerLutzNews/videos/923321675272194/.

Published November 03, 2021

Lanky Lassie’s Shortbread, a bakery in Dade City, was among many vendors at the festival. Owner Mary Katherine Mason offers free samples of some of her most popular flavors such as dark chocolate caramel pecan, chocolate chip and guava. Mason, a Dade City native, got into the spirit of the event by getting herself a butterfly face painting.
Betsy Krumsick is ecstatic getting her face painted by Gina Allison, owner of Gigi and Friends Entertainment, a party service that offered butterfly face paintings, complimentary of Lanky Lassie’s Shortbread, at the festival.
A little girl pretends she’s a butterfly at the Dade City Monarch Butterfly Festival. The event had lots of opportunities, for young and old alike, to have a good time and appreciate the beauty of monarch butterflies.
Rebecca Norris, a teacher at Rodney B. Cox Elementary School in Dade City, volunteers as a stilt walker at the butterfly festival. She’s been experimenting in circus art for the past six years.

Youths get a chance to learn about farm safety

By

Youths gathered recently to learn more about farm safety, in a special Youth Farm Safety Day on Oct. 18, organized by the Pasco County CattleWomen’s Association. (Courtesy of Casie Holloway)

The Pasco County CattleWomen’s Association organized a Youth Farm Safety Day on Oct. 18, to gives youths a chance to learn about various aspects of farm safety.

Ninety-five youths from across Pasco County who are actively engaged in agricultural operations had a chance to learn more about safety relating to eight specific areas: animals, hand tools, wild animals, knives and machetes, tractors, lawn equipment, all-terrain vehicles and personal protection, according to Casie Holloway, president of the Pasco Cattlewomen’s Association.

Holloway provided information to The Laker/Lutz News regarding the CattleWomen’s special day.

Participating youths are involved in agricultural pursuits in a variety of ways, including FFA, 4-H, or by living on a farm or a ranch, according to Holloway’s submission.

The event was held at Bird Island Lake Ranch, in Dade City.

The Pasco County CattleWomen’s Association is grateful for supporters who made the event possible, Holloway noted.

The sponsors were Famous Tate Appliances; Pasco County Farm Bureau; Pasco County Cattlemen’s Association; Lowman Law Firm; Florida Wildlife Commission; and Everglades Tractor, in Odessa.

Published November 03, 2021

A large group of young people gathered recently to learn farm safety relating to several specific topics. The special day was organized by the Pasco County CattleWomen’s Association and was supported by a number of sponsors.

Upgrades on tap for Zephyrhills Municipal Airport

By

Major renovations and changes are coming to the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport — in an effort to transform the facility from a general aviation airport to one that offers more accommodations for corporate jets.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe dished on the various happenings at the city-owned airport, located at 39459 South Ave., while speaking during the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit at Zephyrhills City Hall.

The Oct. 13 event was organized by the City of Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition, Main Street Zephyrhills, Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC), and AdventHealth Zephyrhills/Dade City.

The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is undergoing several upgrades and improvements. Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe detailed the forthcoming changes during the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit earlier this month. (File)

The city manager was among several speakers during the economic summit.

Poe quipped that the local airport is “the best in Pasco County,” adding, “part of that is because we’re the only general aviation airport in Pasco County, but we are growing.”

He opened his briefing by mentioning the progress coming along on the extension of Runway 1/19 — with tree-clearing already underway along Chancey Road.

The project lengthens the runway by 1,500 feet — up to 6,200 feet, from the current 4,700 feet.

The work is being funded through a $5.9 million state appropriation that was received back in 2018.

The 1,500-foot extension will allow the airport to accommodate an additional 17 different types of aircraft (including C-2 and D-2 corporate jets that hold anywhere from 14 to 20 passengers), Poe explained.

“We’re trying to grow, we’re trying to go more toward the corporate customers,” Poe said.

The airport also received $3 million from the state this past year to construct itinerant parking for all aircraft arrivals and departures other than local aircraft operations.

This upgrade goes hand in hand with the Runway 1/19 extension.

The parking is for the additional corporate jets the airport is hoping to attract through its longer runway, the city manager said.

Presently, incoming and outgoing aircraft are forced to park in front of the airport’s fixed-base operation terminal, which is not ideal, Poe noted.

“We have issues with the jet parking, right in front of the terminal, trying to get gas. It’s just not good; there’s a lot of potential issues that happen with that,” said the city manager.

Other airport improvement projects also are in the pipeline. These are mostly being funded with help from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), with the city contributing a smaller share. The list includes:

  • Rehabilitation and pavement of Taxiway A
  • Upgrades to the fuel farm
  • Upgrades to airfield beacons

Zephyrhills has its eyes set on greater aviation infrastructure improvements, too.

In advance of the 2022 legislative session, the city is requesting an additional $5.33 million from the state that would encompass building another taxiway, two box hangars and a newly renovated fixed-base operator terminal.

The most expensive proposition of the three-pronged initiative — if funding is approved — is a new fixed-base operator terminal, which would become a rest stop for pilots flying in and out of the airport, while also serving as an upgraded office space for airport staff.

Said Poe, “When pilots come in, they need to be able to plan the rest of the legs of their flight, have an area to come in, relax, watch some TV, take a shower, grab something to eat.”

Elsewhere, Poe underscored the critical role of the Pasco EDC — specifically business development director Tom Ryan — for helping to promote the municipal airport at ongoing events and conferences nationwide.

Ryan is responsible for business development of new and expanding office, technology, and industrial related businesses and parks, according to the Pasco EDC’s website.

His responsibilities also include coordinating strategies to support economic development efforts in targeted areas, including confidential site analysis, regulatory assistance, compiling location data and incentive programs.

“Tom makes trips all over the country and talks highly of Zephyrhills, and helps to market us (to places) where the city cannot get out to,” Poe said.

Poe also emphasized the airport could not make major improvements without grants from the DOT, FAA and state legislature.

He pointed out the city has received roughly $10 million worth of grants in the past three years alone, adding, “there’s (been) a number of grants, millions of dollars before that, and there’s hopefully, millions of dollars after that.”

Published October 27, 2021

CRA agency outlines initiatives

By

The Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is hitting the ground running regarding initiatives in the city’s historic downtown district, in the new fiscal year.

The Zephyrhills City Council, which doubles as the CRA board, has approved the agency’s 2021-2022 budget for $879,814.

That’s a sizable increase from the previous budget, which was $578,244.

The Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has set forth several initiatives for the city’s historic downtown in its 2021-2022 fiscal year budget. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills CRA)

That boost is partially due to an increase in the agency’s ad valorem revenues during recent years.

In the fiscal 2021-2022 budget, the agency’s tax increment financing (TIF) revenues are proposed to be $562,848 — up from $428,630 in 2020-2021 and $315,410 in 2019-2020, respectively.

“What we’re doing is working,” CRA Director Gail Hamilton told the CRA board during a Sept. 27 meeting at Zephyrhills City Hall. “The values continue to increase, the market doesn’t hurt us any at all, so what we’re doing as far as residential is going well, it’s working. We’ve got some new commercial projects going in the coming year.”

However, Hamilton acknowledged retail spacing “continues to struggle” in the historic district, so the agency is planning some incentive programs to lure new merchants.

The bulk of this year’s CRA budget is set aside for three major capital outlay projects — combining to total $672,500:

  • Little But Loud outdoor venue: $250,000
  • First United Methodist Church of Zephyrhills parking lot improvements: $320,000
  • Entrance signage installation: $102,500

The Little But Loud project, planned at 38426 Sixth Ave., is envisioned as an entertainment backyard space of sorts featuring food trucks, vendor carts, games, live music, public art installations, and various seating and lounge areas.

It is planned for a 150-foot by 60-foot city-owned vacant lot at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Eighth Street, and is the CRA’s scaled-down version of Sparkman Wharf, a popular waterfront venue in downtown Tampa’s Channelside.

“I know there are some that say we can’t do it for $250,000, but we’re going to see what we can do,” Hamilton said, referring to Little But Loud.

Hamilton also underscored the importance to lease and repair the church parking lot located right in the center of downtown, at 38635 Fifth Ave.

She said the East Pasco town has few public parking options in downtown, aside from Zephyrhills City Hall, which is often at capacity.

“One of the problems that we encountered last year was that there is no public parking in downtown,” she said.

Besides formalizing a long-term lease, CRA funds will be used to address paving, stormwater and lighting issues on the church’s lot, which is over 20 years old.

“When a developer comes to us and wants to build something, we have strict standards on what the parking lot has to be. We have to follow those standards, as well,” Hamilton told CRA board members.

“It’ll be an asset to have a paved parking lot downtown,” she added.

Installing entrance signage to provide a gateway to the historic district is another noteworthy capital project.

The first sign is expected to be constructed and installed between Fifth Avenue and U.S. 301.

Moving forward, Hamilton said the agency is aiming to launch “a real campaign” about what the city has to offer “and try to get people motivated to look at downtown and the CRA district.”

The CRA director later encouraged city leadership to make suggestions about what else they’d like to see within the historic downtown district — which spans approximately 501 acres and encompasses the center spine of the city, generally between Hercules Park to C Avenue, and from Zephyr Park to 17th Street.

She noted some smaller undertakings in the past year included installing landscaping, benches and pots along Fifth Avenue; installing public Wi-Fi downtown; and installing streaming wireless audio speakers downtown.

“If there is a project, if there is something you see in another community, let us know, let’s talk about it,” said Hamilton. “The CRA has to be nimble enough that we can change and meet the demands of the market, because improving the market, improving the ad valorem taxes is why we’re here.”

Meantime, Main Street Zephyrhills Director Faith Wilson shared several event updates during the CRA meeting:

  • Preparations are underway for Halloween Howl, scheduled for Oct. 30 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., along Fifth Avenue. Family friendly activities will include a pony ride, petting zoo, haunted house, hayride and face painting. There also will be a ghost tour “to offer our citizens something new and exciting,” Wilson said.
  • The 2021 Festival of Lights Christmas Parade is scheduled for Dec. 4 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., in downtown Zephyrhills. This year’s event theme is “Candyland Christmas.”
  • The annual Zephyrhills Founder’s Day Parade and Heritage Festival may need to be rescheduled or pared to an evening event with no parade.

It’s anticipated March 5 date coincides with The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce’s annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest.

The city’s Founder’s Day event is supposed to be on the Saturday closest to March 10, without going beyond it. City officials are actively discussing various options and possibilities, noting parade attendance has fallen off over the years.

  • Main Street Zephyrhills Board of Directors approved a new “community and unity” initiative, which aims to help create a positive narrative around events and partnerships within the city. “We all want to do good for Zephyrhills,” Wilson said, “and by working together, we can do great things for our community, so organizations can join together with Main Street to co-host and coordinate events downtown, and instead of competition, it’s cohesive and we work together.”

One upcoming “community and unity” event is the First Florida Chapter of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association Fall Rally Honoring Our Nations Veterans, from Nov. 12 to Nov. 14.

  • Wilson also noted that she participated in the Florida Main Street’s fall quarterly conference meeting in Crystal River. “There were some great community branding and marketing strategies presented,” she said.

City of Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency fund

Budget: $879,814

  • Personnel services: $112,549
  • Operating expenditures: $69,765
  • Capital outlay: $672,500
  • Contributions: $25,000

Published October 27, 2021

Having a rockin’ good time at Paulie Palooza

By

The 10th annual Paulie Palooza Music Festival had six headliners, including The Sand Spurs, shown here. Paul Correia, in the green shirt, is a member of the group. He also is the founder of the music festival. (Kelli Carmack)

The 10th annual Paulie Palooza Music Festival featured live music, of course, but it also had food trucks, silent auctions, prize drawings and more.

The festival, sponsored by Gulfside Healthcare Services, took place on Main Street Zephyrhills on Oct. 16, from noon to 9 p.m.

Performers for the music festival included Clancee, The Time Travelers, David Teague, The Sand Spurs, Southern Nights, and Kind Villain.

The event was created by Paul Correia in 2012 to honor the memory of his father, who passed away while under Gulfside Hospice care, in 2010. All proceeds raised from the event go to benefit Gulfside’s hospice program, which provides patient care and bereavement services to more than 650 patients and families daily, in the local community.

Gulfside Healthcare Services is a nonprofit organization, which has been serving the community for more than 30 years.

Its three lines of business include Gulfside Hospice, offering care for patients at end of life; Gulfside Palliative Care, providing treatment options for those with chronic illness; and Gulfside Home Health, helping patients stay independent through skilled nursing and rehabilitation at home.

For more information about Gulfside Healthcare Services, visit Gulfside.org, or call 800-561-4883.

Note: See a video of the event on our website and Facebook page.

Published October 27, 2021

Paul Correia, founder of the Paulie Palooza Music Festival, was presented with a celebratory gift for the event’s 10th year anniversary. The gift was presented by Carla Armstrong, director of philanthropy for Gulfside Healthcare Services, and Leesa Fryer, fundraising and event planning specialist. (Courtesy of Alexandra Correia)
Hudson resident Susan Bishop was among the vendors at the 10th annual Paulie Palooza Music Festival. She said the event had special meaning to her because her father was a Gulfside patient in 2017. (Kelli Carmack)
Festival-attendee Heather Stephenson glimpses at the silent auction prizes up for grabs at the event. Prizes included an autographed Tampa Bay Buccaneers football, a signed Tampa Bay Lightning jersey, paintings, portrait sessions, handcrafted items and more. (Kelli Carmack)
Eurbana Lambert, 99, is all smiles as she finds the perfect seat in the shade to listen to some live music.
Ronald and Rochelle Moss, who have been married for 58 years, were color coordinated for the festival. They have lived in Zephyrhills for seven years.

Movie brings scares to Dade City

By

Dade City may be best known for its antique shops, rolling hills and kumquats — but the charming, quaint town may soon be known as a consummate setting for scary movies, too.

For two-plus weeks in October, an independent, low-budget horror film production company — Cape Coral-based Bad Clown Films — ventured into some of the city’s remote locations to shoot a new feature-length film, “Bed of Nails.”

Michael Malott, holding his bullhorn, yells ‘action’ to start a scene while filming the feature-length horror film, ‘Bed of Nails.’ Malott is filming in various Dade City-area locations. (Fred Bellet)

The movie — set to be released around Halloween 2022 — has a plot as eerie as its title.

The film is about three gothic kids from Atlanta, who are camping in the rural countryside in middle Florida while on their way to the Florida Keys.

Instead of making their way to the Keys, the campers are stalked and murdered by a group of fanatic rednecks.

But the killers never planned on one of the kids — a self-proclaimed witch who is into the occult — coming back from the dead to wreak havoc and destroy the rednecks, one by one.

“Our motto is, ‘Never mess with a goth girl,’” Bed of Nails producer and director Michael Malott said in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “That’s the motto of the film.”

Between scenes, Erin Pearl, left, of Fort Myers, and Deanna Marine, of Orlando, talk about an upcoming scene with makeup artist Hannah Denney. A boom microphone with a furry wind filter is among the audio equipment used on the movie set.

The R-rated film features about a dozen cast members, including former Whitesnake and Alice Cooper guitarist Mike Francis.

The musician-turned-actor, starring as the film’s main bad guy, recently had finished filming scenes at Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles for legendary Hollywood director Martin Scorcese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

That film also stars Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow and Brendan Frasier.

Malott has known Francis for years, having been a longtime Grammy award-winning creator, producer and music manager.

“He had some credibility and experience in film, so I wanted to utilize him,” Malott said of Francis.

Some local actors, extras and crew members were incorporated into “Bed of Nails,” too.

Carson Carollo, a recent Hernando High School graduate, is a cast member in the horror film, ‘Bed of Nails.’

Needing a rural, swampy environment as a setting for the flick, Malott keyed in on the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve West Tract, about five miles from downtown Dade City.

He had also considered filming in the Florida Everglades, but because it is owned and operated by the U.S. government, obtaining film permits was more challenging, he said.

Pasco County’s tourism department — Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — assisted the filmmaker with a referral to utilize some private property off State Road 575 in the Dade City area.

The property features a main house, secondary house and other accents, such as a footbridge needed to pull off eerie and gory scenes.

“It just had the right kind of imagery that I was looking for in the film,” Malott said. “We had two buildings to utilize, and we also had all of the swamp area, so everything that we needed, as far as a primary film location, was right there in our hands.

“What we ended up with was a private area of land that was out in the Green Swamp, and we were able to get all of the atmosphere that we needed for the motion picture, with far less complication (than the Florida Everglades),” he said.

Other scenes from the $41,000 budgeted movie were shot at Jim’s Tires & Wheels on Lock Street and Bill Ryan Auto Sales on U.S. 301, as well as some driving footage set out along Lacoochee Clay Sink Road.

Erin Pearl, of Fort Myers, plays ‘Lisa’ in the upcoming feature film, ‘Bed of Nails.’

Most filming took place from dusk to dawn.

“There were some long nights,” Malott said.

Some strange ones, too.

Malott encountered a Florida panther within 20 yards of him on the second day of filming.

The siren on his megaphone spooked the wild animal off, luckily.

“I was scared to death,” Malott said. “I thought I was panther food.”

The filmmaker recalled intermittent odd noises from the woods, as well as an inexplicable occurrence where an estimated 200-pound log attached to a tree limb mysteriously flew onto the film set.

Director Michael Malott, right, frames a view of a scene with actress Erin Pearl, of Fort Myers. Pearl plays the part of ‘Lisa’ in ‘Bed of Nails,’ being filmed at Dade City-area locations.

“We just had some weird, weird incidences out there,” Malott said. “We had people that were starting to think that maybe we had the Skunk Ape (Florida’s sasquatch), but I’m like, ‘Yeah, right.’

“We were joking all along about making a new horror film about us filming a horror film — a horror film documentary,” he said.

The moviemaker also presented an alternate theory to some of the oddities: “We were thinking maybe some of the locals were playing tricks on us, you know, some of the city folks come into our area to film a movie, let’s have some fun with them…”

Closer to Dade City, Director Michael Malott and a production crew member plan on several scenes at Bill Ryan Auto Sales, at 15838 U.S. 301.

Malott has taken some downtime from the “15 long, grueling nights” of filming, and next will assemble a movie trailer before diving into the lengthy editing process.

After that, he plans to pitch the project to film festivals, horror conventions and digital streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. There also are plans to manufacture the film on traditional DVD and Blu-ray discs, he said.

Meantime, the film crew may need to make another trip to Dade City or another location for some B-roll footage, Malott said, including scenes of alligators and snakes moving across swamp water.

Malott’s company has other horror film projects in the works, too.

One is called “The Grove,” about four teenagers who get lost in an orange grove, trapped all night with a psychopathic killer.

The other, “House of Stares,” is about someone being offered money to spend the night at a house where some infamous murders took place.

Malott has already scouted out a home in Dade City to film the latter project. “It’s very, very possible that we could be coming back to Dade City in the future to film another movie,” he said.

For information, visit BadClownFilms.com.

Published October 27, 2021