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Zephyrhills/East Pasco News

Comedy on tap at Zephyrhills pub

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Entertainment at local bars often includes live music, trivia and special themed events. Now, Cheers 54, at 36616 State Road 54 in Zephyrhills, is adding comedy to the mix.

The pub will host a stand-up comedy night on March 20, the first in a new monthly series, called Next Up.

Other venues in the area aren’t putting regular comedy on the schedule, and that’s exactly why it appealed to owner Kim Beverlin.

Comedian Jared Waters is scheduled to perform at Cheers 54 for a new comedy series beginning March 20. (Courtesy of Jared Waters)
Comedian Jared Waters is scheduled to perform at Cheers 54 for a new comedy series beginning March 20.
(Courtesy of Jared Waters)

“We’ve just been trying to come up with some new ideas for Zephyrhills,” she said. “Something other places don’t do.”

If local residents want to see live comedy, they most likely have to drive to Tampa, Beverlin explained. The comedy night allows the pub’s regulars to enjoy something out of the ordinary, and Beverlin hopes, attract some new business, too.

The show will include sets from four different performers selected by Frankie Lane, a Zephyrhills resident whose entertainment company creates events for Cheers 54.

“Comedy’s been kind of one of the things we always wanted to do,” Lane said.

It took a little work to put the lineup together, which includes comedians Rio Paris, Amanda Jordan, Jared Waters and Antonio Hamilton.

Lane went to see each of them perform before asking them on the show. He wanted to get a feel for how they entertain, and he believes that’s not possible by just reading their credits or watching video.

Each comedian brings something different to the table, so there will be varying styles on display that night.

“I love new, up-and-coming talent, and I figured, what better way to get those guys a platform and get us a great show?” Lane said.

Because Cheers 54 is a venue for adults, the comedy will be adult-oriented as well. And, the performers are looking forward to showing off their wit on a new stage, even if it doesn’t normally have stand-up shows.

“What comedy brings over all other entertainment is joy, the ability for an audience member to take a break from the normal lives and laugh at someone else’s view on the world,” said Jared Waters, one of the performers on the bill.

Waters has been doing comedy for around four years, and performs regularly at local comedy clubs such as Side Splitters in Tampa. He’s also performed at comedy theaters and festivals in North Carolina.

Cheers 54 is able to seat nearly 200 people, so they’re prepared to accommodate a large turnout. And, they’re determined to make the comedy show a regular part of the schedule. The second show is already scheduled for April 17, with a new lineup to be determined.

Initial response has been strong, Beverlin said, noting people are looking forward to comedy night.

She’s expecting strong attendance for their first show.

“I have had very positive feedback. I think we’re going to be packed that night,” Beverlin said. “It sounds like people are interested in having something different in Zephyrhills.”

The show costs $5 and begins at 8:30 p.m. A disc jockey will play music after the comedy sets.

For more information or to reserve tickets, call Cheers 54 at (813) 788-3840.

Piblished March 18, 201u

Still moving after all these years

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Phyllis Goodlad has won so many awards at athletic event for seniors, there’s too many to mention.

And when you talk to her, she never mentions them.

“What’s behind is behind. You’ve got to keep your sights on the future,” she said. At 86, she’s been collecting medals and trophies for decades.

Phyllis Goodlad, 86, is often on a bicycle, in the pool or on the road traveling to different competitions. She took part in cycling and swimming in last year's Florida Senior games. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Phyllis Goodlad, 86, is often on a bicycle, in the pool or on the road traveling to different competitions. She took part in cycling and swimming in last year’s Florida Senior games.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

She doesn’t even know where most of them are. A couple of trophies can be seen in her home, but the majority are likely stored away in other rooms or in a shed at her home in Dade City.

Sometimes she even forgets to pick them up after she wins her events, she said.

Goodlad doesn’t even like to say she won or came in first place. She simply says “I did well,” so as not to seem boastful.

Her reluctance to appear prideful might stem from being a little girl in Wexford, Ireland before World War II, a time when women weren’t encouraged to participate in athletics, much less to excel at them.

“I was brought up where you couldn’t do sports, because ladies did not do that,” Goodlad recalled.

But they could marry athletes, and she found one in her husband, Terry.

“He was an all-around athlete. When I met him, he was going to turn pro as a boxer, and I don’t like boxing,” Goodlad recalled. “I gave him a choice.”

Terry chose love over a boxing glove, and they had been married for nearly 60 years, when he passed away in 2007.

During their marriage, her husband became an expert runner and cyclist, and traveled to participate in several sports around the world.

The interest rubbed off on Goodlad. She found herself trying new sports such as cross-country skiing, race-walking (where she holds Masters records in the United States and Canada) and triathlons.

She competed in last year’s Florida Senior Games in cycling and swimming.

And when she enters an athletic contest, she often wins.

She entered a triathlon at the National Senior Games in Cleveland, Ohio, a couple of years ago. After some coaxing, Goodlad admits she took first place.

But the victories and awards aren’t what are important to her.

She values the friendships she makes, the fun of competing and the health benefits that keep her in the water or on the course.

Those are the things that keep her feeling young.

“I don’t think of my age until I have to put it down,” Goodlad said.

Her athletic participation also keeps her mentally sharp. She enjoys setting goals for herself, using her tablet to research future events, and focusing on the next competition or event.

While most people in their mid-80s aren’t training for their next cycling event or swimming race, Goodlad said that seniors can and should do more to stay active.

Like most people, she watches some television — especially when the Olympics or Tour de France are on — but doesn’t make it her main activity for the day.

Doing something that requires physical exertion is harder than sitting in a chair and watching a program, she said, but the latter activities don’t provide any health benefits.

Even if someone’s health isn’t perfect, doing something is better than doing nothing, and can still make a big difference in their lives, Goodlad said.

“Get involved, even if it’s only for a short time in the morning or a short time in the afternoon or evening. Just don’t stay home all the time,” Goodlad advises. “Even if it’s only walking to the end of the street. Park your car as far away from the store as you can. Just that little but of walking is amazing. It’ll start you on a journey that will only give you the greatest pleasure you can think of.”

Goodlad’s journey takes her to Lakeland several times a week for swimming practice, and to Canada for several months out of the year, where she visits family in between traveling to competitions. She also will likely head to the National Senior Games in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, this July.

Even though she’ll be 87 this year, she’s still looking to try new things. She always wanted to take up fencing, and now that her granddaughter is trying it, she wonders if that might be a new opportunity.

The fact that she’s never done something before doesn’t deter her. Goodlad once entered a kayaking competition despite never setting foot in one. She took second place.

So if you want to try something new, her advice is to give it a shot, enjoy the journey, and don’t let a lack of experience hold you back.

“Nobody knows anything until they learn it,” Goodlad said.

Published March 11, 2015

Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce pays it forward

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The scent of barbecue and the sounds of bands belting out the blues aren’t the only sweet things to come out of the fifth annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

There’s also the money that the event generates.

Children rode the ‘rails’ at the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest on Jan. 17. The event was sponsored by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, which has donated $15,000 to local youth and civic groups. (File Photo)
Children rode the ‘rails’ at the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest on Jan. 17. The event was sponsored by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, which has donated $15,000 to local youth and civic groups.
(File Photo)

This year, the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce handed out more than $15,000 in donations to eight civic clubs and youth groups, thanks to money raised through the event. The donations ranged from $750 to $1,500.

The chamber also announced new scholarships of $1,000 each for performing arts and culinary arts that will be presented to two graduating Zephyrhills High School students in May.

“We are fortunate to have a community that embraces volunteer service and grateful for the enthusiasm by businesses and community organizations that support this event,” said Vonnie Mikkelsen, the chamber’s executive director.

Groups that received the money are excited about what it can do.

The YMCA of East Pasco will spend its donation to send four students and a supervisor to the YMCA’s Blue Ridge leadership program in Black Mountain, North Carolina this summer.

“It’s a huge event,” says AJ Hernandez, the East Pasco YMCA’s program director. “It’s a great opportunity for the kids to network. It’s a great learning experience.”

The students work year-round to collect funds to pay for the trip with car washes, drawings, dinner events and selling snacks at sports events.

The Zephyrhills Museum of Military History, at 39444 South Ave., in Zephyrhills, will be getting some display cases, mannequins and other items to freshen up its look, said Cliff Moffett.

“It’s going to be huge for us,” Moffett said. “We need a lot of stuff to make the museum up-to-date and more modern.”

He thinks the museum visitors will enjoy the acquisitions.

Visitors, he said, “like to see something new.”

The museum is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

It also hosts some special events. It had an event on Dec. 7 to remember the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941. It is planning a similar event on June 6, to honor D-Day in World War II.

About three-dozen members of the Interact Club at Zephyrhills High School plan to pass on their donation to a local charity at the end of the year. The club is the high school extension of the Noon Rotary Club of Zephyrhills.

Last year, the students donated funds to Sunrise Domestic Violence Center, Thomas Promise Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and East Pasco Meals on Wheels. They usually visit and do volunteer service at area charities throughout the year before deciding which charities will receive donations.

“They gain a broader understanding of the needs that are out there,” said Amy Chappell, the club’s advisor. She also serves on the chamber’s board of directors but not on the committee that awards the donations. “Locally, it’s an eye opener to the needs that are right here.”

In addition to local initiatives, club members reach out to global organizations that work on issues such as clean drinking water and human trafficking. But, Chappell said the local volunteer work gives them a unique perspective.

“They see what a difference it can make,” she said.

Other groups and organizations that received donations were the Pasco County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, Sunshine Swampers 4 x 4 Club Inc., Zephyr Airport Cadet Squadron, Zephyrhills High School Drama Club and Zephyrhills Army JROTC.

Nearly 10,000 people attended the barbecue and blues event.

Published March 11, 2015

Multi-use trail being built on U.S. 301

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A resurfacing project will give motorists a smoother ride along a 6-mile stretch of U.S. 301 — one of Dade City’s busiest commercial corridors.

But there is a new travel lane opening for pedestrians and bicyclists, too. Work on the $12.5 million project should be finished by spring 2016.

Anna Crerand takes a break from strolling, while her 4-year-old daughter Genevieve and 2-year-old son Jude inspect a monument along the Hardy Trail in Dade City. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Anna Crerand takes a break from strolling, while her 4-year-old daughter Genevieve and 2-year-old son Jude inspect a monument along the Hardy Trail in Dade City.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

As motorists whiz past on the new asphalt, pedestrians and bicyclists can stroll or pedal along a parallel 10-foot wide multi-use trail.

Previously, road construction usually meant only new asphalt or more traffic lanes for motorized vehicles.

But transportation plans these days often build in multiple modes of travel from Point A to Point B, and places in between.

This project is one of several upcoming initiatives to develop master plans to guide new development, transportation, and parks and recreation.

Pasco County officials asked the Florida Department of Transportation for the trail. It is more often the case that 5-foot wide sidewalks are installed when roads are repaved, said Allen Howell, a bicycle and pedestrian planner with the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The organization reviews and recommends long-range transportation plans for the county.

The planning organization has taken note of the uptick in new residential and commercial development between Dade City and Zephyrhills.

“We felt there would be more benefit to having a 10-foot trail,” said Howell. “There seems to be more activity going on in the area.”

The trail will extend along the west side of U.S. 301 from Kossik Road north to a sidewalk at Dade Avenue. Road paving will cover about 6 miles from Kossik to Bougainvillea Avenue in Dade City. A new traffic signal also is planned at the junction of U.S. 301 and U.S. 98.

The trail eventually will hook up with existing and planned trail segments – including Hardy Trail in Dade City – to form a regional network extending from Hillsborough County to the Withlacoochee Trail Head in Pasco.

A study will be completed over the next year to create a vision for future development on U.S. 301 from Kossik to the U.S. 98 Bypass including a transportation strategy. A public workshop will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 12 at the City of Zephyrhills Council Chambers, 5335 Eighth St.

The northern extension of Hardy Trail is a priority of Pasco MPO. Construction is slated to begin in 2017.

Preserving the scenic beauty of the area has been a concern of residents, Howell said. “They have nice rolling vistas and rolling hills, and they want to keep them,” he said.

Area residents already take advantage of Hardy Trail.

On a bright afternoon in Dade City, Anna Crerand pulled her 2-year-old son, Jude, in a red wagon along Hardy Trail. Charlie, 5, and Genevieve, 4, pushed off on their scooters.

Crerand loves the nearly 1-mile trail that meanders through wooded neighborhoods from a trailhead at Church Avenue near downtown. And she is pleased about the county’s future trail plans.

“It gives me a place to exercise and it’s an easy way to connect with downtown,” she said. “I feel good about taking the kids on the trail.”

Her family moved to Dade City about five years ago.

“This is a big bonus knowing the trail is here,” Crerand said. “We didn’t know how much we’d enjoy it. It’s nice to see people in the community. You’re all engaged in the same thing.”

In late afternoon more residents showed up to walk or jog the trail either on their own, or with a dog in tow.

Multi-use trails promote healthy lifestyles and also make Dade City more attractive to tourists and people looking to relocate, said Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez.

The new trail promotes that.

“People have access to a community where they can bike and walk more easily,” Hernandez said.

It also makes good business sense, she added.

“You want a good road to ride on, but for businesses coming to Dade City or East Pasco, this is an important feature,” she said. “It’s an important piece of quality of life to make sure the roads are drivable and well maintained. It’s a very heavily traveled road.”

Hand-in-hand with the repaving and trail, Dade City is beautifying U.S. 98 Bypass. The approximately $113,000 project is funded with about $26,000 from the Florida Department of Transportation. The remainder is from the city through the Penny for Pasco program.

“We talk about a gateway,” Hernandez said. “It looks much nicer. I think it’s an added touch when people decide if they want to live here. They say ‘wow, it was a beautiful town.’ “

Howell said municipalities are more aware now of the “complete streets” concept when streets are designed for vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and bus riders, with a focus on increased safety and beauty.

It is better in the long run to build multi-use trails when possible rather than come back later to retrofit a street, he said.

As enhancement to the trail system, Pasco MPO is working on a master plan for parks and recreation with the potential for creating new parks with connecting trails that reduce the need for residents to drive.

“In a lot of places people have to actually get in a car and drive over even though they can see the park,” Howell said. “We’re trying to avoid that by making a more robust trail system.”

Published March 11, 2015

Dade City combines city hall and police station

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The historic City Hall building in Dade City began its life in the mid-1920s as a hotel that never was completed.

It found new life in the 1940s as a Depression-era work project and became the hub of city government for decades.

A new building in Dade City will combine the city’s City Hall and its police station. (Courtesy of Wannemacher Jensen Architects)
A new building in Dade City will combine the city’s City Hall and its police station.
(Courtesy of Wannemacher Jensen Architects)

But in 2013, a wrecking ball demolished the aging structure.

“It was old and obsolete,” said Gordon Onderdonk, Dade City’s public works director. “We looked at the cost of renovation. It wasn’t feasible to use the building.”

A groundbreaking is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on March 6 for a modern, 21,000-square-foot building on the same ground where the old City Hall structure stood for so long at Fifth Street and Meridian Avenue.

In its re-invented life, the building will be home to Dade City’s City Hall and its police station.

The idea of locating both government entities at one address isn’t unusual, said architect Lisa Wannemacher, principal at St. Petersburg-based Wannemacher Jensen Architects.

“Multi-use is trending,” she said.

Community centers, for example, often are used for multiple uses and are intergenerational, as well, with space dedicated to seniors and children under one roof, Wannemacher said.

Dade City officials saw benefits of having City Hall and the police department share one building.

“They were able to take advantage of economy of scale…and make the building more efficient, which translates into saving money,” Wannemacher said.

By spring 2016, city employees who were relocated to a City Hall annex and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot on U.S. 98 at U.S. 301 will settle into their new offices. The city’s police department will move from its current location on Pasco Avenue into an upgraded headquarters separated from City Hall by a covered courtyard plaza.

“It’s great for the city, great for the community,” said Dade City Police Chief Ray Velboom. “It’s long overdue.”

He said he anticipates the new facility will help the department when applying in the future for accreditation from the national Commission of Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies Inc.

The police station will have interview rooms, holding cells, a booking area, a special area for the K-9 unit and a conference room. The station has those things now, but the building and technology will be newer and upgraded, Velboom said.

“We’ll be making the most of what we have,” he said.

City council has not decided the fate of the existing police station, Onderdonk said.

The $5.9 million construction budget will be paid will be paid from the city’s reserve funds and the countywide Penny for Pasco program.

Residents also will notice a new feature at City Commission meetings.

A projection screen will make it easier for them to follow what is happening, especially during public hearings on zoning matters, Onderdonk.

The new building also will have a power backup system for emergencies.

The main goal of the project was to consolidate city departments under one roof rather than having them scattered at different offices. “It’s not efficient for residents,” Onderdonk said.

Published March 4, 2015

 

From cow pasture to four-lane road?

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When motorists get to the end of State Road 56 at Meadow Pointe Boulevard, they’ll see cows grazing in an open pasture.

But Zephyrhills leaders are pushing for an entirely new view for that plot of land.

They envision it as the start of the first four-lane road to lead into their community.

A cow pasture sits at the end of State Road 56 in Wiregrass Ranch, but advocates of economic growth in Zephyrhills want to transform that pasture into the beginning of a four-lane road to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
A cow pasture sits at the end of State Road 56 in Wiregrass Ranch, but advocates of economic growth in Zephyrhills want to transform that pasture into the beginning of a four-lane road to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

And, they’re turning up the heat on state lawmakers and county officials to try to make that happen.

They presented their case at a town hall meeting on Feb. 23 with State Rep. Danny Burgess and State Sen. John Legg.

The four-lane extension of State Road 56 from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wiregrass Ranch to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills could serve as a catalyst for new business, and would make it easier for people to come and go from Zephyrhills. It also could serve as another hurricane evacuation route, according to city and business leaders.

The question is how to pay for it.

There are plans to extend State Road 56 from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to U.S. 301, but those plans call only for a two-lane road, and even that road is contingent upon securing land from adjacent landowners to make it happen.

Zephyrhills leaders made it clear that a two-lane road falls short of their expectations.

“This city deserves a four-lane highway coming into our city,” said Charles Proctor, who serves on the Zephyrhills City Council and has had a business in the city for more than two decades.

He said the community has been promised a four-lane road for years, and that residents have been under the impression that they were finally going to get one, in State Road 56.

It’s time for action, city leaders said.

“We need to get serious. We need to find a way. We can find it. It’s time,” said Vonnie Mikkelsen, executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

“These folks deserve a little bit of attention,” added Mikkelsen, who also is involved in the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition, made up by Pasco Economic Development Council, the Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, the City of Zephyrhills, the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, Main Street and businesses of Zephyrhills.

A four-lane road into the city, providing a connection with Interstate 75, is vital, leaders said.

It’s a wise investment for the region, Mikkelsen said.

It will help Zephyrhills make the most of its target market opportunities in the aviation industry, distribution, manufacturing and small business, she said.

Paying for the project is a major stumbling block.

Debbie Hunt, transportation development director for the Florida Department of Transportation, said there’s no money in the state’s budget to build a four-lane extension of State Road 56.

“DOT never intended or expected to build at any time in the near future. So, the fact that it was able to be advanced and we are doing the two lanes is exceptional. It allows traffic from Zephyrhills to be able to get over to the interstate, when it is completed.

“The additional lanes will be based on development, as it occurs. There is not an intention from the DOT to fund (lanes) three and four,” Hunt said.

If four-laning State Road 56 is funded, the money would need to come from not doing some other project that’s on Pasco County’s list, she said.

“There’s only so much money to go around,” Hunt said.

One option that’s been proposed calls for building all four lanes, with the state paying for all four lanes initially and developers repaying the state for lanes three and four.

That approach might work, Legg said, but he added he’s not aware of a current way, under the state’s statutes, that could be achieved.

“If we could find a statutory way to loan them the money that they would pay back, that may be an opportunity,” Legg said.

Legg agreed with Hunt that even the two-lane road from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to U.S. 301 had not been envisioned before former Speaker of the House Will Weatherford became involved in advocating for East Pasco’s transportation needs.

“Some of these things were not even on the map, but we had a Speaker of the House that kind of helped this area, helped carve an opportunity to get two lanes,” Legg said.

Legg and Burgess both pledged to keep pushing for a way to get the four-lane project done.

“We’re trying to use whatever kind of leverage we can to push those projects faster, to accelerate them,” Legg said. “The political process is trying to force opportunities.”

Former Mayor Cliff McDuffie said the most effective way to get action is to speak up.

“We need to be more politically involved to make sure your voice is heard. Don’t sit here in Zephyrhills and cry. Go to (Pasco) County Commission and cry,” McDuffie said.

“You have to show up. If you don’t show up, shut up,” McDuffie said.

Both Legg and Burgess said they understand the important role that transportation plays in economic growth.

“Pasco County is booming and (State Road) 56 is obviously just imperative,” Burgess said. “It’s a big piece of that puzzle in attracting future business owners, corporate opportunities and connecting them to our infrastructure and our resources in Zephyrhills, such as our airport, what an asset.”

Legg agreed: “The transportation, in my mind, is really going to shape the growth, or the lack of growth, or the type of growth that this community would like to have in the next 10 to 20 years.

“If this is the avenue that you want to go down, we will put our backs to the plow and try to make that happen,” Legg said.

Published March 4, 2015

Seniors flock to Zephyr Park for ‘Snowbird Palooza’

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Bird-watchers will find plenty of pigeons in Zephyrhills. But there’s another type of bird that’s already completed its annual migration to the area:

The snowbird.

Magician and balloon-artist Windy Douton of Largo fixes his Styrofoam, straw-looking hat as he gets ready to go on stage to entertain those attending the Snowbird Palooza at Zephyr Park. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
Magician and balloon-artist Windy Douton of Largo fixes his Styrofoam, straw-looking hat as he gets ready to go on stage to entertain those attending the Snowbird Palooza at Zephyr Park.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

Snowbirds aren’t really birds, of course. They’re northerners who make their way south and live in the area for several months out of the year. From the winter months through around April, they make Florida their home. And many of them have residences in Zephyrhills.

But according to Sonya Bradley, who estimates that the local population grows by around 30,000 people at this time of year, snowbirds weren’t getting the kind of welcome they deserve.

She set out to change that with Snowbird Palooza.

Bradley, the event coordinator for Simply Events of Tampa Bay, decided that a free event for part-time residents — though it was open to everyone — would be a good fit for the February schedule. It was held Feb. 11 at Zephyr Park, the same site as last month’s Zephyrhills Pie Festival & Community Bake Off, which was also organized by Simply Events.

Bradley estimates that between 500 and 600 people attended the first Snowbird Palooza, which featured various arts and craft booths that coincided with the bi-weekly farmer’s market held at the park.

There also was live music and a bingo pavilion, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., that offered the chance to buy cards to play the popular game and win some money.

“It was a good day,” Bradley said. “People stayed, which was awesome, because we had entertainment for them and different things for them to do.”

Snowbird Palooza offered some health benefits as well.

Bayfront Health Dade City had representatives on hand to administer blood pressure checks and hearing tests for attendees. Nurses also were available to interpret results and answer questions.

Simply Events learned from the first pie festival about how to improve it for next year, and Snowbird Palooza was no different.

The 2016 version will have expanded medical screenings, Bradley said, as well as more input from local mobile home communities. She’d like one of them to run the bingo games and help get the word out about the games and the event in general.

Bradley was pleased to see some younger people who had stopped by the farmer’s market or were running through the park also having a good time. But with a large senior population, she wants to get the word out for next year to make Snowbird Palooza even bigger and better-attended than the first one.

“It’s a community with an older soul. It just makes sense for this time of the year,” Bradley said. “Why not have an event just for them?”

Published February 18, 2015

Save some cash at the county fair

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Ladies and gentlemen, it’s fair season.

That means good rides, good entertainment and good food — or bad food, if you’re a fitness expert. If they can deep-fry it, you can probably buy it at a fair.

There's nothing quite like fair food, and you'll find plenty to enjoy at the Pasco County Fair. (File Photo)
There’s nothing quite like fair food, and you’ll find plenty to enjoy at the Pasco County Fair.
(File Photo)

The Florida State Fair in Tampa is underway and the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City kicks off at the end of the month.

But if you don’t catch the one in the middle, you’re really missing out.

The Pasco County Fair begins Feb. 16 at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, naturally, and there’s a lot to see and do. You can certainly purchase wristbands to ride the rides, and play carnival games until your wallet runs dry.

But this is “On the Cheap.” We’re looking to save you money.

And the truth is, there are so many fun things to experience at the fair that are already included in the admission price, you could go for the whole day and not spend a penny once you get inside. No matter what you like to do, there’s something that will catch your eye.

Let’s start with the show animals: Local fairs have always been places to see the very best in livestock, and this is no exception. Bulls, steers, heifers and other animals will be on display, shown and judged.

But there are also other animals, like alligators and seals — not together, of course.

They’re not looking for ribbons. They’re there to entertain. Kachunga & the Alligator Show and the Sea Lion Splash are two regular shows that perform daily at the fair. And if you like your entertainment on two legs, Ron Diamond’s magic and illusion show will offer sleight of hand, comedy and even some hypnosis.

Oh, did I mention the pigs yet?

Robinson’s Racing Pigs and Paddling Porkers have been a fair staple for years, and for good reason. It might be your only chance all year to see racing pigs: Little pigs, mid-size pigs and giant pigs racing around a track to the delight of sizeable crowds. It’s as weird as it sounds, and it’s a lot of fun, too.

On special nights, the Pasco County Fair also has boxing matches and rodeos. Throw in plant sales and a baby pageant, and you have enough to keep you busy for a couple of visits.

Again, none of that costs extra. It’s all included in your fair admission.

So while you’re free to spend some money and have a good time, it’s not required. Just pay at the gate and enjoy all the different events.

Regular admission, by the way, is $8 for adults and $5 for children, ages 6 to 12. If they’re younger than that, it’s free. Parking is free, too. That’s a good deal, but it’s not the best deal. If you really want to go on the cheap — and why wouldn’t you — I suggest you go on Tuesday, Feb. 18. On that day, admission is just $3 per person.

That’s a great deal for all the things you can see and do.

You’ll save so much money, you might want to treat yourself to some deep-fried candy. Just don’t tell your dentist.

Pasco County Fair
Feb. 16 through Feb. 22. It begins at 3 p.m., and usually runs until 11 p.m., or midnight.

The fairgrounds are at 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City.

For more information, visit PascoCountyFair.org.

Published February 11, 2015

He’s seen his share of love stories through the years

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As Valentine’s Day approaches, jewelry stores and florists are ramping up to handle the heavy demand that this day — set aside for love and romance — creates.

Through the years, Tom Vanater, owner of Nabers Jewelry at 6951 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, has seen his share of love stories.

From behind the counter at Nabers Jewelers, owner Tom Vanater inspects a piece of jewelry. Vanater, who has been in business in Zephyrhills for more than 30 years, is retiring this spring. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
From behind the counter at Nabers Jewelers, owner Tom Vanater inspects a piece of jewelry. Vanater, who has been in business in Zephyrhills for more than 30 years, is retiring this spring.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

He recalls one couple, in particular, that came into his shop to purchase an anniversary ring.

They were celebrating their 50th anniversary.

The man told the jeweler how he met his wife.

“He was at a dance and he looked across the room and said, ‘I’m going to marry that girl.’

“He was about 6-foot-4. She was about 5-foot-3.

“He was in uniform. He asked her to dance. He told her he wanted to marry her.

“He left (for World War II) like three days later.

“She waited for him to come back.”

“Some of the hardships that they’ve gone through. And some of the things they’ve endured — to stay together through all that,” Vanater said, marveling at the couple’s enduring love.

As a jeweler, he’s had the chance to be part of many happy occasions — as patrons selected jewelry for engagements, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, retirements and other special occasions.

Jewelry helps convey a feeling of connection, Vanater said.

In many families, it is passed on from one generation to the next, and people often become quite attached to it because of the emotional bond it represents, he said.

Nabers Jewelers was established by Myron Nabers in 1933, offering jewelry services to residents in East Pasco.

Vanater bought the business more than three decades ago.

Now, he’s retiring from the business and liquidating the store’s contents so he can focus his energies on his real estate interests.

Vanater, originally from Charleston, West Virginia, didn’t set out to become the owner of a jewelry store.

After graduating from college, he went to work as a salesman for a company in New York that imported costume jewelry.

He decided to move to Florida, after being snowed in at a hotel while on a business trip near Eerie, Pennsylvania.

That snowstorm motivated him to move to Florida, where his parents had already moved, he said.

He needed a job, so he found one working at a jewelry store at Eastlake Mall.

An opportunity arose for him to move into management, so he took it.

Next, he went to work for a distributor representing Citizen Watch Co.

“They were a wholesale jewelry distributor, from Tampa to New Orleans. I covered the territory selling to jewelry stores,” he said.

But then, he said, “my daughter was born, and I wanted to get off the road.”

That’s when he found out that Nabers Jewelers was up for sale, and he bought it.

“The store wasn’t open if I wasn’t there, the first few years. I started the store with myself and two part-time people,” he said.

At one point, he had a store in Dade City and one in Zephyrhills, but he later decided to combine them.

“When you’re doing two stores, you’re trying to run them both yourself,” he said. “So it really is very difficult.”

Within a year of combining the stores, he found he was doing more sales in that store than he had in both of his stores, combined.

Over the years, the store has changed locations. The current location is in a shopping center he built.

“It’s worked out beautifully. It’s been a great location for us,” he said.

Working in the jewelry business has its share of challenges because it requires a great deal of knowledge about gems, settings and other technical aspects of the business, as well as the ability to stay tuned into trends and deliver reliable and trustworthy service, Vanater said.

But it has many rewards, as well.

“It’s a fun business. You’re experiencing a happy time in someone’s life, almost always. They’re either buying something for someone as a gift, that gets them excited, or they’re buying something for themselves that is very exciting for them,” he said.

He hopes that the new owner will find as much success in the business as he has.

“I hope it makes it to 100 years – Nabers Jewelers. It’s a good service to the community, and it’s a good living for whoever owns it,” Vanater said.

Published February 11, 2015

Library dazzles patrons

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It offers new technology and an airy look

Some boxes are still unpacked.

A few books are being catalogued before getting stacked on shelves.

An item or two, such as window blinds, are on order.

An arched window and high ceiling allows for natural lighting to give the new library in Zephyrhills something of a Barnes & Noble feel. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
An arched window and high ceiling allows for natural lighting to give the new library in Zephyrhills something of a Barnes & Noble feel.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Outside, workmen are getting ready to pave a parking lot.

Not everything is completely done yet, but the new Zephyrhills Public Library is open for business and humming with activity – in hushed tones, of course.

One recent morning a steady stream of people walked through the front door. One inquired about a book request. Others logged onto computers. Some just wanted a quiet reading nook.

So far, the library has proved quite popular.

“We are getting very heavy traffic,” said Vicki Elkins, director of library and museum services. “We have people coming in that we’ve never seen at the old library.”

The new structure replaces a building that was partially constructed in 1964 and partly built in 1981.

That building was torn down to make way for this new one.

The paved parking lot, when completed, will have a drive-through book drop-off.

Although the library opened on Dec. 30, a grand opening has not yet been scheduled.

“I refer to it as a great Christmas gift,” Elkins said. “We can offer so much more now than we could in the old library.”

At nearly 8,500 square feet, the new library, at 5347 Eighth St., is more than double the size of its predecessor.

Its amenities include a meeting room with a galley, separate teen and children’s rooms, and two study rooms.

The library also will soon have Wi-Fi.

Patrons also will find 16 computers there — twice as many as there were in the old library.

And, they can use their library cards to book computer time. This is especially helpful when the computers are all in use, Elkins said.

When patrons want to print materials, they can preview their order and its cost.

The library’s youngest patrons will find three computers set aside for them in the children’s room.

New books targeted at young readers will be added to the teen room.

Another plus: A local resident donated about 300 books, mostly classics.

In the past, the library had its summer reading program at Alice Hall Community Center. Now it can be in the new children’s room and in the adjoining meeting room.

There also is potential for additional programs, Elkins said.

Nonprofit and community groups have already found out about the meeting room and have begun signing up for it, Elkins said.

The vision for the new library emerged nearly 10 years ago, and the city began setting aside countywide tax revenues from the Penny for Pasco program.

In 2008, the country’s economic downturn prompted a rearrangement of priorities.

“It was put on the back burner,” Elkins said.

As the economy brightened in recent years, some thought was given to renovating the existing library but Elkins said, “It was not in good shape for a remodeling.”

A combination of Penny for Pasco revenues and private donations paid for the $2.2 million construction costs.

The plain façade of the old library seemed out of tune with the historic look of downtown Zephyrhills, so Elkins said architects at Harvard Jolly were asked to review photos of the old City Hall, high school and train station.

The result was a red brick building with a classic look.

Kathleen Munn recently brought her daughter Charlie Hernandez for a first tour of Zephyrhills’ new library. Mother and daughter were going to report back to 10-year-old Lilly Hernandez, Munn’s granddaughter and Hernandez’ daughter.

As a youngster, Charlie Hernandez would check out more than a dozen books a week to take home.

No one loves books more, Munn said.

But she said that old library, even for a book lover, was “old, dark and dank.”

Now Munn can’t wait to return with her granddaughter to the new library.

“This is big and fresh and adds a bit of class to Zephyrhills,” Munn said. “It feels like a Barnes & Noble to me. It’s light and bright and airy.”

Published February 4, 2015