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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Dade City is adding population, new attractions

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As a new decade begins, the City of Dade City plans to resolve its longstanding stormwater issues, enliven its downtown with more shops and entertainment, add new attractions and to increase residential development.

The Dade City Commission also is expected to vote on the issue of allowing medical marijuana dispensaries within the city limits during the first quarter of 2020.

Here is a closer look for what’s in store for 2020, and beyond.

Resolving stormwater issues
Dade City’s downtown streets and sidewalks have been known to be swallowed in at least 6 inches to 7 inches of standing water for days at a time after heavy summer rains.

Much of that should be resolved soon.

Construction is in full swing to fix the downtown flooding and drainage issues — via a $2.3 million stormwater capital improvement project, paid for with a combination of state appropriations, and funding from the Florida Department of Transportation and Dade City.

The project takes underground concrete piping through multiple downtown streets into an existing conveyance system into a reconfigured Irwin Pond, just past U.S. 98 and the CSX railway.

Work has been paused to accommodate the Jan. 25 Kumquat Festival in downtown, but the project completion is expected around mid-year.

Meantime, the city is seeking state appropriations and disaster recovery funding for a another multimillion dollar stormwater project in the Dade Oaks community.

A bike hub/splash park is coming
City staffers recently closed on a $800,000 land purchase that will become the location of a splash park/bike hub to the city’s downtown area — on a 2.23-acre parcel on Church Street, which borders the Hardy Trail and is diagonal from The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. (The contract sale price totals $1.3 million, as the property owners have agreed to donate the difference toward the park project.)

A preliminary concept plan for the project calls for a multi-use water splash pad, bike-share shelter, amphitheater, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible playground, open space, a concession area and other amenities. The next step will be developing and finalizing a master plan for the project, with input from residents and city officials, then moving onto a final design and engineered site plan.

According to Dade City Manager Leslie Porter, the project will likely be completed in phases over the next several years, starting with the bike hub, which could break ground this year, in partnership with Pasco County’s tourism office.

Events venue and retail shops
What was once a vacant car dealership in downtown Dade City will soon be a hub for retail and social entertainment, called The Block.

The development, at 14313 Seventh St., involves converting two existing buildings, totaling 21,000 square feet.

The main plaza will have an area for retail spaces, along with a venue to accommodate events, such as weddings, parties and fundraisers. There also are potential plans for a bridal shop and a brewery there, too.

The second building is being turned into a CrossFit gym.

An outdoor patio and bar will run between the two complexes, complete with seats and tables,  and string lights hanging above.

While inclusive to all, it is geared toward the younger-adult demographic, somewhat inspired by the mixed-use Armature Works facility in Tampa Heights.

Expected to open in phases beginning this year, The Block is the brainchild of local realtor and investor Larry Guilford and Melanie Armstrong, owner of Savory Roots Catering and Events.

Dade City will be home to Florida’s first-ever snow park attraction, called Snowcat Ridge. (Courtesy of Point Summit Inc.)

A snow park in Dade City?
Come November, Dade City will be home to a very unique recreation attraction — the state’s first-ever snow park, called Snowcat Ridge.

The one-of-a-kind snow park will feature a 60-foot-tall and 400-foot-long snow tubing hill, where visitors will be able to ride in single, double, or six-person tubes down the hill; a 10,000-square-foot snow play dome to make snowmen and snow castles; and, an Alpine Village serving food and hot cocoa.

For those wondering, snow will be made with technology that can stay in place for an extended period of time, provided the temperature is under 80 degrees.

The project is being developed by Point Summit Inc., which also manages TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park and Scream-a-Geddon Horror Park. It will be located at 27839 Saint Joe Road.

Residential development on the rise
Like neighboring Zephyrhills, Dade City anticipates a surge of new rooftops in the coming decade, as the municipality has roughly 4,000 residential unit entitlements — which means they are actively under construction or review.

This year, the city will see 25 single-family homes come online at Countryside, a development situated behind McDonald’s that sits at U.S. 301, while affordable workforce/affordable housing communities Osprey Pointe (110 multi-family units) and Arbours at Hester Lake (80 multi-family units) are expected to begin leasing in the next few months.

Other residential developments on tap include the following:

  • Highland Trails: 1,110 single-family
  • Wickett: 892 single-family, multi-family, assisted living, townhomes
  • Summitview: 812 single-family, townhomes
  • Philmon: 510 single-family
  • Suwanee Lakeside: 302 single-family
  • Abbey Glenn II: 170 single-family

Vote expected on medical marijuana dispensaries
Dade City has had a series of concurrent moratoriums on medical marijuana treatment centers within its municipal limits dating back to 2016, but that could change in the new year.

City commissioners in September directed city staff to draft an amendment to the city’s land development regulations that would permit medical marijuana dispensaries in the general commercial zoning district. That district generally spans U.S. 301/U.S. 98 south and north of town, but avoids much of the city’s historic downtown main street and central business district.

A drafted ordinance is expected to come before the city’s planning board and the city commission sometime during the first quarter of 2020.

Published January 08, 2020

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

Storeright Self Storage to open in Lutz

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Construction workers are clearing land and building mini-warehouses for a new Storeright Self Storage facility in Lutz.

The project, at Crystal Grove Boulevard and U.S. 41, comes nearly 18 years after the Hillsborough County Commission approved a plan to allow about 75,000 square feet of offices, restaurants, drugstores and child care centers. Big box retail was banned.

However, in October 2017, county commissioners agreed that a second option for self-storage also would be allowed.

Representatives for Storeright proposed a project of up to 92,000 square feet of mini-warehouses, with space also available for boat and RV storage.

In June, county commissioners approved a request for a minor modification to the site plan that permits a septic tank system on the site.

Storeright representatives weren’t available for comment.

According to the company website, the family owned company, based in Lakeland, was founded in 2010, and has 14 self-storage locations in Florida.

Storeright’s facilities have both non-climate controlled and climate-controlled storage options, and many accommodate boat, automobile and RV storage.

The approximately 14-acre site is across from Walgreen’s drugstore on U.S. 41, and opposite the McDonald’s restaurant, off Crystal Grove Boulevard. The CSX rail line runs past the property, along the state highway.

The Florida Department of Transportation owns a small parcel, with a fenced-off retention pond, adjacent to the self-storage site.

According to county records from land use hearings, the site proved difficult to market due to nearly 5 acres of wetlands.

Hillsborough County records show Storeright Lutz XV LLC purchased the property in April for $725,000.

At a 2017 public hearing before a Hillsborough County land use hearing officer, four area residents objected to the project.

According to county records, they expressed concerns about drainage, traffic and decreased property values.

The hearing officer recommended approval of the project, with conditions.

Published August 15, 2018

Business community weathers Hurricane Irma

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Hurricane Irma left residents and business owners in northern Hillsborough, east Pasco and central Pasco assessing damage, cleaning up the mess, and, calculating their losses and counting their blessings.

Walgreens drugstore let people know it was open for business after Hurricane Irma’s departure. (B.C. Manion)

For business owners, the focus was on reopening and getting Pasco County’s commercial back in motion.

The effort goes on.

Zephyrhills’ chamber gave shelter
With shelters filled to capacity, The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce on Fifth Avenue opened its doors for three families to weather Hurricane Irma.

“They did well in our building,” said Melanie Monson, the chamber’s executive director.

Someone even managed to get some video footage of the storm.

In the aftermath, Monson and chamber staff pitched in to help people in need — including clearing debris and cutting up trees.

“Anything we can do to get people’s lives back, we did,” she said.

Zephyrhills’ businesses generally were luckier, and appeared to suffer less damage than other parts of the county. A few roofs were coming off, and a lot of trees were felled.

Duke Energy estimated that the Zephyrhills area, including its businesses, would have power restored by Sept. 15. Withlacoochee Electric said it might take longer for some of its customers.

The chamber cancelled all events the week of the storm, including its Citizens of the Month awards to area students.

“We’re going to double up for October, and do double the number of students,” Monson said.

Ukulele’s playing its tune again
Bryant Brand, owner of Ukulele Brand’s, reopened the waterside restaurant in Land O’ Lakes on Sept. 12 at 3 p.m. The restaurant lost power for more than 12 hours.

Some food had to be tossed out, but Brand said the restaurant withstood the battering winds. A floating dock still floated, but dipped about a foot-and-a-half underwater.

Brand said he would wait to see if the water drained away, and what kind of damage was done.

Within 30 minutes of the restaurant’s opening, cars began filling the parking lot, and hurricane-weary residents headed for the outdoor tables or the cooler bar inside.

It was business as usual.

The Shops at Wiregrass pitches in to help
Hurricanes have threatened in the past, but Hurricane Irma delivered.

“It was definitely a learning experience for everyone,” said Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass.

With Irma waffling on her direction, Lenners said the decision to close the mall came on Sept. 9, when it appeared obvious the hurricane had west Florida, and Pasco County, in her sights.

Something unexpected happened.

Some residents decided to leave their cars in the mall’s garage for safe keeping.

“Parking in the garage caught us by surprise, but we allowed them to park there to be a good neighbor,” Lenners said.

The mall came through without damage, and mall officials hoped to reopen on the afternoon of Sept. 11. Out of caution, the opening was delayed until Sept. 12, though a few restaurants opened doors sooner.

Yamato’s Japanese Steakhouse and Pincher’s seafood shack on Sept. 11 had long lines of residents eager to put Irma behind them with a hot meal and a cool place to hang out.

“I think we were all stir crazy, and had no power,” Lenners said.

Irma’s timing couldn’t have been worse. She came during a weekend, when shops and restaurants normally look forward to crowds.

“It certainly was a blow,” Lenners said, but noted it was too early to tell the precise impacts.

There already is some rebound, in part, due to schools closing for the week, he noted.

“You did have a lot of families off work because their businesses didn’t have power,” he said. “We’ve started seeing an uptick in traffic on Tuesday (Sept. 12).”

The mall planned to partner with 99.5 QYK radio station on Sept. 15 for a Help Our Community Heal event. The radio station was scheduled to hand out free water and batteries, and provide charging stations for people needing help. Donations also were being collected to aid about 700 linemen who have been restoring power.

Drive-through here and there
Motorists wrapped their cars around McDonald’s at Connerton on Tuesday morning, eager to grab bags full of breakfast foods and hot coffee from the drive-through lane.

Area restaurants that were able to open immediately after Hurricane Irma activated drive-through windows, with limited menus.

Kentucky Fried Chicken on State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes also was among the fast-food chains with lines of cars quickly surrounding the restaurant.

Tampa Premium Outlets is shopper ready
Tampa Premium Outlets reported no problems arising from Hurricane Irma. As of Sept. 12, stores began opening and the outlet mall “is open for business as usual,” said Sarah Rasheid, in a written statement. Rasheid is director of marketing and business development.

“We recognize the devastation our communities are experiencing by Hurricane Irma’s arrival in Florida,” Rasheid said in her statement. “It is heartbreaking when events like these occur, and our thoughts and prayers are with all the families throughout the state.”

Home improvement stores fill needs, before and after
Home improvement stores, like Home Depot and Lowe’s, were slammed with customers frantic to buy plywood to board up their homes, generators to keep refrigerators running and flashlights to light the dark.

Now that Irma is history, shopping is getting back to normal.

But, there also have been plenty of residents needing cleanup supplies.

Lowe’s, on State Road 54, east of U.S. 41, sent in a small team of employees to get the store ready for its reopening on Sept. 12.

The store shut down about lunchtime on Sept. 9, before Irma struck.

“I’d love to see power returned to the whole area,” said Michael Armstrong, Lowe’s store manager.

Since reopening, Armstrong has seen a mix of customers. Buying is happening across all categories, he added.

People are filling carts with flowers, patio cushions and usual needs of a home. But, he said others are on the hunt for cleaning supplies, rakes, yard clippers and tarps for their roofs.

Those still without power also wanted flashlights, he said.

In the midst of providing area residents with their hurricane needs, Lowe’s, as a company, also had to consider its own employees.

Armstrong said employees had to think of their own safety and their families. Their decisions reflected the dilemmas everyone had. And, he said some opted to evacuate; others stayed.

“We keep a list of associates,” he said. “As soon as the hurricane was over, we started calling everyone. At 9 a.m., yesterday, (Sept. 12) we reached the last one. It’s not just about coming to work. It’s ‘we want to check on you. See how you’re doing’.”

As of Wednesday, Lowe’s was on track for a normal business day.

Dade City ready to rebound
Dade City’s downtown businesses took a hit during Hurricane Irma. But, with power restored, they began opening doors around mid-week to shoppers and diners.

For two days after Irma passed, downtown seemed “very quiet,” said John Moors, executive director of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

“I haven’t heard of anything looking major, except for cosmetic stuff and trees down,” he said.

Revenue losses are to be expected, however.

“There’s definitely concern over the whole week,” Moors said. “The major thing is people were safe. It’s just a lot of work to get cleared up.”

It’s early yet, but Moors said some merchants might want to explore hosting a special event to help businesses rebound from Irma.

Published September 20, 2017

He offers humor, nostalgia and old-fashioned value

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If you’ve ever driven through the parking lot near the McDonald’s at U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes, you’ve probably seen a sign leading to Fred Wilsky’s shop.

“Sharpening Service” the sign proclaims, pointing east onto Carson Drive.

Sparks fly as Fred Wilsky sharpens the edge of a lawn mower blade in his Land O’ Lakes shop. (B.C. Manion)

If you head east on Carson Drive, you’ll see a series of signs — each getting you closer to the shop where Wilsky has been plying his trade for the better part of four decades.

You’ll go a mile or more before turning left onto a winding road. You’ll discover that Wilsky’s shop is well off the beaten path.

Inside the shop, it’s like taking a step back in time.

Wilsky is in the business of sharpening stuff.

He gives lawn motor blades a fresh edge.

He makes steak knives sharp again.

He’ll give a second wind to a saw blade, a new lease on life to a chainsaw and will make garden tools work as good as new.

“I sharpen almost everything — except a dull wit,” said Wilsky, who set up his shop in the late 1970s, after retiring from selling insurance.

While selling insurance, he said, he had several customers who were in the sharpening business. He thought to himself: “That’s something I would like to do.”

So, he went to a school in Minneapolis to learn how, then bought some used equipment and set up shop.

Now 90, he only does occasional jobs. But, he still has high standards.

“I try to never turn out a job that isn’t as good or better than the original,” he said.

“There are some things that I don’t sharpen because I don’t have the equipment to do it well enough that I am willing to do it for someone else,” he said.

For instance, he said, “I will sharpen my own router blades, but I’m not going to sharpen them for someone else because the finished job is not like it should be,” he said.

Most of his business comes from word-of-mouth, or referrals from local hardware or lawn mower shops, or from passersby who see his signs, he said.

Fred Wilsky is 90, but he still does occasional work in the shop behind his Land O’ Lakes home that he shares with his wife, Hilda.

He charges per the piece, and he generally needs to see the piece to determine if he can do it and how much it would cost.

Lawn mower blades, for instance, are normally around $3.50 each. But, sometimes they are too bent to repair, he said.

Many jobs can be handled on the spot, he added.

“To do a carbide saw would take 15 to 25 minutes, depending upon the size and the configuration of the carbide,” he said.

Generally, he said, it’s more economical to sharpen a tool, than to replace it.

“Almost always my price would be less than half than buying a new one. I can feel good about that,” he said.

He also gets satisfaction from helping people extend the life of a favorite tool.

Often, they are unaware, Wilsky said, “that it can be sharpened and be better than it was new.”

He likes to keep his shop open, he said, because “I’m helping myself a little bit. I’m also helping people take care of their tools.”

He recalled an instance when the owner of a lawn business — who had been sharpening his own blades — brought one into Wilsky’s shop.

Later, the man returned and asked Wilsky how he got such good results.

Wilsky responded: “No. 1, I’ve got the right piece of equipment. No. 2, I know what I’m doing with it. No. 3, cutting grass is your job, sharpening blades is mine.”

Over the years, Wilsky said he’s heard some common questions.

For instance, people ask: “Is this worth sharpening?”

Wilsky’s standard response: “Are you going to use it? If you’re going to use it, it’s worth sharpening, and it certainly will be a lot easier to use, after I sharpen it.”

People also want to know how often to sharpen steak knives.

“The answer is, ‘When they get dull,’” Wilsky said.

By the same token, a good set of steak knives can last a long time, he said.

“It’s not at all unusual to see a set of steak knives 50, 60 years or older,” Wilsky said. “I’ve got a knife in there that I believe is at least 80 years old.”

And, when it comes to steak knives, it’s the quality of the steel — not the name brand — that matters, Wilsky said. If the steel is soft, it won’t hold an edge, he explained.

There comes a point when a piece of equipment won’t benefit from sharpening, he said.

“The limit is how much steel there is,” Wilsky said.

If someone needs his services, Wilsky said, it’s best to call ahead.

“If I’m not here, there’s nobody to help them,” said Wilsky, whose shop is behind the home he shares with his wife, Hilda.

He also noted that he doesn’t work on Sundays.

If you would like to reach Wilsky, his number is (813) 949-4851.

Published August 2, 2017

Local student finds freedom, opportunity in U.S.

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Wiregrass Ranch High School senior Luis Pereira doesn’t take his freedom for granted.

Less than two years ago, his family arrived in Wesley Chapel — after emigrating from Venezuela to seek political asylum in the United States.

Since that time, the 19-year-old has managed to be inducted into the National Society of High School Scholars, has won the TEDX Talk competition at Wiregrass and has been awarded a scholarship to Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

Wiregrass Ranch High senior Luis Pereira has been inducted into the National Society of High School Scholars. His family left Venezuela 18 months ago to seek political asylum in the United States.
(B.C. Manion)

The scholars society was established in 2002 by James W. Lewis and Claes Nobel. Nobel is the senior member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes.

The society recognizes “top scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship and community commitment,” according to a news release announcing Pereira’s induction. The society helps to advance the goals and aspirations of high-achieving students through learning experiences, scholarships, internships, international study and peer networks.

Despite his achievements, it hasn’t been an easy road for Pereira.

His family moved to Wiregrass Ranch because of the difficult political situation in Venezuela.

“I was part of an opposition group, since I was 14. I was active in protests and demonstrations against the government.

“It wasn’t good for my family. We started receiving threats,” Pereira said.

His dad received calls about the family being watched.

“They said: ‘I saw your wife, picking up the kids. You should look out for them. You should take care of them,’” Pereira said. “Imagine living everyday knowing that there is someone who wants to hurt you.

“A year and a half ago, we decided this is too dangerous for us,” he said.

Besides his parents, Luis Sr. and Madelin, Pereira has two little brothers, Guillermo, 12, and Santiago, 10.

Initially, the family moved in with relatives in the Wiregrass Ranch area, but that didn’t work out.

“At one point, we were homeless,” he said.

Luis Pereira was a keynote speaker during Pasco County Schools’ 2016 Leadership Kickoff.

“When the people at Wiregrass (Ranch High School) found out, it was amazing. The community got together and found out ways to help my family. They gave us food. They gave us money. They found us a place to stay. They’ve been helping us through this process of trying to settle in a new country. I had a lot of support from my teachers, from the staff at Wiregrass,” he said.

The communities of John Long Middle School and Double Branch Elementary School also were incredibly kind, Pereira said. His brother, Guillermo, attends John Long, and his other brother, Santiago, attends Double Branch.

Education is important to the family.

Pereira scored a 1340 on the SAT, and carries a 3.87 grade point on a scale of 4.0.  He’s taking Advanced Placement Chemistry, Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Advancement Placement English Literature, among his other classes.

“I’m very interested in speech and debate. I really like the fact that by speaking out you can influence people, to change their outlook on things. I think that’s really amazing,” he said.

One of things he enjoys most about being in the United States is being able to freely share his thoughts and beliefs.

“Just being able to express myself here, to be able to say what I believe is right. That’s amazing. It’s a right that I’ve never had in my life,” Pereira said.

Pereira aspires to become a brain surgeon.

“It is different from psychology, in that you are investigating what drives human behavior, but you are investigating it from a biological point. You want to know the process that makes people do stuff,” he said.

Pereira said his interest in medicine was influenced by his father, who was a pharmacist in Venezuela. His mom taught elementary school there.

Now, his mom cleans homes and his dad works in a retail store. Pereira recently landed a job at McDonald’s.

He plans to continue his education, and at the moment his primary choice for college is Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

He applied there after seeing a flier that noted the architectural similarity between the campus and Hogwarts University in the Harry Potter novels.

“I did some research about the school, and I liked it,” he said.

He applied in November, and they called him to let him know he’d been accepted in January.

And, they invited him to the college’s scholarship weekend.

He qualified to compete in the Civic Engagement scholarship category.

“I had to do a presentation about how I participated in civic engagement and leadership in my everyday life. And, out of 102, they selected two people, and I was one of them,” he said.

Still, attending the university is no sure thing.

“The main problem — everything takes money,” he said.

“I haven’t committed yet. I don’t have the money. It’s $300 to pay the deposit,” he said, noting the scholarship covers tuition, but not housing.

He has a job now, and that will help, but he still needs to raise money for housing and other college expenses.

He recently set up a GoFundMe account at GoFundMe.com/kharmcdc, in case anyone wants to help.

Pereira is not sure where he will end up, but he wants to continue his education.

“I feel a responsibility to give back to the community that’s helped me. That’s one of my main goals of going to college, to be able to come back and help the community that gave my family so much,” Pereira said.

Published March 29, 2017

Tampa Premium Outlets goes pink

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Pink is in vogue at Tampa Premium Outlets, and for good reasons.

On Oct. 29, the outlet mall will cap off a month-long More Than Pink campaign in recognition of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

But, the day also highlights the Grand Opening Anniversary Celebration of the Tampa Premium Outlets, including opportunities to make donations to Susan G. Komen, a nonprofit that supports breast cancer research and educational awareness.

Tampa Premium Outlets is celebrating National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and its one-year anniversary. (File Photo)
Tampa Premium Outlets is celebrating National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and its one-year anniversary.
(File Photo)

From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., shoppers can enjoy family activities, strolling entertainers, and live music from Mad Dog and Sacred Fire.

One year ago, the outlet mall opened its doors to more than 90 retailers, and heralded the renewal of economic development along the State Road 56 corridor.

“It’s hard to imagine that we opened one year ago,” said Sarah Rasheid, Tampa Premium Outlets’ marketing director. “We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

Currently, about 105 retailers are in business at the outlet mall. Three new restaurants are set to open shortly on parcels fronting the shopping mall – BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, McDonald’s and Longhorn Steakhouse.

 

They are only the latest along restaurant row, and join Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Chick-Fil-A and Culver’s. Still to come are Panda Express, On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina and Starbucks. Among new retailers that have opened over the year inside the outlet mall are Steve Madden, Hanna Andersson and the Flip Flop Shops.

Construction is underway on a large outparcel on Costco Wholesale, which is slated for an early 2017 opening.

As shopping and dining experiences grow at Tampa Premium Outlets, community outreach also is taking root.

The More Than Pink campaign is part of the mall’s community outreach.

Store and mall employees donned pink clothing, pink ribbons and pink accessories during October.

Donations to Komen can be made at Simon Guest Services in Market Hall.

The outlet mall’s owner, Simon Properties, donated more than $470,000 to the nonprofit in 2015, and by Sept. 30, 2018 is pledging contributions of at least $1 million for each year of the program.

A More Than Pink Hero Wall allows survivors and families to honor their victories over cancer, and the continued fight for improved treatment and a cure.

Stickers for $1 can be bought and placed on the wall, with all proceeds going to Komen. In addition, $10 discount cards can be purchased at Guest Services. The cards can be used for 25 percent off one item at participating shops at Tampa Premium Outlets. All proceeds from the sale of the cards go to Komen.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, the mall soon will begin glowing with seasonal holiday colors and lights.

On Nov. 19, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the public is invited to a Christmas lighting and the arrival of Santa Claus.

And, upcoming, Rasheid said, “There will some festive ways to get involved.”

The mall will host a Community Holiday Performance from Nov. 20 to Dec. 24, at select dates and times. Community groups, schools and organizations will be featured.

A Community Gift Wrap from Dec. 10 to Dec. 24, also at select dates and times, will allow organizations to provide volunteers who will provide gift wrapping the mall’s visitors in return for donations.

For information, visit tinyurl.com/jnbnq9c.

Published October 26, 2016

Thousands enjoy festivities at Connerton

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Rain threatened to spoil the celebration, but the weather cleared just about time that festivities were set to begin at the Nation Celebration Independence Day Party at Connerton.

Colorful bursts of fireworks across the night sky at Connerton drew an appreciative response from a crowd estimated at 5,000 for the Nation Celebration Independence Day Party at Connerton in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Connerton)
Colorful bursts of fireworks across the night sky at Connerton drew an appreciative response from a crowd estimated at 5,000 for the Nation Celebration Independence Day Party at Connerton in Land O’ Lakes.
(Courtesy of Connerton)

The rain stopped around 5 p.m. — the time the July 2 event was scheduled to start, but then there was a light drizzle until around 5:30 p.m., said Joan Staut, marketing coordinator for Connerton, a master-planned New Town Community in Land O’ Lakes.

After the rain stopped, people began streaming into the community, and by the time the event was over, officials estimate that more than 5,000 turned out for the festivities.

People ranging from grandparents to babies, and all ages in between, clearly were enjoying themselves.

Some kids jumped around in bounce houses. Others slid down an inflatable slide. Some tested their skills in miniature golf. Others played carnival games.

Families, couples and friends sat around large round tables, under a giant tent, to eat meals they purchased from nine food trucks from Tampa Bay Food Truck Rally, and to listen to live music by Gottagroove. The Fraternal Order of Police, Pasco County Lodge 29 hosted the beer and wine garden.

People mingled, played games and relaxed, waiting for the fireworks to begin, and there was plenty of “oohs” and “ahs” from the crowd, as they went off, sending colorful bursts in the sky.

Numerous sponsors were involved in the event, including Benedetto’s, which sponsored the fireworks. Other sponsors included McDonald’s, Air Hawk Heating and Cooling, Wayne O’ Brien, State Farm Insurance, Greenacre Properties, Yellowstone Landscape, Mary Ann Carroll-Homeward Real Estate, Ierna’s Heating & Air Conditioning, and Medi-Weight Loss.

Connerton’s staff was pleased by the turnout and gratified by the expressions of appreciation they heard from people attending the event, Staut said.

Published July 13, 2016

New centers coming soon to Land O’ Lakes

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What the Great Recession took away, boom times are bringing back.

Three properties in Land O’ Lakes, along U.S. 41 and State Road 54, are poised to deliver new restaurants, retail and offices. All three sites languished as the economy tanked.

Now, Strategic Properties Group is ready to build the first of three new shopping centers on land that the real estate development firm held onto for nearly a decade.

Two more centers are in planning stages.

First up is Camp Indianhead Crossings, a triangular swath of land fronting State Road 54, at the corner of Camp Indianhead Road.

Camp Indianhead Crossings will open in early 2017 with Hungry Greek and OTB Delight Café among its tenants. An artist’s rendering shows the shopping center as a one-story building at State Road 54 and Camp Indianhead Road in Land O’ Lakes. (Photos courtesy of Strategic Properties Group)
Camp Indianhead Crossings will open in early 2017 with Hungry Greek and OTB Delight Café among its tenants. An artist’s rendering shows the shopping center as a one-story building at State Road 54 and Camp Indianhead Road in Land O’ Lakes.
(Photos courtesy of Strategic Properties Group)

Hungry Greek and OTB Café are the first announced tenants. Both restaurants also have locations at The Shoppes of Wesley Chapel on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

A groundbreaking will get dirt moving this week on the slightly more than 1 ½-acre site, according to Barry Jackson, managing member of Strategic Properties.

The swath, just west of Pep Boys, will be home to a one-story building with approximately 12,700 square feet of restaurant, retail and office space. Facades on both sides of the structure will match. Multiple driveways onto the site will include an entrance off State Road 54.

In addition to Hungry Greek and OTB, Jackson is negotiating with a national chain restaurant for a third dining spot at the center.

A nationally known hair salon also is anticipated at Camp Indianhead.

Exit Prime Realty and Jackson’s own company will relocate offices to the new center.

Another 6,500 square feet remains leasable.

Jackson said a nail salon likely could be another tenant.

“I’ve had several talking with me,” he said.

Jackson expects to have the building ready for occupancy by the end of the year. Tenants then will complete the build out for their individual spaces.

Some shops could open in February, with restaurants likely to open in March.

Barry Jackson is managing member of Strategic Properties Group. The real estate development company plans to build three shopping centers in Land O’ Lakes.
Barry Jackson is managing member of Strategic Properties Group. The real estate development company plans to build three shopping centers in Land O’ Lakes.

Visibility and traffic volume along State Road 54 made the location an attractive real estate buy in 2006. But, just as Jackson anticipated construction, the bottom fell out of the economy, and the project stalled out.

With the economy rebounding and development on State Road 54 humming again, Camp Indianhead finally is ready for its debut. Its attractiveness is still intact, Jackson said.

“Demographics in the area are terrific,” he said. “The county counts about 70,000 cars a day between Collier Parkway and U.S. 41. You pick up all the traffic going both ways from the two intersections.”

Strategic Properties is eyeing development of two more shopping centers in Land O’ Lakes that also had to wait out the economic downturn.

Though Wesley Chapel has been in the development spotlight with the opening of Tampa Premium Outlets, development at Cypress Creek Town Center — the Land O’ Lakes area is starting to share in the action.

“It’s not happening as fast as Wesley Chapel and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard are,” said Jackson. “But, it’s not far behind, probably a year behind.”

Land O’ Lakes Landings is in the planning stages, Jackson said. That center likely will begin construction in 2018.

It will be similar in size to Camp Indianhead at about 13,000 square feet, located on U.S. 41, more than a mile south of State Road 52. The site is next to an approximately 500-home master-planned community from Ryan Homes that will be built on land formerly part of the Lester Dairy farm.

Leases are not in place, but Jackson said he is in discussions with a national chain restaurant.

“We’re waiting on them (Ryan) to get stuff moving,” Jackson said. “We are the first commercial parcel outside of this development’s entrance.”

Another shopping center is in the planning stages, as well, Jackson said. That center, Lake Thomas Crossings, likely will begin construction in 2017.

It is a 16,000 square-foot shopping center on U.S. 41, about three miles north of State Road 54, and south of Ehren Cutoff.

“There is a desperate need for restaurants and retail up there,” Jackson said.

Connerton is another of Pasco’s housing developments that came to a standstill during the recession. But now, new homes are sprouting, and a McDonald’s restaurant is under construction at an entrance into the community.

Jackson said the draw to that area remains 100 percent the development of Connerton.

“If Connerton didn’t happen, we wouldn’t have bought the property,” he said.

Revised on July 8, 2016

Connerton Corner to get McDonald’s

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McDonald’s restaurant is set to open at Connerton Corner in late summer.

It is yet another sign that developers are looking north along U.S. 41 to bring retail to Land O’ Lakes, an area where more rooftops are popping up.

A groundbreaking for McDonald’s is expected by mid-April, with an opening date slated for late July or early August.

A dump truck tips a load of dirt onto a vacant lot that in April will be the site for a groundbreaking of a new McDonald’s restaurant, at U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
A dump truck tips a load of dirt onto a vacant lot that in April will be the site for a groundbreaking of a new McDonald’s restaurant, at U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Construction crews currently are preparing the site at the entrance into the master-planned community of Connerton, at U.S. 41 and Pleasant Plains Parkway.

The site is owned by Orlando-based Connerton Corners LLC, according to Pasco County records.

For McDonald’s franchise owner, Jose Hernandez, the restaurant will be his 11th restaurant in the Tampa Bay area. His 10th restaurant recently opened at 11367 Ridge Road in New Port Richey.

Hernandez also owns franchises in Trinity, New Port Richey and Land O’ Lakes. He bought most of his locations in 2014 from Bob Brickman, a long-time franchise owner in the Tampa Bay area.

“(Pasco) is destined for very progressive growth,” said Hernandez, who began his career with McDonald’s more than 25 years ago. He has been an operator/owner since 2008 but also has served in corporate positions including more than four years as president of McDonald’s Caribbean division.

McDonald’s has restaurants in about 120 countries. Hernandez has visited more than 80 of those countries and helped open restaurants in Central and South America and the Philippines.

Hernandez now calls Pasco County home.

“It’s amazing after a world tour to come home,” Hernandez said. “We are very fortunate to be in our location in Pasco County, (an area) that is still under discovery.”

He was 9 years old when his family immigrated from Cuba to south Florida. In 1989 Hernandez relocated to Tampa where he began his career with McDonald’s.

The fast-food chain currently is sprucing up the design of its restaurants including Hernandez’ location at Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and State Road 54.

The company also recently introduced the all-day breakfast to its menu. That is going over well, Hernandez said.

The Connerton Corner restaurant will be testing another new concept – self-ordering by kiosk. The Ridge Road location also has kiosks.

Hernandez said customers can walk in, place an order at a kiosk, then sit down and wait for an employee to deliver the meal tableside.

“I believe it’s a whole different experience,” he said.

It’s a sign of how much social media and new technology is influencing customer service, he added.

Initial testing has been positive but the system will be tweaked to work through any kinks in its operation. Employees will help guide customers through the process. “We’ve done a lot of prep work to bring it forward,” Hernandez said.

The new restaurant initially will fill about 60 to 65 positions. Current employees from other locations will help get the restaurant started but local residents also will have opportunities to apply for jobs, Hernandez said.

“I think it grows from there,” he said.

Published March 9, 2016