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Wesley Chapel Boulevard expansion plans progress

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A construction time frame has been set for Pasco County’s plans to widen Wesley Chapel Boulevard to six lanes.

The expansion of the road — also known as County Road 54 – will be broken into two projects.

The first project begins just north of the road’s intersection with State Road 56 and extends to the north of its intersection with Magnolia Boulevard.

This is what Wesley Chapel Boulevard looks like now. Its widening to six lanes has been a long-awaited development among motorists who travel the busy road. The project is a response to Pasco County’s continual growth. The project is set to begin construction as early as the fall of 2021. (File)

The second project extends from the intersection at Progress Parkway to the intersection of Oakley Boulevard.

An initial 2003 study prompted the idea of expanding Wesley Chapel Boulevard to four lanes. However, later studies predicting an increase in density resulted in a call for more widening.

“Projections we did, before 2008, show that future growth is going to bring the volumes up to a point that we’ll need to have six lanes there,” said Panos Kontses, a Pasco County engineering manager.

The widening comes at a time when State Road 54 and State Road 56 are adding new commercial and residential buildings, in response to the area’s growing demands.

County engineers are finalizing the blueprints for the project.

“Right now, we are trying to finish the design plans,” Kontses said. “We are about 90 percent finished.”

Letters offering to purchase right of way have been sent to landowners along the route of the first project.

Most of this stretch is two lanes, without a median to divide opposing traffic.

The new construction adds a median, which will have openings so motorists can make turns.

Future plans for commercial growth and road widening on Old Pasco Road was considered in this project, the engineering manager said.

Kontses said the expansion of Old Pasco Road, which intersects with Wesley Chapel Boulevard, is expected to increase traffic.

The county’s plan to create a new interchange at Interstate 75 and Overpass Road — which feeds into Old Pasco Road — also will increase activity in the area,  Kontses added.

Motorists heading northbound on Wesley Chapel Boulevard, have to make a slight right curve when going past the intersection of Old Pasco Road.

Eastbound traffic already has three lanes from Old Pasco Road to Oakley Boulevard, but westbound traffic has just two lanes for a portion of that stretch.

To accommodate an expansion of a six-lane road, the existing median will be narrowed.

This median runs north of Magnolia Boulevard to Oakley Boulevard.

The projects’ additional amenities will include an 8-foot multi-use trail to the east side of Wesley Chapel Boulevard and 5-foot to 6-foot sidewalk on the west side. These will be installed in the area between State Road 56 to Magnolia Boulevard.

Also, traffic lights will be added at Wesley Chapel Boulevard’s intersections with Stagecoach Village Boulevard and Compark Drive.

A signal already has been installed at Grand Oaks Boulevard, but will undergo an upgrade during construction.

While it’s too early to tell what delays or closures may come, Kontses assured that contractors will use night construction in order to minimize disruption.

Both projects will be treated as one development during the construction phase. The project cost is estimated at $53 million.

“We assume construction should start sometime between the end of 2021 and [the] beginning of 2022,” Kontses stated.

Construction is expected to be completed by the summer of 2024.

Published May 08, 2019

Youth vaping a growing concern in Pasco

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Health officials in Pasco County are concerned about rising numbers of local teens who are using electronic cigarettes, or vaping.

Last year, about 25 percent of Florida high school students reported current use of electronic vaping, according to the Florida Department of Health. That marked a staggering 58 percent increase compared to 2017.

Representatives from the Florida Department of Health of Pasco County discussed youth e-cigarette use at a recent community meeting hosted by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). (Kevin Weiss)

The figures might be even higher in Pasco County, according to Jenae Haddocks, a health educator with the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

“What we’re seeing is Pasco is above average as far as youth initiation in e-cigs and vape use, and above state average for that, so that’s not good,” Haddocks said at a recent community meeting hosted by the Pasco Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

“We’re having a hard time trying to address it,” she added.

Exacerbating the vaping issue, Haddocks said, is a lack of oversight by e-cigarette retailers, along with a lack of regulation on e-cig products and flavors by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Haddocks pointed out e-cigs and related products can be purchased online with minimal or no type of age verification. “Kids can go online and purchase these products. It’s kind of surprising,” she said.

E-cigarette devices heat a liquid that produces an aerosol, or vapor. That liquid usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals.

Long-term health effects of vaping remain unknown.

However, some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could be harmful to the lungs in the long-term, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Moreover, the Florida Department of Health reports that the CDC has stated that that a single e-cig liquid pod of the popular e-cigarette brand JUUL contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.

Haddocks suggested e-cigarettes makers are marketing to youth and teenagers with pods that have “candylike or sweet flavoring” – flavors like bubblegum, fruit punch, candy cane, and crème brulee, to name a few.

The speaker noted the labeling of some of these pods even resemble that of candy products such as Sour Patch Kids or Bubblicious Original Bubble Gum. Such labeling makes e-cigs seem less harmful and more appealing for teens to try, Haddocks said.

The Florida Department of Health has seen a staggering increase in the number of teenagers vaping or using electronic cigarettes. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Health)

Currently, the JUUL brand and related sweet vapor flavorings, Haddock noted, “are really, really popular among youth right now.”

She put it like this: “Of course, adults do like those flavorings, but who’s more likely to buy bubble gum or Bubblicious at a gas station — a 12-year-old or a 35-year-old?”

Aside from nicotine and other unknown chemicals, the speaker went on to explain that e-cigarettes and vape products can be manipulated with illicit substances.

Haddocks said some Pasco County teens have been caught with e-cig pods that test positive for alcohol, THC, cannabis and other substances.

Said Haddocks: “They’re smoking things laced with who knows what and they don’t know half the time, so that’s kind of turning into an even bigger issue that we’re seeing.”

She added: “It’s kind of a growth issue that we have right now in Pasco.”

Meanwhile, Haddocks said general tobacco use among children under 18 years old remains “a big issue” in the county.

She pointed out the younger that someone is when first trying tobacco, the more likely that person is to become a lifelong tobacco user, or to abuse tobacco for years to come.

“Ninety percent of adult smokers begin at or before the age of 18. It’s a huge concern,” she said.

To better combat such youth initiation, Haddocks advised the community to educate youth on the dangers of tobacco products and other drugs.

Published May 01, 2019

Pasco library patrons asked to share their ideas

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Pasco County Libraries is remaking its seven branches and wants the public to help guide the way.

There will be a series of Community Listening Sessions as the design phase of library remodeling gets underway, according to a news release from the county.

Mr. Tommy jokes around by hiding in the crowd at the New River Branch Library, during his introduction before his show. (File)

Anyone with ideas about the planned use of various spaces within the renovated library branches is invited to attend a session to share their thoughts.

The three-year remodeling project is funded by voter approval in November of $18.6 million in general obligation bonds for library upgrades. The county’s libraries were built before the 1980s.

The first listening sessions are being held for the New River branch in Wesley Chapel and the Centennial Park branch in Holiday.

The first session will be at New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, on April 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The unusual-looking blue chameleon has eyes for Stacy Dunn as it sits perched on her finger during a presentation on reptiles at New River Branch Library.

The second one will be at Centennial Park Branch Library, 5740 Moog Road in Holiday, on April 30 from 6:30 p.m. to  7:30 p.m.

An estimated $2 million in renovations will be done at the New River Branch Library. The project is in design phase and is expected to be completed in 2020.

Pasco County Administrator Dan Biles has said that the county plans to close the libraries during the renovation, with outreach efforts planned to serve patrons.

Closing the libraries during the work will allow contractor to complete the work more quickly and at a lower cost than doing phases at each facility, Biles said.

In addition to the New River Branch Library, improvements also are planned at the Hugh Embry Branch Library and the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library.

Nearly $1.8 million in improvements is planned at the Hugh Embry Branch Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City. That project is expected to be completed in 2021.

And, nearly $1.7 million in improvements is planned at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes. That project is expected to be completed in 2021.

Published April 24, 2019

Holy Name Monastery: A tranquil place on a hill

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Funny how a place can be both otherworldly and so much a part of this world.

Holy Name Monastery is like that. It’s a peaceful place where Benedictine Sisters of Florida rise before the birds are up to pray quietly in their chapel, then return for daily Mass and more common prayers throughout the day.

A ribbon drapes a wooden cross beside vegetables growing in Sister Miriam’s aquaponic garden. (Karen Haymon Long)

Then, rather than sit idly enjoying their monastic peacefulness, they head out into the world – to a childhood center, a thrift store and food bank, to chamber of commerce meetings and to an aquaponic garden that produces so many vegetables they sell some to Benedetto’s Ristorante, a popular Pasco County restaurant.

The 16 nuns who call this monastery home use the Internet, read newspapers, watch TV news and invite in experts who inform them about political candidates and topics, such as human trafficking.

And, “we definitely vote,’’ says Prioress Roberta Bailey.

Sister Mary Clare Neuhofer, prioress before Sister Roberta, says they are well aware of the stark divisions in our country today.

“Our response is to pray for a just solution and for our leaders, so that they will have the guidance they need to make just decisions for the good of the people,” she says.

Many of the sisters write to lawmakers in Florida and Washington D.C., about peace, justice, the death penalty and other issues that concern them.

Sister Mary Clare Neuhofer joined the monastery in 1956, fresh out of high school.

They stay busy reaching out to help those in need, whether it be the homeless, the hungry, spiritual searchers, or those who just need a friend.

Because they are a community of sisters, they pool their wages into a common account and are given monthly allowances of $70 for clothes, shoes or whatever they may want to buy. They haven’t worn the restrictive, long black habits since the 1960s, but instead prefer slacks, tops and comfortable shoes, since they always have someplace to go, someone to help.

One sister serves as director at Daystar Hope Center in Dade City, the thrift store and food bank, while four of her sisters and a crew of other volunteers help run the operation.

Two other sisters teach at Sacred Heart Early Childhood Center in nearby Saint Joseph. Another sister is a data analyst at Saint Leo University, across the street from the monastery. Another works at an area assisted living center, where one of their sisters lives.

Others, like Sister Donna — who is famous for her homemade rolls and cookies — feed Habitat for Humanity volunteers at their worksites.

Sister Roberta Bailey is Holy Name Monastery’s prioress who says, ‘there’s no retirement when you are a sister.’

Many of the sisters host monthly music concerts and retreats in a wing of their monastery built in 2017 to meet the demand for retreats.

Asked how many retreats they host a year, Sister Mary Clare laughs and says, “That’s impossible for me to answer.”

There are too many and too many kinds to keep track.

Some are for big groups, some for just one person. Some are for Roman Catholics like themselves. Others are nondenominational or for Episcopalians, or members of other faiths. Some retreats are silent, except for meals. Some are not.

Some attendees stay in one of the retreat wing’s 10 hotel-like double rooms at a rate of $45 a night, or $75 for room and meals. Others go home at night.

The sisters offer spiritual counseling and days of reflection they direct themselves. Some groups direct their own retreats. Either way, guests are welcomed to walk around the grounds, sit in the rose garden, take a nature trail or peruse books in the monastery’s library.

Individuals on retreat “immerse themselves into our lives,” says Sister  Roberta. “They eat meals with us, pray with us.”

The Benedictine Cross on the front of the monastery.

Sister Mary Clare adds: “If they want to take a nap, they take a nap, and some of them take naps as soon as they get here.”

It’s easy to see why. Cellphones are only allowed in certain places. Signs remind: “Quiet, please, in hallways,’’ and many areas are softly lit or full of comforting natural light. Talk of politics is discouraged at meals, reason enough for some people to flock here on retreat.

Noise and traffic in the outside world can be so intrusive, Sister Roberta says. When retreaters leave, “They say, ‘I forget until I come here how impossible it is to stop and think about God, and to think about life and how I want to live it.’”

Some visit for other reasons: During Hurricane Irma in September of 2017, the sisters housed 18 people who fled the storm.

Day in and day out, the sisters take turns serving meals, doing the dishes and performing other needed chores. They come from all sorts of backgrounds and range in age. The youngest is in her mid-50s; the oldest was Sister Helen Lange, who was 105 when she died on March 18.

Sister Miriam Cosgrove loves working in the aquaponic gardens at Holy Name Monastery so much she calls it play instead of work.

Sister Roberta, who has short, wispy gray hair, blue eyes and a sweet pixie face, was just 16 in 1953 when she moved from DeLand to St. Leo to attend high school at Holy Name Academy, run by the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. She joined them as a nun in 1957, calling her decision “a call from God.”

She is proud that she started the first accredited Montessori school in Florida in 1970 and served as principal of St. Anthony Catholic Elementary School in nearby San Antonio for 15 years.

She serves on Saint Leo University’s board of trustees, a chamber of commerce board, on every Holy Name Monastery committee, plus, she is always available to her fellow sisters.

Asked if she has ever not worked, she smiles and says, “No, I’ve always been involved. There’s no retirement when you are a sister.’’

Sister Mary Clare has her own long history of serving as a Benedictine Sister. The middle child of 11 who grew up on a chicken farm in Saint Joseph, she had just graduated from Holy Name Academy in 1956 when she followed her older sister into the monastery. Before that, she hadn’t considered it, but was encouraged to join by friends and family.

“When I entered the monastery, I felt at home and wondered why I hadn’t wanted to do this,” says Sister Mary Clare, who has gray eyes, short reddish brown hair and a ready smile.

Vegetables from Sister Miriam’s garden feed the nuns and some are sold to Benedetto’s Ristorante Italiano in Pasco County.

Over the years, after college, she taught elementary students in Catholic schools in Jacksonville Beach, Sarasota and North Miami, then ran the campus ministry at Saint Leo College, which is now Saint Leo University. Afterward, she was the college’s acting dean of women, then director of residential life. In 1988, she resigned to take a sabbatical and travel, then returned to the  monastery, where she became the treasurer of the community, then the prioress.

Now, she serves on many monastery committees, including music and prayer, she’s an organist, helps with retreats, coordinates hospitality and takes part in other house missions, as well as serving on the local board of Catholic Charities.

The Benedictine Sisters, she says, were not formed to do “any particular work, such as teaching, nursing or working with the poor. We are free to do many types of work.’’

Sister Miriam Cosgrove, who joined the monastery at 18, chose gardening after dedicating more than 40 years to teaching and guidance counseling in elementary schools. In the nine years since “retirement,” she has developed a prosperous aquaponic garden that produces eggplant, lettuce, squash, cabbage and many other types of vegetables.

She also tends schools of Red Nile tilapia whose waste is changed by “good bacteria” into nitrates that fertilize her plants. Schoolchildren sometimes visit and others, too, and the sisters eat her vegetables at mealtime. Sometimes, they even eat her tilapia.

Sister Tracey Adams calls herself a ‘baby sister,’ since she only joined the monastery last June.

Fit and tan and sporting camouflage cargo shorts, a white top and straw hat, she works hard in her garden, but doesn’t seem to consider it work at all.

“I don’t work. I play,’’ she says, laughing. “It’s not work if you love it.”

She relishes the peacefulness of her garden and monastic life.

“People who come here on retreat say how peaceful it is. And, when they leave, they say, ‘This is exactly what I needed. I’ll be back.’”

Sister Tracey Adams, whose brown eyes are the same color as her hair,  calls herself “a baby sister,” since she only joined the sisters last June. She came to the monastery from St. Petersburg, where she was a hospice nurse.

She says she had health problems and felt a desire to live simply, so after a road trip alone that took her to 22 states, she stopped by the monastery, which she heard about from her priest back home.

“I was on a mission to find what God wanted for the next portion of my life, she says.

She stayed with them one night, then another. Then, returned every month for a year.

“It was always hard to leave,” she says. So she became a volunteer, then an affiliate, then a postulate and now she’s a novice.

“I found a lot of peace here,” she says. She uses her nursing skills, takes care of the rose bushes “and I love to wash dishes, so I do that,” she laughs. She’s on the peace and justice and hospitality committees, and spends some of her time reading and studying.

“Like the Army, we try to be all we can be,” she says. “I may not be able to help’’ people on the other side of the globe. “But, I’m praying for them.’’

The Benedictine Sisters of Florida’s Holy Name Monastery is at 12138 Wichers Road, St. Leo. Contact (352) 588-8320 or BenedictineSistersOfFl.org.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published April 17, 2019

Special needs youths have a chance to shine

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With stage lights glaring down, Jaden Figueroa enthusiastically runs through his lines during a rehearsal for Aladdin Jr.

There’s no hint that this is the 12-year-old’s first experience of acting in a play.

Ozias Figueroa, of Land O’ Lakes, left, proudly glances at his 12-year-old son, Jaden, ahead of the evening’s dress rehearsal. Jaden was selected to play the title role in the stage production of Aladdin Jr. (Christine Holtzman)

The young actor was among a cast of three dozen special needs youth taking part in the play — based on the popular Disney film — at the University Area Cultural Development Center in Tampa.

The New Tampa Players production’s performances of the play are over. They were held April 5 to April 7.

But, the value of the experience for these young actors goes far beyond the applause received during the public performances.

They’re also getting a chance to learn about acting and find out about the work involved to pull off a successful show.

Nora Paine, director of Aladdin Jr., said the aim is to help those who are involved with the play to develop their skills.

“We’re looking at the things they do well,” Paine said. “We’re looking at the things that make them happy and they’re excited to do.”

Seventeen-year-old ‘Genie’ actor Connor Olsen, right, poses with his peer mentor, Olivia Carr of Lutz, before they were set to take the stage for their dress rehearsal.

The casting became possible through a recent merger of the New Tampa Players and The Penguin Project, a nationwide theater program that casts youth with developmental disabilities to be a part of stage performances.

As of last year, Tampa was the first city in Florida where The Penguin Project added a new branch.

Paine, who also is president of New Tampa Players, spread the word to special needs schools and organizations – which brought new talent to the stage.

Jaden initially tried out for the role of the Genie.

The casting director, however, had a more prominent role in mind for him – Aladdin.

“I didn’t try out (for Aladdin), they just said that they wanted me to be this part,” the Land O’ Lakes resident recalled.

Taking on the lead role was a good experience, and fun, he said.

Eighteen-year-old Zoe DeJoseph, of Wesley Chapel, right, receives words of encouragement from her 19-year-old peer mentor, Marian Storvick. DeJoseph is performing the part of ‘Jasmine’ in the stage production of Aladdin Jr.

His dad attended the April 1 rehearsal.

“I think all the kids are doing great,” Ozias Figueroa said, noting he thinks it has been a beneficial experience for his son. “He started to see the hard work you have to put in.”
The actors aren’t the only ones involved in the production.

Each actor is accompanied on stage by a mentor who is there to help the actor memorize lines, as well as song and dance routines.

From the first rehearsal to the last stage performance, mentors are ready to whisper lines or flash a cue card in case actors forget lines.

In the University Area gymnasium, actors and mentors stood side by side to practice singing routines.

Brad Roberts, the singing coach, guided the cast through a range of high to low pitch drills to warm up their voices.

“We’re also looking at the relationship between the mentors and the young artists so we can find those matching pairs,” Paine noted.

Eight-year-old Karsen Walker, of Dunedin, right, has fun before the dress rehearsal with her 14-year-old peer mentor, Maggie Gamson, of Tampa.

One good match was found when Marian Storvik partnered with Zoe DeJoseph.

“Getting to work with her and having fun, encouraging her to do the best she can – it’s honestly been a blessing,” said Storvik, who is a mentor.

DeJoseph, who is 18, said she was thrilled to be selected to perform as Princess Jasmine, a leading role.

Unlike some cast members, though, she is no stranger to stage work.

She’s been involved in theater performances since the ninth grade, and said she’s been singing for as long as she can remember.

Even with all of that experience, she said she could barely contain her joy when she was asked to play Jasmine.

“I was happy that I got a role that is major,” the Wesley Chapel resident said. “It’s kind of nerve-wrecking, but also really awesome to play a princess.”

The cast of Aladdin Jr., on stage during a dress rehearsal.

The dress rehearsal provided a glimpse of what these actors would be presenting during the public performances.

As the stage lights brighten for the first scene, the background art of the fictional city Agrabah, becomes visible and the Genie emerges.

Performed by Connor Olsen, the Genie sings “Arabian Nights” with a prominent voice that amplifies the stage.

The 17-year-old’s love for singing is apparent.

Olsen also came to the role after previous theater experience.

His mentor, Olivia Carr, also is an accomplished young performer, who played the lead role in the play, “Violet,” last year.

As Olsen’s mentor, the Lutz resident explained her task to help memorize lines, music routines and build her partner’s character.

While not a lead this time, Carr said she’s happy to help someone else on stage.

Working together helped them form a strong bond.

“I’ve had a lot of fun,” Carr said. “We’ve gotten to be really good friends.”

The actors also enjoy getting into character, and wearing costumes, Paine said.

Behind the stage, rows of costumes hang on a rack ready for the actors to pick them up.

“When they could finally put on their costume, look in the mirror and see themselves as the character, it really made a difference,” the director said.

At the dress rehearsal, there were parents in the audience — applauding and demonstrating support.

The director said she hoped that at the actual performances there would be youths with special needs watching the plays — which might prove particularly inspiring for them.

“It’s very important for everyone to be able to see someone on stage that’s like them, so they know they can do this, too,” Paine said.

Published April 10, 2019

Pasco’s tourism boosts county’s economy

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An analysis by Downs & St. Germain Research Inc., consultants to Pasco County, reveals that 965,000 tourists visited Pasco County during 2018, with a $615 million impact on the county’s economy.

Downs & St. Germain Research conducted the county’s first-ever visitor tracking study. They completed face-to-face, phone and online surveys with Pasco County visitors. As a result, the researchers were able to profile visitors coming to Pasco, and to quantify economic impacts of tourism in Pasco.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore drops the puck during a ceremonial face-off between Tampa Bay Lightning Alumni captain Dave Andreychuk and National Standing/Amputee team captain David Levesque during the 15th annual Toyota-USA Hockey Disabled Hockey Festival, held this year at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Andy Taylor/Pasco County)

Nearly three-quarters of Pasco’s visitors in 2018 came from Florida, New York, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Canada, the researcher’s report says.

Of  those,  57 percent  stayed  at  hotels or motels; 23  percent stayed with relatives or friends; 14 percent stayed in a personal second home; 4 percent stayed at campgrounds/RV; and, 2 percent at vacation rental homes.

The typical travel party was made up of 2.4 people, and among those visiting, nearly a quarter reported they were accompanied by at least one person 18 or younger.

The vast majority of those visiting Pasco County drove in: Nearly 91 percent reported that’s how they arrived. Seven percent said they flew into Tampa International Airport.

Top reasons for visiting Pasco County were: Visiting friends or family, special events, attractions, relaxation, vacation and outdoor activities.

Ninety-eight percent of visitors said they will return to Pasco County.

Adam Thomas, Pasco County’s tourism director, briefed the Pasco County Commission on some of the report’s findings during a recent meeting.

“We’re a job generator,” Thomas said. “In 2018, we generated over 7,480 jobs that are supported by tourism that created wages of over $156 million on an annual basis.”

Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano was impressed by the report’s findings.

“I think you’ve got some awesome information in there,” Mariano said.

“The average vacationer is 44,” Mariano said. “The median household is $75,000. Twenty-six percent travel with children.”

When visitors are asked to identify additional activities that they would like to see, they  identified more outdoor activities, more family friendly activities, a water park, a music festival, more shopping options and more restaurants, Mariano said.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said the impact from tourism is already impressive, but he said it will increase, as the county’s new tourism brand — Florida’s Sports Coast — takes hold.

“When the Wiregrass Sports Complex is finished, you can imagine how those numbers are going to increase,” he said.

Moore noted that AdventHealth Center Ice — which was used as a practice facility by the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team — already attracts big events.

This is Pasco County’s tourism brand logo.

Over the weekend, the ice arena hosted the 2019 Disabled Hockey Festival, and will host more games this coming weekend.

The ice arena is the first in Florida to host the hockey festival, Moore said, via comments shared with The Laker/Lutz News by his aide, Andy Taylor.

“I am honored to participate in an event that shows anybody can participate and be included. I thank USA Hockey for their commitment to the disabled community and coming to Wesley Chapel,” Moore added.

Thomas said the event is generating nearly 1,200 room nights.

The tourism director told commissioners the county is working on a different event that’s expected to generate close to 1,400 room nights.

Moore told his board colleagues, “The focus is the room nights because if they’re spending a night in a hotel, they’re going out to dinner, they’re buying their gas here, they’re going to the shops. They’re doing everything in Pasco County.”

Now, as the county negotiates future events, Moore said, “the stipulations are, they stay in Pasco County.”

Thomas described the county’s tourism approach this way:  “We’re going after the active family, the active couple, the active traveler that’s looking for outdoor adventure, but also looking for the youth tournaments.”

Tourism’s impact on Pasco County
Overall economic impact: $615 million
Visitors to Pasco: 965,000
Room nights generated by visitors: 1,132,926
Jobs: 7,480
Wages: $156 million
Source: 2018 Economic Impact Study of Tourism in Pasco County

Published April 03, 2019

Cypress Creek Town Center buzzing with activity

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If you haven’t been in the area west of Interstate 75, off State Road 56, during the past several months, chances are you’re not aware of the increasing activity happening at Cypress Creek Town Center and in nearby areas.

Five Below, at 25609 Sierra Center Blvd., in Lutz, is set to have its grand opening on March 29, according to a banner posted at the store.

Five Below is planning a grand opening on March 29, at the Cypress Creek Town Center, according to a sign on the company’s storefront. (B.C. Manion)

Five Below sells everything from cellphone cases and chargers to yoga pants, footballs, candy, and seasonal items from Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

Meanwhile, Burlington, at 25589 Sierra Center Blvd., also is set to have its grand opening on March 29, according to the company’s website. Burlington also is hiring, according a banner on the company’s storefront.

Burlington is an off-price apparel and home product retailer, which operates 567 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico, according to its website. The store offers a large selection of coats, clothing, shoes, linens , home décor and baby items.

Those grand openings come on the heels of Hobby Lobby’s grand opening on March 18.  Located at  25675 Sierra Center Drive, it is the national retail chain’s 865th store. Each store offers more than 70,000 crafting and home décor products, including floral, fabric, needle art, custom framing, baskets, home accents, wearable art, arts and crafts, jewelry making, scrapbooking and paper crafting supplies, according to information provided by the company.

HomeGoods is planning an April 14 grand opening at Cypress Creek Town Center, according to the company’s website.

Meanwhile, Earth Fare, a North Carolina-based grocer, also at Cypress Creek Town Center, entered the Pasco County market when it opened its 51st store in February. The 24,000-square-foot store aims to promote the health and well-being of its customers by selling an assortment of healthy foods.

Coming soon to the town center will be HomeGoods, at 25557 Sierra Center Blvd., which is scheduled to have its grand opening on April 14 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to its website.  It also is “now hiring” according to a sign on the storefront’s exterior.

HomeGoods is an off-price retailer, which offers brand name and home fashion assortments that are 20 percent to 60 percent less than department and specialty store regular prices, the company’s website says. It offers merchandise from thousands of vendors throughout the world.

Many other establishments already are operating at the town center, which has shops and restaurants on both sides of State Road 56.

Diners have a wide array of options on the north side of State Road 56, including Chipotle Mexican Grill, Fast-Fire’D Blaze Pizza, Taco Bell, Pollo Tropical, Wendy’s, Ford’s Garage, Mellow Mushroom, Sweetea Café, Chuy’s Tex Mex and Bahama Breeze.

Burlington is planning a grand opening on March 29, at the Cypress Creek Town Center, according to the company’s website. It also is hiring, according to a sign on the exterior of the store.

Meanwhile, Walk-ons Bistreaux & Bar, on the same side of the road, is under construction. The New Orleans-based sports bar was founded by business partners who were walk-ons to the Louisiana State University basketball team. They opened their first restaurant near LSU’s Tiger Stadium.

On the south side of State Road 56, diners can select from LongHorn Steakhouse, McDonald’s, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Culver’s, Panda Express, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks  and MOD Pizza.

Other developments on the south side of the road include Costco Wholesale Warehouse, an At Home Home Décor Superstore and smaller shops.

Tampa Premium Outlets also is on the south side of State Road 56, just west of I-75.

And, another project is coming, on the  east side of Creek Grass Way, about 600 feet south of State Road 56, according to county records.

Main Event is planning a 48,608-square-foot entertainment center and has requested permission to sell alcoholic  beverages there. The Pasco County Planning Commission and county planners have recommended approval, and the Pasco County Commission was scheduled to consider the request on March 26, after The Laker/Lutz News’ press deadline.

The Main Event is a bowling, laser tag and dining entertainment center, which has locations in 16 states, including Florida, according to its website.

On the north side of State Road 56, shops include T-Mobile, Noire Nail Bar, Men’s Wearhouse, Mattress One, Aspen Dental, Great Clips, Pearl Vision and Sleep Number. Verizon Wireless and Wesley Chapel Smile Dentistry are coming soon.

There’s also Hyatt Place Hotel & Conference, a 130-room hotel, has opened and already has hosted a variety of community events there.

Also, on the north side of State Road 56, to the west of Cypress Creek Town Center, there’s a new Burger King in front of the Brightwork Crossing apartment development, and nearby a Wawa gas station under construction nearby.

El Dorado Furniture-Wesley Chapel is planning a 70,000-square-foot, two-story showroom at State Road 54 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard, according to county documents.

Published March 27, 2019

Browning talks school safety, other issues

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More than a year since the Parkland school shooting claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty members, ensuring school safety remains a forefront priority for Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning.

Browning discussed that, and a number of other school issues, as the featured guest speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce March breakfast meeting at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel.

“Parkland kind of rocked our world,” Browning said, during the breakfast meeting. “It really shook everybody’s core about the magnitude of what our responsibility is about making sure that our kids are safe in our schools.”

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning was the featured guest speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce March breakfast meeting. (Kevin Weiss)

Browning said Pasco Schools have made a number of sweeping changes to enhance school safety, in the wake of the February 2018 tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in South Florida.

Among the most noteworthy, Browning said, was the district hiring around 60 armed school safety guards to place in elementary schools — in addition to school resource officers at all middle and high schools — to comply with Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, also known as Senate Bill 7026. The district’s safety guards are required to have a minimum of 10 years of experience in the military or law enforcement.

Browning explained the safety guards have quickly made a positive impact on school campuses, by taking on a mentoring relationship with students, which, in turn, has led to fewer discipline referrals districtwide.

“These men and women are kicking it,” Browning said. “Just having that presence on the campus has been significant, has been incredible for this district, and also provides a sense of security, and, it does provide security.

“We’re much more tight about who’s on campus. If you don’t have a (identification) badge on, they’re going to ask you where you are from or what you’re doing on campus.”

As another safety measure, Browning said district schools are getting upgraded door locks, thanks in part to a security grant from the Florida Department of Education, whereby classroom doors can lock from the inside when they are closed.

“There’s no getting back in that room unless you have a key,” said Browning. “Whether teachers or principals like it or not, those doors are going to lock, and you better have a key on your body if you want to get back in a classroom, because your kids need to be safe and they need to be protected.”

The school district is also “installing a lot more (security) cameras,” Browning said.

Browning also mentioned there’s a districtwide policy requiring gates and classroom doors to be locked and secured during school hours.

Browning said the policy — put into effect a week after the Parkland shooting — received pushback from some teachers and administrators, who called it “inconvenient” at the time.

“I don’t want to hear about how inconvenient it is that you’ve got to wear a key on your lanyard to get back into your door,” Browning said of those complaints. “It would be inconvenient for me to have to stand before a bank of national TV cameras explaining how someone got onto our campus, and worse yet, got into your classroom. That’s what’s inconvenient to me.”

He continued, “Kids needs to be safe in our schools. Parents need to have the expectation when you drop your child off at our school that they’re going to be safe.”

Besides addressing school safety, the superintendent offered an update to some new school projects in East Pasco, including the new Cypress Creek Middle School being built next to Cypress Creek Middle High School, which opened in 2017.

“We have broken ground. We are tearing ground open. We are putting walls down at Cypress Creek Middle School,” Browning said.

The new middle school is set to open in 2020.

Once complete, the approximately 185,000-square-foot to 195,000-square-foot middle school will become Pasco’s largest middle school. It will serve more than 1,600 students in grades six through eight.

Related to that, Browning said the school district is set to undergo another redistricting either later this year or early next year, whereby students from Seven Oaks Elementary will likely be zoned to the Cypress Creek schools — a measure to reduce overcrowding at John Long Middle and Wiregrass Ranch High schools, respectively.

Browning also said moves are being made to bring a technical high school to East Pasco.

“We’re getting ready to break ground. We’re in the design stage now,” Browning said.

The superintendent explained that district officials are leaning toward having the unnamed technical school built on the recently purchased 104-acre Kirkland Ranch property, situated at the southeast corner of Curley and Kiefer roads.

The district has also considered the technical school for a 125-acre tract along Handcart and Fairview Heights roads.

Browning, however, said the Kirkland Ranch property may present a more desirable location once the new Interstate 75 interchange at Overpass Road is completed.

“It’s a good shot from Zephyrhills, a great shot from Wesley Chapel, and a great shot from Dade City,” Browning said.

Either way, Browning said a technical school would help relieve overcrowding concerns at Pasco, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills high schools.

“It will lower the numbers again in those schools, but also give kids in this area a technical education if that’s what they want to do,” he said.

Elsewhere, the superintendent touched on teacher salaries — and finding ways to boost them.

Browning said he’s having ongoing discussions with district staff about the possibility of holding a millage election “solely for the purpose of paying our teachers more money.”

“The mission we have in Pasco is paying teachers,” Browning said. “We’ve got to make an investment in our teachers.”

Published March 20, 2019

Breaking the cycle of domestic violence

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Melissa Dohme Hill was just 20 years old when her ex-boyfriend viciously attacked her.

He stabbed her 32 times in the neck, face, arms and hands — as he attempted to murder her.

She’d broken up with him three months earlier. The attack occurred when she went outside to fulfill his request for a final goodbye hug.

She was rushed to the hospital, where she flatlined four times and suffered a stroke in the emergency room. Her entire blood volume was replaced twice.

Melissa Dohme Hill, who lives in San Antonio, survived a vicious attack from an ex-boyfriend and now gives talks around the country about how to recognize the signs of an abusive relationship, and how to extricate yourself from the situation. (B.C. Manion)

Today, she is married to Cameron Hill, a retired Clearwater firefighter, who was one of the first responders. They live in San Antonio.

Her attacker is in prison, serving a life sentence.

During the past seven years, Hill has shared her story in national and international publications.

She has appeared on 48 Hours: Live to Tell, Inside Edition, Good Morning America, The Today Show, BBC News, Fox News, CNN, Nancy Grace on HLN, and other programs.

Recently, she spoke at a breakfast meeting of WOW TOO, which stands for Women of Trinity and Odessa (It’s a spinoff group from Women of Wesley Chapel).

“The media attention has given me this platform, but I truly feel that speaking out has been what’s healed my heart during these last seven years,” Hill told the group.

“Through Hands Across The Bay, I’m heard as an advocate. I am heard in the community, I’m heard in schools.

“The only spotlight that matters to me is the one in this room that today we’re shining on domestic violence. It’s dark and hidden, but a completely preventable issue,” Hill said.

After playing a 30-second video clip that recounted her horrific experience, Hill said: “The attack was one night of my life, so I’m not here to tell you the story of the attack. That night does not define me. It really was one night in my life.”

Instead, she seeks to raise awareness about the danger signs of abusive relationships and to offer tools to help end the cycle of violence.

Domestic violence is an epidemic, Hill said.

“One in three women and one in four men, right now, have been victims of some form of rape, physical violence or stalking; and, really frightening — one in three teenagers.

“These are startling numbers,” she said.

“People think of domestic violence as happening to poor, uneducated, minorities. That is false. It is a myth. It happens to individuals of all walks of life.

“It doesn’t matter where you come from, how much money you make, your social status, if you’re a male or female, LBGTQ relationships, all walks of life. This does not discriminate.

“This doesn’t happen on the first date. It’s over time and gradual, and happens in a cycle of abuse,” she said.

It also can happen in all kinds of relationships, including friendships, and can occur in many ways.

“People think that domestic violence has to be physical or sexual violence. Those are just two forms. There are many forms of abuse that may not cause physical harm, but they cause emotional pain, mental abuse, verbal abuse, financial and emotional abuse,” she said.

Learning about the cycle of violence is important, so people — both young and old — can recognize unhealthy relationships, Hill said.

Heed early warning signs
“It’s all about power and control. That means alcohol does not cause abuse to happen. Your negative childhood experiences does not cause abuse to happen. It’s strictly a desire to gain and maintain power and control, whatever form they can do that,” she said.

“In an abusive relationship, everything starts in the honeymoon phase, and everything is amazing, and perfect, and loving. Almost too good to be true.

“But, as time goes on, they may start nitpicking you, and criticizing you, and isolating you, withdrawing affection. They may start yelling at you.

“All of these things are building up to something physical happening. You’re hit. You’re pushed. You’re slapped. You’re imprisoned to where you can’t leave. Rape or strangulation. Something happens,” she said.

Her ex-boyfriend strangled her three times before they broke up. The murder attempt happened three months after she left.

After a breakup is a dangerous time, she said: “It’s when the majority of murders occur.”

She now believes she never would have experienced her attack, if she’d known the early warning signs.

In retrospect, she realizes that the change in their relationship happened when she was getting ready to graduate from high school.

“I planned to move on. I had scholarships. I was getting all of this attention. I was going to get into the Early Learners program. I was going to be a (neonatal) nurse. I had all of these goals.

“He hated this. He belittled me. He would put me down. He started calling me names. He was angry. He just had a temper.

“I didn’t want to be treated this way,” she said, so she tried to break it off.

He told her that as his girlfriend, she should be helping him, not abandoning him.

He threatened to kill himself if she left.

She stayed thinking she could help.

Now, she realizes: “If somebody is saying these things to you, you need to seek help; they need to seek help. You can’t hold your life, or someone else’s life, over their head to make them do what you want them to do.”

It’s important to pay attention to patterns. If your friends are voicing concerns, it’s a good idea to listen, she said.

“If you see a red flag popping up, you need to see that as a warning flag that’s saying, ‘Turn around the other direction. This is dangerous, if you continue.’

“Once you are aware of the cycle of abuse, you can break the cycle,” she said.

As Hill makes her appearances, she refers to herself as a ‘sur-thriver.’

“As it’s said, ‘For every wound there’s a scar and every scar tells a story.’

“I survived.

“I don’t blame anyone, but my attacker, for what happened.

“I feel God saved my life to speak across our country to youth.

“Every single one of you in this room, and all of us on this earth, has a very special purpose.

“You can’t live out the purpose of the woman next to you,” she told the women at the breakfast meeting in Trinity.

“You were given this God-given purpose. You have a story, and your story could be the words that someone else needs to hear to unlock their prison,” Hill said.

“I’ve learned through all of this: Change your choices, change your life,” she said.

Help is available
National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233
National Dating Abuse Text Line: Text: “loveis” to 22522
Pasco-Sunrise: (352) 521-3120

Red flags, warning signs of an abuser:

  • Extreme jealousy
  • Possessiveness
  • Unpredictability/bad temper
  • Cruelty to animals
  • Verbal abuse
  • Extremely controlling behavior
  • Forced sex
  • Blaming the victim for everything
  • Controls all finances
  • Makes accusations of cheating/flirting
  • Controls what the victim wears and how he/she acts
  • Embarrasses or demeans the victim in front of others
  • Harasses the victim at work

Source: www.HandsAcrossTheBay.org (Information was adapted from NCADV.org)

Loves me …

  • Makes me feel safe, loved and comfortable
  • Trusts me
  • Is truthful
  • Likes that I have other friends
  • Supports what I want to do in life
  • Respects me and my family
  • Treats me as an equal
  • Understands my need to be alone, or with family and friends
  • Listens to my opinions and is understanding of my feelings
  • Admits to being wrong

Loves me not …

  • My partner is jealous and possessive
  • Tries to control me
  • Gets violent or loses temper quickly
  • Always blames me
  • Keeps me from seeing friends and family
  • Makes all of the decisions
  • Hurts me and makes me cry
  • Is always ‘checking in’ on me with excessive calls, texts and social media
  • Takes money or controls finances
  • Embarrasses, bullies or puts me down
  • Makes me feel afraid
  • Rushes into relationship
  • Threatens suicide if I don’t listen or stay quiet

Source: www.HandsAcrossTheBay.org

Safety Plan
Before leaving, consider having an “escape bag,” and keep it somewhere the abuser is unlikely to find it. It should include:

  • Birth certificates, social security cards, credit cards, cash, credit cards, checkbook
  • Medications, important records, insurance policies
  • Extra set of car keys, baby items, change of clothes. (If you think your abuser will find it, put clothes in, too, and call it a ‘hurricane bag’)

After you leave
This is most dangerous time. It is vital you have a plan. There is no reason to ever meet up or talk to your abuser alone.

  • Get to a safe place. See if you can stay with a friend or family members. If not, seek shelter at a domestic violence shelter.
  • Consider filing for a restraining order and don’t drop it for any reason.
  • Change your phone number and service provider.
  • Change the locks on your doors and locks on your windows; install a security system with alarms.
  • Inform work, school, friends, family and neighbors of the situation. Tell them to call 911 if they see the abuser, suspect suspicious activity or hear screaming.
  • If you have children: Be sure to change the pick-up authorization for your child and inform your child.
  • Take different routes while traveling.
  • Be aware of your surroundings. Carry mace, your keys between your fingers and have your phone out, ready to call 911. Check around and under your car.
  • Seek counseling.

Published March 13, 2019

Pasco organization assists youths on road to success

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When high school student Sherman Milton entered the Pasco County’s Take Stock in Children program, he had no idea the impact it would have on his life.

Through the program, he gained access to academic resources, and a mentorship, which helped him to graduate from high school — which then led to college and, now, a career in real estate in East Pasco County.

He recently shared his experience at a Take Stock in Children fundraiser.

Take Stock in Children has been mentoring at-risk students for more than two decades to help them become successful academically.

Gina Granger, left, Rosanne Heyser, Kayla Conologue and Nikii Lewis of Take Stock in Children of Pasco County, showcase their Luminary Award. The organization was recognized for its exceptional work in aiding Pasco County students for the 2017-2018 school year. (Courtesy of Take Stock in Children Pasco County)

Established in 1995, the statewide organization serves all 67 counties and is funded by the Department of Education.

“What our program does is incentivize our students to continue reaching their goals,” said Rosanne Heyser, executive director of the Pasco County branch. “We are there to provide their motivation – a road map to their success.”

To help make this happen, Take Stock has partnered with various institutions, such as educational foundations and businesses.

While there is one umbrella organization, each county has a branch in conjunction with its school district, which may operate by different guidelines.

Selecting a child
Pasco County’s program focuses on preparing eighth-graders, as they’re on the verge of high school years.

The program invites guidance counselors from both public and charter schools to train them on how to identify eighth-graders who have academic or economic hardships.

In some cases, students come from homes where parents work multiple jobs and are unable to dedicate sufficient time to their children, Heyser said.

Counselors recommend these students to Take Stock in Children.

Students, along with their parents, can sign a contract to remain in the program throughout high school – providing they meet program criteria.

Under that criteria, a student must be on free or reduced school lunch, maintain a 2.5 grade point average, must demonstrate exceptional attendance and behavior in school, and must participate in Take Stock events.

Once they enroll in high school, students who participate in the program have access to a wide range of resources.

Program staff frequently interact with students, hold educational workshops, monitor grades and stay in contact with parents.

Because of the collaboration with district schools, the program is aware of students who are experiencing declining grades, and the program can intervene to create a success plan for students to improve their performance.

College readiness coaches also help students prepare for collegiate life.

“By doing that combination, we really get to know these kids quite well,” Heyser said.

A constant, friendly face
Mentors also help.

These volunteers are trained to effectively communicate with students, find common interests and help them with schoolwork.

Mentors play an important role, Heyser said.

“It can create a huge impact on a student by just having somebody that is [an] adult role model to talk to,” she added.

Mentors meet with their proteges on school grounds, typically during lunch or a study hour.

They are asked to identify a student’s talents or interests and to encourage them to think about how to turn their niche into a practical career.

Team projects include helping students create mock resumes and cover letters – practice that will come in handy when they enter the workforce.

The teaching goes both ways between mentors and students.

In April, students who are now in college will be reuniting with the mentors they had in high school during a Take Stock in Children event in Pasco.

As part of a panel, they will provide insights to mentors who are helping current teens prepare for college life.

Higher learning
When Take Stock in Children began in Florida, its sole purpose was to increase the high school graduation rate, Heyser said. And, over the years, it has been highly successful — increasing the graduation rate for students in its program to 96 percent.

However, Take Stock has shifted its focus to helping students in its program to enroll in college and have the skills necessary to graduate from college.

“Our newest goal that was created this year is to have a 96-percent college graduation rate,” Heyser mentioned of the program’s intentions.

Right now the graduation rate for Take Stock college students is at 67 percent.

She admitted that it’s a challenge but one that can be achieved – considering what has been accomplished this far.

At the collegiate level, students are assigned a college completion coach who helps find resources addressing any academic or financial needs.

And, while away at school, students must still stay in contact with the program – submitting their grades every year for review.

Although the willingness may be there, the cost of college is a major obstacle for many students, which can prevent them from continuing their studies.

The program partners with many organizations, which provide scholarships.

The Pasco program receives donations and has mentor volunteers from the Zephyrhills Rotary Club, the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce, the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, and others.

The organization also has an agreement with the Florida Pre-Paid College Foundation, which matches dollar-for-dollar the amount that donors contribute.

“That’s how we can afford to have so many students partake of this,” Heyser said.

Light at the tunnel’s end
After college graduation, Take Stock in Children alumni often stay in touch with the organization.

Many speak at events, offering their personal testimonies.

It gives staff and mentors an opportunity to see firsthand the kind of impact the program can have.

That’s where people like Milton come in.

He recently spoke at a fundraiser, encouraging donors to help students who are in the kind of situation he was in.

He’s just one of the alumni who has used the opportunities the program offers to prosper.
Another former alumni is now a Pasco County lawyer, with prospects of making partner at a law firm.

During her 15 years with Take Stock in Children, Heyser said she has witnessed the incredible perseverance youths possess, despite the odds against them.

“We literally see miracles happen,” Heyser said. “We have kids who are in wheelchairs and have physical disabilities in addition to the economic challenges they face.”

Outside Heyser’s office there’s a bulletin board with photographs of students who have come through the program.

She can point to a face, recall the name, and talk about the individual’s journey.

As she recounts their achievements, her eyes fill with tears.

In a nutshell, supporting such transformations is what Take Stock in Children is all about.
To become a mentor, or learn more about the program, visit TakeStockInChildren.org.

Published March 06, 2019