The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Zephyrhills/East Pasco News

Wish list for the holidays: Food, blankets, toothbrushes

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Helping children who are in need is nothing new for the staff members at Centennial Middle School – they’ve been doing that for years.

But, in recent years, Marty Pekarek, who chairs the Dade City school’s Assist, Believe and Care program, has noticed that children are asking for life’s essentials.

“They ask for food and clothing,” she said.

Their families need blankets, too, said Pekarek. Children in homes without heat have told school staff that they pile clothes on their bed to stay warm on cold nights.

Sometimes, a child’s request can be heartbreaking, Pekarek said.

Marty Pekarek lays out angels for Centennial Middle School staff members to pick up, as the school gears up to brighten the holidays for students in need at their school. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Marty Pekarek lays out angels for Centennial Middle School staff members to pick up, as the school gears up to brighten the holidays for students in need at their school.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

“I think the saddest one I had one year was a little boy who said he just wanted toothbrushes, because all five family members were using the same one,” said Pekarek, a learning coach at the school.

Like other Pasco County schools, the ABC program at Centennial Middle, 38505 Centennial Road in Dade City, is funded by voluntary contributions from school district employees.

“It’s to help needy families. Sometimes during the holidays and sometimes other times when families have issues — they need food or clothing or something for children,” Pekarek explained.

“It’s not a government-funded program. It’s just teachers and staff members that donate money to it,” Pekarek said.

In previous years, teachers and staff members would “adopt” a child for Christmas and purchase items for that child. But, that got to be too expensive, Pekarek said.

So, in recent years, employees at Centennial Middle have helped by buying specific items.

This year, the school is providing Christmas gifts for 56 students.

Pekarek creates a spreadsheet of the items she needs, and then makes small angels that indicate specific needs.

This year’s campaign kicked off with a holiday potluck breakfast on Nov. 20, where staff members picked up angels.

“Whatever they can afford, they pick up. They purchase the items. They have to have them back in time for me to wrap the presents,” Pekarek said.

The gifts will be distributed to students on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17.

“Sometimes people can afford to buy only two bags of candy, and that’s helpful. “Anything helps us.

Centennial Middle School helps families in need during the holidays, and also at other times of the year. This is some of the food in its pantry.
Centennial Middle School helps families in need during the holidays, and also at other times of the year. This is some of the food in its pantry.

“This year, we’re getting the kids hoodies, because they usually don’t have warm jackets,” she said.

“The hoodies, I actually have the sizes and the colors that they want,” Pekarek said.

The students also receive socks, a stocking filled with candy and school supplies, and a bag of personal hygiene items including soaps, shampoos, conditioners and deodorant.

At Christmas time, the committee also provides extra food to help see them through the long holiday break, Pekarek said.

The school also keeps a clothes closet to help children who need clothing. And, during the first cold snap of the season, it offers students a chance to pick up one of the coats that have been donated to help children who don’t have one, she said.

Pekarek has been involved in the ABC committee’s efforts since she came to the school about 14 years ago.

Centennial Middle Principal Rick Saylor is gratified by his staff’s generosity.

“I think it’s amazing. I think it goes to show you that it’s not just about showing up and teaching them. It’s about caring about them. It’s about wanting to take care of all their needs,” Saylor said.

“We know that if they don’t have some of these items that people are going to give them for Christmas, then it’s definitely going to affect how the kids are doing in the classroom.

“I think it goes to show the caring nature of the staff that I have. They truly, truly care about the kids. And, that’s so important. Once you care about them, then you can really, really teach them and really, really make an impact.

“Once they know you care, then there’s that rapport piece,” Saylor said.

The principal also appreciates Pekarek’s efforts.

“Ever since I’ve been here, she’s taken this on and spearheaded these efforts. It’s a lot of time and energy outside of work. We just appreciate what she does.”

Pekarek enjoys being involved.

“I love this school. We have really good kids and really appreciative families,” Pekarek said. “Some families cry when they pick up their presents.”

Want to help?
Centennial Middle School, at 38505 Centennial Road in Dade City, has begun its annual campaign to help families in need for the holidays. It especially needs new blankets to help children who sleep in homes without heat. Those wanting to donate new blankets can ship them or deliver them to the school. For more information on how you can help, please contact Marty Pekarek at (352) 524-9700.

Published December 2, 2015

Zephyrhills resident causing ‘Sugar Rush’ with cake pops

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When she was a student at Zephyrhills High School, Cassie Lenz had a cake-decorating project. Over the course of the project, there was a dilemma: What to do with the extra cake?

“I looked online, and I found cake pops,” Lenz said. “It was interesting to find something new.”

People found them more than interesting. They found them delicious. The decorated balls of cake and frosting on a stick were a hit, and she would make them for friends and bring them to parties.

Cassie Lenz shows off just a few of her tasty creations. A high school project eventually led to her business. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Cassie Lenz shows off just a few of her tasty creations. A high school project eventually led to her business.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

Now 23, and a student at the University of South Florida, Lenz made 200 cake pops in a variety of flavors for a friend’s wedding earlier this year. They were so popular the bride and groom didn’t even get to try any of them.

Lenz has received a lot of praise for her cake pops. Now, she has a business.

Sugar Rush operates out of the kitchen Lenz shares with her family, though they know not to interfere when she’s working. In just a couple of hours, she can make about 40 cake pops out of a single cake. Adding different styles takes more time, but provides a lot of variety in the desserts: chocolate cake, red velvet cake, marshmallows and funfetti are just some of the cake pop options.

If you can think of a cake, Lenz can turn it into a treat on a stick.

“(For) each one, you have to do something special. That’s pretty fun,” she said.

That means not only hand-making the pops, but also decorating and wrapping them one by one. Some are elaborate and others are simple, but she enjoys catering to different occasions, styles and tastes.

It’s not easy work. Each type of cake pop has a process that ensures it holds its shape and stays on the stick. She might accept some help wrapping the finished product, but she does all of the baking and decorating.

There’s also some trial and error with her creations. Vanilla cake isn’t as popular as other flavors like funfetti and chocolate, but even that ranking can change by season. At a recent church event, she didn’t sell as many of the funfetti as she expected. But, she sold out of pumpkin.

Cassie Lenz makes each cake pop by hand, including the artful decorations many of them carry.
Cassie Lenz makes each cake pop by hand, including the artful decorations many of them carry.

As orders come in, Lenz spends more time on her new business. But, as a college student who already has a job, she has to be smart with her time.

Fortunately, her father, Nils, is a self-employed accountant. That entrepreneurial experience has been a valuable resource for Lenz, and she prepares promotional materials to get the word out about her new business.

Having business experience in the family is a big reason why she’s felt confident enough to take on her own project.

“I think that if nobody in my family did (own a business), then I probably wouldn’t have done it,” she said.

For now, she’s put together business cards, flyers and a Facebook page, which will be used to show off her creations and solicit new orders. She finds time to make her cake pops in between taking courses on information studies in college and working her regular job.

And, while it can be time-consuming, making tasty treats is never boring for Lenz.

“People think it’s so tedious, but I get into it,” she said. “Seeing people’s faces when they see (them), I just get so excited.”

For more information about Sugar Rush, visit Facebook.com/SugarRushbyCassie, or email Lenz at .

Published November 25, 2015

Zephyrhills Woman’s Club turns 100

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In the beginning, the GFWC Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills was a group of 15 women, who decided they wanted to form a civic club.

They established the club on Nov. 11, 1915 and voted to join the Florida Federation of Woman’s Clubs, automatically making them part of the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs, a national organization.

Linda Weyer is the current president of the GFWC Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills, a club she says that remains committed to its mission of service. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Linda Weyer is the current president of the GFWC Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills, a club she says that remains committed to its mission of service.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

On Nov. 15, about 90 people gathered at the Zephyrhills’ woman’s club’s stone building to celebrate a century of service.

Service continues to be the mission of the club, said current club President Linda Weyer.

“The GFWC in and of itself is responsible for a lot of beautification of streets, for public libraries, the National Park system, the Everglades. The Everglades would not be the Everglades National Park without the GFWC,” Weyer said.

“And, in Zephyrhills, we help with all of the local charities, especially relating to children.

“We help Everyday Blessings, the Pregnancy Care Center,” she said. “We’re working with Thomas Promise this year, to make sure the children, that are poor in the schools, get backpacks with food to take home for the weekends,” she added.

“We do help sponsor a second-grade classroom at West Zephyrhills Elementary School. And, every year, we collect school supplies in August and take them over to West Zephyrhills Elementary, and let the liaison distribute them to the children that need them. That way, they don’t get embarrassed,” she said.

This artist’s rendering depicts the home of the GFWC of Zephyrhills, the oldest service club in Zephyrhills, which celebrated its 100th birthday at a celebration on Nov. 15. (Courtesy of GFWC Women's Club of Zephyrhills)
This artist’s rendering depicts the home of the GFWC of Zephyrhills, the oldest service club in Zephyrhills, which celebrated its 100th birthday at a celebration on Nov. 15.
(Courtesy of GFWC Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills)

The club also awards scholarships, and donates time and money to local charities such as Meals on Wheels, Hernando-Pasco Hospice, Support Our Troops, Everyday Blessings, Relay for Life and many others. The club also gives to national and international relief efforts, according to Granger.

Weyer was excited about the club’s centennial celebration.

“It is a very big day. I’m very honored to be the president of this club at this time,” Weyer said, noting she expected people from Tampa, Spring Hill, Brooksville, Ruskin and St. Petersburg to join the celebration.

When the club began, it chose moss gray and pink as the official colors, the Cherokee rose as the club flower, and “America the Beautiful” as the club song, according to a historical account compiled by Gina Granger.

The yearly dues were $1, and early meetings were held in various buildings and members’ homes, according to Granger’s account.

In exchange for two lots bought by members in 1925, which the club later deeded to the city, the city gave the club a 99-year lease on a native rock building erected on the site in 1946—a public works project that was part of the Works Progress Administration under U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The clubhouse was built from native rock hauled from a quarry on the Hillsborough River. Club members raised funds by hosting various events to complete and furnish the interior, Granger adds.

The club, which now has 36 members, is always welcoming new members. It meets every first Friday of the month, during the months of September through May. The meetings are at 12:30 p.m., in the clubhouse located at 38545 Fifth Ave. Membership is open to any woman age 18 or older. Current annual dues are $25.

To learn more about the Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills, you can find them on the web at GFWCWomansClubOfZephyrhills.com.

Published November 25, 2015

 

Chorale offers thanksgiving, through song

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Marvin Robertson has been passing along his love for music for decades, and for the past eight years he’s been sharing that passion as the director of the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chorale.

The chorale, a group of 29 singers selected through audition, shares it loves of music by presenting free local concerts.

Its next performance, Festival of Thanks, is set for Nov. 21, beginning at 5 p.m., at the East Pasco Seventh-day Adventist Church, 7329 Dairy Road in Zephyrhills.

The event will include a welcome by Randy Surber, president and chief executive officer of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, and will have a homily on the theme of Thanksgiving, Robertson said.

Marvin Robertson, director of the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chorale, is shown here leading the chorus, during last year’s Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the hospital. The community chorus is gearing up for a Nov. 21 public performance, focusing on the theme of Thanksgiving. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills)
Marvin Robertson, director of the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chorale, is shown here leading the chorus, during last year’s Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the hospital. The community chorus is gearing up for a Nov. 21 public performance, focusing on the theme of Thanksgiving.
(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills)

The Festival of Thanks will be a 70-minute program that includes a mixture of challenging music, as well as patriotic songs and hymns, Robertson said.

The audience will be invited to sing along on the first piece, “Now, Thank We All Our God,” and to join in on the final number, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” the chorale director said.

The program also includes a piece by Aaron Copland, a widely known American composer.

One of the more challenging works on the program is a piece called “Song of Moses,” composed by Chris Medina, a choir member who works in radiology at the hospital, Robertson said.

The piece is dedicated to the memory of James Leuthauser, a former member of the chorale’s bass section, who died two years ago.

Medina said he was inspired by a Biblical verse that “speaks of a song that is sung by the people that are redeemed from the earth … It’s kind of a happy, eventful song.”

Medina has belonged to the chorale group since it began, but his association with Robertson goes back to his college days at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. Robertson, now retired, was dean of the school of music.

Medina said he enjoys being part of the chorale. “It’s a stress reliever for me,” he said.

Being a member of the chorale is enriching, said Sue Green, a member of the group for seven years.

The group rehearses from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., on Mondays, and, after the most recent practice, Green said she is feeling more confident about the selections in the upcoming performance.

“We’re working on it, putting on the finishing points,” Green said.

The chorale offers a wonderful opportunity for people who have a passion for singing to share it with others, Green said.

“It is challenging, and it’s thrilling,” said the retired preschool teacher.

Robertson said the chorale members come from all walks of life, and range in age from 16 to nearly 80.

“It’s an interesting group,” he said, noting the chorale includes nurses, radiology techs, teachers, a real estate broker, a doctor, a chaplain, and retired U.S. Marines, among others.

Through the years, members have come from as far away as Lutz and Hudson and Lakeland, he said.

The youngest member, 16-year-old Rose Phelps, is delighted to be part of the group.

“Singing in a choir is just so helpful because I’ve learned so much about how it sounds when all of the voices come together, the basses and the tenors, and altos and sopranos. It just really trains my ear. Hearing all those parts together is really amazing,” she said.

Being a member of choir provides opportunities for growth.

“He just gives us a piece, and we have to try to sing it right off the bat,” she said.

She’s impressed by the musical ability of other members of the choir and said she’s learning, constantly.

Besides the Festival of Thanks, the chorale also performs at the Christmas Tree Lighting at the hospital campus, and at what Robertson calls a “Prelude to Easter” concert.

The Festival of Thanks begins at 5 p.m., but doors open at 4:30 p.m., and it’s a good idea to get there early, Robertson said.

“We don’t open the doors until 4:30, and there’s always a group waiting outside. We average probably 400 to 500 people. It fills the sanctuary,” he said.

Some people have been to every Thanksgiving concert, since they began giving them, Robertson said.

“They come. I notice them, because they try to sit in the same place all of the time. And, they are not members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They are people who like this type of music,” Robertson said.

The portion of the program that allows audience participation provides individual enrichment, Robertson said, “but it’s also community involvement I love to hear the people sing, because they really do sing.”

Green said the chorale is well received.

“Many people have said that it is the best-kept secret of Pasco County,” Green said. “I’m not really certain which group receives the biggest blessing, the musicians or the audience.”

Robertson said the hospital provides financial support to promote the chorale, which, in turn, supports the community through the arts.

“Health care is more than just taking care of the sick,” he said. “We’re enhancing the life of the community.”

What: Festival of Thanks, featuring several musical selections by the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chorale.
Where: East Pasco Seventh-day Adventist Church, 7329 Dairy Road in Zephyrhills
When: Nov. 21 at 5 p.m.
Who: The public is welcome and admission is free.

Published November 18, 2015

Antiques store is repository of memories

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Johnny Herrmann’s business card boasts that his antiques business, in San Antonio, is “not your grandma’s antiques store.”

But, there’s no doubt that the shop where his business operates is steeped in his family’s history.

The store is in the 1946 Herrmann Building, at 11853 S. Curley St.

Johnny Herrmann enjoys being surrounded by items he’s purchased at estate sales, other antiques stores and from individual sellers. He has a particular weakness for paintings. He just loves having them around. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Johnny Herrmann enjoys being surrounded by items he’s purchased at estate sales, other antiques stores and from individual sellers. He has a particular weakness for paintings. He just loves having them around.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The building is one of a collection of structures on Curley Street, south of State Road 52, constructed by the Herrmann family, beginning in the 1920s.

“People used to refer to this part of town as Herrmann-ville, because there were so many buildings that my grandfather and father built,” said Johnny, whose grandfather moved to the area in the 1920s, according to published reports.

The collection of businesses is now called the South San Antonio Arts and Antiques District, or s.o.s.a for short. The businesses, as well as San Antonio Pottery, are part of that district.

Step inside San Antonio Antiques, and you’ll find a place chock full of unusual items — purchased from estate sales, other antique shops and individual sellers.

A few years ago, the place was vacant, and it had been that way since the mid-1970s, Johnny said.

Now, it houses the antiques shop, Tangerine Hill and Red Dog Designs & Home, and A Healthy Convenience. Upstairs, there’s a yoga studio and a place for martial arts classes.

Beyond its current role, the building is a physical reminder of a family that has played a considerable role in San Antonio.

Johnny lives in the house that belonged to his grandfather, Lucius, who was a baker by trade.

His business is in the space that was once occupied by his father’s business.

Indeed, the gleaming terrazzo floor near the front door is emblazoned with the logo for Saf-T-Gas, the business that Joe Herrmann ran from the building.

Joe Herrmann arrived in San Antonio when his father, Lucius, moved there and set up a bakery.

Lucius Herrmann left the area, but Joe and his wife, Rose Ullrich Herrmann, stayed, raising nine children there.

Joe and Rose were deeply involved in community life.

These are the buildings that were built by Johnny Herrmann’s grandfather, Lucius and his father, Joe. At one point, the area was known as “Herrmannville.” (Courtesy of Johnny Herrmann)
These are the buildings that were built by Johnny Herrmann’s grandfather, Lucius and his father, Joe. At one point, the area was known as “Herrmannville.”
(Courtesy of Johnny Herrmann)

Joe played a role in so many different ventures and organizations there, he was called “Mr. San Antonio,” according to news accounts.

He was entrepreneurial from a young age.

He delivered newspapers and fresh bread. He set up a radio store. He caddied at a golf course, too.

News accounts and historic documents detail Joe’s involvement in politics, banking, business and civic life.

He was appointed by the governor to fill a seat on the Pasco County Commission, upon the death of Arthur Schrader. He served as San Antonio’s mayor.

He helped establish the Traveler’s Rest community and was one of the founding fathers of the San Antonio Credit Union, the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village, and the Pasco County Fair Association.

He also championed the San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival and the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

Before he died, Joe made it known he would like to see the former Saf-T-Gas building revived, Johnny said.

Now, it’s a showcase of the items Johnny has accumulated through years in the antiques business.

In the past, Johnny and a partner had stores in Seminole Heights and Ybor City, and then Johnny traveled thousands of miles each year, going to shows in cities from New York to Miami.

He still has a passion for collecting and selling. He enjoys the thrill of finding an unusual item, or a great bargain, and he continually seeks to broaden his knowledge.

He enjoys being surrounded by interesting objects and paintings in his shop.

And, it’s nice, he said, to be able to walk to work from the house that his grandfather built to work in the building that his father constructed and to do business in a community that he calls home.

Published November 11, 2015

Efforts yield socks and shoes for charity

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Land O’ Lakes’ brothers, Owen and Grady Matthew, want to provide socks for the homeless.

And, Zephyrhills retiree Janet Chubinsky wants to give new shoes to children in need.

The efforts are separate, but both are making strides in reaching their goals to help others.

Kid President, a YouTube character played by 11-year-old Robby Novak, inspired the Matthew brothers to get involved.

Owen Matthew, left, and Grady Matthew challenged students and families at Countryside Montessori Charter School to a sock drive that collected 1,552 socks for the Salvation Army. (Courtesy of Countryside Montessori Charter School)
Owen Matthew, left, and Grady Matthew challenged students and families at Countryside Montessori Charter School to a sock drive that collected 1,552 socks for the Salvation Army.
(Courtesy of Countryside Montessori Charter School)

Kid President declared the month of October as “Socktober,” and challenged children across the nation to host sock drives to help homeless people.

Sixth-grader Owen and second-grader Grady embraced the challenge, and enlisted the help of nearly 300 students and their families at Countryside Montessori Charter School in Land O’ Lakes.

By the end of the month, the sock drive doubled its goal of 770 socks by donating 1,552 socks to the Salvation Army.

“We have amazing parents,” said Holly DePiro, volunteer and fundraising coordinator for Countryside Montessori Charter School. “You ask, and they go with the cause. The kids get excited.”

Though it was a one-time event, DePiro said it could be repeated. “If there is a need out there, then we’re on it,” she said.

The school is having a food drive in November.

Students also are collecting leftover Halloween candy to send to troops overseas for Operation Gratitude.

A toy drive is planned for December.

Chubinsky, 81, transplanted a shoe donation program she started in Tennessee to Pasco County when she and her husband retired to Zephyrhills four years ago.

“I need to have something to do,” Chubinsky said.

Lachoochee Elementary School students, Damarko Cross, 5, and his sister, Demyia Cross, 7, show off the new shoes they got from COPE (Children Outreach Program Effort). (Courtesy of COPE)
Lachoochee Elementary School students, Damarko Cross, 5, and his sister, Demyia Cross, 7, show off the new shoes they got from COPE (Children Outreach Program Effort).
(Courtesy of COPE)

Her daughter, an educator in Tennessee, suggested that Chubinsky visit area schools to find out what they needed.

On her first visit to Raymond B. Stewart Middle School in Zephyrhills, she heard a familiar response. Thirty-six students at the school needed shoes.

“The goose bumps went right through my body,” Chubinsky said.

She delivered 36 pairs of donated shoes within days and the Children Outreach Program Effort (COPE) was off and running.

Chubinsky, the organization’s program director, enlisted two friends to help and they dubbed themselves “Two and a half women.” When the program began, two of the volunteers were retired and one worked part-time, she explained.

This year Chubinsky anticipates giving away 900 pairs of shoes.

She works with Pasco County Schools’ ABC coordinators at 10 schools to deliver pairs of shoes, and socks, as requested, to area schools.

The school district’s ABC program seeks to help students who don’t have appropriate clothing, shoes that don’t fit or who eat all of their meals at school.

Chubinsky has 11 volunteers but would love more.

“We don’t have enough volunteers or a place to house our shoes,” she said.

Local civic groups and area businesses, such as the Elks, Eagles, Sunshine Eatery, Methodist Ladies Club and Rotary clubs, give generously.

COPE also received 300 pairs of shoes from Sole4Souls, a global nonprofit that fights poverty by collecting and distributing clothes and shoes. COPE paid Sole4Souls $2 a pair for freight costs, Chubinsky said.

She may be retired, but Chubinsky keeps busy.

She tools around in a 2000 model SUV with magnetic signs displaying the COPE logo – a large sneaker.

The sign has attracted some interest from people who want to volunteer, she said.

COPE meets the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., at various locations. Plans are in the works for fundraising events in 2016.

“It’s God’s work,” Chubinsky said. “We’re all volunteers.”

For information on COPE and its meetings, contact Chubinsky at (352) 668-4397 or .

Published November 11, 2015

Garden club seeks moratorium on fracking

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The Dade City Garden Club is pushing for a resolution that urges state lawmakers to enact a statewide ban on hydraulic fracking.

Pasco County commissioners will vote on the matter, likely on Nov. 17, but the resolution to ban fracking also will include a request for a study commission to look at the pros and cons of the controversial practice.

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano is the resolution’s sponsor.

During fracking, chemically treated, high-pressure water is pumped into a drilled pipeline to break apart rock formations to extract oil or natural gas.

An opt-out clause is recommended in the resolution to give counties the right to ban fracking even if there’s no statewide ban.

“We do want to have some local control,” Mariano said.

Jack Mariano
Commissioner Jack Mariano

In October, a similar resolution was pulled from the commissioners’ agenda. It was tweaked in the interim with the addition of more specific language regarding sinkholes, the chemicals used in fracking, water quality, and the addition of the study commission.

State legislators are expected to take up the issue during the 2016 session, which begins in January. A bill already is winding its way through subcommittees in Tallahassee.

The bill designates the state’s Department of Environmental Protection as the agency that would investigate and issue permits for fracking.

“That’s the scary part,” said Mariano.

Under the proposed bill, permits may be issued for construction of fracking structures a mile or more from the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, bays, estuaries, or fresh water lakes, streams and rivers. And the state environmental protection agency must be satisfied of adequate protection of natural resources in the event of an accident or blowout.

Supporters of fracking say natural gas is a cleaner source of fuel than coal, and extraction through fracking has fewer safety issues. Opponents say the practice is environmentally harmful, leading to water contamination, public health threats and sinkholes.

The Dade City Garden Club earlier this year went on record against fracking, mirroring a decision by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs Inc., made in January.

“Water quality has long been a concern of garden clubs, said Pat Carver, environmental chairwoman of the garden club, and also water and wetlands District 8 chairwoman.

She cites studies that have shown about 20 percent of the wastewater in fracking migrates underground, and can pollute wells and aquifers.

A bill last year for an outright ban on fracking didn’t make it out of committee, Carver said.

“We hope to see the bill again come up and be heard,” she said.

Carver said Pasco commissioners were shown a video on fracking prior to the anticipated vote on the initial resolution, which was later pulled.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said she needed more information.

“My issue is, I’ve heard from one side. I’ve not heard from the other side,” she said. “I’d want to be more educated before I did something.”

The issue is catching the attention of county residents, also.

“I continue to get calls and letters from concerned constituents about fracking,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Ted Schrader, who serves as chairman of Tampa Bay Water. The regional nonprofit supplies Tampa Bay area municipalities with drinking water.

He noted that the water board recently approved a similar resolution.

“I don’t see what the harm would be in having a resolution,” Schrader said.

Published November 11, 2015

Pasco Upcycle Festival is eco-friendly

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Hauling recyclable cans, bottles and paper to the curb is a habit that is second nature to many people who worry about the environment.

But, how about getting creative and upcycling a few items?

Take a pair of jeans and repurpose them as aprons. Or take costume jewelry and fabric scraps, and use them to make bookmarks.

Upcycling is defined as the process of transforming a recyclable item in to a new product of better quality or better environmental value, according to Pasco Upcycle Festival organizers.

Items such as a drawer, forks or wire wisks can be repurposed to make a couch, wall hangers or candle holders. (Photos courtesy of Keep Pasco Beautiful)
Items such as a drawer, forks or wire wisks can be repurposed to make a couch, wall hangers or candle holders.
(Photos courtesy of Keep Pasco Beautiful)

The festival aims to get people as interested in upcycling as they are in recycling.

“What can you do with these items before they ever get to the curb?” asked Kristen King, coordinator for Keep Pasco Beautiful.

The first-time festival will be on Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Little Everglades Ranch, at 17951 Hamilton Road in Dade City. About 2,500 people are expected to attend.

There is no admission charge, but there will be a $5 parking fee collected by the venue to offset some of its costs.

As a first time event, there will be no fees collected from vendors. More environmentally friendly vendors are being sought, including those with fresh produce typically sold at farmers’ markets.

The festival will feature numerous upcycle vendors, including makers of pallet furniture and jewelry from recycled household items.

Vendors also will sell items such as homemade soaps and pepper jellies.

Many individual vendors who upcycle as a hobby will offer items including bracelets and pendants from utensils, or aprons made from jeans.

A hands-on demonstration will show children how to make bookmarks from recyclable items around the house.

Food trucks, including Hillbilly Farms and Philou’s Cajun on the Geaux, will be on site.

Bluegrass bands, the Michigan Misfits and Mean Mary, will provide entertainment.

drawer rgb“We are so excited to launch this new event,” King said, in a press release announcing the festival. “It gives us the opportunity to show individuals how they can not only reduce their waste, but also release their creative genius at the same time.”

Nov. 15 is National America Recycles Day, a national initiative of Keep America Beautiful. Everyone is encouraged to participate in “doing one thing” to recycle and reduce waste.

Event sponsors of Pasco Upcycle Festival are Keep Pasco Beautiful and Pasco County.

Organizers plan to make this festival an annual event.

For more information, email , or call (727) 856-7252.

For more information on Keep Pasco Beautiful, visit KeepPascoBeautiful.org. For information on recycling in Pasco County, visit PascoCountyFL.net.

Published November 4, 2015

Dade City chamber hosts business expo

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Businesses have the chance to shine in the spotlight at the 2015 Annual Community & Business Expo, hosted by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

The annual event will be held Nov. 12 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Dan Cannon Auditorium at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, at 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City.

More than 60 businesses to date have signed up to take part in the expo, which is open to the public free of charge.

People will have the chance to mingle with business owners and find out more about the goods and services the businesses offer. There will be door prizes, as well, and two grand prizes, valued at $250 each.

Local restaurants will offer food samples from their menus.

For instance, A Healthy Convenience will have samples of Amish foods, snacks, bread and granola, and will display the wines and beers that it sells at the store.

Participating businesses include Bay News 9, Mander Law Group, A Healthy Convenience, the Garden Café, Faithful Friends Pet Cremation, San Antonio Antiques, Pasco-Hernando State College, Dade City Woman’s Club, Pasco Shopper, Hair With Sass, American House Zephyrhills and Spivey Karate & Tai Chi.

Exhibitor booths will have giveaways and special door prizes, including an antique cut glass vase from San Antonio Antiques, a gas card from San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, and a free custom Word Press website from Off The Chart Media.

Sponsors include Saint Leo University, The Laker/Lutz News, CenterState Bank, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, The Brass Tap Dade City, Core Care Benefit LLC, and Bright House Networks Business Solutions!

For information, call the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at (352) 567-3769 or visit DadeCityChamber.org.

Published November 4, 2015

 

Dade City gets its first Publix grocery

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The grand opening of the first Publix in Dade City will be the launching pad for more retail coming soon to The Shoppes At Dade City.

The approximately 45,600-square-foot grocery store opened its doors on Oct. 22 as the anchor for the shopping plaza at U.S. 301 and Clinton Avenue.

More shops are on the way.

Lee Nails and China King are in the permitting process, said Tracy Worrell, leasing agent for Crossman Company, which handles leasing for Publix properties.

“They are working to get open as soon as possible, probably before the end of the year,” Worrell said.

A giant inflatable green bag stuffed with chicken tenders and vegetables is an eye-catching site outside the new Publix, along U.S. 301 in Dade City. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
A giant inflatable green bag stuffed with chicken tenders and vegetables is an eye-catching site outside the new Publix, along U.S. 301 in Dade City.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Burger King is an anticipated tenant for an adjacent outparcel. A second outparcel also is available.

And a family-oriented restaurant is a hoped-for addition inside the plaza.

The Publix store is stocked with everyday pantry items, fresh produce, sushi and seafood, meats, bakery, deli and a self-service floral department.

A Publix Liquor store is next door.

More than 125 people work at the store, including employees who transferred from other stores and about 60 new hires, according to Publix officials.

The Shoppes at Dade City sits atop a hill overlooking U.S. 301, just outside of downtown Dade City. The Florida Department of Transportation recently completed repaving a stretch of highway running parallel to Publix.

The approximately $12.5 million project is resurfacing about 6 miles of roadway from Kossik Road to Bougainvillea Avenue. A multi-use trail also will extend along the west side of U.S. 301 north to a sidewalk at Dade Avenue. Completion is expected in spring 2016. Eventually the new trail segment will be linked with Hardy Trail in Dade City.

Published November 4, 2015