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Florida’s Sports Coast seeks rebound from COVID-19

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The months of March and April historically yield the highest tourist development tax revenues seen all year in Pasco County, tourism officials say.

And, Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, the county’s tourism arm, was expecting another sunny spring — further buoyed by neighbor Tampa hosting WrestleMania and the NCAA March Madness college basketball tournament, among other nationwide sports attractions.

The $44 million, 98,000-square-foot Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County is still on track for opening this summer, and hosting a slew of multi-purpose sporting events beginning this fall. (File)

Then coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) delivered a lethal blow — coincidently around the time county tourism leaders were set to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Florida’s Sports Coast rebrand.

“This couldn’t have come at a worse time for us,” Florida’s Sports Coast tourism director Adam Thomas told The Laker/Lutz News. “We had new promotions to celebrate and really promote, and really, our balloon got shot down.”

The pandemic didn’t just rain on the tourism agency’s birthday parade. It also forced the postponement or cancellation of at least nine sporting events.

They include:

  • Amateur Athletic Union Florida West Coast Karate Championships in Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School in Spring Hill
  • Savage Race and Savage Blitz extreme mud and obstacle course races in Dade City
  • Gran Fondo Florida bicycle race in San Antonio
  • USA Hockey Adult Men’s and Women’s National Championships at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel
  • Florida Premier Football Club Spring Showcase at fields in Land O’ Lakes, Odessa and New Port Richey
  • Caliente Dare to Bare 5K in Land O’ Lakes
  • Amateur Junior Golf Association qualifier event at Saddlebrook Golf Club in Wesley Chapel
  • Sunshine State Games Figure Skating Championships at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel

But, Florida’s Sports Coast officials aren’t throwing in the towel just yet, even as hotel room nights and economic impact losses pile up.

Thomas said his office is working with the various events rightsholders and decisionmakers in hopes to reschedule many of those postponed events sometime later this year, once travel bans and stay-at-home orders are lifted.

“All we can do is keep those conversations going and keep a positive dialogue with each rightsholder but, at the end of the day, it’s up to them,” the tourism director said.

Meantime, Florida’s Sports Coast officials anticipate a strong rebound from mid-summer onward — as a slew of new sports and recreation facilities are set to come online.

Experience Florida’s Sports Coast, Pasco County’s tourism arm, is banking on a strong rebound, despite cancellations resulting from the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Among the most ballyhooed is the $44 million, 98,000-square-foot Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus of Pasco County in Wesley Chapel, which is eyeing a July opening. The indoor multi-purpose sports complex is on track to host eight different events in the fall, beginning with a September volleyball tournament.

Thomas called the facility “the big highlight of our summer,” also noting the venue scored a “major, major event” in basketball for 2021.

The county also expects to reap the benefits of the $4.9 million Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellbeing Center, set to open late summer. The facility figures to have a global reach and play host to large United States Tennis Association-level tournaments. “It’s a little nugget in our back pocket,” Thomas said.

Moreover, Snowcat Ridge, promoted as the state’s first alpine snow park, is still believed to be on track for a November opening in Dade City.

Florida’s Sports Coast communications manager Kolby Kuyck Gayson said that project is integral to the agency’s recovery plan, “because it’s a brand new attraction and it’s going to be hitting right at the time where we’re expecting people to finally be comfortable really getting out there and traveling.”

The tourism office has other reasons for guarded optimism, too.

The 10-daylong Tohrs2Hot4Ice roller derby national championships remains a go for late June and early July at AdventHealth Center Ice. The event could generate as many as 2,000 room nights and an economic impact north of $4 million, Thomas said.

Florida’s Sports Coast also is doubling down on promoting leisure activities, such as a 10-day bay scallop season along the Anclote River, which hopes to draw families within a 350-mile driving radius across Florida, south Georgia and so on.

Elsewhere, the tourism office is pushing to solicit more business meetings and corporate retreats to county hotels through the end of the year.

Pasco had a record year for tourism  in 2019 — hitting the million-visitor mark for the first time ever.

Per tourism office reports, 1,038,700 million visitors generated 1,217,021 room nights in paid accommodations between October 2018 and September 2019. The county’s annual bed tax collections surpassed $3 million for the first time, in that span.

Thomas acknowledged those numbers will be down across the board this year, but added fiscal year 2021 should be “a banner year” from an increased demand for vacations and visitations.

Thomas observed, “This is kind of an anomaly we’re dealing with, not just Pasco, but the entire global tourism marketplace is dealing with the same issue. The demand (for vacations) is at an all-time low now. A year from now, the demand is going to be at an all-time high. …There is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is a brighter day ahead of us.”

Published April 22, 2020

History comes alive at Civil War reenactment

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Civil War buffs, area students and spectators had a chance to get a sense of what life was like during the U.S. Civil War era, at a three-day event at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village in Dade City.

Inside their camp, the reenactors portraying the Confederate soldiers of the 37th Alabama Infantry pose for a picture, before heading into the battle reenactment. The men say that they are all close friends, and many of them have Union uniforms, so they can switch sides if there is a shortage of actors. (Christine Holtzman)

The event, held Feb. 28 through March 1, provided an opportunity for school field trips and for museum visitors to immerse themselves in living history displays.

Public school, private school and home-school students visited on Feb. 28, taking self-guided tours through camps and stations created to give a sense of what life was like in the 1860s.

The museum also offered guided tours of many of the museum buildings, including the 1860s-era Overstreet House.

On the weekend, several informational presentations led up to the big show, The Battle of Santa Rosa Island reenactment.

Other features of the day included a blacksmith and wood wright demonstration, live entertainment, food, and traditional crafters.

There also was a Time Period Fashion Show, on Feb. 29, on the porch of the Overstreet House. There was a Ladies Tea, too, which welcomed spectators, but required them to wear period dress to participate.

The Confederate soldiers line up to take aim with their rifles at the Union soldiers during the Battle of Santa Rosa reenactment, on Feb. 29, at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village.

The Battle of Santa Rosa Island was conducted on both weekend days.

Audiences were encouraged to bring their lawn chairs or blankets to witness the great battle reenactment, as the Confederate and Union Soldiers battled for Santa Rosa Island, a 40-mile barrier island located in the Panhandle near Pensacola.

The historical Battle of Santa Rosa took place on Oct. 9, 1861, and was a victory for the Union. According to the website AmericanCivilWar.com, an estimated total of 154 men lost their lives that day.

The actors that participate in the Dade City Civil War reenactment usually arrive at the museum on the Thursday before the start of the event. These hobbyists pay for their own expenses out of their own wallets, and make or purchase their own costumes.

Many agree that it is a very expensive hobby.

Joe Kurtright, a musician with the live old-time musical act, ‘7lbs of Bacon,’ summed it up like this: “The reenactors do it for their history and their heritage, and for the deep love of their country.”

Published March 11, 2020

HK Edgerton, of Ashville, North Carolina, walks along the road, proudly carrying his Confederate battle flag. The Vietnam veteran and former president of the Ashville chapter of the NAACP, is a prominent African-American activist for Southern heritage, and is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Soldiers from the 5th Florida Company B await orders from their Colonel, before entering battle. From left: Nick Voss of Leesburg, Sheyenne McAlister of Webster, Kate-Nayeli Carvajal of Bushnell, Randy Watkins of Tampa, and Justin Kirby of Bushnell. Three years ago, Watkins was a spectator when, because of his authentic Civil War period look, he was recruited out of the crowd to participate in reenactments.
The Union soldiers pack their rifles and shoot at the Confederates, during the reenactment of The Battle of Santa Rosa on Feb. 29, at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village.

New coach named for Wesley Chapel High softball

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The Wesley Chapel High School varsity softball program, coming off its best season in school history, will look to continue its recent string of success under new leadership.

Bill Hoopes, who runs the Tampa Bay-based Florida Firecrackers U16 travel softball team, was recently named head coach of Wesley Chapel High School’s varsity softball program. (Courtesy of Florida Firecrackers)

Bill Hoopes, who runs the Tampa Bay-based Florida Firecrackers U16 travel softball team, last month was named the program’s head coach, replacing first-year coach Steve Mumaw.

In a public Facebook post dated Sept. 21, Hoopes wrote:

“This is an amazing school with a strong program that I look forward to building up even more over the years to come.

“Could not be more excited for this chance and opportunity to continue to make an impact on the game I love and helping these young ladies chase and achieve their dreams…”

A well-known name in the travel ball scene, Hoopes, also a teacher at Chasco Middle School in Port Richey, this past season guided the U16 Florida Firecrackers to a No. 3 ranking in the state and No. 67 in the nation, according to U.S. Softball Club rankings. Additionally, several of Hoopes’ travel players have landed scholarships and committed to Division I softball programs, including River Ridge High’s Jessica Bryson (University of Louisiana-Monroe) and Teah Steel (Alabama State University), and Mitchell High’s Alex Hare (Alabama State University).

Mumaw, meanwhile, guided the historically struggling Wildcats program to surprising feats in his lone season as head coach.

The 2017 Wesley Chapel varsity softball team achieved the program’s first winning season, going 19-7, with a 7-3 mark in district play. (File)

In 2017, the Wildcats achieved its first winning season, going 19-7, with a 7-3 mark in district play, and an appearance in the Class 6A regional semifinals.

The breakout campaign also featured a nine-game winning streak, including a shutout regular season victory over Land O’ Lakes High — the eventual Class 6A state champions.

In an email to the The Laker/Lutz News, Mumaw explained he decided to step down as softball coach, citing logistical issues between teaching at one school —Centennial Middle School in Dade City — and organizing practices at another — Wesley Chapel High.

Until Mumaw took over, the Wildcats softball program, which started in 2007, experienced years of futility, due to coaching instability and a dearth of talent.

In the program’s first five years, the Wildcats went 1-15, 2-20, 2-21, 1-22 and 2-21. Ensuing years were likewise taxing, as the program went 5-14, 0-24, 2-22 and 7-17.

Mumaw, also a former athletic director and baseball coach at Wesley Chapel High, credited the team’s rapid turnaround last season on its young, talented nucleus.

“It’s all the girls. When you have talent, it’s tough to mess that up,” Mumaw told The Laker/Lutz News in April.

Outside of one senior, the 2017 roster exclusively featured a collection of promising freshman and sophomores.

In addition to then-freshman ace pitcher/University of Central Florida commit Jordan Almasy (2.59 ERA, 130 strikeouts in 116.1 innings), the 2017 squad consisted of eight .300-or-better hitters.

Though many of those impact players are expected to return, some, however, have been redistricted to Cypress Creek Middle-High, which will force the new coaching staff to find added depth elsewhere.

One of those players certainly missed is catcher/Colorado State University commit Neely Peterson, arguably the Wildcats’ top all-around hitter last season.

Peterson, now a junior at Cypress Creek, paced the team in batting average (.443) on-base percentage (.566) and slugging percentage (1.207), and tied for the team lead in home runs (three) and RBIs (20).

Besides weathering key personnel losses, the new-look Wildcats have the ever-difficult task of again competing in District 7-6A, made up of perennial powerhouses Land O’ Lakes, coached by Mitch Wilkins, and River Ridge, coached by Kurt Goluba.

And, both programs are expected to compete at a high level again this season, with relatively minimal turnover.

Land O’ Lakes graduated four seniors — outfielder Jessie McCallister (.358 batting average), outfielder Lexi Turner (.293), outfielder/third baseman Justine Daniels (.280) and outfielder Maddie Burgett (.250) — while River Ridge graduated just one — catcher Brooke Vescey (.381).

The new Wildcats coaching staff will have an information meeting on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. in the school’s media center, for anyone interested in spring softball.

Most of the Wildcats’ 2018 schedule has been set:

Feb. 13: at Academy at the Lakes

Feb. 16: Sunlake High School

Feb. 20: at Land O’ Lakes High School

Feb. 22 River Ridge High School

Feb. 27: at Pasco High School

March 1: Zephyrhills High School

March 5: Mitchell High School

March 6: Anclote High School

March 8: Land O’ Lakes High School

March 13: at River Ridge High School

March 15: Pasco High School

March 20: at Zephyrhills High School

March 23: Palm Harbor Spring Break Tournament

March 24: Palm Harbor Spring Break Tournament

March 27: Anclote High School

March 28: York High School (Retsof, New York)

April 3: Academy at the Lakes

April 10: Wiregrass Ranch High School

2017 District 7-6A standings

  • Land O’ Lakes High (9-2; 29-3 overall)
  • River Ridge High (8-2; 16-9 overall)
  • Wesley Chapel High (7-3; 19-7 overall)
  • Pasco High (4-7; 7-11 overall)
  • Zephyrhills High (3-7; 6-15 overall)
  • Anclote High (0-19; 0-19 overall)

—Stats and information compiled using Maxpreps.com—

Published Oct. 4, 2017

Two museums receive money for special projects

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Two museums will receive a financial boost in Pasco County’s fiscal year 2018 budget.

The Pasco County Commission has agreed to give $25,000 each to the West Pasco Historical Society Museum and Library in New Port Richey and the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village in Dade City. The action came at the commission’s Aug. 29 meeting in Dade City.

The infusion of cash to the nonprofits stemmed from a request in July by Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley.

The Pioneer Florida Museum & Village in Dade City served as a backdrop for a movie called ‘The Terrible Trio.’ Here, actors and students from Florida State University rehearse a scene for the movie, outside the historical Overstreet House at Pioneer Florida Museum & Village. (File)

Before granting Oakley’s request, however, his colleagues on the commission wanted details on how the money would be spent.

“They struggle throughout the years to get funding to keep up with our records and history,” Oakley said.

County officials outlined each agency’s plans for the funds. Each agency sent a letter of explanation, as well.

Pioneer Florida Museum & Village wants to relocate a historical log cabin from Lacoochee to add to its collection of historical buildings at the 16-acre site in Dade City.

Museum officials are exploring the costs and suitability of moving the cabin, according to the letter from Melissa Lea, board president, and Stephanie Black, executive director.

“The museum is continually trying to preserve and improve,” the letter states.

Other potential projects could be attic fans and better lighting for the Blanton Packing House, or repairs to other buildings. The main building, with numerous displays and traveling exhibits, needs flooring.

Visitors to the museum already can tour its history center, as well as the Overstreet House, a one-room school house. They also can check out a church from Enterprise, the Trilby depot and a train engine.

West Pasco Historical Society will spend the money to expand storage. The museum is at capacity, according to the letter from Bob Langford, the society’s president.

“In the past few years, we have had to refuse items simply due to the fact that we don’t have room,” he stated.

A second potential project would be to digitize the museum’s collection of weekly newspapers – The New Port Richey Press, The Dade City Banner and The Zephyrhills Colonist/Zephyrhills News.

For more information about both of these organizations, visit PioneerFloridaMuseum.org and WestPascoHistoricalSociety.org.

Published September 13, 2017

‘Cow Palace’ attracted music greats

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The block structure was built in 1957, without heat or air conditioning, according to records kept by the Pasco County Property Appraiser’s Office.

It was located in Carver Heights, a predominantly black neighborhood where many people lived hard-scrabble lives.

Scott Place, left, and Al Brown are hoping planned restorations can save the historic Cow Palace in Dade City. (Courtesy of the Chitlin’ Circuit Preservation Society)

And, during the next 20 years, the building attracted performers who would become some of the biggest names in soul-blues and R&B music.

Each of those musicians would travel down Bull Road — still a dirt lane southeast of Dade City. They would go past Ferguson Lake to make their way to the stage, inside the block structure.

It was a venue with a spacious dance floor and ornate Spanish-tiled bar.

And, that’s where bar-goers, who could get rowdy, had the chance to see performances by B.B. King or Ray Charles.

More often than not, people could hear the loud music outside as they passed the open pastures, as they did on the night that James Brown played.

Despite its remote location and wild weekends, this block structure became a juke joint variously known as “Rabbit’s Place,” “Jake’s Lakeside Tavern” and the “Cow Palace.”

It was part of the so-called “Chitlin’ Circuit,” which the National Public Radio defines as “a touring circuit that provided employment for hundreds of black musicians and brought about the birth of Rock ’n’ Roll.”

Glenn Thompson, secretary of the Pasco County Historical Society, said the circuit’s name “derives from the soul food item chitterling” which is made from stewed pig intestines.

Thompson is a big fan of the local Chitlin’ Circuit Preservation Society, co-founded by Scott Place, which is seeking funding to restore and save one of Florida’s historic blues clubs.

“We want to be like the Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee,” Place said. That juke joint was shuttered for nearly 20 years before it reopened in the 1990s.

The dance floor and bar at the Cow Palace as it looked in April 2016.

Place also points to other success stories on the old Chitlin’ Circuit, such as the Jackson House in Tampa, the Manhattan Casino in St. Petersburg and the Cotton Club in Gainesville.

Place, a Dade City blues musician who performs under the name “Howlin’ Buzz,” hopes future generations will have a chance to know more about the Cow Palace and its historic links to stars like King, a relatively unknown artist who brought a Chitlin’ Circuit tour to the Cow Palace in the late 1950s.

Buddy Guy played at the Cow Palace early in his career and was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Eric Clapton and B.B. King on March 14, 2005.

Writing on his Facebook page, Guy said: “The tone (B.B. King) got out of that guitar, the way he shook his left wrist, the way he squeezed the strings…Man, he came out with that, and it was all new to the whole guitar-playin’ world.”

The Cow Palace attracted stars and fans to a very poor neighborhood.

“There was nothing like that anywhere in Tampa Bay,” recalled George Romagnoli, in a news report published 25 years ago.

First subdivided in 1946 by Stanley Cochrane, the subdivision where the Cow Palace sits likely was named after the renowned botanist George Washington Carver, according to Bill Dayton, a member and former chairman of the Dade City Historic Preservation Advisory Board.

“Maybe he had an admiration for Carver,” Dayton told The St. Petersburg Times in 1998.  “Or maybe he just thought it was an appropriate name for a black subdivision,” Dayton added.

No regularly hosted events have been held at the Cow Palace since the mid-1970s, but a jam session there two years ago drew approximately 100 musicians and guests.

“We found out there was no commercial zoning, and that’s what we need for live entertainment in the future,” Place said.

Even with rezoning issues and the challenges of restoration, Place believes people would stand in line to enter the Cow Palace as they did 50 years ago.

“They would admit as many people as possible (back then). But, there was only one way in — or out,” Place said, with a smile.

To find out more about the Cow Palace and efforts to restore it, email .

Doug Sanders has a penchant for unearthing interesting stories about local history. His sleuthing skills have been developed through his experiences in newspaper and government work. If you have an idea for a future history column, contact Doug at .

Published May 24, 2017

Gran Fondo cycles into Pasco

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For the fourth year in a row, cyclists from all across the nation will make the trek to Pasco County to ride in the Gran Fondo Florida racing event on March 26.

The race begins — and ends — in downtown San Antonio.

It is one of eight events across the country as part of the Gran Fondo National Championship Series.

The Gran Fondo Florida race has a 35-mile, 55-mile and 100-mile route. As opposed to a ‘start to finish’ race, each route will have timed segments at specific mile markers. (Courtesy of Reuben Kline)
The Gran Fondo Florida race has a 35-mile, 55-mile and 100-mile route. As opposed to a ‘start to finish’ race, each route will have timed segments at specific mile markers.
(Courtesy of Reuben Kline)

The cycling route is 100 miles, but there are also 35-mile and 55-mile routes for less avid riders.

While much of Florida is synonymous with flat roads, the bike race travels along Pasco County’s rural rolling hills, with cyclists riding by horse farms and clear springs throughout the scenic route.

The 100-mile course has nearly 3,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain, according to Reuben Kline, president and race director of the Gran Fondo National Championship Series.

“The rolling back roads are beautiful, but also very challenging,” Kline said. “The area around Pasco County and even up into Hernando County — it offers amazing riding for any perspective. It’s a great area to ride— a lot of back roads, low traffic.”

The gran fondo format differs from other bike races, because it’s not a “start to finish” race. Instead, there are timed segments throughout the courses, which are used to calculate a rider’s competitive time.

In the 100-mile course, for example, there might be a chip-timed session from mile 17 to mile 20, and again from mile 42 to mile 47.

“It’s really a unique style of race. The Gran Fondo is really becoming popular,” said Ed Caum, tourism director for Pasco County. “You casually ride for part of it, and then when you hit your sections where you’re timed, then that’s where you do your sprint. Then, you’re back down to cycling through beautiful Pasco countryside until you get to your next timed section.”

Kline noted the gran fondo format is “less contentious” than other road races, because it eliminates the “peloton dependency,” where cyclists ride in a tight group, drafting off one another to conserve energy.

“Historically, bicycling hasn’t been a very user-friendly discipline when it comes to a competitive environment because of the need to draft in a large group of people. The atmosphere is often contentious because of the dynamics of it, and because of the safety, or lack of safety involved,” Kline explained. “There’s not a lot of closeness among competitors, because you’re always like ‘I’m going to have to use you to win.’

“What we saw with this gran fondo format was an opportunity to make something that people could both enjoy and (also) be competitive,” he said.

According to Kline, the gran fondo-racing format has only been around in the United States for “no more than six or seven years.”

“It’s a new discipline, and a lot of people don’t understand, ‘what is a gran fondo and how does it work?’”

Gran fondo events, which originated in Italy, provide a cycling outlet for everyone from beginners to elite cyclists, he said.

“It’s very much like a marathon. How many people enter a marathon thinking they’re going to win? Not many, but some do,” the race director said. “The atmosphere is such that those people are showing up to compete, because it inspires the other people to compete. People might enter to either finish the race, finish atop their age group or finish at the top of the overall standings.

“It does provide an opportunity to be competitive, and not only competitive with a whole bunch of people, but also with their friends and teammates.”

Last year, the race drew 297 riders — a 70 percent increase from 2014, and a 140 percent from 2013 — reports show.

Additionally, only 26 of those riders lived in Pasco County, with the majority coming from all across Florida.

There were also participants from a dozen other states — Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

A 2015 post-event report shows an economic impact of $44, 878, based on the total number of room nights booked by participants and spectators.

“They come from across North America, and then you’ll have some people that are down here—snowbirds and all— that ride the (gran fondo) races…throughout the circuit,” Pasco County’s tourism director said. “Some people travel specifically to participate in the event.

“As people come here and ride, they’ll want to come back, because it’s so beautiful out there in San Antonio and St. Joseph, and Dade City.”

Kline has been pleased with the event’s “very sizable growth” since it’s inception, and plans to bring it back to Pasco County.

“We intend to continue holding the event in Pasco County. We’ve enjoyed working with the representatives in Pasco County,” he said.

Gran Fondo Florida
What: A bike racing event for everyone from beginners to elite cyclists. There are 35-mile, 55-mile and 100-mile routes, each with chip-timed sections.
When: March 26 at 8 a.m.
Where: Local Public House & Provisions, 32750 Pennsylvania Ave., San Antonio
For more information, visit GranFondoNationalChampionshipSeries.com.

Published March 16, 2016

Business Digest 11-05-14

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(Courtesy of Mike Ossola)
(Courtesy of Mike Ossola)

Thirsting for knowledge
Community members, local government officials and employees at Zephyrhills water enjoy a day of family fun and water education at the Zephyrhills community open house on Oct. 25. The day included a tour of the bottling facility, and a visit to the kid-friendly, educational WaterVentures Learning Lab.

Allstate premier agent in Lutz
Lisette Fernandez has been named an Allstate Premier Agency for 2014.

The designation for the Lutz agent is given to less than half of Allstate’s 10,000 agency owners across the country. Fernandez received it because of what the insurance carrier described as her outstanding business performance and commitment to putting customers at the center of her work.

Fernandez’s agency is located at 4935 Van Dyke Road, and can be reached at (813) 269-5707.

Upcoming meeting for Women-n-Charge
Women-n-Charge will meet Nov. 7 at 11:30 a.m., at Pebble Creek Country Club, 10550 Regents Park Drive in Tampa.

The meeting includes lunch, a feature speaker, and networking.

Cost is $15 for members, and $18 for guests.

For information, visit Women-n-Charge.com, or call (813) 600-9848.

Award winners and officers at Dade City chamber
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce recently honored some of its top members during its annual banquet Oct. 16 at the Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club.

Winners included:

  • Business Leader of the Year — Bonnie Krummen, vice president and branch manager of CenterState Bank
  • Large Business of the Year — CenterState Bank
  • Small Business of the Year — Dade City Animal Clinic
  • Civic Association of the Year — Restored Hope
  • Citizen of the Year — Salvador Jaurequi and Joey Wubbena
  • Ambassador of the Year — Kelly Sinn of Sunrise Pasco County
  • Chamber Member of the Year — Cliff Martin of Jarrett Ford
    • Richard Tombrink Lifetime Achievement Award — Billy Brown of the Withlacoochee River Cooperative
  • President’s Award — Jimmy Adcock of Teco

Also during the banquet, the chamber installed its new board, including Bob Van Allen of Farm Bureau Insurance as president, Randy Stovall of Pasco-Hernando State College as president-elect, Randy Surber of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills as second vice president, Steven Hickman of First National Bank of Pasco as treasurer, Kelly Sinn of Sunrise of Pasco County as secretary, and Bonnie Krummen of CenterState Bank as the past president.

Zephyrhills water donated $50,000
Nestle Waters North America, the corporate producer of Zephyrhills bottled water, donated $50,000 in honor of its 50th anniversary Oct. 25 that help support cleanup and education events at parks along the Hillsborough River.

Splitting the donation were Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful and Tampa Bay Watch.

The donation was supported by a social media campaign conducted by Nestle that invited consumers to share their favorite things about Florida. More than 23,700 items were shared, which Nestle donated a dollar for each, and then rounded up to the $50,000 donation.

The Zephyrhills plant, located at 4330 20th St., in Zephyrhills, employs 250 people locally, and 900 throughout the region. Nestle bought the brand in 1982, part of a company that was originally founded in 1964.

Upcoming SCORE seminars
The Pasco-Hernando Chapter of SCORE, which historically stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives, will host the following upcoming free seminars. For information, visit SCORE439.org.

  • Using the Internet in Your Business — Nov. 6 at 5:30 p.m., at Regency Park Branch Library, 9701 Little Road, in New Port Richey; Nov. 12 at 10 a.m., at SmartStart New Port Richey, 6345 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey; Nov. 12 at 5 p.m., at West Hernando Branch Library, 6335 Blackbird Ave., in Brooksville. After reviewing the various roles a website can support in enhancing a business, participants will be walked through an eight-step process of key activities needed to quickly leverage this technology in many businesses.
  • E-Marketing Concepts —Nov. 10 at 5:30 p.m., at New Port Richey Library, 5939 Main St., in New Port Richey; Nov. 13 at 5:30 p.m., at New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54, in Wesley Chapel. Attendees can obtain an understanding of e-marketing technologies and how they may help to enhance the ability of a small business to reach customers and communicate their brand, products and services.
  • Introduction to QuickBooks — Nov. 12 at 1 p.m., at Hugh Embry Branch Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City. This is a basic hands-on introduction to the QuickBooks software, but is not designed for advanced users.
  • How to Apply for a Business Loan — Nov. 12 at 5 p.m., at South Holiday Branch Library, 4649 Mile Stretch Drive in Holiday; Nov. 18 at 5:30 p.m., at Centennial Park Branch Library, 5640 Moog Road in Holiday. This workshop focuses on the individual requirements of the participants, including startups, mature businesses and purchasing of existing businesses. Loan sources for amounts ranging from $5,000 to $5 million will be covered, as well as business plans to accompany loan applications.

Chalk Talk 10-15-14

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Learn more about Academy at the Lakes
Academy at the Lakes, 2331 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, is hosting ‘coffee and conversation’ groups for anyone interested in learning more about the school.

All sessions are from 10:30 a.m. to noon at these locations:

• Oct. 27, Seven Oaks Community Center, 2910 Sports Core Circle, in Wesley Chapel

• Nov. 3, The Lodge at Wilderness Lake Preserve, 21320 Wilderness Lake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes

• Nov. 10, Grand Hampton Clubhouse, 8301 Dunham Station Drive in Tampa

For information, call Luci Ward at (813) 909-7919.

HCPS information sessions
Hillsborough County Public Schools will offer information sessions for its PATH program for teaching students with disabilities, and its SMART program for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Both sessions are Oct. 30 at 6 p.m., at CareerSource Tampa Bay, 9215 N. Florida Ave., Suite 101, in Tampa.

For information, call (813) 840-7032, or visit Path.mysdhc.org or Smart.mysdhc.org.

Bright Ideas STEM contest
Bright House Networks is looking for students in the Tampa Bay area who are at least 14 years old by Oct. 31, to enter its Bright Ideas STEM contest.

Using STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — students must dream up the coolest inventions to make life, the community, or even the world, a better place.

The contest ends at 9 p.m., Oct. 31. Online voting is Nov. 3-13, and judging will be Nov. 14-Dec. 5. Finalists will be announced Dec. 15.

The best ideas from each of six Bright House Networks service areas nationwide will compete head-to-head on TV in front of a studio audience in Orlando.

The winner will have a chance to work with a leading innovation firm to make his or her idea a reality.

Registration is free.

For details, visit BrightHouse.com/brightideas.

Bishop McLaughlin open house
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic School, 13651 Hays Road in Spring Hill, will host an open house Nov. 2 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

There will be family tours, and individuals can sign up for shadow dates.

Step-Up scholarships are accepted.

For information, call (727) 857-2600, or visit BMCHS.org.

Rigberg named Chef of the Year
Land O’ Lakes High School has announced that Chef Michael Rigberg was named Chapter Chef of the Year by the local ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association.

The American Culinary Federation promotes the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education among culinarians at all levels, from apprentices to certified master chefs.

Rigberg has also been elected to chapter president with a two-year term beginning Oct. 15, 2014.

Rigberg’s local honor follows his July induction into the American Academy of Chefs. That ceremony took place at the American Culinary Federation National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. It’s an honor bestowed to men and women who have distinguished themselves in the culinary arts.

September Citizens of the Month
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce has congratulated the September Citizens of the Month.

The students selected were Gabriel Sabella, Academy at the Farm; Amiliah Isaac, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Catherine Beard, Saint Anthony School; Jesssenia Mahamud, Centennial Elementary; Stephanie Alejo, Lacoochee Elementary; Jayden Parsons, Pasco Elementary; Esmeralda Nunez, Cox Elementary; Michael Coats, San Antonio Elementary; Paige Miller, Centennial Middle; Rosa Cruz Madrid, Pasco Middle; Christopher Brand, James Irvin Education Center; Julian Lopez, Moore-Mickens Education Center; and Conner Harm, Pasco High.

ZHS class reunion
The Zephyrhills High School Class of 1974 will have its 40th reunion Oct. 17-18. For information, call Brenda Kendrick Downie at (863) 816-4798, or visit ZHSCLassof1974.weebly.com.

PHSC receives Special Contribution Award
Pasco-Hernando State College was honored with a Special Contribution Award at the Pasco Economic Development Council’s 28th Annual Industry of the Year Awards Banquet.

Pasco EDC recognizes local companies that exhibit exemplary growth in technology, innovation, job creation, capital investment and community service.

PHSC celebrated a record year in 2014 with the completion of construction of the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch totaling $59.3 million in capital investment, and the announcement of offering four-year degrees.

National Manufacturing Day observed
As part of National Manufacturing Day, 3,000 students from 35 counties toured 95 high-tech manufacturing facilities across the state on Oct. 3.

Students in Pasco and Hernando counties toured 11 high-tech facilities in the region, including Accuform Signs, Aircraft Tooling and Design, Alumi-Guard, Cal-Maine Foods, Intrepid Machine, Mary Lame Wrought Iron, PharmaWorks, Seaway Plastics, Southeast Bottling Company, Topline Energy Systems and Huff Carbide Tools.

The tours offer students a chance to expand their knowledge about and learn about  high-tech careers and opportunities associated with manufacturing.

Bikes serve as reading incentives
Gary Cucchi, owner of Horance Mann Insurance Agency, delivered bicycles to a number of schools, including Chester Taylor Elementary School in Zephyrhills, as part of a reading incentive program.

One boy and one girl from the school will be selected to receive a new bicycle in the second semester.

Taylor Elementary is just one of 15 Pasco County schools Cucchi delivered bikes to.

Library of Congress offers free interactive e-books
The Library of Congress is offering students a set of free interactive e-books for tablets.

The new Library of Congress Student Discovery Sets bring together historical artifacts and one-of-a-kind documents in a range of topics from history to science to literature.

Interactive tools let students zoom in for close examination, draw to highlight interesting details, and make notes about what they discover.

The first six Student Discovery Sets are available now for iPad, and can be downloaded for free on iBooks. These sets cover the U.S. Constitution, Symbols of the United States, Immigration, the Dust Bowl, the Harlem Renaissance, and Understanding the Cosmos.

For information, visit LOC.gov/teachers/student-discovery-sets/.

Business Digest 04-16-14

By

(Courtesy of Amanda Wright)
(Courtesy of Amanda Wright)

Women-n-Charge awards grant
Angela Gilbert, third from left, was the winner of the Women-n-Charge career advancement grant, founder of Building a Foundation. The grant is for continuing education, and will help with her advocacy for homeless individuals and families, veterans, and women and children leaving domestic violence shelters to help them acquire safe and affordable housing. Joining Gilbert are, from left, Suzin Carr, Paula O’Neil, Pat Carroll and Elayne Bassinger.

 

Levy joins GulfShore Bank board
Jonathan Levy of Lutz has joined the board of directors for Tampa-based GulfShore Bank.

Levy is co-founder and managing partner of Redstone Investments, having been involved in the real estate and construction industry for more than 30 years. He started his career with Burdman Bros., a family-owned real estate construction and property management company.

Levy started Redstone in 1987 as JLB Investments with cousin Lee Burdman. Based on Youngstown, Ohio, Redstone is a development, management and acquisitions company with a focus on shopping center development.

Seed Library launching
The official launch of The Seed Library will take place April 22 beginning at 10:30 a.m., at Morning Star Fisherman, 33336 Old St. Joe Road in Dade City.

There will be an open house with free facility tours until 1:30 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., hosted by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce.

Social for Women-n-Charge
Women-n-Charge will host a social and open house April 17 beginning at 5 p.m., at City Grill, 5429 Village Market in Wesley Chapel.

No RSVP or meeting fees are required.

For information, call (813) 600-9848, or email .

Forum, mixer with Zephyrhills chamber
Upcoming events with the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce includes the East Pasco Transportation Forum it’s hosting with the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce April 16 beginning at 4:30 p.m.

It takes place at the East Pasco Adventist Academy, 38434 Centennial Road, Dade City, and will discuss Pasco County’s Mobility 2040 plan and its impact on businesses and economic development on that side of the county.

The chamber will then host a mixer with Skydive City, 4241 Sky Dive Lane in Zephyrhills, April 17 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Manufacturing Café at SmartStart
A manufacturing café event hosted by Pasco-Hernando State College and the Pasco-Hernando Workforce Board will take place April 16 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., at the SmartStart Incubator, 15000 Citrus Country Drive, Suite 103, in Dade City.

To reserve a spot, call (727) 816-3227, or email Margie Burnham at .

Upcoming SCORE seminars
The Pasco-Hernando Chapter of SCORE, which historically stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives, will host the following upcoming free seminars. For information, visit Score439.org.

• E-Marketing Concepts May 6 at 5:30 p.m., at New Port Richey Branch Library, 5939 Main St., New Port Richey. Attendees can obtain an understanding of e-marketing technologies and how they may help to enhance the ability of a small business to reach customers and communicate their brand, products and services.

• Introduction to QuickBooks May 8 at 5 p.m., at Spring Hill Branch Library, 9220 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill; May 29 at 5:30 p.m., at New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills. This two-hour seminar is designed for those planning to start a business, or who have recently started a business, but who have not yet set up an effective record-keeping system.

• Using the Internet in Your Business April 24 at 5:30 p.m., at the New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills; May 14 at 5:30 p.m., at Hugh Embry Branch Library, 14215 Fourth St., Dade City; May 27 at 5:30 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes. After reviewing the various roles a website can support in enhancing a business, participants will be walked through an eight-step process of key activities needed to quickly leverage this technology in many businesses.

• Marketing to Grow Your Business May 8 at 5:30 p.m., at Regency Park Library, 9701 Little Road, New Port Richey. Participants can learn how and where to find some of the answers about what works and doesn’t work, what information is required to write a sales and marketing plan, how to profile customers, determine the best type of advertising and promotions, and what can be learned from competitors.

• Banker’s Delight Business Plan May 20 at 5:30 p.m., at Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce, 15588 Aviation Loop Drive, Brooksville. Bankers are not typically interested in the extensive business plans discussed in most books. Instead, they just want the facts. This seminar will walk participants through these dozen or so pages critical to obtaining financing.

• How to Apply for a 501(c)(3) May 20 at 5:35 p.m., at Centennial Park Library, 5740 Moog Road, Holiday, and the same day at Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Road, Hudson. An interactive seminar designed to assist participants in the completion of the IRS’s nonprofit application.

(Courtesy of Greater Dade Chamber of Commerce)
(Courtesy of Greater Dade Chamber of Commerce)

New facility in Dade City
Apollo Group LLC had a ribbon-cutting and grand opening for its new facility on the corner of Pasco Avenue and Sixth Street in downtown Dade City. Hosted by the chambers of commerce in Zephyrhills and Dade City, Faith Knight (peeking over the top) and James Hubbs (at the door) offer mediation services, substance testing and legal case management for employers, families and organizations.

 

Samuel Pasco lends name to county

By

WHAT’S IN A NAME*

By Kyle LoJacono

When Samuel Pasco first set foot in Florida in 1859, he probably did not think there would someday be a county named after him with nearly half a million residents.

Pasco was born in 1834 in London and lived until age 83 before his death in 1917. He immigrated to Charlestown, Mass. in 1846, where he graduated from Harvard College.

Sam Pasco

Pasco moved to Monticello in Florida’s panhandle in 1859, where he was the principal of Waukeenah Academy, now Aucilla Christian Academy, until 1861.

He left the high school to join the Confederate Army after the Civil War started as a private in the Third Florida Volunteers. He was wounded and taken prisoner at Mississippi Ridge in 1863 and remained imprisoned until March 1865, when he was paroled as a sergeant.

Pasco returned as the principal of Waukeenah in 1865 for one year before leaving to becoming the clerk of the circuit court of Jefferson County from 1866-68.

Pasco worked as a lawyer and eventually became a judge in Monticello until 1880, when he became a member of the Democratic National Committee. He also was president of the Florida constitutional convention in 1885 and a member of the state house from 1886-87, serving as speaker his final year. He was elected as a U.S. senator in 1887.

At that time, Hernando County was split into three separate counties because of growing population. The center portion remained Hernando, the northern section became Citrus County and the southern third was shortly called Banner County, which was unpopular with others in the state Legislature.

The name Pasco County was first proposed by Richard Bankston, a member of the legislature at the time. Bankston recorded some of the discussion about the fledgling county in a letter:

—From 1881 to 1887, Hernando county, especially the southern end, rapidly filled with a high type of settlers, many of whom I knew and remember pleasantly. We all were weary of traveling the sand trails of Brooksville, the county seat, to attend court, or transact other business of varied nature, and when we would meet, as neighbors will, at our community post office and stores, comment was loud and complaint vigorous and prolonged against the hardships of the trip. Such conditions aroused sentiment in favor of county division as a means of relief.

Enthusiasm was spontaneous and hope ran high. The result was a mass meeting which was attended by nearly all our male citizens, and was very representative, there being present people from every precinct in the southern end of the county. Unanimous sentiment was for division —the proper steps to take to attain that result was the issue for discussion. After deliberation, it was resolved that a committee of two be named to go to Tallahassee in the interest of the desired end, the Hon. J. A. Hendley and myself being the committee selected. Mr. James Grady moved that we be instructed to call our county “Banner” county.

While working on it we interviewed right and left, trying to work up sentiment in our favor, but when we would tell them we wanted our county to be called “Banner County,” from the immediate change of countenance we could see that we had thrown a damper upon their favorable interest.

As we learned that nearly every member thought he came from the Banner County, we began to seek for an unobjectionable name. At that time the body was in joint session, voting for United States senator, and very enthusiastically elected Judge Samuel Pasco of Monticello to the position. It struck me as an inspiration to call our county “Pasco.” I immediately went to the committee room, where I had a desk and changed our bill making the name Pasco instead of Banner.

We gave the finished bill to Senator A. S. Mann, who at once introduced it in the Senate, and it passed unanimously. It was expedited to the House and sponsored by F. Saxon, where it passed unanimously. The governor was favorable and signed it. Having accomplished all we purposed, we returned home, able to report the complete success of our mission.—

Edward Perry, Florida’s governor at the time, signed the bill to create Pasco and Citrus out of portions of Hernando, making sure Samuel Pasco’s name would live on in state history. Interestingly enough, there is no documentation of Pasco spending any time in the county.

Today, Pasco County is 745 square miles and has 471,709 people, according to U.S. Censure statistics. For additional information on Samuel Pasco and the county, visit www.fivay.org.

 

*This summer, we will take you on a tour of how historic places earned their names. Information is provided by interviews with Pasco County historian Jeff Miller of Fivay.org and the West Pasco Historical Society. If you know the history of an interesting place, call us at (813) 909-2800. See how Blanton, Dade City, Darby, Denham, Drexel and Ehren got their names next week.