The Laker/Lutz News

Dade City

Dade City awards general engineering services

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The City of Dade City has chosen a host of firms to serve as general planning and engineering consultants, for the next five years.

Elected officials selected firms that include Lakeland-based Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions Inc.; Lutz-based Johnson Engineering Inc.; Tampa-based Halff Associates Inc.; and Tampa-based CPH Inc.

(File)

Tampa-based Tierra Inc., also was selected to provide geotechnical services to the city.

The Dade City Commission made the selections on a 5-0 vote on Dec. 14, giving city staff the authorization to prepare a general consulting agreement for each firm to be considered at the next available city commission meeting.

Dade City Public Works Director Bryan Holmes detailed the city’s selection process.

A request for qualifications (RFQ) was solicited in September, for interested firms to submit their qualifications for providing planning and engineering services and geotechnical services to the city on a continuing consulting agreement.

Fourteen firms responded to the city’s solicitation.

The submitted RFQs included:

  • Firm qualifications: That includes the number of years the firm has been in business; references and past performances; willingness to meet time and budget requirements; recent, current and projected workloads; volume of work previously awarded to each firm by agency
  • Experience and qualification of assigned staff: That includes the staff’s experiences, qualifications and technical abilities
  • Approach and delivery of services: That includes an understanding of the scope of work, ability to comply with the full scope of work, technical soundness of the proposal

A panel of city staffers reviewed the RFQs. The panel was made up staff that is knowledgeable about the planning and engineering projects the city will be doing in the next few years.

To further narrow down the list of would-be consultants, staff focused on evaluating the specialty services and focus areas offered by the firms that submitted.

Some of these specialties and focus areas tracked upcoming planning and engineering projects anticipated and programmed in the city’s five-year capital improvement plan. These specialties include the development and implementation of traffic calming programs, neighborhood planning, round-about design and engineering, stormwater management engineering and design, local government planning services, and GIS and mapping training services.

Wood generated the best score in the engineering evaluation criteria matrix with a 93 average, followed by Johnson Engineering (92.3), Halff Associates (91), and CPH (87.3). Tierra generated a score of 98 in the geotech evaluation.

Published December 22, 2021

Looking to make your holidays merrier?

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If you want to amp up your holiday cheer, you have plenty of choices throughout Tampa Bay.

From a floating pirate ship light display in the Hillsborough River, to visits with Santa at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, to ice skating rinks at the St. Pete Pier, Curtis Hixon Park and Tropicana Field — there seems to be something for everyone who wants to get out for some fun.

Here’s a sampling of highlights:

Celebrate Christmastime at Snowcat Ridge theme park in Dade City by chilling out in a snow play dome, ice skating, snow tubing or renting an igloo. (Courtesy of Snowcat Ridge)

PASCO COUNTY

• Through Dec. 31: “Symphony in Lights,”  at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive, Wesley Chapel, features snowfalls, Christmas trees, and lights dancing to music. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; free. TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.

• Dec. 15: Holiday Movie Night in the Garden, with “Christmas Vacation” and an ugly Christmas sweater contest, at Florida Avenue Brewery, 2029 Arrowgrass Drive, Wesley Chapel. 7 p.m.; free. FloridaAveBrewing.com; 813-452-6333.

• Dec. 18: Mrs. Claus Craft Fair, at Harley-Davidson of New Port Richey, 5817 State Road 54, New Port Richey; noon to 4 p.m.; NPRharley.com; 888-296-4819.

• Dec. 21 to Dec. 23: Church Street Christmas, along Church Avenue in downtown Dade City. This features carolers, dancers and musicians, decorated homes, luminary-lit sidewalks and more. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; ChurchStreetChristmas.org for parking information.

• Daily: Ice skate and snow tube, play in a snow dome, even rent an igloo at Snowcat Ridge theme park, at 27839 Saint Joe Road, Dade City. The alpine snow park also features shopping, food and drinks. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., or 11 p.m., depending on date. Tickets, $39.95, sold at SnowCatRidge.com. 813-576-1450.

ZooTampa celebrates with ‘Christmas in the Wild,’ showcasing light displays, holiday enter-tainment, music and a holiday marketplace. (Courtesy of ZooTampa)

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

• Through Dec. 23: 40th Annual Victorian Christmas Stroll, at the Henry B. Plant Museum, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, with Christmas past exhibits, tiny antique Christmas trees, vintage Santas, a 14-foot tree adorned with antique ornaments; holiday music, refreshments and more. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advanced tickets required. Adults, $16, seniors, $14, youth, $10. Buy online at PlantMuseum.com; 813-254-1891. Masks required.

• Through Dec. 30: “Christmas in the Wild,” at ZooTampa, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa, features light displays, entertainment, and Twinkletown Marketplace with holiday treats and ornament displays. A red-and-white lit Candy Cane Carousel and Mrs. Claus’ Sweets Shoppe are other delights, along with Christmas treats and drinks for sale. Times vary per night. Reservations encouraged for timed tickets selling for $29.95, for ages 3 and older. Buy at ZooTampa.org; 813-935-8552.

• Through Jan. 2: Christmas Town at Busch Gardens, 10165 N. McKinley Drive, Tampa, features thousands of twinkling lights, holiday shows, Santa visits, ice skating and fireworks shows, music, food, and train rides under lights. Admission starting at $90 for adults. Nightly; BuschGardens.com; 813-884-4386.

• Through Jan. 2: The Polar Express 4-D Experience, at The Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa. 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Dec. 18 and 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., kids can make socially distanced Santa visits. From Dec. 26 to Dec. 31, 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Jan. 1 to Jan. 2, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Snow Days features a Winter Wonderland Dance Party, interactive activities and times when visitors can throw snowballs at “pollution monsters plaguing our oceans.” Advance, timed tickets are encouraged and sold at FLaquarium.org. Prices vary by day but are generally about $30 for adults, $27 for ages 3-11, and free for ages 2 and younger. 813-273-4000.

The Victorian Christmas Stroll, at the Henry B. Plant Museum on the University of Tampa cam-pus, in downtown Tampa, features trees adorned with antique ornaments, exhibits of Christ-mases past, as well as holiday music and refreshments. (Courtesy of the Henry B. Plant Museum)

• Through Jan. 2: Downtown Tampa’s Winter Village, at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive, offers ice skating, a cafe, shopping and holiday activities sponsored by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Hours vary by day. For details and ice skating tickets, see WinterVillageTampa.com.

• Dec. 18: Tampa Holiday Lighted Boat Parade along the Hillsborough River downtown. 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. See from The Tampa Riverwalk, lit up with Christmas lights and twinkling trees now through Jan. 2. Also, see floating light displays – think pirates and a pirate ship – in the river, buy drinks and food in restaurants and bars along the walk. For directions and parking information, see TheTampaRiverWalk.com.

• Dec. 18: Watch the Tampa Holiday Lighted Boat Parade aboard the American Victory Ship & Museum, 705 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Enjoy entertainment, spirits and eats from food trucks. 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. $15 for adults, $10 for kids 4-12, free for 3 and younger. AmericanVictory.org. 813-228-8766.

PINELLAS COUNTY

• Through Jan. 2: “Enchant Christmas,” at Tropicana Field, Tropicana Drive, St. Petersburg, features a Christmas light maze and village, an ice skating trail, thousands of lights, holiday treats and music, Santa, an artisan Christmas market and more. Adults, $25 to $35; ages 3 to 17, $25. Christmas brunches and dinners are an additional fee. Hours vary by date. See EnchantChristmas.com for details. 833-362-6445.

• Through Jan. 17: Winter Beach, at St. Pete Pier’s Spa Beach Park, 600 Second Ave., N.E., St. Petersburg, cools things down with a real-ice ice skating rink, Santa, an arcade, free holiday concerts, and a holiday market with local vendors and artists. Free admission. Skating fee, $17 for 75 minutes, which includes skate rentals.  See WinterBeachStPete.com to purchase timed skating tickets and to view skating hours. The pier district is generally opened from 30 minutes before sunrise to 11 p.m.

• Dec. 16: Christmas Extravaganza Market, 612 Cleveland St., Clearwater, with 50 local artisans and businesses at pop-up shops circling a Christmas tree. 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. TheMarketCulture.com.

• Dec. 16 to Dec. 20: Christmas at the Station, at the Dunedin History Museum, 349 Main St., Dunedin, presents a North Pole Christmas experience with elves, visits with Santa, children’s activities, snow, snowball contests and musical performances. Hours vary by date. Tickets, $20, (free for age 1 and younger) must be purchased in advance online at DunedinMuseum.org. 727-736-1176.

• Dec. 18: Brunch with Santa at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, includes admission to the aquarium, brunch and a family photo with Santa. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. $54.95 for adults, $44.95 for children. Reservations encouraged. Buy tickets online at CMaquarium.org. 727-441-1790.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published December 15, 2021

Enchant Christmas transforms Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg into a winter wonderland, with an illuminated ice skating trail, a light maze, artisan market and more. (Courtesy of Enchant Christmas)

 

 

 

Symphony in Lights at The Shops at Wiregrass features decorated trees, snowfalls, and lights dancing to music. The Wesley Chapel event draws big crowds. (Courtesy of The Shops at Wiregrass)
Sonny Masterson, of Tarpon Springs, serves up hot chocolate at the ‘chocolate bar’ at Snowcat Ridge. (Courtesy of Penny Carnathan)
Sonny and Sierra Masterson, of Tarpon Springs, get a thrill on the snow tubing slide at Snowcat Ridge. Sonny wanted to play in snow for his fifth birthday. (Courtesy of Trent Alyse)

 

Dade City seeks feedback on design plans for Seventh Street

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Dade City leaders are inviting the public to an open house to discuss conceptual design plans for the Seventh Street streetscaping improvement project.

The meeting is scheduled for Dec. 7 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Dade City Hall Commission Chambers, 38030 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

The city hopes to make improvements to help create a downtown area that’s attractive, walkable and bikeable — essentially appealing to everyone who visits the area.

And, the city wants to hear the community’s reaction to possible improvements.

The city is considering the reconfiguration of street sections for traffic calming, and to accommodate sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping and lighting.

The city has hired Johnson Engineering to develop a streetscape improvement conceptual plan along Seventh Street, from Pond Avenue to Florida Avenue.

Johnson Engineering has prepared first-draft renderings of the possible configurations of each typical section of the corridor.

The sections are:

  • Florida Avenue to Church Avenue
  • Church Avenue to Meridian Avenue
  • Meridian Avenue to Martin Luther King Boulevard
  • Martin Luther King Boulevard to Pond Avenue

The open house is intended to be an opportunity for members of the public to express what’s important to them.

“There’ll be information for people to see, people can come in and ask questions, (and) make comments,” Dade City Manager Leslie Porter said, during a Nov. 9 city commission meeting.

The feedback is important, she added, noting the engineering firm already is making some changes based on initial feedback received from residents and citizens. The city held a similar exercise for the Morningside Drive extension route study.

For information, visit tinyurl.com/j6ekbntz, or call 352-523-5050, ext. 420.

Published Nov. 24, 2021

MPO advisory committee adds two members

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The board of the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization has appointed Christie Zimmer and Jim Engelmann to serve on the organization’s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC).

The Pasco MPO is the lead transportation planning agency in Pasco County that serves unincorporated Pasco and the municipalities of Zephyrhills, San Antonio, St. Leo, New Port Richey, Port Richey and Dade City.

The board took the action at its October meeting.

The CAC advises the Pasco MPO board on various issues coming before the board.

Under state and federal laws, the Pasco County MPO is responsible for establishing a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive transportation planning process for Pasco County. Key responsibilities are the creation of the 20-year Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the five-year Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), and the five-year Transportation Improvement program.

Published Nov. 24, 2021

Movie brings scares to Dade City

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Dade City may be best known for its antique shops, rolling hills and kumquats — but the charming, quaint town may soon be known as a consummate setting for scary movies, too.

For two-plus weeks in October, an independent, low-budget horror film production company — Cape Coral-based Bad Clown Films — ventured into some of the city’s remote locations to shoot a new feature-length film, “Bed of Nails.”

Michael Malott, holding his bullhorn, yells ‘action’ to start a scene while filming the feature-length horror film, ‘Bed of Nails.’ Malott is filming in various Dade City-area locations. (Fred Bellet)

The movie — set to be released around Halloween 2022 — has a plot as eerie as its title.

The film is about three gothic kids from Atlanta, who are camping in the rural countryside in middle Florida while on their way to the Florida Keys.

Instead of making their way to the Keys, the campers are stalked and murdered by a group of fanatic rednecks.

But the killers never planned on one of the kids — a self-proclaimed witch who is into the occult — coming back from the dead to wreak havoc and destroy the rednecks, one by one.

“Our motto is, ‘Never mess with a goth girl,’” Bed of Nails producer and director Michael Malott said in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “That’s the motto of the film.”

Between scenes, Erin Pearl, left, of Fort Myers, and Deanna Marine, of Orlando, talk about an upcoming scene with makeup artist Hannah Denney. A boom microphone with a furry wind filter is among the audio equipment used on the movie set.

The R-rated film features about a dozen cast members, including former Whitesnake and Alice Cooper guitarist Mike Francis.

The musician-turned-actor, starring as the film’s main bad guy, recently had finished filming scenes at Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles for legendary Hollywood director Martin Scorcese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

That film also stars Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow and Brendan Frasier.

Malott has known Francis for years, having been a longtime Grammy award-winning creator, producer and music manager.

“He had some credibility and experience in film, so I wanted to utilize him,” Malott said of Francis.

Some local actors, extras and crew members were incorporated into “Bed of Nails,” too.

Carson Carollo, a recent Hernando High School graduate, is a cast member in the horror film, ‘Bed of Nails.’

Needing a rural, swampy environment as a setting for the flick, Malott keyed in on the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve West Tract, about five miles from downtown Dade City.

He had also considered filming in the Florida Everglades, but because it is owned and operated by the U.S. government, obtaining film permits was more challenging, he said.

Pasco County’s tourism department — Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — assisted the filmmaker with a referral to utilize some private property off State Road 575 in the Dade City area.

The property features a main house, secondary house and other accents, such as a footbridge needed to pull off eerie and gory scenes.

“It just had the right kind of imagery that I was looking for in the film,” Malott said. “We had two buildings to utilize, and we also had all of the swamp area, so everything that we needed, as far as a primary film location, was right there in our hands.

“What we ended up with was a private area of land that was out in the Green Swamp, and we were able to get all of the atmosphere that we needed for the motion picture, with far less complication (than the Florida Everglades),” he said.

Other scenes from the $41,000 budgeted movie were shot at Jim’s Tires & Wheels on Lock Street and Bill Ryan Auto Sales on U.S. 301, as well as some driving footage set out along Lacoochee Clay Sink Road.

Erin Pearl, of Fort Myers, plays ‘Lisa’ in the upcoming feature film, ‘Bed of Nails.’

Most filming took place from dusk to dawn.

“There were some long nights,” Malott said.

Some strange ones, too.

Malott encountered a Florida panther within 20 yards of him on the second day of filming.

The siren on his megaphone spooked the wild animal off, luckily.

“I was scared to death,” Malott said. “I thought I was panther food.”

The filmmaker recalled intermittent odd noises from the woods, as well as an inexplicable occurrence where an estimated 200-pound log attached to a tree limb mysteriously flew onto the film set.

Director Michael Malott, right, frames a view of a scene with actress Erin Pearl, of Fort Myers. Pearl plays the part of ‘Lisa’ in ‘Bed of Nails,’ being filmed at Dade City-area locations.

“We just had some weird, weird incidences out there,” Malott said. “We had people that were starting to think that maybe we had the Skunk Ape (Florida’s sasquatch), but I’m like, ‘Yeah, right.’

“We were joking all along about making a new horror film about us filming a horror film — a horror film documentary,” he said.

The moviemaker also presented an alternate theory to some of the oddities: “We were thinking maybe some of the locals were playing tricks on us, you know, some of the city folks come into our area to film a movie, let’s have some fun with them…”

Closer to Dade City, Director Michael Malott and a production crew member plan on several scenes at Bill Ryan Auto Sales, at 15838 U.S. 301.

Malott has taken some downtime from the “15 long, grueling nights” of filming, and next will assemble a movie trailer before diving into the lengthy editing process.

After that, he plans to pitch the project to film festivals, horror conventions and digital streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. There also are plans to manufacture the film on traditional DVD and Blu-ray discs, he said.

Meantime, the film crew may need to make another trip to Dade City or another location for some B-roll footage, Malott said, including scenes of alligators and snakes moving across swamp water.

Malott’s company has other horror film projects in the works, too.

One is called “The Grove,” about four teenagers who get lost in an orange grove, trapped all night with a psychopathic killer.

The other, “House of Stares,” is about someone being offered money to spend the night at a house where some infamous murders took place.

Malott has already scouted out a home in Dade City to film the latter project. “It’s very, very possible that we could be coming back to Dade City in the future to film another movie,” he said.

For information, visit BadClownFilms.com.

Published October 27, 2021

This household staple is a much-needed item

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The Peanut Butter Challenge — UF/IFAS Extension’s annual jar collection for local food pantries —again is in full swing statewide this year, according to a UF/IFAS news blog.

The challenge was conceived as a way to feed hungry families ahead of the holidays, in addition to promoting a Florida-grown crop.

Peanut butter is nutrient-dense and shelf-stable, and is a popular item in food pantries.

Fifty-three counties, including Hillsborough and Pasco, are participating in this year’s event, including a partnership with the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Cooperative Extension.

Unopened jars of peanut butter can be donated to local county Extension offices through Nov. 24.

At the end of the donation period, the number of jars is tallied to determine the bragging rights champion before the donations are delivered to those in need.

Pasco collection points for jars of peanut butter will be the main office of UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County, 36702 State Road 52 in Dade City, and The One Stop Shop satellite office at 15029 14th St., in Dade City. They will delivered to area food pantries.

To learn more about the challenge, visit tinyurl.com/5e992z9e.

Published October 27, 2021

She had just the right touch, and left a lasting impression

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Some people know when to listen, know when to help and know when a great big hug is precisely what’s needed.

That was Kelly Boyd.

At least that’s how the people who knew Boyd describe the 52-year-old Dade City woman — who died unexpectedly.

A candlelight vigil for Kelly Boyd, organized by her loved ones, brought people to share the joy of having known the 52-year-old and to grieve the pain of her sudden death. (Courtesy of Rodney B. Cox Elementary School staff)

Boyd was affectionately known around the school and community as “Miss Kelly.”

The Dade City woman worked for 31 years as the clinic assistant at Rodney B. Cox Elementary School, at 37615 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Dade City.

Her unexpected death on July 8 was met by disbelief and sadness.

Miriam Cosme, a data entry operator at the Dade City school, said Miss Kelly treated every child who came through her clinic as if he or she was her own. She knew the particular needs of individual children, Cosme said.

If a family needed an extra bag of food for the weekend, or if a child or a child’s brother or sister needed a pair of shoes, Miss Kelly met that need.

“She was our go-to person if we needed to find out anything about a kid or a family,” added Cosme, who knew Miss Kelly for 15 years. “If she didn’t have the answer, she would be on the phone making contact with parents to find out answers.”

Karen Lamar, the school’s bookkeeper, said she met Miss Kelly six years ago and they became instant friends.

These words on the marquee at Rodney B. Cox Elementary, in Dade City, express the sense of loss the school community feels at the unexpected death of Kelly Boyd, a clinic assistant at the school for 31 years.

“Kelly was the best hugger; I know the kids and adults loved how she would squeeze you and make everything OK,” Lamar said.

She made sure that kids were fed, clothed and that they had the things they needed.

She was uber-connected throughout the school and the community, her friends say.

“Kelly was a walking directory for our school family. Whenever you needed a phone number or to get in touch with a family, she knew that number, and knew where they lived and most of the family members,” Lamar said.

Principal Karen Natal said people gravitated to Miss Kelly because they knew she genuinely cared.

She had a remarkable memory, Natal said, noting Miss Kelly recalled not only names and faces, she also remembered people’s stories.

She would connect with them and check in on them, Natal said.

“She was just a safe person to talk to,” the principal added.

Even after students left Cox to go on to middle and high school, they would drop by the elementary school to talk with Miss Kelly.

Despite the integral role she played in many people’s lives and the extra hours she voluntarily gave to address others’ needs, Miss Kelly was not one to call attention to her good works or seek any kind of credit for what she did, Natal said.

This poster, including an array of photos, was created to honor Kelly Boyd. It is surrounded by candles, during a vigil at the school.

But the community knew.

And, when the school posted news of Miss Kelly’s death on its Facebook page, dozens responded with posts— many mentioning her kindness and compassion.

Courtney Wynn Loss couldn’t quite take it in.

“What!!! OMG this is so sad and heartbreaking,” she posted. “I’ve known Miss Kelly for years. She was/is so amazing and my daughter loved her.”

The clinic assistant’s loved ones organized a candlelight vigil at the school, and the principal asked the Pasco County School Board to rename Building No. 19 on Cox’s campus as the Kelly Boyd Center.

The building seemed a fitting choice, since Miss Kelly worked there for years and the building is used to offer both student and community services, Natal said.

In the letter to the school board, Natal described Miss Kelly’s contributions.

She served as community liaison for the Thomas Promise food program, she coordinated the East Pasco Toys for Tots and she collaborated with the community on the school’s clothes closet.

Beyond providing practical help, she was encouraging.

After Natal finished addressing  the school board, at its Oct. 5 meeting, Allen Altman, the school board’s chairman said he would be honored to step outside of his role as chairman, so he could make the motion to grant the request.

“I have been volunteering at that school for decades, and as a board member, I’ve been there 15 years, and I can absolutely verify everything that you said about Miss Kelly,” Altman said to Natal.

“She meant the world to that school and it meant a bunch to her, too,” Altman said.

Published October 13, 2021

This festival scares up a good, old-fashioned time

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Hundreds of kids and adults used hay, old clothing and imagination to create scarecrows during The Florida Pioneer Village & Museum’s annual Scarecrow Festival.

Besides making their own seasonal Halloween decorations, event-goers could compete in costume contests, grab a bite to eat, watch blacksmith demonstrations, and do a bit of shopping, too.

Blaise Bubble Magic, of America’s Got Talent fame, put on a show, too.

The museum is located at 15602 Pioneer Museum Road, in Dade City.

Published October 13, 2021

One year-old Vivienne McAleenan notices as her mom, Ariana McAleenan, take her and her 4-year-old brother Declan’s photo. They’re sitting on a bale of hay that soon would become scarecrow stuffing. They were in Dade City, visiting their grandmother, Lisa Simon. (Fred Bellet)
Isabell Ayala, of Dade City, center, gets three bags of scarecrow wardrobe for her 13-year-old son, Ruben, left, and her 7-year-old daughter, Benito.
Pioneer Florida Museum & Village volunteer Alex Larkin, of Dade City, replenishes piles of hay for those making scarecrows.
Christofher Perez, of San Antonio, and Rosa Salgado, of Dade City, work together to create a scarecrow for Perez’s yard.
Thirteen-year-old Kenli Sparrow, of Ridge Manor, gets comfortable, using her scarecrow as a cushion, while waiting for her aunt, Paula Lasher, of Zephyrhills. Her twin brother, Kyle Sparrow, and Lasher’s great-granddaughter, 2-year-old Jacqueline Rene, were at the event, too.
After the children stuffed scarecrows with hay, they also could enjoy bubbles and suds filling the air at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village’s Scarecrow Festival.
Four-year-old Aaron Griffin, of Plant City, stuffs his scarecrow’s pants, one leg at a time. He and his grandfather, Randy Kreg, of Lithia, had fun at the festival.
With a serving of cotton candy that’s the size of a basketball, 11 year-old Lauren Kohl, of Riverview, prepares to enjoy it, one lick at a time. She came to the festival with her 9-year-old brother, Gavin. Their grandfather, George Wiggins, of Sun City Center, was treating them to a day of fun.
Six-year-old Myles Daley, of Zephyrhills, fervently gathers hay to stuff the pants of a scarecrow that’s being held by his dad, Alfred Daley. The pair was there with Myles’ older brother, 8-year-old Nolan, and the boys’ mom, Michele Daley. Myles named the scarecrow Gooseberg.
Scott Quick, owner of Cotton Kraze and maker of gourmet cotton candy, winds a cone with a huge globe of sweet stuff for a waiting customer.
Former Dade City resident, Nala Tookes, left, who now lives in Tampa, brought her 4-year-old daughter, Harmony Sylvester, “back home” to enjoy a Dade City seasonal celebration.
Four-year-old Aiden Trader patiently waits for a cup of lemonade, as his mom, Sabrienna Weldon, and friend Raymond Bouffier get beverages. They came to the festival from Inverness, to have some fun in the sun.
Dom Maug (in black T-shirt), of Dade City, stuffs the upper body of a scarecrow-to-be, as Billy Doty (grey T-shirt), of Zephyrhills, stuffs the head. The men planned to make scarecrows for their nieces and nephew.

 

Restaurant tabbed for historic buildings in Zephyrhills

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A local restaurant and café is being tabbed for two renovated historic buildings in Zephyrhills.

Before long, the Captain Jeffries House and Carriage House in Zephyrhills are expected to have new tenants — Tina and Joe Novak, of Tina and Joe’s Café in Dade City.

The Novaks have operated the cafe for about seven years, at 14232 Seventh St., in Dade City.

The lunch spot served a variety of fare, including soups, wraps, salads, handcrafted sandwiches, lobster rolls and homemade desserts, including cookies and pie.

A Dade City-based restaurant called Tina and Joe’s Café is expected to relocate to the Captain Jeffries House and Carriage House in Zephyrhills. Lease agreement negotiations are ongoing between the City of Zephyrhills and restaurateurs Tina and Joe Novak. (File)

Over the summer, the City of Zephyrhills opened a request for proposals (RFP) from potential tenants for the adjacent Jeffries House and Carriage House.

The city received three responses — Tina and Joe’s Café, Flowers by Annie and Shell’s Killer Bakery.

An evaluation team ranked the proposals, with Tina and Joe’s Café coming out as the top-ranked firm by a strong margin.

The evaluation team consisted of Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency director Gail Hamilton, Zephyrhills building official Bill Burgess, Zephyrhills senior planner Rodney Corriveau, and Pasco County Economic Development Council director of stakeholder engagement Mike Bishop.

The collaborative exercise was designed with the idea of making those historic spaces a catalyst to inject new life into the city’s downtown and attract more foot traffic to the area.

The Jeffries House and Carriage House are in the downtown shopping district, which includes City Hall, the City Library, as well as multiple retail shops and a microbrewery.

The buildings are a short walk to Zephyrhills Brewing Company, Your Turn Board Game Café, Gentleman’s Quarters Barber Shop, and other destinations.

Extra weight was given to would-be tenants willing to use both the Jeffries House and Carriage House, Hamilton said, in addition to letters of recommendation from customers, bank information, business model and overall track record.

Written evaluation comments shared in a city memo pinpointed Tina and Joe’s Café as being well-established and credit-worthy, with an ability to create jobs as a full-service restaurant.

Besides locating the restaurant and café within the Jeffries House, the Novaks plan to use a portion of the Carriage House for a produce and plant makerspace, Hamilton said.

The committee unanimously ranked them No. 1, Hamilton told city council members at a Sept. 13 regular meeting.

“We wanted to make it something that was a draw for downtown, and we don’t have a restaurant downtown, so that was part of the ranking as well,” she said.

The Zephyrhills City Council voted 5-0 to select Tina and Joe’s Café. The action allows city staff the notice to proceed on a negotiations and lease agreement with the Novaks.

Councilman Lance Smith voiced disappointment that more restaurants didn’t submit bids.

But Smith added: “I’m glad we had one, I’m glad that they (Tina and Joe’s Café) have a track record and they’re not a person that has a dream of starting a restaurant.”

Lease arrangements — including terms and length — will be brought back to the council for final approval.

The lease could start as early as Oct. 1.

Councilwoman Jodi Wilkeson suggested modeling a lease after those used in other municipal historic districts, perhaps encompassing improvement allowances or allowances amortized over time.

“You know, there’s lots of creative ways to make that work, too, so I look forward to seeing what you folks come up with,” Wilkeson said.

Smith added: “We all understand that to create a commercial kitchen in that (Jeffries House) building is going to be very expensive, so we need to get very creative on giving allowances for improvements to the building.”

Hamilton assured council that staffers will work closely with Zephyrhills City Attorney Matt Maggard “to make sure we create a lease that is both creative for the city and for the prospective lessee.”

The Captain Jeffries House, at 38537 Fifth Ave., is named after the city’s founder, Captain H.B. Jeffries, who established Zephyrhills as a retirement area for old Union soldiers.

The 2,365-square-foot structure, built in 1912, was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Nov. 29, 1995.

In addition to the interior space, it has a 600-square-foot wraparound porch. It has original hardwood floors, windows, light fixtures, a fireplace and stained glass windows.

Work completed in 2016 included plumbing, electrical and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC).

The Carriage House at 5323 Ninth St., was built in 1940. It is a two-story structure of 1,320 square feet, including a balcony on the second floor. It has restored original windows and folding garage doors.

The building has a one-bedroom apartment, with a kitchen and bathroom on the second floor, which has its own entrance.

New plumbing, electrical and HVAC work was completed in the structure during 2020.

Published September 22, 2021

Double groundbreaking dedicates homes

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Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco County (HFHECPC) on Sept. 8 hosted a double groundbreaking ceremony for two homes on Church Avenue in Dade City.

Crystal Lazar, Habitat CEO, MisIvy Rettie Housing Authority, left, joins members of the Hooks family at the groundbreaking for their new home. (Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity)

Habitat staff joined Bellvis Hooks and Sonja Wenzel, along with their family and friends, at the dedication.

From left: Jere Ferguson, Habitat director of family services; Sonja Wenzel, Habitat homebuyer; Anniyah Smith, daughter; Nevaeh Ford, granddaughter; Jamal Smith, son; Kenneth O’ Brien, son; Terena Jones, Habitat CFO; and Crystal Lazar, Habitat CEO, during the groundbreaking for the Wenzel home.

“We are so happy to start building these two homes,” said Crystal Lazar, CEO and president of HFHECPC, in a news release.

“They are the final homes in this five-home neighborhood in downtown Dade City. These families have worked very hard to have the opportunity to become homeowners, and we are so proud of how far they have come,” said Lazar.

Hooks and her four children acknowledged that this has been a long journey, but they are encouraged by the progress that the groundbreaking represents, and they are excited to work on their own home.

Wenzel brought her family so they could see the location of their new home.

Standing in the quiet residential neighborhood, Wenzel’s son Kenneth remarked, “I really like this area. I can’t wait to move in here and make it our home.”

Watching the homes become a reality is something Habitat staffers hope will become a cherished memory for the families.

Published September 22, 2021