The Laker/Lutz News

Miami

Pasco’s growth fuels economy

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Apartment construction is dominating residential development along the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor — a magnet for development in the midst of Pasco County’s surging growth.

As rooftops on luxury apartment homes pop up, retail is following, as evidenced by roadside signs and county permits.

Signs like these, east of Odessa, off State Road 54, are popping up on former pastureland up and down the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor. (Fred Bellet)

Former pastures along the heavily traveled road are occupied now with shops, restaurants, apartments, auto dealerships and Class A offices.

The Shops at Wiregrass, near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, in Wesley Chapel, has added Athleta; go! Calendars & games; and, siKicks (a footwear and collectibles shop); Charming Charlies; and, Hickory Farms. Coming soon are Body Details; JABZ Boxing; and The Living Room.

Besides expanding its retail, Cypress Creek Town Center, a massive development west of the Interstate 75/State Road 56 interchange, is jumpstarting its residential plans.

County building permits indicate that Garrett Apartments are coming to Grand Cypress Drive, and Silversaw at Wesley Chapel is rising along Garden Village Way and Citron Boulevard.

Valentino’s Fine Jewelers and The Good Feet Store have opened on Sierra Center Boulevard, the town center’s prime east-west road, and Carrabba’s Italian Grill is coming.

Construction on Miller’s Ale House, meanwhile, is ongoing at the Wesley Chapel Boulevard entry into Tampa Premium Outlets, on the south side of the highway.

Zaxby’s restaurant has opened on Sun Vista Drive near Costco. New offerings at Tampa Premium Outlets will include a Frosty Cart by Wendy’s and new jewelry selections with Banter at Piercing Pagoda.

BMW of Wesley Chapel is building a six-story building on State Road 56. (Fred Bellet)

Just west of Wesley Chapel Boulevard, on the north side of State Road 54, owners of El Dorado furniture store are laying groundwork for a 70,000-square-foot store.

When it opens, expected around June, shoppers will be able to stroll along a streetscape, enjoying more than 20 storefronts showcasing furniture styles from contemporary to traditional.

The Capo family, who is developing El Dorado, opened their first store in the late 1960s in Miami.

The family opened a store in St. Petersburg in late 2019, before the COVID shutdown and, despite the timing, it has fared well, according to Pedro Capo, chief operating officer at El Dorado.

Now, Capo said he expects to hire and train about 50 employees for the Pasco store, likely beginning in March or April.

Capo is optimistic about the Pasco store’s prospects, noting that the county’s residential growth bodes well for building a strong customer base.

El Dorado will join WaWa, Firestone and Burger King along State Road 54 frontage at the Brighthouse Crossings apartments.

Just west of Brighthouse, a Woodie’s Wash Shack has opened at the Shoppes at Cypress Creek. Fazoli’s Italian restaurant is another potential tenant for the new plaza.

More housing and dining options

In Land O’ Lakes, the Avidity Living apartment complex is being built off State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard. The 252-unit development is scheduled to open in 2022.

Also, coming to this location, is EOS Fitness.

Willow Bend Town Centre, at State Road 54 and Collier Parkway, recently added Ayoki Japan restaurant. Esporta Fitness is a rebranding of the former LA Fitness. And a sign near the center’s entrance off the state road suggests Pasco will get another car wash – Vortex Express Car Wash.

A new apartment community, Avidity Living, is being built at State Road 54 and Oak Grove Boulevard, in Land O’ Lakes. EOS Fitness will be built at the intersection. (Fred Bellet)

West of U.S. 41, vacant land at Ballantrae and Cypress Ranch is sprouting “coming soon” signs as construction begins on apartment units, new retail, and a proposed Class A office complex, known as 54 Crossings.

On the south side opposite Ballantrae, the Cypress Ranch development includes Azora, a new apartment complex, with a spring 2022 opening. Signs in front of the complex show a cornucopia of proposed shops including ALDI grocery store, Chick-Fil-A, another EOS Fitness, Honest-1 Auto Care, and The Learning Experience.

“We are happy to confirm that we will open our newest Lutz, Florida location next year, with construction scheduled to begin soon,” according to Matt Thon in a statement provided by email. Thon is the Haines City division vice president for ALDI.

No further details were provided regarding the construction schedule or opening date.

A Circle K is under construction at this location, and a Woodie’s Wash Shack, is coming.

On the north side, 54 Crossings is a proposed 60,000-square-foot Class A office building, at Aprile Drive, adjacent to Ballantrae’s row of fast-food restaurants that includes Taco Bell and Dairy Queen Grill & Chill.

East of the Suncoast Parkway, the master-planned community of Bexley at Newland is moving dirt for a major retail and business center, off State Road 54 and Bexley Village Drive. Known as the Hub at Bexley, the commercial complex is scheduled for a summer 2022 opening.

Bexley’s website describes the Hub as a “retail and business destination,” with a summer 2022 opening. Bexley residents can walk or bike along connecting trails to enjoy dining, shopping, live concerts and family events. But it also is envisioned as an attraction for Tampa Bay residents with easy interstate access.

Construction continues at The Towns of Oakstead, on the north side of State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes. (Fred Bellet)

The Hub also includes a large outparcel on Bexley Village Drive, adjacent to the Springhill Suites hotel and opposite the delivery entrance into the Amazon warehouse. The site will become home to 4 & Co., with about 35,000 square feet of Class A offices and co-work spaces. Memberships and limited passes will be offered. Amenities will include a gym, yoga studio, sauna, a treatment room for acupuncture and massages, and conference rooms.

West of Suncoast Parkway, the Shoppes at Crossings Boulevard initially welcomed HotWorx and Jimmy John’s restaurant. New signs in the development indicate additional tenants will be there, including Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists, PTI Solutions, Touch Nail Spa, and Shauby Dental Institute.

Another apartment complex, Avilla Suncoast, is under construction at Redstone Way and Crossings Boulevard, immediately behind the new Hooters restaurant.

Next along the route, The Preserve Marketplace, off South Branch Road, is increasing its retail and business options with Caring Paws Animal Hospital, 100% Chiropractic, PostNet, Lin China restaurant, Papa Johns restaurant, Burger Fi, Chipotle, Panera Bread, and the USF Federal Credit Union. The shopping center is anchored by the Greenwise Publix grocery store.

Starkey Ranch Town Center, at Gunn Highway and State Road 54, is expanding, too. A shell building is under construction, but the new tenants are not yet identified.

Starkey Ranch Business Park on Heart Pine Avenue recently added Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop. Tropical Smoothie Café has a ‘coming soon’ sign. Butcher’s Mark Fresh Meats and Marinades is another shop on its way.

Clearly, there’s a lot going on, along State Road 54/State Road 56 — and there’s no indication that the pace of activity will slow anytime soon.

Published Nov. 24, 2021

By Kathy Steele

Sunlake boys finish third at state cross-country championships

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The Sunlake High School varsity boys cross-country team continued to show itself as among the state’s elite distance running programs and tops in Pasco County, and in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

The Seahawks finished in third place out of 32 schools in Class 3A at the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Cross Country Championships at Apalachee Regional Park, in Tallahassee.

The Sunlake High School varsity boys cross-country team finished third in the Class 3A state championship meet, representing the best finish among all local schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. From left: Nathan Lee, Cason Meyer, Cade Culpepper, Alex Pena, Colby Robbins, Maximillian Goserud and Cody Smith. (Courtesy of Randal Reeves)

The 3A team crown went to Miami’s Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, which tallied 42 points after its top five runners went second, ninth, 10th, 14th and 17th place, respectively. It represents that private school’s fifth-consecutive state title and 13th all-time.

Second place went to Fort Myers High School, who tallied 132 points after its top-five finished seventh, 22nd, 37th, 44th and 50th.

Sunlake wasn’t far behind.

They tallied 151 points, as its fleet went third, 16th, 23rd, 58th, and 76th in the 3.1-mile course on Nov. 12.

Rounding out the top five team finishers were Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas High School (201 points) and Naples High School (235 points), respectively.

Junior Alex Pena — who paced Sunlake with a third-place individual finish — broke the 16-minute mark by clocking a 15:46.8, a 5:04 per mile pace.

The lone runners in the 3A meet who finished ahead of Pena were Leon High School sophomore Patrick Koon (first place, 15:23.8) and Belen Jesuit sophomore Joshua Ruiz (second, 15:37.4).

Following Pena for Sunlake were seniors Colby Robbins (16:21.3) and Cason Meyer (16:21.3); freshman Cade Culpepper (17:03.1); and, senior Maximillian Goserud (17:16.9).

The Seahawks sixth and seventh varsity runners — whose scores aren’t tallied in the results — were junior Nathan Lee (17:47.7) and senior Cody Smith (18:16.7).
The timed average for the Sunlake boys was 16:36, equating to an average pace of 5:21 per mile. There was just a 1:31 gap between its No. 1 through No. 5 runners.

The Seahawks, coached by Randal Reeves, racked up a number of other accolades during the season — altogether sweeping conference, district and regional team titles.

Robbins took individual crowns at each of those three meets. This included recording the fastest time in county history (and setting a new Sunlake record) with a 15:14 mark on the school’s 5K home course at the Sunshine Athletic Conference (SAC) meet on Oct. 20.

The 2021 (FHSAA) Florida High School Athletic Association State Cross Country Championships was held Nov. 12 at Apalachee Regional Park, in Tallahassee.
(Courtesy of Florida High School Athletic Association)

Other individuals from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area also fared well in the 3A boys meet.

Cypress Creek High School junior Zack Poekert finished sixth overall, timing 16:05.

Zephyrhills High School sophomore William Poe took 26th, clocking 16:35.

The meet featured 234 runners.

Several local teams and individuals exhibited solid showings at the state finals across other classifications, too.

The Wharton High School varsity girls yielded the next best local team showing — finishing 10th in the Class 4A meet.

The Wildcats were paced by senior Brooke Reif — a University of Richmond signee — who finished fourth among all individual 4A girls, after running an 18:49.2, an average pace of 6:03 per mile.

The Sunlake girls went 14th in the 3A meet, while the Land O’ Lakes High School girls collected a 26th place finish.
The Steinbrenner High School boys program went 24th in the 4A contest.F
Land O’ Lakes native Elli Black — a home-schooled seventh-grader who runs for Tampa Cambridge Christian School — finished state third overall in the 1A girls meet, posting 18:26.4. The other state qualifying girls individual was Wiregrass Ranch freshman Ava Schmitt (48th, 20:27.3, 4A girls).

Roundup of local teams and individuals at the 2021 FHSAA Cross Country State Championships:

Boys

4A
Steinbrenner (24th)

Ronald Aeschleman, senior (57th, 16:52)

Sawyer Raveling, senior (111th, 17:37.1)

Jaden Simpson, senior (124th, 17:46.0)

Jacob Smith, junior (169th, 18:25.4)

Joaquin Abanses, freshman (170th, 18:26.3)

Brady Peifer, freshman (172nd, 18:28.3)

Eion McDarby, senior (212th, 19:49.7)

3A
Sunlake (third)
Alex Pena, junior (third, 15:46.8)

Colby Robbins, senior (16th, 16:21.3)

Cason Meyer, senior (23rd, 16:31.8)

Cade Culpepper, freshman (58th, 17:03.1)

Maximillian Goserud, senior (76th, 17:16.9)

Nathan Lee, junior (110th, 17:47.7)

Cody Smith, senior (148th, 18:16.7)

Indvidual(s)

Cypress Creek: Zack Poekert, junior (sixth, 16:05)

Zephyrhills: William Poe, sophomore (26th, 16:35.5)

 2A

No local teams or individual runners

 1A
No local teams or individual runners

 Girls

Class 4A
Wharton (10th)

Brooke Reif, senior (fourth, 18:49.2)

Alexi Amer, senior (51st, 20:30.8)

Alexandria Frye, senior (81st, 20:56.5)

Olivia Hammill, junior (109th, 21:18.3)

Aubrey Raile, junior (127th, 21:46.6)

Keira Moody, freshman (191st, 23:27.7)

Dana Robinson, senior (209th, 24:22.9)

 Individual(s)

Wiregrass Ranch: Ava Schmitt, freshman (48th, 20:27.3)

3A
Sunlake (14th)

Sara Ellingson, senior (54th, 20:15.7)

Shelby Viseur, senior (77th, 20:39.9)

Avery Pham, sophomore (78th, 20:41.1)

Abigail Williams, sophomore (89th, 20:49.8)

Jaiden Wickert, junior (128th, 21:35.8)

Emma Burleson, senior (145th, 21:57.8)

Ally Moyer, sophomore (165th, 22:22.6)

Land O’ Lakes (26th)

Maranda Hildebrand, senior (88th, 20:48.9)

Sara Ashley, senior (133th, 21:39.2)

Aileen Castillo, sophomore (152nd, 22:04.0)

Dixie Blessing, freshman (169th, 22:43.5)

Ava Adriana, sophomore (171st, 22:47.0)

Grace Connoy, sophomore (200th, 23:38.6)

Alli Laffler, freshman (202nd, 23:40.9)

 1A
Individual (s)

Elli Black, Cambridge Christian (Land O’ Lakes resident), eighth grade (third, 18:26.4)

Published Nov. 24, 2021

Wesley Chapel couple launches tourism-themed podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published July 11, 2018

Lessons learned from Hurricane Maria

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Hurricane Maria left a trail of death and destruction and continues to impose extreme hardships to those living in its path — and it also offered the Zloty family of Land O’ Lakes, dramatic reminders of the power of faith, the fragile nature of life, and the importance of gratitude.

From left, Martin, Justin and Colleen Zloty, are together again in their Land O’ Lakes home. Justin, 22, is a medical student at Ross Medical School, which is being forced to relocate from Dominica following Hurricane Maria’s devastation there. (B.C. Manion)

Hurricane Maria’s impact on Colleen and Martin Zloty’s family began on Sept. 18 when they heard a hurricane was building strength near the island of Dominica, where 22-year-old Justin Zloty was in his first year at Ross Medical School.

Knowing that a hurricane was brewing, Colleen turned on The Weather Channel when she arrived home from her job as an instructional assistant at Sand Pine Elementary School.

At that point, Hurricane Maria was a Category 2.

By 7 p.m. it had ramped up to a Category 5 and was headed straight toward Dominica.

In a national news report, NBC News meteorologist Bill Karins characterized Hurricane Maria as one of the fastest-intensifying hurricanes in recent history. He said it strengthened so rapidly that those in its path didn’t have time to get ready.

Hurricane Maria’s winds were so fierce they not only knocked down trees, but also stripped the bark off them. (Courtesy of Justin Zloty)

As Maria churned, Colleen and Martin’s concern grew.

“We were texting back and forth with him,” Colleen said. “I said, ‘You know, your roof is not going to hold for a Category 5 Hurricane. It has winds of 160 mph.’”

Justin responded that he was in a concrete block building with strong walls, that had weathered storms.

Colleen warned: “This is getting really strong now. It’s serious. You need to know of another place you can go.”

Justin replied: “If it gets real bad, I’ll go downstairs to a neighbor.”

As Maria approached, Justin told his mom: “It does sound like they say. It’s like a roaring train.”

Then, they lost contact.

“We’re trying to give him advice. Do this. Do this. Do this.

“Then all of a sudden, no contact. And then you think, ‘OK, maybe he’ll get back online. Maybe they’ll re-establish power,” Martin said.

Their last communication was about 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 18, Colleen said.

“It was silent for two days,” Martin said.

Fears mount as Maria strengthens

While his parents worried in their Land O’ Lakes home, Justin’s apprehension was increasing in his Dominica apartment.

“All of a sudden, the power went out and the water stopped working and the Internet went out,” Justin said.

When a corner of his ceiling popped down and broke. Justin hid under a table for protection.

The third-floor apartment started flooding. Justin worried he could get electrocuted if the power went back on.

“I was really scared,” he said.

When more ceiling began falling, Justin decided it was time to leave.

Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc across Dominica, including tearing the roof off of Justin Zloty’s third-floor apartment, getting everything wet and blowing debris everywhere. (Courtesy of Justin Zloty)

He ran downstairs — clinging to a railing as winds whipped him about.

He stayed overnight with his landlord and his landlord’s wife.

“I continued to hear trees snapping and aluminum things just flying around.

“Around 6 a.m., the storm had settled down,” Justin said.

He decided to check on his apartment. It was flooded, his belongings were strewn about and the roof was gone.

He packed some clothes and food and headed to Ross’ student center, where he’d been told a roll call would be taken.

Normally, the student center is a 10-minute walk from Justin’s apartment.

But he couldn’t take the usual route. The area was unrecognizable. Trees were snapped. Bark was blown off. Power lines were down and buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc across Dominica, including tearing the roof off of Justin Zloty’s third-floor apartment, getting everything wet and blowing debris everywhere. (Courtesy of Justin Zloty)

When he arrived at the student center, it was chaos.

He was stuck there, waiting for the roll call and to find out what would happen next.

There was no running water, so he bathed and washed his clothes in the river. He slept on the floor.

Meanwhile, his parents still had not heard a word.

“That was terrible,” Colleen said. “Who could survive? I knew that the roof was not going to hold.”

The Zlotys, who attend First Baptist Church in Land O’ Lakes, relied on their faith.

“We were praying and praying. That’s how we got through it,” Colleen said. She called a friend and asked her to pray for Justin.

Her friend got a prayer chain going.

“These are ladies — they are on their knees when they’re praying,” Colleen said.

“It just wrenches you,” Martin said. “The mind would go crazy: Is he hurt? Is he calling out for help? Is he alive?

“So, then you say, ‘Lord, I know you are there. This is all in your timing. I know you’ve got this under control.’,” Martin said.

Colleen added: “I kept thinking about that verse, ‘All of the days ordained for me are written in your book, before one of them came to be.’ It’s in Psalm 139:16.”

She continued: “God knows what’s going on. He’s got a plan for Justin. I’ve loved having him for my son, and I wanted to still be able to treasure and find great joy in the years I’ve had with him, not let the thought of all this grief, overwhelm that.”

 While waiting, they worked

Martin, a nuclear medicine physician at James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, said he knew working would help keep his mind occupied.

Colleen went to her job because she wanted to honor Justin, who had encouraged her to do the work she does.

The wait, however, “was really agonizing,” Colleen said.

This is the pirate cruise ship that Justin Zloty sailed on from Dominica, past Martinique to St. Lucia. The trip normally would take a few hours, but took 12 hours because of the high seas. (Courtesy of Justin Zloty)

Martin replayed his emotions during that time.

“You go back and you think of all of the baby pictures. All of the times you were with him. Even the last conversation you had with him, you think, maybe that’s all there is now.

“You start to come to grips: Do I have to say bye to him? And, how do I deal with that?” Martin said.

Finally, on Sept. 20, they found out Justin was OK.

“As soon as I heard, I just started crying,” Colleen said.

Martin added: “I was just, ‘Thank you, Lord.’”

That gratitude hasn’t flagged.

“I’m still thanking the Lord every morning on my way to work. It had been just begging the Lord to spare his life,” Colleen said.

Justin’s return to Land O’ Lakes started with a taxi ride on Dominica to catch a ride on a pirate cruise ship that took 12 hours to make a trip on rough waters to St. Lucia. Then, it was another long taxi ride to catch a chartered flight to Miami.

Finally, he flew on a commercial jet to Tampa International Airport.

Since returning to Land O’ Lakes, Justin has been enjoying time with his parents, and his three brothers, Joshua, 24; Weston, 18; and, Daniel, 15.

Martin and Colleen said they’re grateful Justin is safely home, but they realize how terrible the conditions are for people in Dominica, Puerto Rico and other places ravaged by Hurricane Maria.

Justin understands, too.

“I was able to fly away from that island and come home here. But the island people, they live on that island. That’s their home,” he said.

Published Oct. 11, 2017

 

 

 

Heroes for Hire playing the right tunes

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Being a boy band with a first release on iTunes is heady stuff.

But, Heroes for Hire is getting used to the attention, playing their brand of edgy, alternative rock at venues such as Skipper’s Smokehouse, New World Brewery and Buckets.

Louis Mittens, 15; Ben Hense, 13; Ryan Romero, 15; Corey Fox, 15; and, Josh Morin, 14, came together as a band at Jim Chambers Music Box.

Heroes for Hire celebrated their first iTunes release with a performance at the Orpheum in Ybor City.
(Courtesy of Marlene Fox Photography)

Chambers is the maestro who orchestrates and fine tunes young musicians at his “school of rock” in Carrollwood. He puts bands together with that right mix of personal chemistry and musical chops.

“In six weeks, they’re expected to play a show,” Chambers said.

Heroes for Hire started playing gigs more than a year ago.

On Feb. 4, the band had a release party for its first iTunes’ song, “The Wanted One,” at The Orpheum in Ybor City.

Romero is the group’s songwriter. He also came up with the band’s name which salutes the military.

“You think of soldiers. They’re always heroes,” said Romero.

He started writing songs in seventh grade. “I like emotional topics that have a moral meaning, that are inspirational.”

Some band members knew one another before coming to “the box,” but mostly they’ve become fast friends because of the music. They attend Blake High School, Buchanan Middle School and Gaither High School, and live in Carrollwood and Lutz.

Fox’s mother started him on bass guitar when he was age 10.

“I was super into it,” he said, adding that a long career in music “would be a dream.”

Chambers knows how those dreams can sometimes happen.

He is a former music executive who earned Grammy awards with Maroon 5 and Loudon Wainwright III.

Chambers got his start in the mailroom at Sky Records, which was co-owned by Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. Ray got him a job promotion after a chatty encounter one day at work.

In a podcast interview with Cigar City Radio First, Chambers recalled Ray asking afterward, “Who’s that kid in the mailroom who won’t shut up? Put him on the phones.”

From there, marketing and promotion became his way up the music industry ladder.

In nearly three decades, Chambers built a long resume. His jobs included merchandise representative for Sony Records in Miami and national sales representative for a division of Sire Records in New York.

Along the way, he watched Maroon 5 break into the outer stratosphere of the music world.

The economic crash in 2009 cost him his job. He flirted with moving to Belize, but ended up back home in Carrollwood, with his parents.

He taught drum lessons for awhile. Then, he ran a home-based music academy, until the homeowner’s association objected.

In July 2015, he opened Jim Chambers Music Box in a small shopping plaza, at 4312 Gunn Highway. Creative Loafing magazine recognized his school as “Best of the Bay” band incubator.

His band protégés include the all-girl band, Extra Celestial, and Inkblot.

Musical influences on Heroes for Hire are the Foo Fighters, Jack White and Jimi Hendrix.

Morin admires instrumental rock guitarist Joe Satriana. “He lets the guitar be his melody,” he said.

Rehearsals at Chamber’s studio are free-wheeling, get-it-on rock shows. But, live performances are the best.

“This is a way of getting feedback,” said Hense, who plays the drums.
It also builds a fan base that gets to know their music.

Mittens thinks he’s found his niche.

“Pretty much all I want to do is play guitar, in and out of school,” he said.

Published February 22, 2017

Congresswoman plans forum to discuss new Cuba relations

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Of all the states directly affected by the change in diplomatic policy with Cuba, none are likely affected more than Florida.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, is planning a community forum in early 2015 that she hopes will help community leaders and residents learn more about what those changes mean as President Obama begins to “normalize” relations with Cuba.

“We will engage the entire community, and work toward positive change that America’s policy shift will provide,” Castor said, in a release, “Whether it is travel, trade, or cultural exchange opportunities.”

Castor is working with the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and Tampa International Airport to put together there regional forum, although no formal date or time has been set as of yet.

“At the turn of the 20th century, Tampa was central to the Cuban independence movement,” Castor said. “Similarly, Tampa will lead the way in the coming years on the new opening for normalization of relations with Cuba. We have already made much progress, especially with establishing direct flights from Tampa to Cuba, and our numerous arts and cultural exchanges to build business and cooperative ties with Cuba.”

Obama has plans to lift restrictions on travel, commerce and financial activities. Over the next six months, the U.S. State Department will review Cuba’s place on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, and conduct discussions with Cuba relating to migration, according to a release.

On top of that, the U.S. Treasury Department will increase the amount of money that can be sent to Cubans each quarter from $500 to $2,000, and loosen bank restrictions as well.

The U.S. Commerce Department also will loosen an array of export limits, including the longstanding ban on popular items like Cuban cigars.

Some Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Miami, have opposed the new plan unveiled by the Obama administration last week. Rubio, whose family roots are in Cuba, claimed it’s not the decades-long embargo that is hurting the Cuban people in general, but a totalitarian regime.

His Kentucky colleague, however, Sen. Rand Paul, said the sanctions have not worked, and it’s time to change the American approach to Cuba. Some leaders in the Republican-controlled congress say they will try to block the administration’s plans for Cuba.

Companies could get tax credits for hiring felons

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Getting out of prison can be tough for many convicted felons, not just adjusting to the outside world, but finding a way to fit in.

Jobs remains one of the biggest obstacles to making that transition, but a Miami lawmaker is proposing an idea that might provide an incentive for companies to hire them.

State Rep. Cynthia Stafford, D-Miami, has introduced H.B. 121, which would allow companies that employ a convicted felon with a $1,000 one-time tax break.

If the current form is passed and signed into law, any company that hires a felon beginning Jan. 1, 2016, and keeps them employed for at least a year, can take a corporate tax credit. It’s only good once for each new employee, and would not apply to anyone who was classified as a violent career criminal, a habitual felony offender of both the violent and non-violent kind, or a three-time violent offender.

The credit could be used for sexual offenders and sexual predators, provided they are properly registered with the state, according to Stafford’s bill.

There are not many ways for convicts to get jobs once they serve their time, and there are few programs to help them. Some advocates to helping convicts no longer serving sentences believe that without the chance to get a job, they’ll simply end up back behind bars.

A 2010 report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research, found that while between 80 and 90 percent of employers would consider hiring former welfare recipients or workers with little recent work experience, only about 40 percent would consider hiring people with criminal records, especially for jobs that involved customer relations or handling money.

The Florida Department of Corrections offers what it calls a re-entry program that provide a number of services, including job placement.

Home flipping down nationally, but not locally

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Observers are happy with some of the positive indicators they are seeing in the housing market on a national scale, but the greater Tampa Bay area — including Pasco and Hillsborough counties — continues to struggle to keep up.

House flipping — homes that are bought and resold within 12 months — dropped to 4 percent of all national single-family home sales in the third quarter, according to a new report from RealtyTrac, but actually rose in the Tampa area. That has kept the Tampa metropolitan market on the list of the top five most-flipped markets in the nation with 789 flips behind Miami (1,190 flips), Los Angeles (1,170), Phoenix (1,147) and New York (1,070).

Flipping was down in all the top five markets except Tampa, helping to bring the level of home-flipping to its “historic norm,” according to RealtyTrac vice president Daren Blomquist. And a lot of that is because home appreciation rates have slowed a bit in those markets to more normal levels.

“Meanwhile, the record-high average profits per flip in the quarter demonstrate that flippers are still filling an important niche in an aging housing market with historically low levels of new homes being built,” Blomquist said, in a release. “The most successful flippers are buying older, outdated homes in established neighborhoods, and rehabbing them extensively to appeal to modern tastes.”

Flipping is not always bad. From the investment side, those who bought and flipped were seeing profits of just under $76,000 per flip in the third quarter, a return of 36 percent on their initial investment — not including rehab costs and other expenses — Blomquist said. That is up from 35 percent in the second quarter, but down from 37 percent a year ago.

“Those discounted distressed properties have become harder to find,” he said, “but a recent jump in scheduled foreclosure auctions could provide more fodder for flippers in the next three to six months.”

Most of the flipping activity at the national level have been among homes priced between $100,000 and $400,000, while just 20 percent involve homes less than $100,000. However, RealtyTrac analysts say the best returns in flipping come on homes above $1 million, which has an average gross return of 45 percent, but make up less than 4 percent of all flips.

Foreclosures falling in Florida

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For far too long, Florida led the nation when it came to residential foreclosures. But no more.

Maryland saw its foreclosure filings explode in October by 30 percent compared to the previous year, and its 5,943 properties in limbo made it the worst in the nation, pushing Florida to No. 2.

Yet, one in every 444 properties are in foreclosure, according to Florida Realtors and RealtyTrac. That is down 2 percent from September, and 25 percent from a year ago — and it did mark the 15th consecutive month Florida had a year-to-year decrease.

The Tampa area is down 23 percent from a year ago, but it was still the third highest metropolitan foreclosure rate in the country with one in every 395 properties facing a filing. Miami was the worst for cities with a population of 200,000 or more, jumping 11 percent from the previous month, but down 27 percent from a year ago.

Orlando was just behind with one in every 394 housing units in foreclosure. Other areas in Florida also made the national list including Jacksonville at fourth, Cape Coral-Fort Myers at sixth, Lakeland at eighth, and Pensacola at 10th.

Some of the drops in foreclosure came from a bump in auction activity, with Orlando up 23 percent in auctions, while other places like Cape Coral-Fort Myers were as high as 170 percent.

 

Home sales, prices up in Tampa Bay region

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It’s nothing but positives in September for the Tampa Bay housing and condominium market, as both sales and median prices have gone up.

The latest report from Florida Realtors shows existing home sales are up 11 percent, and condo sales grew more than 4 percent compared to a year ago. Median sales for the area that also includes Pasco County also rose more than 3 percent for existing homes, and 10 percent for condos.

“When home prices increase, more Florida homeowners may be ready to list their homes for sale,” said Florida Realtors president Sherri Meadows, in a release. “So on the one hand, it is a positive factor for improving housing inventory in many markets, but on the other hand, rising prices also can make it more challenging for first-time buyers to enter the market, or even for move-up buyers to find their next home, especially when lending standards remain too restrictive.”

In September, the Tampa Bay region sold 3,441 single-family homes and 1,132 condos — second only to the greater Miami area. Statewide, existing home sales were up more than 13 percent to 20,792, while condo sales climbed 2 percent to 8,622.

The median price for those single-family homes was $159,900 locally, compared to $180,000 statewide. Condos in the Tampa Bay region were $105,500, compared to $142,700 around the state.

Nationwide, single-family prices were up 5.2 percent to $220,600, according to the National Association of Realtors, while the national median existing condo price was $213,900.

“The stability that has characterized the housing market in Florida continued in September, but at a higher level of activity,” said Florida Realtors chief economist John Tuccillo, in a release. “Both single-family and townhouse and condo sales were up, but so were new listings and pending sales. Despite this, inventory — as measured in months — remained about the same in a range that indicates a balanced market. So, more houses are coming on the market, and more people are buying.”

The interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.16 percent in September, down from 4.49 percent a year ago, according to Freddie Mac.