The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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Busch Gardens

58 Years of Experience at Shell’s Feed & Garden Supply

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In a time when many families are exploring sustainability and growing their own food, a family operation like Shell’s Feed & Garden Supply is just the kind of store they need to answer their questions and guide them.

“Whether it’s backyard chickens or growing vegetables, our employees are an amazing resource for families who have limited experience in gardening or raising chickens,” said Greg Shell, whose family has owned Tampa’s oldest feed store since 1961.

Store Manager Dax Gonzalez, left, and Owner Greg Shell have worked together for over 10 years.

“Most of our employees have worked here for many years, and have an incredible amount of experience to share with customers,” said Shell. “Our customers come from as far away as Brooksville and Sarasota, not only because of the quality plants and products we carry, but also to seek advice from our staff.”

Shell’s Feed got its start when Greg’s father, Charles, was 21 years old and just out of the Army. It was 1961, and Charles was looking for something to do when a feed store came up for sale at Nebraska Avenue and Busch Boulevard in Tampa.

Charles bought the store and changed its name to Shell’s Feed.

“It was a good fit for my dad, since my grandfather sold Purina products for many years, and dad was familiar with the feed business. Plus, our family’s farm was in Lutz, and the store was close to our home,” said Shell.

Charles began updating the store, and in 1965 married Betty Tamargo, whose family owned a dairy farm off Casey Road in what is now Carrollwood.

Back then, Tampa Bay was still very rural, and Shell’s Feed took care of farmers and ranchers in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties.

“Dad started selling to Busch Gardens when it was just a two-man operation in the 1960s, and also serviced Hillsborough and Pinellas County Animal Services,” said Shell.

The city grew up around the feed store, and when Busch Boulevard was widened in 1967, the store moved four blocks north to its current location on Nebraska Avenue.

Shell’s first job at the store was picking up trash in the parking lot when he was 8 years old for 25 cents a day. As he got older, he began stocking shelves after school, and eventually became a manager at age 20.

Shell left the family business for eight years in 1999 to open a pet store in Lutz. By 2007, his parents wanted to be less hands-on at the feed store, and he returned to the family business.

Stop by at Shell’s Nebraska Avenue location and step back in time to an old fashioned feed and garden store with affordable prices and superb customer service.

Gardening and Pets
“When I came back, I spent the first six months as a regular employee, helping customers and asking what they liked about the store, and what they wanted to see,” said Shell. “This was when I learned our customers were very interested in gardening, and wanted more offerings in pet foods and supplies, so we expanded in both areas.”

“We carry pet food that is equal in quality to the brand names, but without the high prices,” said Shell. “We also sell a wide assortment of bulk treats, so you don’t have to buy a whole bag, like you do at most stores.”

Shell said many pets today have allergies, and most are food related. “We have hypo-allergenic dog foods that work great and won’t break the bank,” he said.

Gardening is also a big part of Shell’s business.

“Our vegetable plants are grown by a local grower, and are healthier than those sold in big box stores,” said Shell. “Our staff can answer questions on gardening from start to finish. We make sure you choose the right plants to grow at the right time of the year.”

Saturday Classes
Since many customers are inexperienced gardeners, and many want to learn how to raise chickens in their backyard, Shell’s offers Saturday classes for its customers.

Its next class is March 9, and the topic is growing and harvesting Earthbox gardens, which are ideal for suburban patios and urban balconies.  The class is from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Registration and information for all classes and events are at www.shellsfeed.com/store-classes-events/.

Shell’s also hosts free Saturday Seed Swaps once a month from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., for most of the year.   The next two Swaps are March 23 and April 20.

“Our Seed Swaps are a great way to swap seeds, cuttings and seedlings for something new. Plus, it’s a great way to meet people who also love to garden,” said Shell.

Through the years, chicken feed has always been Shell’s top seller, although much of today’s feed now goes to families with backyard chickens.

“Chickens are very easy to take care of. A family of four can keep three hens and have all the fresh eggs their family needs,” said Shell.

Shell’s Feed & Garden Supply is still the old-fashioned, down-home shop Greg’s parents started, but with products and services suburban families want today, including online ordering and shipping.

“We invite you to bring the kids and visit our store for an old fashion experience that the whole family will enjoy,” said Shell.

Published February 27, 2019

Scream-A-Geddon brings horrors to Dade City

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Scream-A-Geddon puts a scare into any outsider who dares to enter.

Scattered across acres upon acres in the middle of the woods off Saint Joe Road in Dade City, the independent horror park gives its visitors an interactive experience through six distinct attractions.

Scream-a-Geddon is on acres and acres of haunted land at 27839 Saint Joe Road, in Dade City. (Fred Bellet)

At one end of the park, in an attraction called “Deadwoods,” visitors navigate through dark, winding trails, where they encounter the cannibalistic Tate family.

At another side of the park, parkgoers wreak havoc on flesh-eating zombies from a militarized school bus mounted with 18 paintball guns in the attraction “Zombie Paintball Assault.”

In another unique area, called “Rage 3-D,” visitors wear 3-D glasses, and get up close and personal with crazed clowns and other abnormal creatures, testing their senses, as they make their way through creepy rooms that twist, turn and rotate in the midst of roaring music.

Under a starry twilight sky, a crowd begins to gather as they wait in line to go through the unorthodox entrance of a scary feature called ‘Demon’s Revenge,’ at Scream-a-Geddon on St. Joe Road.

Meanwhile, “Demon’s Revenge,” “Blackpool Prison” and “Infected: Ground Zero” provide their own sets of horrors — all aiming to live up to their frightening names.

Geof Kledzic, the Scream-A-Geddon general manager, is hard-pressed to pick a favorite.

“There’s great scares all over the place, so I love ‘em all,” Kledzic said. “They each have certain things that make them unique.”

Scream-A-Geddon attracted more than 40,000 visitors last year.

Open every night through Nov. 3, Kledzic expects an even bigger turnout this Halloween season.

“Every year it continues to grow,” he said, noting word-of-mouth about the park has drawn people all throughout Tampa Bay and central Florida.

His main selling point of the horror park is that “you can do things (at Scream-A-Geddon) that you can’t get anywhere else.

“Where do you get to take a walk in the woods?

Playing the part of a crazed clown called ‘Boogie-Woogie,’ 18-year old Dakota Loomis, of Zephyrhills, frightened visitors crossing his path in a featured area called ‘Rage 3-D.’ It was among several Scream-a-Geddon horrors.

“Where do you get to ride a militarized school bus and mow down zombies?

“You don’t do that at Busch Gardens or Universal (Studios).

“So, people start sharing that news, and people drive a great distance to come here,” the general manager explained.

Scream-A-Geddon launched in 2015 after its parent company, Indiana-based Point Summit Inc., expanded operations to Florida.

The company also operates Indy Scream Park in Indianapolis, and other adventure parks, including TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park, located on the same property as Scream-A-Geddon.

Unlike other horror parks, Kledzic said Scream-A-Geddon prides itself on a format of sending small groups of visitors into an attraction at a time.

In the Rage 3-D room, Laura McCudden of St. Petersburg looks for her husband, Lenny McCudden, during their first Scream-a-Geddon experience.

That’s different from what Kledzic describes as “conga lines” of people, which, he said, too often gives away “the scare.”

Upping the scary meter even more, some Scream-A-Geddon attractions give visitors the option to be touched or grabbed by the frightening characters.

“People love that,” Kledzic said of the interactive offerings. “You cannot get that anyplace else.”

For 26-year-old Lakeland resident Kyndil Rogers, the horror park fares favorably to others she’s visited.

“It’s a lot more interactive,” she said. “Really scary.”

Her friend, 29-year-old Brandon Gonzalez, also of Lakeland, was likewise impressed at how Scream-A-Geddon’s attractions and characters were brought to life.

“Here, it’s more realistic,” he said. “It makes the experience a lot better.”

New Port Richey resident Kirsty Roach expressed similar sentiments during her first-time visit.

“The haunted houses are amazing — like a lot better than (Howl-O-Scream) Busch Gardens. I’d go that far. I think it’s that good,” Roach said.

A crazed prisoner, played by 20-year-old Levi Caruthers, of Zephyrhills, waits for another victim to cross his path. Visitors at Scream-a-Geddon find themselves walking through what one visitor called ‘a funhouse on steroids.’

“I like that not everybody’s piled on top of each other,” she added.

Haunted House enthusiast Eva Dunn and her group of friends made the drive from Apopka to see what Scream-A-Geddon was all about.

She left happily frightened.

Among her favorite stops was “Blackpool Prison.” The attraction is controlled by “the worst of the worst” criminals where the only way to get out alive is through them.

It also offers visitors the option to be grabbed, held back, sent into hidden cells, removed from their group or even forced to remain.

“They grabbed a lot more than I thought,” Dunn said, with glee. “They said, ‘grab,’ and you know we’ve heard that before at other places, but here they actually grab you and it was like, ‘Wow!’ (because) they spin you around and shove you.”

“Demon’s Revenge” was the scariest part of the attraction for Dunn’s friend, Richard Doran, also of Apopka.

She said ‘hello’ to guests as they arrived. When guests departed, Mia Hernandez, 21, of Wesley

He said that’s because it is set up like a maze inside a mental ward with walls that gradually close in.

“It’s really nice. I like how it made you feel like it got smaller and smaller as you went through,” Doran said.

Dunn quickly pointed out her friend screamed the whole way through. “Right in front of my ear!” she said, with a boisterous laugh.

Meanwhile, those seeking a break from loud shrieks and bursts of adrenaline can head to the center of the park, called the “Monster Midway.”

It features carnival games, food and drink trucks, and picnic tables set near a bonfire.

Visitors, however, shouldn’t let their guard down too much.

Roaming throughout the park on any given night are hordes of ghoulish creatures, clowns and zombies, keeping visitors on high alert.

Scream-A-Geddon
What: Tampa Bay’s haunt experience features six terrifying attractions in one location.
Where: 27839 Saint Joe Road, Dade City
When: Every night through Nov. 3. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Who: Recommended for adults and teens, but younger children may attend with parent or guardian.
Cost: Prices start at $28.95. Fast pass and group packages also offered.
Info: Visit ScreamAGeddon.com, or call (813) 452-5412.

Published October 17, 2018

Wesley Chapel couple launches tourism-themed podcast

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Wesley Chapel’s Andy and Shannon Herbon love exploring Florida — then sharing those experiences with anybody who’ll listen.

As often as they can, the Herbons and their two young children venture across the state to visit theme parks and state parks, beaches, springs and waterfalls, hidden gems and other attractions.

Andy Herbon, left, and Shannon Herbon recently created a Florida tourism-related podcast, ‘Sunshine State of Mind.’ From hidden gems and state parks, to beaches and theme parks, Shannon and Andy discuss, review and debate all the wonderful (and occasionally weird) destinations and tourism news throughout the state.
(Courtesy of Andy and Shannon Herbon)

From the Florida Panhandle, to St. Augustine, to Miami — they’ll go just about anywhere to seek out fun, meaningful adventures.

“We live in paradise, so take advantage of it,” Shannon said.

The married couple’s interest in traveling the state recently sparked the idea to create a Florida tourism-themed podcast called, “Sunshine State of Mind,” that focuses on activities, events and destinations around the state.

The free, weekly podcast launched in April and has 18 episodes to date.

“We’d always be doing stuff on the weekends and friends would ask us for tips…and we kind of got to be real pros at what do around Florida, and we said, ‘Well, why don’t we do a podcast about this?’” Andy explained.

The couple got the extra motivation they needed to start recording as Shannon was wrapping up her master’s degree in digital media this spring from University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

She figured a podcast would make for the perfect thesis project.

They’ve been recording ever since, making it a regular part of their weekly routine, from their home studio. “After you do it, it kind of gives you a little buzz, like, ‘Yeah, that was fun,’” Andy said of podcasting.

In each episode, which run about 40 minutes, Shannon and Andy discuss, review and debate destinations and tourism news throughout the state.

Podcast topics have included “Our Summer 2018 Bucket List,” “Ten Amazing Places Floridians Don’t Want You to Know About,” “Ten Tips for Saving Money at Walt Disney World,” and “Florida Tourist Trap Alternatives.”

Said Andy, “People love lists. It’s a way to break it down easy – easy to digest.”

Other episodes have been reviews of entertainment venues such as TopGolf, Legoland Florida and other spots along the Interstate 4 corridor.

Yet, the podcasters don’t just focus on major tourist attractions such as Disney World, Busch Gardens or Universal Studios, nor the state’s collection of well-known beaches.

They also like to dive deep into lesser-known locales, such as Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park in Micanopy, known for its bison and wild horses; Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, a contemplative garden and bird sanctuary; and, Devil’s Den Spring in Williston, where divers, swimmers and snorkelers travel in an underground spring inside a dry cave.

Locally, they’ll share tips and ideas about some of their regular adventure staples like Hillsborough River State Park and Lettuce Lake Park.

Sometimes the banter comically spreads to other Florida-related topics, such as to whether the state truly can be considered part of the South.

Andy and Shannon happen to be at opposite ends of that debate.

“It’s the south, geographically, but culturally it’s not the South,” says Andy, who moved to Tampa from Chicago in 2001.

Shannon quickly counters, as a sixth generation Floridian born in Tampa and raised in Land O’ Lakes: “My argument is that just because all of the northerners came and invaded doesn’t mean that those of us from Florida aren’t Southern.”

This podcast is picking up listeners
Lighthearted quibbles aside, “Sunshine State of Mind” has steadily grown in popularity.

Sunshine State of Mind, a Florida tourism podcast that focuses on fun and exciting things to do throughout the state of Florida, was launched in April by Wesley Chapel residents Andy and Shannon Herbon. The free, weekly podcast is available for download on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean and TuneIn.

After telling several friends and family members about the podcast, word-of-mouth eventually spread to complete strangers, many who’ve come to use it as a resource for upcoming vacations to Florida.

The podcast has a 5-star peer review rating (the highest possible rating) on iTunes among 34 reviewers.

Each episode has averaged anywhere between 150 to 200 downloads, Shannon said.

The most popular episode is “Ten Tips for Saving Money at Walt Disney World” with more than 300 downloads, closely followed by “Our Summer of 2018 Bucket List.”

Also, the podcast’s official Twitter page has nearly 3,000 followers and YouTube page has more than 1,400 subscribers.

“It’s been a lot more successful off the beginning than we thought,” Andy said, noting the number of listeners increases each week.

Shannon added: “Every once in a while when we do hear from strangers it’s like, ‘Wow, people are actually listening! What a thought?’ It’s kind of surreal because it’s only been a couple of months.”

Living in a subtropical state where others vacation is something the Herbons try not to take for granted, especially Andy, who came from the cold Midwest.

He explained: “Up there you’re stuck indoors six months out of the year and you really can’t do anything, and here, the festival season is great here during the winter time; there’s just so much to do all the time.”

Added Shannon: “(Andy) kind of opened my eyes to, ‘Wow, we really do have amazing things here,’ because to him, it was all new…”

They try to instill the same mindset into their kids, who are ages 10 and 11.

Said Shannon, “We don’t want them indoors, on their screens all day. We want them outdoors, experiencing Florida, having fun and being active…”

For families looking to get their kids out of the house this summer, Andy and Shannon highly recommend a visit to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, in Spring Hill.

The park, which opened in 1947, is renowned for its live mermaid shows, river boat cruises, animal shows and Florida’s only spring-fed water park, Buccaneer Bay.

“I feel like it’s so underrated,” Andy said of Weeki Wachee.

“It’s such a great park,” Shannon added. “It’s very ‘Old Florida’, like ‘Old Florida’ nostalgia. They have the waterpark, which is included with the admission, and you can swim in a spring; it’s beautiful.”

For information on Sunshine State of Mind, visit SunshineStatePodcast.com or email the Herbons at

Published July 11, 2018

Lutz resident receives ‘Community Champion’ award

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It’s not all that uncommon for Freddy Barton to spend part of his weekend working — heading out to talk to people in the community.

If he’s headed out from his Lutz residence on his motorcycle, chances are he’s going to go hang out with some kids — to find out what’s on their minds.

“I’m talking to kids. I’m trying to probe their mind, to figure out, ‘What does it take to make you feel that you can have a chance in life?’” he said.

Freddy Barton’s work, both in volunteer and professional roles, aims to help people avoid violence, build job skills and find ways to be engaged, whether at play or at work. He has been named one of six ‘Community Champions’ across the state by Molina Healthcare of Florida. (B.C. Manion)

Barton recently was named one of six “Community Champions” across the state by Molina Healthcare of Florida at the organization’s eighth annual recognition event. The awards dinner was held at Busch Gardens.

Over the course of his life, Barton has done volunteer and professional work aimed at helping youths to avoid violence, helping both youths and adults to develop job skills, and helping those who have been incarcerated to make successful transitions into society after their release.

While working with incarcerated men, he created relationships through mentoring that continue to this day.

The Community Champions program celebrates the vision of Dr. C. David Molina, the founder of Molina Healthcare, as well as community partners who work together to care for society’s most vulnerable individuals.

Each Community Champion was nominated by a community-based organization.

Recipients received a $1,000 grant to give to a deserving nonprofit organization. Barton chose to donate his to the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, where he previously worked.

Barton said he was nominated for the award by two professional colleagues and by one of the men he mentors.

He was gratified by the recognition.

In his current role, as executive director of Safe and Sound Hillsborough, he works in a collaborative that aims to prevent violence.

Safe and Sound is the outgrowth of a think tank pulled together by Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner in 2013, in response to the Sandy Hook shooting deaths.

“When that happened, it was like a national wakeup call to everyone,” Barton said.

“You can’t do anything to stop the random shooter, but you can do something to address the community violence that occurs,” he said. “We look at violence as a disease, something that is preventable.

“My role is to work within the communities in which we serve, tie together elected officials, public agencies, private sector, residents, youths, adults — all together — to find out what do we need to do to address the factors that contribute to violence,” he said.

The work includes looking at issues such as truancy, mental health needs, job opportunities and re-entry after incarceration, Barton said.

Before taking his current job, he worked for Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, which built homes, built commercial development, had a workforce development team and created a vocational school.

Currently, he said, he’s out in the community, working to discern what the problems are and how they can be addressed.

“How do you stop violence? We’ve been trying to stop violence since Cain killed Abel.

“It’s not going to stop overnight. It didn’t start overnight,” he said.

But, there are some steps that can help, he added.

“I’m focusing on out-of-school-time opportunities for kids,” Barton said. “If we don’t find something for kids to do, they’re going to find something to do.  And, it’s not going to be what we think.”

For instance, Barton was instrumental in getting Hillsborough County to unlock a recreational center that had not been used for several years.

“With The Children’s Board and the county’s (Hillsborough County) help, we started up a camp. We said, ‘Let’s only have about 30 kids, let’s run a test. Within a day, we had 54 kids signed up.

“Now, it’s an afterschool Safe Haven for kids. We’ve got all types of programming,” he said.

Kids need to be engaged, and they need opportunities, Barton said.

“We look at spring break, we look at summer break, we look at over the winter break — whenever the kids are out of school,” he said.

It’s also important for youths to understand the repercussions of their actions, he added.

“They’re living out fantasies that they see in video games,” he said. Often, they don’t realize the serious consequences that can result,” Barton said.

Baron and his wife, Denise, have two sons, 14-year-old Tahj and 11-year-old Cameron.

Published January 10, 2018

Peeking behind the scenes at Busch Gardens

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Pasco County Master Gardeners recently took a behind-the-scenes tour at Busch Gardens in Tampa, to get a closer look at the theme park’s horticulture, topiaries, turf management and more.

Jenny Gerard, Wayne Porter and Robin Manino, who work for Busch Gardens, gave the Pasco County Master Gardens a tour of the theme park’s horticultural displays, including a look at seasonal and permanent topiaries at the park. (Courtesy of Madonna Wise)

Wayne Porter, supervisor of landscaping, greeted the group of gardeners at the entrance near Busch Gardens’ colossal topiary lion.

Porter, who lives in Pasco County and is a graduate of the University of Florida, gave an overview of the 360-acre theme park.

Jenny Gerard, who graduated from State University of New York, told the group about the theme park’s topiaries.

Although she studied plant pathology and related coursework, she was introduced to topiaries during an internship at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania.

This topiary depicts Mary, Jesus and Joseph, in a seasonal display showcasing the Nativity scene.

She described the process used to create topiaries, comparing a topiary to a human body — complete with a skeleton, muscle structure and skin.

The process of creating a topiary involves using rebar to create the metal structure, using bent metal for the bones and using flexible plastic fiber to create the frame. The figure is then fleshed out sphagnum moss which holds the plants, and plants that simulate images.

Gerard told the group that maintaining topiaries is a painstaking process, involving frequent watering and inspection.

This topiary depicts Mary, Jesus and Joseph, in a seasonal display showcasing the Nativity scene.

During the tour, master gardeners also were given a close look at the Nativity topiaries, which took four people about a month to create. Materials used to create the Nativity scene includes an abundance of alternanthera, dusty miller, ficus and other materials, as well as coco fiber used to create authentic-looking camel hair.

Gerard also took master gardeners on a tour of Christmas Town, which features 2 million lights and includes a model train and village. That exhibit will be on display until Jan. 7.

Robin Manino, another Busch Gardens employee, led the master gardeners on a tour to show them some of the theme park’s flower beds and baskets. She said the park purchases tiny plant plugs from nurseries and then cultivates the plants.

By Madonna Wise

Published December 20, 2017

Drawing portraits, one pet at a time

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John LaFree was always told he couldn’t make a living as an artist.

But he created a career with his artistic talents, as the proprietor of Canine Caricature Pet Portraits.

Freelance and self-employed, LaFree operates his easel out of the comfy confines of his Wesley Chapel home.

The pieces he produces are anything but ordinary.
LaFree, 42, puts a “fun and whimsical spin” on the traditional pet portrait, creating an original hand-drawn work of art based on a combination of submitted photos, descriptions and requests.

John LaFree, of Wesley Chapel, launched Canine Caricature Pet Portraits in 2010. The 42-year-old puts a ‘fun and whimsical spin’ on the traditional pet portrait, creating an original hand-drawn work of art based on a combination of submitted photos, descriptions and requests.
(Kevin Weiss)

His custom illustrations — drawn on 12-inch by 16-inch paper using markers and Prismacolor art stix — serve as a unique interpretation of pets, incorporating the owner’s lifestyle to form “a very personal and collaborative project.”
“Oftentimes when people are giving me their descriptions, they’re talking about what they imagine their dog is thinking about,” said LaFree. “I can manipulate it and go in any direction, whether it’s something the dog enjoys doing, the dog enjoys playing with, or maybe it’s something you enjoy doing.”

The artsy influences are bred from his youth, when he doodled and pored over MAD Magazine and Gary Larson’s The Far Side.

Though dogs are the primary focus, Lafree’s portraits have expanded to include cats, horses, hamsters, ferrets, rabbits, snakes and turtles.

“It literally can be any animal,” he said. “I market myself as Canine Caricatures, but it’s easily feline, equine, bovine.”

The creative venture began in 2010, following stints as a caricature artist at Busch Gardens and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, in Ohio.

An example of one of LaFree’s recent pet portraits.
(Courtesy of John LaFree)

Before that, LaFree was a stage actor, with a few appearances in small films and television.

Besides Florida and Ohio, his career led him to California, Colorado and New Mexico.

The shift from actor to artist happened “almost overnight.”

“I think the whole time I was trying to be an actor, I was ready to not be an actor anymore,” LaFree explained. “I wasn’t enjoying it as much as I enjoyed the process and the rehearsals and the applause of each show.”

Conversely, artwork “is all process” to LaFree.

“It’s more pleasing for my eye,” he said, “and it’s a lot more fulfilling for me to be working on my visual stuff and try to convey a story with a few marker strokes.”

Since Canine Caricatures launched, LaFree established an extensive client network, commissioning artwork for various animal shelters and pet rescues, along with pet store chains.
“Artistically, it was very fulfilling,” he said. “It was new for me. It was a challenge. It was hard. And, nobody I knew was doing anything like that,” he said.

Most of his business today is via online orders.

Beyond the United States, he’s received orders from countries like Australia and Sweden.

Each piece — barring any distractions — takes about one to two hours to complete, LaFree said.

He works on about five projects per day, hoping to complete 20 to 25 per week.
The typical turnaround time for an order is about three weeks.
That can expand to nearly two months, during the busy holiday season.

“Christmas,” he said, “is nuts.”

Though LaFree regularly is “super busy,” he remains grateful to do something he enjoys.

Most of LaFree’s business comes via online orders. He typically completes 20 to 25 pieces per week.

“There are not a whole lot of us that have made a whole business out of it,” he said.

The work, too, has given the artist an appreciation “for all of the diversity of life on this planet.

“I’ve learned about so many different breeds. I know more about dogs than I ever thought there was to know,” he said.

Meanwhile, the artist’s drawing style continues evolving.

That includes incorporating more realistic visual features, like pinpointing a pet’s glassy eyes or moisture in its gums.

“I’ve continued to be a student of what I’m doing. I’ve always tried some new stuff,” LaFree said.

Several other ventures, too, are in the works for LaFree.

They range from molding dog sculptures, to writing a children’s book.

There’s also a project called Boozehoundz, a cartoon drawing about dogs with drinking problems.

“I try to branch out,” LaFree said. “The more I can do, the more interesting it stays for me.”

LaFree has a tent at the Fresh Market at The Shops at Wiregrass the first and third Saturday of each month, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For information, visit CanineCaricatures.com.

Published April 26, 2017

Honoring my stepmother, Bettye

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My stepmother, Bettye, is a remarkable woman.

She was married to my father, Don Kortus, for over 36 years, until his death a little more than a year ago.

While I miss Dad every day, I would miss him even more if we didn’t still have Bettye.

A colorful bird perches on Bettye’s hand at Busch Gardens. (Diane Kortus)

I just spent a week with Bettye over the Easter holidays— the first time she visited me without my father.

To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about Bettye’s visit because I thought we would be so sad without Dad, and would spend the week being constantly reminded of his absence.

But, that was not the case at all.

Bettye joyfully talked about Dad all the time, and always had a comment about how much he would have enjoyed, or resisted, the things we did.

Dad would have loved sitting down to Easter dinner with his Florida family, enjoyed a fabulous Parade of Homes gala at a $2 million home in Lutz, and would have been charmed by historic Dade City and our southern-style lunch at Lunch on Limoges (although he would have been clueless about the French Limoges porcelain).

And, Dad would have hated our day at Busch Gardens, strolling down Seventh Avenue in Ybor City and lounging out by the pool.

But, Bettye loved it all — even sitting in my lanai when I was at work.

It was snowing when she left St. Paul, and Bettye never tired of calling friends back home with daily weather reports from Land O’ Lakes.

We even laughed that if there was anything positive about Dad being gone, it was that Bettye and I could plan our activities without Dad’s standard objection: “We’ve already done that — why would you want to do it again?”

And truthfully, we never would have had such an action-packed week, if Dad had been here.

Which brings me back to the remarkable strength and ongoing love that Bettye extolls. At age 84, her positive outlook on life and her many memories of Dad that she warmly shares, help me to accept that Dad is really gone, and reminds me that life goes on, and I have much to be thankful for.

I am so grateful for Bettye.

I first met her when I was a college student and Dad introduced her to me as his new girlfriend. This was almost four years after my mother died from breast cancer at age 48, leaving behind 10 children, the youngest just 10 years old.

My father taught seventh-grade social studies, and Bettye’s daughter was one of his students. They met at a parent-teacher conference. Dad admired Bettye’s fortitude as a single mother, and was impressed by her commitment to her children and their education.

A few years after my mother died, Dad and Bettye reconnected at a bowling alley where they played on different leagues. They began dating, and married in 1980.

Bettye enjoys a bite to eat at Carmine’s in Ybor City.

I was 25 when they married, and had already moved to Florida. Dad and Bettye visited me every year, sometimes more than once. They were always here — at the most joyous and most difficult times of my life.

They were here for the births and christenings of my two children, Andy and Rachel. They were here for their graduations from high school and college. They helped my family make major moves from Florida to Chicago, and back to Florida again. And, they shared countless holidays and birthdays.

Dad and Bettye were also at my side during my darkest days, including a divorce after 25 years of marriage. They guided me as I rebuilt my business and encouraged me to open my heart to love again.

I always thought it was Dad who insisted he and Bettye visit every year, who made sure my children were loved as much as their grandchildren in Minnesota, and who helped me financially when I had nowhere else to turn.

I realize now that it was Bettye, as much as my father, who insisted on our close family connections through the years.

Bettye never took credit for their regular visits to Florida, or for forging the strong relationships between my children and their Minnesota grandparents.

She was the one who my father listened to, his partner for almost four decades, who quietly, behind the scenes, helped make Dad the man his children and grandchildren so admired and loved.

Today I want to honor and thank Bettye for being a marvelous mother to me, and endearing grandmother to Andy and Rachel.

She is a woman who influenced me more than I ever realized until this glorious Easter season that we shared together as mother and daughter, and as women who are working to overcome the almost unbearable loss of a husband and father.

Published April 26, 2017

Preparations underway for EcoFest 2016

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An effort that began seven years ago on the Hanna Road campus of Learning Gate Community School, in Lutz, has morphed into an event expected to draw thousands to Tampa’s Lowry Park on April 23 in a festival that pays homage to protecting Mother Earth.

EcoFest is an annual event aimed at raising awareness about the principles of sustainability — ecology, equity and economy.

Lots of people did a double take when they saw Amanda Renaud, of Topsy Turvy — an entertainment troupe — towering above them on stilts at the 2015 EcoFest at Lowry Park. (File Photos)
Lots of people did a double take when they saw Amanda Renaud, of Topsy Turvy — an entertainment troupe — towering above them on stilts at the 2015 EcoFest at Lowry Park.
(File Photos)

Learning Gate Community School, the University of South Florida’s Patel College of Global Sustainability and the City of Tampa have joined forces to present the festival, also dubbed as Earth Day Tampa Bay, near the park’s band shell at 7525 North Blvd., in Tampa.

Michele Northrup, who has been event coordinator of EcoFest since its inception, has watched it grow and evolve.

There were 40 vendors and about 500 attendees at the first EcoFest, she said. This year, there are 158 vendors, plus a waiting list of 20. More than 4,000 people are expected to attend.

Parking and admission are free, and there are plenty of free activities, too, Northrup said.

There are plenty of opportunities to learn and have fun, too, she said.

There will be live music, workshops, costumed superheroes, demonstrations, informational booths, green living products and services.

Local artists, green businesses, environmental organizations, alternative health practitioners, renewable energy specialists, and people from organic farms and gardens will be there, too.

“We have some unique vendors. We’ve got some really cool artisans, craftsmen,” Northrup said.

Most of the vendors are local, coming from such communities as Tampa, North Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Carrollwood and South Tampa.

Last year, the festival was set up deliberately to mimic a marketplace, and it’s going to be set up the same way this year, Northrup said.

“Everybody loved that,” Northrup said.

Another highlight will be an agility course, designed by a competitor from the popular television show “American Ninja Warrior.”

The seventh annual EcoFest, like the one last year, will be presented at Tampa’s Lowry Park. The moss-draped oaks provide a lovely backdrop to the event that aims to promote earth-friendly living
The seventh annual EcoFest, like the one last year, will be presented at Tampa’s Lowry Park. The moss-draped oaks provide a lovely backdrop to the event that aims to promote earth-friendly living

There also will be a yoga zone, with different yoga themes throughout the day. And, there will be a drum circle, too.

All four of Tampa’s big attractions — Busch Gardens, Lowry Park, The Florida Aquarium, and MOSI — will be there, Northrup said.

The City of Tampa’s Solid Waste department will be demonstrating how to use plastic bags to make crafts.

Some members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club will be getting into the act, too. Northrup has invited them to show how plastic grocery store bags can be converted into mats.

To say Northrup is enthused about the event would be an enormous understatement.

“It’s going to be phenomenal,” she said.

Seventh annual EcoFest
Where: Lowry Park, 7525 North Blvd., in Tampa (in the band shell area and across the street)
When: April 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
More than 150 vendors, speakers and activities, in a festival aimed at promoting earth-friendly living.

Published April 20, 2016

Frights on 41 start Oct. 22

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It doesn’t look like much right now: Wooden frames, piles of masks and some painted signs.

But, when it’s finished, the characters there will try to scare your socks off.

“This is chainsaws, blood and guts,” said Mike Walcott, recreation supervisor for Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources. “This is not kids with sheets going ‘Boo!'”

Mike Walcott oversees construction for The Mall, while Katherine Gomez takes notes on what frights go where. Everything will be ready when it opens Oct. 22. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)
Mike Walcott oversees construction for The Mall, while Katherine Gomez takes notes on what frights go where. Everything will be ready when it opens Oct. 22.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

The Haunted House on 41, an annual tradition in Land O’ Lakes — except last year, when center improvements forced its cancellation — will be back in business Oct. 22 through Oct. 24 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. Thursday night is a “sneak preview,” which will be free to patrons and will give the cast a chance to get a feel for the concept, which is “The Mall.”

On Friday and Saturday nights, the house will open at 7:30 p.m., and the line will be cut off at 10 p.m. The suggested donation is $1, and nearly 1,000 visitors are expected to check out the attraction during the course of the event.

Those visitors will be transported to “The Mall,” a room at the center that will become a maze of scary shops and characters, complete with props and costumes that aren’t for the faint of heart.

“They’re really bloody, and they’re really scary,” said Katherine Gomez, a junior at Land O’ Lakes High School. She’s one of around 30 people working on the haunted house, coordinating sections and making sure that everything has a general theme but different frights throughout the 2 ½-minute journey.

Benjamin Martin, another junior at Land O’ Lakes High, also has been involved in the construction.

Martin has seen larger, more elaborate haunted houses, like Howl O’ Scream at Busch Gardens, and Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios in Orlando.

But, after working on The Mall, he has a new admiration for the efforts expended to create a scary event from scratch.

And, he’ll remember his own work when he goes back this year.

“Now that I know how much work it takes to set up something like this, I’ll be very appreciative,” Martin said.

The Mall will feature plenty of props and masks, set up for maximum effect.
The Mall will feature plenty of props and masks, set up for maximum effect.

While the Haunted House on 41 is a popular annual tradition that gives residents a few scares, it’s not the actual purpose of the event.

Walcott has been involved in the past 14 haunted houses, and while the end result is Halloween-themed fun, it’s really just a by-product of a simpler goal.

“We want the kids to have a hands-on experience with it,” Walcott said. “I want people who have never used a drill to use a drill. I want people who have never swung a hammer to swing a hammer. And a lot of these kids, they’ve never done that. And, this gives them an opportunity to actually build something.”

What they are building is more complicated than a couple of well-placed scares.

The maze has to lead visitors through the room, but in a way that gives them enough time to experience each separate store in the “mall.” Separate sections are built, so performers can move in and out of their scenes, and each person has to be able to perform their particular role over and over, to scare new visitors as they enter the maze.

The idea is to differentiate each segment, so those making their way through the maze have a variety of experiences.

“This is a huge project where a lot of people are involved. We’re trying to coordinate everything,” Gomez said.

And, when everything has been coordinated, residents will visit the Haunted House on 41 just as they have for years.

It has become a local tradition, Walcott said.

People who used to help put it on now come back from college to take a walk through the house.

The attraction is also a good reason to visit the park, which has undergone nearly $2.5 million in renovations since the last haunted house.

Walcott welcomes the visitors and looks forward to the completion of the haunted house each year, but don’t expect him to go through when it’s done.

Despite seeing it built from nothing, the finished creation is a bit too scary for his tastes.

“I wouldn’t go into it,” Walcott admitted. “I help build this thing, but I wouldn’t go into it. These things freak me out.”

Published October 14, 2015

Buzzing bees, bromeliads and beauty

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It’s summertime, so that means the kids are out of school and out-of-town guests are flocking to Florida to take advantage of the state’s world-famous theme parks and its gorgeous beaches.

But here’s a place, just off the beaten track, that’s truly one of Tampa Bay’s gems.

Ingredients derived from the purple coneflower have been widely used in folk remedies for generations and are still used for medicinal purposes today. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Ingredients derived from the purple coneflower have been widely used in folk remedies for generations and are still used for medicinal purposes today.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The Florida Botanical Gardens offers visitors a chance to experience beauty, learn about nature, get some exercise and find a nice shady spot for a picnic lunch.

The attraction, at 12520 Ulmerton Road in Largo, has another huge plus: It’s free.

You don’t have to go to Disney World or Busch Gardens to see topiary. You can visit the Wedding Garden at the Florida Botanical Gardens to see a Cupid topiary take aim at a leafy green heart.

If palm trees are your thing, you’ll enjoy the collection here, including a date palm, a ribbon palm, a European fan palm, a Zombie palm, a Sugar palm, a cardboard palm, a triangle palm — well, you get the idea.

In other spots, guests can get closeup looks at spiky “crown of thorns” plants, gorgeous water lily blooms, exotic bird of paradise plants and clusters of bananas.

There are trails especially designed for children.

There are areas likely to interest gardeners.

There’s wildlife, too, including wading birds and turtles.

There’s also something else that visitors need to know about. There are alligators.

They typically lurk below the water — but sometimes they surface to make an appearance.

The key is to be aware of them, stay away from them and take seriously the warning signs that are posted around the property.

While the Florida Botanical Gardens is a great place to visit, it’s a good idea to go early in the day before Florida’s brutal heat and humidity take hold.

Slather on plenty of sunscreen. Spray on insect repellent. Drink plenty of water.

Bring a camera.

And, enjoy.

Florida Botanical Gardens: It’s a place to experience beauty, learn about nature, reflect and relax.
Where: 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, Florida 33774
How much: Admission is free
Check website for hours of operation: PinellasCounty.org.

Published June 10, 2015