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Susan MacManus

Big decisions on the ballot in Election 2020

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Voters already have begun casting their mail-in ballots in Election 2020 — making decisions that will have enormous consequences.

The top of the ballot features a choice between reelecting President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, or electing challengers former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris.

Early voting will begin in Pasco and Hillsborough counties at several locations on Oct. 19.

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said his office will work with Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco’s office to ensure that elections are safe, just like they have in other elections. (File)

Pasco County voters, for instance, will decide who should represent them in District 3 and District 5 on the Pasco County Commission. They also will choose the superintendent of Pasco County Schools.

A number of other key races are on the Nov. 3 ballot.

In Hillsborough County, voters will select the county sheriff, county tax collector, the county property appraiser, and seats on the Hillsborough County Commission and Hillsborough School Board.

Voters also will choose their congressional representatives and state lawmakers, in contested races.

Key races at the local level include Florida’s 12th congressional district; District 36, District 37 and District 38, in the Florida House; and District 20, in the Florida Senate.

Statewide, voters will  decide the fate of a half-dozen constitutional amendments.

All of this comes in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer and Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley are encouraging voters to consider voting by mail, or taking advantage of Early Voting, to reduce waiting time for voters on Election Day, Nov. 3.

They also assure that steps will be taken to protect both voters and poll workers at election sites — through social distancing, face coverings and other precautions.

In addition to the pandemic, Election 2020 comes at a time of bitter partisan divide.

Political scientist Susan MacManus put it like this: “Obviously, everything that we thought we knew about politics has been turned upside down this election year.”

The national party conventions were different. The presidential and vice presidential debates have been different. The way people will vote — with experts predicting a record number of mail-in ballots — is different, too.

And, the constant frenzy of breaking news on social media and cable networks has made an impact.

“We’ve seen issues change by the hours, making it very difficult for campaigns to come up with a clear message,” added MacManus, a retired distinguished professor of political science at the University of South Florida.

“The nation is the most partisan/polarized in its history. The partisan divide is the deepest ever and so is the generational divide, really, politically,” added MacManus, who has been a close observer of elections for decades.

“Democrats are seen as moving more toward Socialism, and Republicans are seen as more toward, what they call maintenance of the Capitalistic system,” she said.

Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer says voters can be assured of a safe and secure election in Hillsborough County. (Courtesy of Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections)

On top of that, she said, “you had a health care and an economic meltdown at the same time, basically reconfiguring how people live — in every facet, whether it’s no toilet paper in the grocery, to the point of, ‘Now, do I send my kid to school in person, or do I not?’

Plus, there are clashes over racial injustice and the role of police.

The political landscape is changing, too, MacManus observed.

“The demographic shift that’s taking place across the country is very evident in the registration, and the makeup of Florida’s electorate. It’s much more racially and ethnically diverse, and much more age diverse than it was, even in 2016,” MacManus added.

“Many women are running in the Legislature and Congress this year, and a lot of them are women of color.

Turnout is a big question for both Democrats and Republicans
MacManus, who is frequently called upon to share expertise with national news outlets, said each political party is struggling to reach specific groups of voters.

Democrats are seeking to attract working class whites, particularly men; the Latino vote; and Minority School Choice voters, she said, noting in the past those groups were predictably Democrat voters.

This is what it looks like when voters drop off ballots in Hillsborough County. (Courtesy of Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections)

Republicans are seeking to reach college-educated white women; suburban moms with kids; and older voters, especially women. In essence, Republicans are struggling with a gender gap, she said.

“Then, each of them, of course, has a big, big, big, big turnout question,” MacManus said.

For the Democrats, the big turnout question is how many young voters will turn out.

Young voters, she said, want to be inspired, they want genuine discussions of their issues, and they value diversity.

Republicans, on the other hand, are worried that moderate Republicans will cross over and vote Biden. They’re also concerned that voters deemed as ‘Never Trumpers’ just won’t bother to vote, she said.

Despite those issues, MacManus believes that turnout will be higher for this year’s election.

She thinks it’s important for voters to understand that it may be awhile before the final results are known.

“There are legitimate reasons why you may not know on Election Night in a very close state like Florida,” she said.

Election privacy booths are spaced out, to provide social distancing and privacy for voters. (Courtesy of Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections)

A delay in counting overseas ballots is one of those reasons.

“Military and overseas ballots aren’t due until 10 days after the Election, and we have a lot of people that meet criteria,” MacManus said.

“No. 2, if you vote early and you forget to take your ID, you can still cast what’s called a provisional ballot. Then, after the election is over when the canvassing board meets, they can check it. If you are indeed registered, your vote counts. In 2000, they would have been tossed out.

“The third reason is that you can get an onslaught of mail-in ballots that get there on Election Day or a day or so before.

“If it’s really, really tight in Florida, you may go to bed thinking it’s one candidate (who won), and then a couple of days later it will be different — and, it won’t be because anybody’s fraudulent,” MacManus said.

Even after the votes are counted, it might not be over, she said.

“Each side is already lawyered up to the max,” MacManus said.

Voting
There are three ways to vote:  Vote By Mail, Early Voting, and voting on Election Day.

Voters who vote by mail can either mail in their ballots, or drop them off at an early voting site. Your ballot must be received by your Supervisor of Elections office by 7 p.m., on Nov. 3.

Those voting by mail are encouraged to mail in their ballots early, to ensure they arrive on time. When voting in person, bring one or two forms of ID, which include your signature and photo. If you do not bring proper ID, you can vote a provisional ballot. A canvassing board will evaluate it for eligibility.

Important dates to remember
The deadline to register was Oct. 5.

Early voting in Hillsborough County begins Oct. 19 and ends Nov. 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily

Early voting in Pasco County begins Oct. 19 and ends Oct. 31, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily

Election Day voting nationwide is Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For a list of Early Voting places and other information, go to PascoVotes.gov for Pasco County and VoteHillsborough.org for Hillsborough County.

Safe and secure at the polls:
Steps are being taken in Pasco and Hillsborough counties to keep voters safe. Those include:

  • Limiting the number of people inside the polling place at one time.
  • Ensuring that poll workers have face coverings
  • Providing hand sanitizer
  • Reminding voters to wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines

Election security: 10 reasons your vote is safe and secure
Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer offers these 10 reasons that voters can be assured their vote is safe and secure.

  1. The Florida Division of Elections checks each voter registration form to verify the applicant’s identity.
  2. Our voter registration database is updated regularly to remove deceased and ineligible voters.
  3. Voters have to show photo and signature identification to vote.
  4. Our voter records are updated electronically to record when a voter has requested a mail ballot or voted. If someone comes to vote in person, their mail ballot is immediately canceled. And vice versa.
  5. The state-certified equipment is tested before each election with a public logic and accuracy test to make sure machines are counting votes correctly. During this test, pre-marked ballots are put in a randomly selected sample of our machines to make sure the count is what it’s supposed to be and that every position on the ballot is being read by each machine.
  6. Our ballots and equipment are under 24-hour camera surveillance and stored in areas with restricted key card access until they are deployed for voting. During voting, the ballot scanners are kept in plain sight and secured with seals to prohibit tampering.
  7. We use a stand-alone server, not connected to the Internet, to tabulate and report results.
  8. Electronic results from each ballot scanner are encrypted and backed up by printed results that are posted on the doors of each polling place and driven to our central office.
  9. Paper ballots are held for 22 months and can be rescanned if there is a problem with the equipment or question about results.
  10. After every election, we run a post-election audit using a separate system to re-tabulate the ballots and confirm the accuracy of our results.

Source: Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections’ website

Published October 14, 2020

Florida 4-H Hall of Fame to induct local woman

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Long before she shared her knowledge about Florida politics with local, state and national audiences — Susan MacManus was involved with 4-H.

In fact, she credits her experiences through 4-H with helping her to develop the skills that would become so important in her career as professor of political science, and as a political analyst for national presidential conventions.

Susan A. MacManus, third from left, poses in a photo with three other Florida 4-H’ers, during a trip to Washington D.C. The man in the center is James A. Haley. The veterans hospital in Tampa is named for Haley. (Courtesy of Susan A. MacManus)

MacManus has never forgotten how important 4-H has been in her life, and for years, she has put in a good word to people in power, when she could —  to help support the organization.

She also volunteered time to be a judge — primarily for public speaking competitions.

Her contributions to the organization will be recognized on Oct. 6, when MacManus is inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame, during a virtual Zoom ceremony.

The honor goes to those who exemplify the 4-H motto ‘to make the best better’ through citizenship, leadership, career and character, and to those who are champions for Florida’s youth with the 4-H Youth Development Program, according to a University of Florida social media posting.

Florida 4-H has inducted 183 members into the Florida 4-H Hall of Fame, since 2002.

Others receiving the honor this year are Kim Massagee, Vicki Meriwether, Hal Porter and Donald Richard Sellers.

MacManus, who lives in Land O’ Lakes, is delighted by the recognition. “They called me out of the blue. I had no clue,” she said.

Her association with 4-H began when she was 10.

“I think that’s when you were eligible,” she recalled, during a recent interview.

“It was very formative,” she said, noting it helped her to develop the public speaking and organizational skills that would become so important in her professional life.

“You may not know this, but my mother was painfully shy. She was pretty committed to making sure that we didn’t have that problem,” MacManus said.

Susan A. MacManus, a retired distinguished professor of political science from the University of South Florida, stands near her home in Land O’ Lakes. Her family has deep roots in Lutz and Land O’ Lakes. (File)

Her mother became very involved in 4-H, serving as a leader for more than 23 years, and the MacManus kids, and their cousins, were active in 4-H, too.

“It was a natural thing for us to be in,” MacManus said. “Everybody out here was in citrus or cattle or some kind of agriculture. It was a real big part of all my family.

“We loved going to the fair. My sister used to show cows at the fair. I had chickens.

“We’d have exhibits at the fair and give presentations at the fair, and there would competitions. So, I got to know people from all over,” MacManus said.

During eight years of 4-H, MacManus completed 70 projects and received numerous awards, according to a report published decades ago in the former Dade City Banner.

She was twice president of her high school 4-H club. She took projects to district demonstrations on four occasions and won project medals each time.

She served as historian, reporter and president. Plus, she was a district representative and state historian.

But, her activities didn’t stop there.

She was a delegate to the 42nd National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago, and a Florida representative to the National Four-H Conference in Washington D.C.

She gave speeches and made appearances on radio and television programs.

She took on local and state leadership roles, which opened doors to broadening her skills, too, she said.

“I was an officer. You learn about organizational dynamics and collaborative efforts,” she said. On top of that, it was fun.

“I worked at the Florida 4-H camps,” she said, noting that was her job during summers of her college years, to help pay her college expenses.

4-H opens doors to new opportunities
MacManus traveled to the nation’s capital, in an expenses-paid trip, when she was a member of the Florida State University 4-H Club.

A look at Susan MacManus when she was a young 4-H-er. (Courtesy of Susan A. MacManus)

The four Florida delegates met Sen. Spessard Holland, Sen. George Smathers, Rep. James A. Haley and Rep. Claude Pepper, according to a report that detailed the trip.

They toured the Capitol Building and visited different offices of government, business and education. Vice President Hubert Humphrey spoke at one of the general assemblies.

They also went on a special tour of the White House and attended a reception hosted by Lady Bird Johnson, the report says.

“That’s where I met LBJ (President Lyndon B. Johnson) and (First Lady) Lady Bird (Johnson),” MacManus recently recalled. “LBJ actually asked me about what 4-H was like, and about Florida.”

The 4-H’ers also received a police escort throughout the week as they visited the National Art Gallery, the National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial and Mount Vernon, according to a recap of the trip.

It was MacManus’ first trip to Washington D.C., but certainly not her last.

MacManus has retired from her university teaching career, but she still shares her knowledge about Florida politics.

She thinks 4-H continues to offer valuable opportunities, with diverse programming that has kept up with the times, and she highly recommends it.

“It (4-H) offers terrific leadership training,” MacManus said.

Published September 23, 2020

Women celebrate 100 years of voting

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In 1920 Harry T. Burn, a 24-year-old delegate in the Tennessee General Assembly, heeded his mother’s admonishment in a letter to be “a good boy” and vote for women’s suffrage.

Burn did as he was told, and Tennessee — by the margin of one vote — became the 36th state to ratify the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution.

Congress officially certified the 19th amendment on Aug. 26, 1920, a date now celebrated annually as Women’s Equality Day.

To honor the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village is hosting a Smithsonian poster exhibit, “Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence!”

College women, often members of sororities, picketed in front of the White House from January 1917 until the 19th amendment was ratified. (Courtesy of Stephanie Black, Pioneer Florida Museum (From the Smithsonian poster exhibit, ‘Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence!’)

The exhibit runs through Nov. 3 — the date for the 2020 presidential election.

“We’re excited to have this here,” Stephanie Black, the museum’s executive director, said regarding the exhibit. “It’s very interesting and very diverse.”

The posters highlight more than seven decades of struggle to earn women a place in America’s political life. But, it also reveals the racism that separated white and black suffragists who worked toward the same goal. In the end, black women, including activists Mary Church Terrell and Ida B. Wells, were marginalized and the 19th amendment won only white women the right to vote.

Black women and black men in the South waited another 45 years for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Native American women won legal citizenship and the right to vote in 1924. But they, like black men and women, suffered racist attacks that denied their access to the ballot box.

Even with its limitations, the 19th amendment shook up the political and cultural world of America.

“You’ve got to start somewhere,” said political scientist Susan MacManus. “It shows that a lot of things in the political world take time because the work takes a while.”

Today, women are filing to run for political offices in local, state and national races in numbers never seen before. MacManus counts 178 Florida women seeking office in 2020 – a record for the state.

Pollsters are focused intently on the women’s vote and its impact on dozens of races across the country, including the presidential contest.

Ida B. Wells was an investigative journalist and suffragist.

But now, as in 1920, MacManus said people make a mistake in thinking women vote as a bloc.

All women didn’t support the 19th amendment. Anti-suffrage clubs did their own protesting.

Women today also hold diverse opinions on everything.

“That’s never been truer than in politics,” MacManus said.

For some suffragists, the 19th amendment came too late.

Susan B. Anthony, who wrote the ‘Anthony amendment’ for women’s right to vote, didn’t live to see it approved. She cast an illegal ballot in New York in 1872. She was arrested, but refused to pay the $100 fine.

Women voted in the first presidential election in 1920 ushering Republican Warren G. Harding into the White House. Records suggest women represented about 36% of the electorate. It’s likely some women asked their husbands for voting advice.

Slowly over the years, women began running for office, at first mostly in local elections. They became role models for women who came behind them.

Many black women can trace their modern political activism to college sororities who organized for suffrage as well as the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, MacManus said.

Black women students from Howard University and Delta Sigma Theta were among those who marched in Washington D.C., in 1913. White organizers feared offending Southern lawmakers and told black women to march in the rear of the parade.

But, Wells boldly caught up with the white Illinois delegation and walked with them, refusing to be ignored and segregated.

Sororities set up picket lines outside the White House during Woodrow Wilson’s presidency. “Some stayed until the bitter end,” said MacManus.

Wilson eventually threw his support to the suffragists.

MacManus said Kamala Harris comes from that tradition as a Howard University graduate and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. Harris made history last week by becoming the first woman of color running on a major political party’s ticket as vice president.

In Florida, black women have role models, including Carrie Meek, Frederica Wilson and Val Demings.

“More women are getting into politics and lot of that is driven by more women than men — by far — going to college,” MacManus said. “This is especially true with minority women.”

The #MeToo movement also has had an impact, the political scientist said.

By 1980, a voting gender gap emerged as more women than men voted in each of the last nine presidential elections.

In 1913, women held a Suffrage Pageant. Actor Hedwig Reicher is in the foreground.

A record number of 100 women held seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, in 2018. About 90 are Democrats. But, a growing number of Republican women also are seeking elected office.

According to the Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics, about 200 Republican women are running for House seats in 2020, an increase from 133 candidates in 2018.

“We’re raising our numbers,” said Sandy Graves, who won in the Aug. 18 Primary Election in the race for Republican State Committee Chairwoman for Pasco County. “We’re working very hard to try and encourage women to get in there.”

Graves is a lifelong Republican and especially honored to win an election in a year that celebrates women’s right to vote.

The amendment “was a hard-fought battle,” she said. “It is a testament to our country.”

She noted that Florida didn’t ratify the amendment until 1969, when Claude Kirk was the first Republican governor since Reconstruction.

The Pasco County Commission had planned to recognize the 100th anniversary, as well as the month of March as women’s history month, but that was delayed due to COVID-19 concerns.

Several women in past and current leadership roles will be honored when the recognition takes place, including former County Administrator Michele Baker, former Clerk and Comptroller Paula O’Neil, County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey and Assistant County Administrator Cathy Pearson.

Cheryl Pollock said the event will be scheduled once the county commission is again able to meet in person.

Pollock is the first black woman to serve as chair of the county’s Commission on the Status of Women. She joined the commission about three years ago.

“While there are limited women of color in leadership roles in our county, the county itself is slowly growing in diversity based on census reports,” Pollock said, via email.

She also said the Commission on the Status of Women is dedicated to “strive to understand disparate issues of women in our community and work toward solutions.”

A poster exhibit from the Smithsonian, “Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence!”
Where: Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road, Dade City
When: Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., now through Nov. 3
Cost: $10 general admission adults; $8 for seniors; $5 for students; free for children under age 5; group rates available
Info: (352) 567-0262 or PioneerFloridaMuseum.org.

Timeline for Women’s Suffrage
1848: Seneca Falls, New York convention; “Declaration of Sentiments” issued
1850: First National Woman’s Convention
1866: Suffragists sent petition to Congress requesting women’s right to vote
1872: Susan B. Anthony arrested in New York for voting illegally. Fined $100, but never pays
1878: Susan B. Anthony wrote the “Anthony amendment”
1890s: National Association of Colored Women founded by Mary Church Terrell
1909: National Suffrage Party founded
1910: Suffrage parades begin
1913: Congressional Union for Women’s Suffrage founded by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns; Alpha Suffrage Club of Chicago founded by journalist Ida B. Wells
1913: More than 10,000 women march for suffrage in Washington D.C.; Ida B. Wells defiantly marches with Illinois delegation, refusing to be segregated
1917: College women begin picketing White House
1917: Anthony Amendment reintroduced in Senate & House
1919: Congress approved the 19th Amendment; sent it to states
1920: League of Women Voters founded
1920: 19th Amendment ratified by 36th state (Tennessee)

Published August 26, 2020

Land O’ Lakes park and community center have a new name

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The Pasco County Commission has renamed the community center and park in Land O’ Lakes as the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

Commissioners adopted the new name on Nov. 7, at the request of Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore.

“They are trying to have more of an identity in that area,” said Moore. “I think they’ll be excited by this.”

Heritage Stage made its debut in August as community, school, business and civic leaders had a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Land O’ Lakes park and community center also now have a new name – Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. (File)

Moore said he consulted with members of the board of directors for the Heritage Foundation before making the suggestion.

The word “heritage,” it appears, is becoming a unifier in that effort.

A newly built Heritage Stage made its debut in August at the park.

And, the Heritage Park Foundation, is a longtime voice of advocacy for the community at large, as well as the park.

The foundation grew out of initial efforts to preserve the parkland, and later attempts to raise money to build a stage for community gatherings at the park.

The completion of the stage marked a major milestone for the foundation, which had long pushed for improving opportunities for community unity, through social gatherings in the park.

More is on the way as the foundation plans to install a story board to honor Land O’ Lakes’ history, and the park. “There’s a history of the park being a community-built park,” said Sandy Graves, who spearheaded efforts to get the stage.

She is working with local historian Susan MacManus on the story board.

The outdoor stage was built through a partnership between Pasco County, Pasco County Schools, the Florida legislature, local businesses and volunteers.

A Pops in the Park holiday performance, featuring the brass section of the Florida Orchestra, is planned for December.

The new name could have another benefit.

For years, the Land O’ Lakes Community Center has been located at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., and the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, at 3032 Collier Parkway.

The similarity of names has been a source of confusion.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’d hear people say ‘I thought it was at the rec center’,” Graves said.

There was some discussion about renaming the park Heritage Park, but keeping the name of the community center intact.

Paula O’ Neil, Pasco’s clerk of court and comptroller, favored renaming the entire complex to create greater clarity. County commissioners and county staff also supported one name.

With the name change, that leaves a well-worn sign outside the community center, with the old name.

That’s not expected to last long.

“You’ve renamed the park. So, get ready for a new sign,” Moore said.

Published November 15, 2017

Book pays homage to Florida minority political trailblazers

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When Dr. Susan A. MacManus set out a decade ago to write “Florida’s Minority Trailblazers,” she wanted to recognize the men and women who changed the face of Florida’s government.

Her book does just that.

She recounts the personal stories of the first minority men and women elected or appointed to state legislative, executive and judicial offices, and to the U.S. Congress since the 1960s.

Dr. Susan MacManus, who lives in Land O’ Lakes, is widely known for her expertise regarding Florida politics. (Courtesy of Susan MacManus)

Through personal interviews, MacManus discovered what motivated them to seek political office.

Her book provides a wealth of information about how they ran their campaigns, what kinds of discrimination they encountered, what the experience meant to them and what advice they would offer aspiring politicians.

One of the politicians profiled is Bob Martinez, a former mayor of Tampa, who became Florida’s first Hispanic governor.

MacManus said she decided to write the book because she believes it was important to preserve these stories as part of Florida’s political history.

“It’s very easy to take for granted what we have at present, but it’s also important to know how we got to this point, and who took risks and made sacrifices for the public good,” MacManus said, during a recent interview in her Land O’ Lakes home.

Richard E. Foglesong, author of “Immigrant Prince: Mel Martinez and the American Dream,” wrote that MacManus’ book “Saves a piece of Florida’s political history by narrating the personal stories of the state’s ‘minority trailblazers’ from the Civil Rights Movement to the present day.”

In essence, MacManus said she wanted to write a book that chronicled real stories about real people.

“The whole purpose was to show, through people, the growing diversity of Florida, both racially and ethnically, as well as politically through biographies and in-person accounts,” she said.

In the forward of the book, David R. Colburn, writes “There is perhaps no recent book that reminds readers of the state’s rich political and diverse culture more than “Florida’s Minority Trailblazers,” by Susan MacManus.

“She emphasizes that the story of Florida is more than just about new beginnings, population growth, and economic opportunity; it is also about the struggle for civil rights, equal justice, opportunity for all Floridians, and political background,” Colburn wrote.

The volume will come in handy for historians and journalists, and college professors, too, said MacManus, who is a distinguished professor at the University of South Florida.

This is just one of numerous photographs in ‘Florida’s Minority Trailblazers,’ a book by Susan MacManus, of Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Florida Memory Project (part of the State Archives)

“There were literally no materials that were readily available for teaching that would be able to personalize the changing faces of our elected officials, in state politics, particularly,” she said.

The book looks at factors that forced the South to change laws and processes that discriminated against persons of color, and notes the importance of single-member districts, redistricting and term limits in opening up the political arena to minority candidates.

MacManus said her approach to the book was influenced by the work she did with her mother,

the late Elizabeth Riegler MacManus, on local history books.

She and her mother are co-authors of “Citrus, Sawmills, Critters & Crackers,” and “Going, Going, Almost Gone …” which trace the history of Lutz and Land O’ Lakes.

Those books stemmed from scores of taped interviews that MacManus’ mother conducted with area old-timers who had deep roots in the settlements north of Tampa.

The interviews were supplemented with property records, advertisements, old brochures, photographs, documents and anything else that would help tell the community’s story.

Like her mother, MacManus thought it important to include personal stories, along with hard facts.

Arranging the interviews was a challenge.

“These are very busy, very prominent people,” she said.

Gaining the trust of the potential interview subject was essential, too.

In some cases, MacManus was seeking meetings with people who didn’t know her. So, she turned to people who do, to help her secure those interviews.

“It took time to get to them,” she said. “But, once I got the interviews, they were very gracious.”

As she talked with people from diverse backgrounds, some common themes emerged, MacManus said.

“One of the questions I asked was: ‘What kind of roadblocks did you experience?

“And, every one of them had something they could mention. None of these trailblazers had it easy.

“On the other hand, when I asked, ‘Who helped you along the way?’ Everyone had a cheerleader and some mentors.”

When she asked what sort of advice they would offer future politicians, a common refrain was: “Make sure this is something you and your family want to do. It is very, very demanding and draining to go into public office.”

In her work, MacManus said she tries to encourage students to consider becoming public servants.

But, she said there have been times over the years that she has worried that fewer people would be willing to run for office.

She routinely asks students if they have political ambitions.

“For a long time, I didn’t see but one or two hands out of 50,” she said. Recently, though, she’s been encouraged: “Now, I see 10 or 12.”

Of those who are interested, she said, “I think they think they can be change agents.”

MacManus also has noticed in the data that the number of people with No Party Affiliation is increasing.

She attributes that to a rise in the number of younger people who are alienated by the traditional two-party system.

“It’ll be interesting to see what they do with politics,” MacManus said. “It is a party-dominated political system, and it’s going to be hard to break that.”

To order a copy of the book, call (800) 226-3822 or email .

Published August 30, 2017

Land O’ Lakes’ Heritage Stage makes its debut

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It was an occasion to mark the completion of Heritage Stage in Land O’ Lakes, and it had all of the trappings of a traditional small-town celebration.

The American Legion Post 79 presented the colors.

Sanders Elementary students led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Sunlake High School Seahawks band played a few numbers.

Elected officials, business owners and volunteers stepped up to cut the ribbon at Heritage Stage in Land O’ Lakes. (B.C. Manion)

And, public officials and staff members were there from Pasco County, Pasco County Schools, the Clerk and Comptroller’s Office, and the San Antonio City Council.

Others attending the Aug. 17 event included members of The Heritage Park Foundation, the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, the Land O’ Lakes AARP and other organizations.

The ceremony, held at the park at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., honored efforts that began more than two decades ago by the Heritage Park Foundation, seeking to create a community gathering space in Land O’ Lakes.

The outdoor stage project finally reached fruition through an agreement between Pasco County and Pasco County Schools, funding from the Florida Legislature, and contributions from local contractors, local businesses, various organizations and other community partners.

As Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning put it: “This band shell is certainly the result of a community coming together.

“This theater is a place for families, the community to come together,” he said.

From left, Pasco County School Board Chairman Allen Altman, School Board Vice Chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong, Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, Assistant County Administrator Cathy Pearson, Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, Pasco Schools Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd and Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin stand near the plaque that names public officials holding office at the time of the Heritage Stage dedication. (B.C. Manion)

“We look forward to having our schools, and the community, use this facility to highlight the great talents of the kids, the families, the community members,” Browning said.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore, who served as master of ceremonies at the celebration, described the stage’s physical attributes.

It measures slightly more than 1,000 square feet and spans 31-by-31 feet. It also has a green room, extra storage, power and lights, he said.

There’s also a sidewalk and power outlets, “so, as events happen here, there will be an opportunity for vendors to line up around here and gather around the stage area,” Moore added.

He foresees it being a busy place.

“It’s going to host cultural events, events such as school band assemblies, concerts, plays, cookouts, pageants and various other presentations throughout the years,” Moore said.

“This is a special day,” Moore said. “As a county, we’re proud of this. I know that people from the Heritage Park Foundation are proud of what we’re seeing here today,” Moore said.

Browning credited Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent of schools, for guiding the project to completion.

“Ray has the uncanny ability of contacting contractors, skilled tradesmen, different individuals and getting them to do a lot of things, if not for free, on the cheap.

Several members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club were at the Aug. 17 ceremony to celebrate the completion of Heritage Stage. The club has donated three benches, which will be placed in the area that’s near the stage. (Diane Kortus)

“Ray was able to leverage the dollars that we were able to get for this project and really make it work,” Browning said, noting that many contractors donated their labor.

Gadd credited Humberto Gonzalez, senior project manager, and John Petrashek, director of construction services, for playing pivotal roles.

“They are really the guys that need credit for helping this project come to fruition, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for this building here today,” Gadd said.

Gadd also noted: “We actually put out a bid on the street, and we said we need somebody to manage this project, and we need them to do it for free.”

Walbridge stepped up.

“When we started this project, the estimate was it would cost us $485,000, and we brought this project in for $250,000,” Gadd said.

Local contractors and friends of the community made that happen, Gadd said.

The final speaker at the celebration was Sandy Graves, of the Heritage Park Foundation. She’s been pushing for the stage — to anyone who would listen — for years.

“Heritage Park began almost 20 years ago with a mission to revive this park and make it truly a community center,” Graves said, noting the community created the original community center in 1962.

“I grew up with a father who loved this community. He also loved musicals. He had all of the musical albums,” said Graves, a Land O’ Lakes native.

She then injected a note of joy to the occasion, singing excerpts from “Oklahoma,” (‘Oh, what a beautiful morning, Oh, what a beautiful day, I’ve got a beautiful feeling, everything’s coming my way.’).

And, “The Sound of Music,” (‘Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow til you find your dream).

And finally, “My Fair Lady.” (I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night and still have begged for more. I could have spread my wings and done a thousand things I’ve never done before …)

Like the other speakers, Graves expressed gratitude to a lengthy list of people for helping to make the dream of a community stage come true.

She added: “We have a few finishing touches, such as historical markers that Dr. Susan MacManus is helping us with that tell our community story, and three benches that will be placed that were donated by the (GFWC) Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club.”

But, she said, the stage is ready for action, and an act has been booked for December.

The Florida Orchestra will be bringing its brass section for a Pops in the Park holiday performance in December.

Published August 23, 2017

A walk through history at Lutz Cemetery

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The first resident of the Lutz Cemetery is a man known only as Mr. Nims. His grave marker is gone and the burial plot nearly obliterated.

Local historians think he was buried there in 1914, and almost nothing is known of his personal history.

That is not the situation, however, for most of the people resting in peace at this hallowed ground, off U.S. 41 at Fifth Avenue.

Instead, their headstones and grave markers are a narrative of the history of Lutz from past to present.

The cemetery is more than 100 years old.

The Lutz Cemetery Association Inc., maintains the Lutz Cemetery. Vernon Wynn is the president of the association; Mary Lewis is vice president and also director of operations for the cemetery. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
The Lutz Cemetery Association Inc., maintains the Lutz Cemetery. Vernon Wynn is the president of the association; Mary Lewis is vice president and also director of operations for the cemetery.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

The original cemetery plot was 230 feet by 80 feet, in what today is the western portion of the cemetery, according to “Citrus, Sawmills, Critters, Crackers,” a history of Lutz by Elizabeth Riegler MacManus and her daughter, Susan MacManus.

Today, the site measures nearly 8 acres.

Early settlers who are buried include Fred Polen, a teacher at Myrtle School, and later a mail carrier; and Herbert Vernon, owner of Vernon & Land Co. Three generations of the Goheens can be found there, too.

Ira Goheen and his father, Alfred, made Mr. Nims’ coffin, according to the MacManus’ book.

Modern day community activists also are at the Lutz Cemetery including Oscar Cooler, a champion of Lutz youth sports. The Oscar Cooler Sports Complex is named for him. And Carolyn Meeker, former president of the Lutz Civic Association, is another activist buried there.

“This is a community cemetery,” said Mary Lewis, vice president of the Lutz Cemetery Association Inc., and the cemetery’s director of operations.

The cemetery is a legacy donated to Lutz residents by C. E. Thomas, president of the North Tampa Land Company. A group of Chicago investors bought about 32,000 acres, north of the city of Tampa. They called their proposed settlement “North Tampa.”

The company targeted its advertising to would-be farmers and settlers in the North and Midwest, especially in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

The first permanent settler was Mike Riegler, a 30-year-old German immigrant who later donated land for the Myrtle-Denham School.

A few years into the land sales, Thomas made an offer that anyone who bought 10 acres could have a free lot in town or a burial plot in the cemetery.

New signs display the rules of the Lutz Cemetery.
New signs display the rules of the Lutz Cemetery.

Residents cared for the cemetery in the days when activities, such as “barn raising” ceremonies, still thrived and brought families together for a common effort.

For many years, Lutz’ residents gathered once or twice a year to tend to the cemetery. According to the MacManus’ book, men would come with hoes and rakes; women would pack a picnic lunch.

Just when that practice ended isn’t clear but the Lutz Cemetery Association came together in the mid-1950s, said Vernon Wynn, the association’s current president.

“It goes waaaay back,” Wynn said.

But, the association has had a low profile within the community, he said.

Today, the association is taking a more activist role in bringing attention to the cemetery. Board members recently installed a Lutz Cemetery sign near the front of the cemetery facing U.S. 41. For years, motorists could zip past and not realize the cemetery was there.

“It’s really visible now, where before it wasn’t,” Wynn said.

Wynn can point in almost any direction at the cemetery and find a family member. He traces his roots to Lutz pioneers who were among the earliest to buy land and settle down.

He remembers a garage, close by the cemetery, owned by Bill and Mary Starkey.

“Everyone gathered there. It was the only automotive type garage out here,” Wynn said. “It was kind of like a meeting place.”

Today, a few shade trees and a brick utility building on cemetery property might catch someone’s eye, said Lewis, who more than 27 years ago began working with the association.

She takes care of the cemetery’s operations from cutting grass to selling burial plots.

To most people passing by, she said, “It’s just a piece of property with a little building on it.”

The sign isn’t the only new addition to the cemetery.

Decades ago, a metal archway covered the entrance into the cemetery. It long ago was taken down. But, a replica of the archway now stands in front of the small brick utility building.

For the first time, the association had a display table at this year’s traditional Lutz Fourth of July parade.

Association members handed out brochures and collected about $1,200 in donations.

The money is essential to maintaining and preserving the cemetery, Wynn said.

The contributions are needed, said Lewis, a Lutz transplant from Long Island, New York. “People think it survives on its own.”

A few months ago, several pine trees had to be removed at a cost of about $3,000. A new roof had to be put on the utility building.

“We just can’t continue taking care of this, unless donations are made to the association,” Wynn said.

More than 1,600 people are buried at Lutz Cemetery, Lewis said. Only about 100 gravesites remain.

The association is considering adding cremation sites, and potentially looking to add more land to the cemetery.

Lewis came to Lutz in 1973, for a weekend of fun with friends, and to attend the annual pirate fest and Gasparilla parade. She was 25 years old and newly widowed.

She and a friend thought the trip to Tampa would be a distraction.

“Before it was over, I’d bought a house,” Lewis said.

And she stayed.

“I’ve never had a desire to leave. I’ve always felt comfortable here,” she said.

The Lutz Cemetery will be her final resting place.

For information contact Lewis at (813) 310-6637, or write to Lutz Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 1353, Lutz, FL 33548.

Published November 11, 2015 

It’s a small world, after all

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Richard and Juanita Wirth, of Lutz, have been traveling to Germany for years, to join in Oktoberfest festivities.

This year, though, when they stopped in Tutzing, Germany, they were surprised to find a butcher shop called Lutz, Metzgerie.

Juanita and Richard Wirth, at their comfortable home in Lutz, recount running across another place called Lutz during their recent visit to celebrate Oktoberfest in Germany. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Juanita and Richard Wirth, at their comfortable home in Lutz, recount running across another place called Lutz during their recent visit to celebrate Oktoberfest in Germany.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“We stopped and shared that we lived in Lutz, Florida,” Juanita Wirth said. “They were delighted to find the name had made it all of the way to Florida,” she said.

The shop is a popular place to eat lunch, and that’s where the Wirths grabbed a bite on their final day there.

They thought it was fun to find a place so far away, which shares the same name as the place that they call home.

Their Lutz got its name from two brothers, William and Charles Lutz, who both had connections with railroads that met and joined at Lutz Junction, according to research done by Elizabeth Riegler MacManus and Susan A. MacManus, co-authors of two local history books detailing the early days of Lutz and Land O’ Lakes.

Richard Wirth poses with a sign for Lutz, Metzgerie, a butcher shop in Tutzing, Germany. The couple thought it was fun to come across a place that shares the same name as the place where they call home. The Germans they met there thought it was neat, too. (Courtesy of Juanita Wirth)
Richard Wirth poses with a sign for Lutz, Metzgerie, a butcher shop in Tutzing, Germany. The couple thought it was fun to come across a place that shares the same name as the place where they call home. The Germans they met there thought it was neat, too.
(Courtesy of Juanita Wirth)

And, the Oktoberfest that the couple so thoroughly enjoys has its roots in history, too.

The popular German festival traditionally starts in the third weekend of September. It began with the Royal Wedding, which took place on Oct. 12, 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.

As for Juanita, a retired teacher and Richard, a retired postal worker and former plant nursery owner, visiting Germany is all about enjoying the festivities, admiring the country’s beauty, interacting with its people — and, of course, having some beer.

Published November 4, 2015

Serving up fried chicken, nostalgia

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They come to the Old Lutz School, on U.S. 41, bearing casserole dishes and memories to share.

These are men and women who have deep roots in Lutz and Land O’ Lakes.

Their families helped settle the area, and every year they come to celebrate the connections they feel to the community and each other.

The size of the annual gathering has diminished over time, as people have died or can no longer attend.

Jim Dennison slices up a platter of fresh veggies for the descendants’ day feast at the Old Lutz Schoolhouse. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Jim Dennison slices up a platter of fresh veggies for the descendants’ day feast at the Old Lutz Schoolhouse.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

“We have some people who won’t be with us anymore, like Cliff Dennison, bless his heart. He used to do this with me. He’s in a nursing home now,” said Annie Fernandez, the event’s organizer.

“This year, I pretty much did it myself,” said Fernandez, who was born in her grandmother’s front bedroom, off the edge of an orange grove, in 1942.

The annual get-togethers with descendants of Lutz pioneers used to be organized by Elizabeth Riegler MacManus, a local historian, who co-authored with her daughter, Susan A. MacManus, an extensive history of the area called “Citrus, Sawmills, Critters and Crackers: Life in Early Lutz and Central Pasco County.”

Elizabeth MacManus organized the event for 20 years but, after that, Dennison and Fernandez took over the duties.

The group has met in three different locations over the years. First, they gathered at a church, then at the Lutz Community Center, and for the past few years, at the Old Lutz Schoolhouse.

“We have this event every year because everybody likes to get together and chit-chat about things that happened to them a long time ago,” said Fernandez, whose family ties to Lutz date back to around 1920.

It’s a true potluck, said Fernandez said, noting the menu is never known completely until the participants show up with their dish.

At this particular gathering, diners found plenty of options, including fried chicken, broccoli casserole, collard greens, lima beans, potato salad, Swedish meatballs, fresh veggies and other foods. They could wash it down with iced tea and lemonade, and top it off with a piece of cake or other desserts.

Sonya Salter was busy in the food room, arranging items as they came in. Fried chicken was in one spot, salads in another, desserts and so on.

She’s not from Lutz, but came to help both last year and this year because she’s Fernandez’s friend. She said she thinks its great that people get together to share their memories.

Bodde O’ Steen, who was at the gathering, too, said he’s lived in Lutz since 1937.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes. When I got here, there weren’t many people here,” he said, guessing there were about 300 people living in the general vicinity.

People cared about each other, O’ Steen said.

“If you needed help, everybody helped out everybody,” O’ Steen said.

Joe Strickland, Margie Strickland, Annie Fernandez and Bodde O’ Steen pose together at the annual gathering for the descendants of Lutz and Land O’ Lakes pioneers.
Joe Strickland, Margie Strickland, Annie Fernandez and Bodde O’ Steen pose together at the annual gathering for the descendants of Lutz and Land O’ Lakes pioneers.

The area has changed enormously over time, he added. “Everything was orange groves and truck farming.”

The Dennison name is widely known in Lutz, with some of the Dennisons spelling the name with two Ns in the middle, while others use just one.

Regardless of the spelling, the family has strong ties to the area.

The Dennisons came to Lutz shortly after the Coopers, who arrived in Lutz in 1832, said Jim Dennison, a family historian.

“Allen Scott Denison drove the stage coach from Fort Brook, which is Tampa to Fort King, which is now Ocala. That was the Concord-Apopka Stagecoach Company.

“They carried the U.S. Mail. And he lived off County Line Road,” he said.

Jim Dennison’s family lived near the intersection of State Road 54 and Livingston Road.

“Where the Raceway’s gas station canopy is — that’s where our house stood,” said Jim Dennison, who moved away from the area for 22 years but came back when his parents needed him.

He’s been attending the descendants’ gatherings since around 1982.

“My dad (Milford Dennison) used to like to come out, and I would bring him,” Jim Dennison said.

He keeps coming because he enjoys the event.

“This is my family — my family and childhood friends,” Jim Dennison said. “Old-timers like to get together and tell stories on one another.”

“A lot of people just like to come in and chat, and have a little refreshment. We have a good time,” Fernandez said.

Published October 14, 2015

Florida could decide 2016 presidential election

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Predictions as to which Republican candidate will come away with the prize of the national party’s presidential nomination is an impossible task this early in the race. But there is no doubt that Florida will be a pivotal state in a hard-fought 2016 election, according to Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida political scientist.

“There’s not another state in the country that will be this competitive,” she said. “It’s considered a bellwether, a microcosm.”

Susan MacManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida, offered insights into the 2016 presidential race to members of the Conservative Club of East Pasco. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Susan MacManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida, offered insights into the 2016 presidential race to members of the Conservative Club of East Pasco.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

MacManus addressed about 30 people at the Conservative Club of East Pasco on June 15 at the group’s monthly meeting in Zephyrhills.

The Interstate 4 corridor will be key to carrying the state, she said.

Gov. Rick Scott had just a 1 percent edge in votes along I-4 in his re-election victory over former Gov. Charlie Christ in 2014. And, past presidential elections were decided by about that same slim margin.

“Almost half of registered voters are between Pinellas County and Daytona Beach,” MacManus said.

Florida mirrors the nation in demographics such as population age and diversity among registered voters, though not among total population.

It is a myth, MacManus joked, that people in Florida are 95 years or older. Also untrue is the perception that all Hispanics in Florida are Cuban, she said.

Along I-4, for instance, Puerto Ricans are the largest Hispanic demographic.

One of the most intensely fought over groups will be the millennials. The generation from about age 18 to age 24 is going to be as influential as the baby boomers were in their day, she said.

“I see a little bit more movement (of millennials) back to the Republicans,” MacManus said. “A lot of that is over fiscal issues.”

To date, 12 candidates have announced among Republicans including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Donald Trump.

MacManus was dismissive of Trump.

And, her first encounter with Gov. Scott Walker, who has not officially announced as a candidate, was not impressive.

“I was rather disappointed,” she said, though she will give him another chance. “I didn’t think he’d had a lot of sleep.”

Bush’s launch of his campaign, however, was masterfully done, she said. He spoke to a crowd that reflected the diversity in Miami and across the country, dispelling the criticism that Republican crowds are mostly white.

MacManus also noted that the Republican field of candidates is more diverse than Democrats running for president.

Bush’s first speech as a candidate struck an anti-Washington tone, MacManus said. She expects he will tout his economic record in Florida and his education reforms, as well.

The question MacManus is asked most often is who will win Florida’s Republican primary, Bush or Sen. Marco Rubio.

She doesn’t have a crystal ball on that one.

“So much is volatile,” she said.

She does predict that the 2016 presidential race will be the most expensive ever, and Tampa Bay will be in the thick of it.

“This is really going to a happening spot,” MacManus said.

However, local and state candidates may face challenges because national races, including Congressional elections, will compete for donations and media attention. They could be “starved out a bit,” MacManus said.

On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is the front-runner for the party’s nomination. But MacManus said, “It is surprising to see the interest in (Sen.) Bernie Sanders…People find him very interesting.”

She also has been surprised that there are women voters who like Sen. Elizabeth Warren “but wouldn’t vote for Hillary Clinton.”

Some of Clinton’s support comes from women voters who believe she got a “raw deal” in 2008 when then-candidate Sen. Barack Obama won the nomination.

But there is another reason.

“She would be the first woman president,” MacManus said. “People love people that can break the mold. That’s why Obama got elected. He broke one of the biggest barriers – race.”

Voter turnout will be crucial for both parties.

“The emphasis, and rightly so, will be to get people to vote,” she said. Though extended and early voting is popular, the trend hasn’t boosted overall turnout, she added. “Both parties have felt the sting of bad turnout.”

With the election about 17 months away, residents should be prepared for campaigns that likely will be fought through social media, scare tactics and negative advertisements, MacManus said.

“That’s kind of sad,” she said.

But on the plus side, Florida and Tampa Bay will be the place for politics.

“Thank God, I don’t live in North Dakota,” MacManus said. “How very dull.”

Published June 24, 2015