The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Lutz

This flea market — a woman’s club tradition — has bargains galore

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The Old Lutz School, at 18819 N. U.S. 41, was abuzz with activity on Feb. 26, as scores of volunteers prepared for the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club annual flea market.

“It’s our second largest fundraiser of the year,” said Pat Serio, a club member, as she consulted with other club members about where to put various donations.

Pat Serio is holding a cigar box purse that will go for $15. (B.C. Manion)

“It’s always much anticipated by the community because we’ve been doing it for so many years. We started out many decades ago,” Serio added.

“We started out at the Train Depot Park, but we quickly outgrew that, and we’ve been at the Old Lutz School ever since.

“We fill each of the classrooms with items, and we have a larger and larger footprint outdoors, adding tents each year,” she said.

Donations come in from the community and from the woman’s club members.

“We have everything from antiques and collectibles – silver, china, crystal in one special room. We have a home goods room, with kitchenware and décor items. We have a huge selection of beautiful clothing. Ladies, men, children’s clothing.

Club member Jean Palmieri sorts through hardcover books that will be sold for $1 each at the flea market, March 2 and March 3, at the Old Lutz School.

“Outdoors we have florals. We have a little mini-garden center, with artificial flowers and plants. We have toys, baby equipment, sports equipment, tools — something for everybody,” Serio said.

Volunteers were all over the place, getting ready for the sale. They were hanging clothes on racks, putting housewares on shelves, carrying donations inside, or arranging them in tents outside.

Club member Jean Palmieri was helping to sort books.

“We have a huge collection of books. Hardcover books are only $1. Soft covers are a quarter,” Serio noted.

But, those aren’t the only good deal, she added. “We have super bargain prices.”

“All proceeds go back to the community. This is our second-largest fundraiser of the year. Second only to the big arts and crafts show,” Serio continued.

The proceeds support scholarships and provide assistance to a wide assortment of community causes, including schools, libraries, Boy Scouts, and so on.

There will be a food booth, with hot dogs, breakfast items and soft drinks.

And, there will be a plant booth, too.

“The funniest thing is that we club members are our best customers. We donate the bulk of the goods, and we buy the bulk of the goods. We buy each other’s clothing, then next year, these fashions show up in the clothing racks of donations again,” Serio said.

It’s also a great place to catch up with old friends, Serio noted.

Club member Helen Fornino holds a painting and asks Pat Serio, another club member, where the item should go.

“Our women see neighbors and former neighbors. People come back, year after year, even after they’ve moved.

“It’s always the first weekend in March, so they know to anticipate that,” Serio said.

Old-time Lutz residents and former residents also enjoy spending time at the Old Lutz School, Serio noted.

“They reminisce about going to school there. So many people come through and they go, ‘This was my classroom.’

“They get all nostalgic,” Serio said.

Palmieri, who has been a woman’s club member for three years, said she enjoys being involved.

She said she joined because she wanted to help the community.

But, she said, pitching in has rewards of its own.

“It helps me feel good to know that I’m doing something beneficial for other people,” Palmieri said.

GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club annual flea market
Where: Old Lutz School, 18819 N. U.S. 41 in Lutz
When: March 2 and March 3, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free admission
Details: Bargain hunters will find plenty of good deals during this market, which features everything from crystal and china to pots and pans. There’s furniture, hardcover books, potted plants and all sorts of other stuff. This is the club’s second-largest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds are used to support scholarships and benefit a wide assortment of local community groups.

Published February 28, 2018

North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce makes debut

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A new chamber came into view last summer with the merger of The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce and The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

Now a new name is representing the combined chambers, which will now be known as the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, according to an email sent to chamber members from Zack Kalarickal, the chamber’s board chairman.

Zack Kalarickal, chairman of the board of directors for North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce

The name brings “renewed focus on the broader geography that is home to those we serve and consistent with the momentum of this evolving community,” the email states.

National and international businesses are seeking to invest in Pasco County’s growth, and the new name provides “a readily identifiable location,” as well as describing the inclusive nature of the merged chamber, according to the email.

The North Tampa Bay chamber has about 830 members and is the largest in Pasco County. It serves Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Trinity, Odessa and New Port Richey.

“We happen to be in a great part of the county with so much dynamic growth,” said Kalarickal, a dentist and owner of Wesley Chapel Dentistry.

The North Tampa Bay name acknowledges that growth, but Kalarickal said the chamber will “co-brand” the uniqueness of every community within its membership.

In his email, he cites the long history of Wesley Chapel and its chamber, which began in 1998 with only a small group of business owners.

It had grown in recent years to nearly 600 members prior to merging with the Greater Pasco chamber in July.

In January, the chamber moved to a new location at 1868 Highland Oaks Blvd., Suite A. The office is in the Highland Oaks Medical Center, off State Road 54.

In the next months, more transition work is needed, Kalarickal said.

The board of directors went from 17 to 24 members.

A day-long planning session was held to discuss an overall strategic plan. Standing committees were formed.

And, North Tampa Bay members were invited to participate in a logo design contest. The winning entry will be announced on March 8.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534.

Published February 7, 2018

New emergency room services available for local residents

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Two new emergency rooms have opened in Pasco County, giving local residents more convenient choices in times of need.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel had a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of its Central Pasco ER in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital-West Florida Division)

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel opened the doors to its new free-standing Florida Hospital Central Pasco ER in Land O’ Lakes, located offsite from the hospital, on State Road 54, just east of the Suncoast Parkway. The hospital expanded its health services in order to serve more residents in the growing area of central Pasco County.

Construction began last spring, and the new 18,000-square-foot facility features a year-round full-service emergency department with 24 beds and state-of-the-art on-site imaging, such as X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan and onsite laboratory services.

The new emergency room is staffed with board-certified emergency medicine physicians, as well as nurses who specialize in emergency care.

The Medical Center of Trinity’s new ER 24-7, in Lutz, is now open at 1430 Dale Mabry Highway. (Courtesy of Medical Center of Trinity)

Ambulance services also will be offered for patients who come to the Central Pasco ER and need to be admitted to the hospital.

The offsite emergency room officially began to treat patients on Jan. 29.

The Medical Center of Trinity’s new free-standing emergency department, ER 24-7, in Lutz, is now open at 1430 Dale Mabry Highway, next to Walmart.

The facility offers access to emergency care 24-hours a day, seven days a week, with a multitude of resources for acute care of a serious illness or injury.

The full-service ER provides more advanced emergency services than an urgent care center and will accept patients via ambulance. It also has onsite CT scan, ultrasound and laboratory services, and is staffed by physicians board-certified in emergency care and nurses with emergency care experience and certifications.

Published February 7, 2018

Two Unique Pulte Communities Designed For Families

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Pulte Homes offers two distinct communities for families wanting a new home in the areas most desirable north of Tampa.

Birchwood Preserve in Lutz and Starkey Ranch in Odessa offer multiple floor plans designed for the way families live today, with Pulte’s unique Life Tested® home designs. Plus, both communities provide lifestyle amenities from everything to swimming pools with cabana seating to family play areas for fun in the outdoors.

Because Pulte recognizes that today’s homebuyers are looking for different community features, Birchwood Preserve and Starkey Ranch offer families very distinctive benefits. Here is an introduction to both.

Birchwood Preserve

Birchwood Preserve is a smaller community of just 196 home sites, has a beautifully landscaped gated entrance and no CDD. Owners help support shared amenities and common areas with an affordable HOA.

Close to 40 new homes have been sold since Birchwood Preserve’s grand opening last May. Sales continue to be brisk, with many buyers coming from surrounding neighborhoods, WestChase and Citrus Park. Home prices begin at $321,990.

Birchwood Preserve offers 10 unique single-family models, which range from 1,904 to 4,600 square feet and offer three to six bedrooms, two to six bathrooms and two- or three-car garages. Because families with children make up over 80 percent of buyers, larger two-story homes are selling especially well.

Birchwood Preserve’s fabulous amenity center is the heart of the community. It boasts a luxurious swimming pool with cabanas and hammocks, a multipurpose clubhouse with kitchen, and children’s exploration climbing dome playground, swing set and other discovery play equipment.

Families choose Birchwood Preserve because of its A-rated schools. It is the only new, single-family-home community in Lutz whose children are zoned to all three schools at the highly desirable public school complex on Lutz Lake Fern Road — Steinbrenner High, Martinez Middle and McKitrick Elementary.

Another plus is the community’s convenient location, located a half mile from Dale Mabry Highway and less than two miles from the Veterans Expressway. It offers easy access to St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, Tampa International Airport, the Westshore Business District, International Plaza and Gulf Coast beaches.

For more information, go to Pulte.com/birchwoodpreserve, or call (888) 500-2107.

Starkey Ranch

It’s hard to imagine a community that’s greener than Starkey Ranch. Located in rural Odessa along the in-demand State Road 54 corridor, about half of the community’s 2,400 acres is devoted to lakes, ponds, wetlands and parks.

To the north and east, its only neighbor is the 18,000-acre Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Preserve. At dawn and dusk, the community feels like a bird sanctuary, with wood storks, herons, egrets and cranes. Reclaimed water is used for irrigation in parks, common areas and individual yards.

Pulte Homes offers 20 energy-efficient home designs in this beautiful, exclusive community. Its newest Starkey Ranch neighborhood, Monroe Commons, is an enclave of 95 home sites located adjacent to Huckleberry Pond and the Starkey Ranch District Park.

Monroe Commons is introducing six new home designs, offering two to five bedrooms and 1,950 to 2,470 square feet. Residents love splashing in the community’s pools, exploring the playgrounds, hiking wilderness trails and playing baseball or soccer at its multi-sports fields.

Priced from the high $200s, each new smart home comes with ultra-fast fiber-to-the-home connectivity and the Diamond-rated Environments for Living energy efficiency package. Pulte is looking forward to the upcoming grand opening of the community’s newest models, the Clearwater and the Sienna, which will take place this spring.

In 2016, Starkey Ranch received national recognition as the Master Planned Community of the Year by the National Home Builders Association.

For more information, go to Pulte.com/starkeyranch, or call (877) 752-0173

Life Tested® Designs

Every Pulte home includes Life Tested® Designs that come from Pulte homeowners.

The Pulte Planning Center® is a multifunctional area with counters and cabinets to help a family get organized in one convenient place off their kitchen or gathering room.

The Everyday Entry® drop zone has built-in shelving, hooks and storage to accommodate backpacks, shoes, purses and jackets.

Published on January 24, 2018.

Mother of twins dies after casino boat fire; donations sought

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A GoFundMe account has been set up to aid the children of Carrie Dempsey.

The 42-year-old woman, who lived in Lutz, died Jan. 14, hours after a fire engulfed a casino shuttle boat ferrying about 50 passengers to a casino ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

She was the sole fatality among about 15 passengers who needed medical attention, according to news reports.

Carrie Dempsey
(Facebook.com)

Dempsey leaves behind 12-year-old twins, Chad and Megan. Dempsey’s husband, Joseph Dempsey II, died in 2011, at the age of 33, according to an obituary.

The children are being cared for by their grandparents.

“We are reaching out to raise funds for Chad and Megan’s care and education, that their grandparents may not have been financially prepared for,” according to a written statement on the GoFundMe page. “Chad and Megan are two kind-hearted, athletic and academically gifted children who deserve a bright future. They have incurred so much loss and heartache in their short lives.”

Bridget Verrecchia is listed as the fund’s organizer. She is vice president of the ways and means committee of the PTA executive board for McKitrick Elementary School, according to the school’s website.

Segal Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.

According to an obituary, Dempsey moved to the Tampa Bay area in 1985 from Cleveland, Ohio.

She will be “remembered for her sense of humor, quick wit and infectious laugh, but mostly as a devoted and loving mother,” the obituary states.

Graveside services are scheduled for Jan. 25 at 2 p.m., at Gan Shalom Cemetery, 3527 E. County Line Road in Lutz. In lieu of flowers, a college fund will be established for Dempsey’s children.

The cause of the fire aboard the Island Lady is under investigation, according to a spokesman with the U.S. Coast Guard.

About 50 people were aboard as the shuttle, operated by Tropical Breeze Casino, steered toward the gulf, and a casino ship in international waters.

The boat’s captain noticed the engine was overheating, and prepared to return to shore when a fire broke out, according to news reports.

The reports said the captain ran the shuttle aground in the Pithlachascotee River, about 100 yards from shore in Port Richey.

Passengers and crew had to jump into chilly waters. Rescuers included nearby neighbors, Port Richey police, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Fire Rescue, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The boat burned down to its hull, reports added.

For information, visit GoFundMe.com/the-dempsey-family.

An online guestbook is available at SegalFuneralHome.com.

Published January 24, 2018

Flu can be deadly; use precautions to avoid it

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Sick people are showing up in doctor’s offices and emergency rooms seeking treatment for the flu.

Both in Florida and across the United States, flu activity is on the rise, according to Mara Gambineri, communications director for the Florida Department of Health.

“We’re seeing more activity across all age groups this year than we’ve seen in previous seasons at this time, which may be an early indication of a more severe influenza season,” Gambineri said, via email.

Kelly Ranieri, a registered nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, receives the flu shot from Pamela Wayne, also a registered nurse there. Hospital team members are required to get the flu shot every year for their own health and for that of their patients. (Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Several Pasco County public schools experienced some degree of significant absence related to flu activity in December before break, said Linda Cobbe, the district’s spokeswoman.

The concern was reported to the health department and a generic notice from the health department was sent home to all parents at Bexley Elementary School on Dec. 18 and at Plato Academy on Dec. 6, Cobbe said.

So far, the district hasn’t seen the same trends since returning from the holiday break, however, Cobbe said, the district’s nurse supervisor said this year is predicted to be “quite challenging” from a flu standpoint.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, at 2600 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, has seen an uptick in flu cases.

“The surge that we’ve noticed has been mostly since Christmas, around Dec. 24, Dec. 25,” said Dr. Nadeem Khan, a community physician and the medical director, Infectious Diseases at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

In the first week of 2017, the hospital had eight confirmed cases of the flu. This year, it had 12 cases during the same week last year. The Wesley Chapel hospital also had 16 confirmed cases from Jan. 5 through Jan. 8, which is more than it had seen the entire previous week, according to figures supplied by the hospital.

“A lot of people did not get vaccinated this year. A lot of the patients you talk to, just didn’t do it,” Khan said.

Holiday crowds also likely figured in, Khan said.

During the holidays, people tend to travel, he observed. “You’re in planes. You’re in airports. There’s delays.

“Somebody is sneezing and coughing, and you can’t do anything about it,” he said.

The sudden cold weather likely contributed, too, he said.

“When your immune system goes down a little bit, you’re more susceptible,” he explained.

The flu cases seem to be coming in earlier than usual this year at Saint Joseph’s Hospital-North, 4211 Van Dyke Road, in Lutz, said Cindy McGrath, nursing manager in the hospital’s emergency department.

Dr. Nadeem Khan is a community physician and the medical director, Infectious Diseases at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)

Both health care professionals said there are ways to reduce your chances of catching the flu, and it’s important to protect yourself.

Aside from getting a flu shot, washing your hands frequently with soap and warm water is perhaps the most important step you can take to protect yourself, Khan said.

“At restaurants, we’re picking up salt and pepper shakers. No one cleans those, ever. We’re touching menus that no one cleans. You need to make sure that you’re washing your hands, or using hand sanitizer,” he said.

He also recommends wearing a mask in crowded places, such as airports, airplanes and other places where you could be risking exposure from being too close to others in tight quarters.

“If you’re not sure what’s going on around you, it’s always better to get a mask.”

“Even if you look funny, or you think people are going to stare at you, who cares?” Khan asked.

Those who are most vulnerable to the flu include the very young and the elderly, according to the Florida Department of Health’s website. Pregnant women also are at risk.

People who have underlying medical conditions also are more susceptible to catching the flu, McGrath said.

Once flu symptoms begin to show up, it’s a good idea to see a health care provider for antiviral medication, both McGrath and Khan said. The sooner, the better, they said.

State and federal health officials still recommend getting a flu shot, even though it may not always prevent the flu.

“Flu vaccines can vary in effectiveness from season to season, but they continue to be the best way to prevent influenza infection and serious influenza complications,” said Gambineri, of the state health department.

Khan agrees.

“You might get sick even if you’ve had the flu shot, but not sick enough to be in the hospital or the ICU (intensive care unit),” he said.

Catching the flu can have serious consequences, Khan said.

“We definitely lose patients from influenza. That is something that people don’t understand. Young, healthy individuals, 23 to 30 years old. They die,” he said.

Symptoms:

  • High-grade fever, generally 101 degrees Fahrenheit or above
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Dry cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuff nose
  • Body aches, chills
  • Diarrhea, vomiting
  • Breathing difficulties

The infectious period can start 24 hours to 48 hours before symptoms show up.

Prevention tips

  • Get a flu shot
  • Wash your hands often, with soap and warm water, rubbing hands for 15 seconds to 20 seconds, then drying with a clean towel.
  • Stay away from people who are sick, and avoid crowded spaces, if possible
  • Wear a mask to protect yourself in crowded places, such as airplanes and airports

Avoid spreading the flu

  • Stay home when you are sick
  • Cover sneezes or coughs
  • Use a disposable tissue when blowing your nose and discard that tissue immediately
  • Wash your hands often, using soap and warm water. Rub your hands for 15 seconds to 20 seconds. Be sure to use a clean towel when drying your hands.
  • Do not share glasses, forks, spoons, toothbrushes and so on.

Sources: Dr. Nadeem Khan, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel; Cindy McGrath, nurse manager for the emergency department and Kim Demers, assistant nurse manager for the emergency department at Saint Joseph’s Hospital — North; and, FloridaHealth.gov.

Published January 17, 2018

Chambers on the move

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The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce and The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce each now have new homes.

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce moved into Suite A at the Highland Oaks Medical Center, at 1868 Highland Oaks Blvd. (Kathy Steele)

The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce is settling into its new location at 1868 Highland Oaks Blvd., Suite A. The office is in the Highland Oaks Medical Center, off State Road 54, in Lutz.

The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce has a new address in Harbour Village, at 1930 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Suite 16, in Lutz. Chamber officials expected that move to be accomplished over the weekend of Jan. 13.

In addition to setting up shop in a new space, the Central Pasco Chamber also has promoted Suzanne Beauchaine to become its new executive director.

Beauchaine previously served as the chamber’s marketing and membership director.

David Gainer, the chamber’s president, praised Beauchaine for adding 90 new businesses to the chamber’s roster in the past year.

Hope Allen is the president and CEO of The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. (File)

“It is a pleasure to recognize Suzanne for her diligence, commitment to excellence and her professionalism, by naming her our new executive director,” Gainer said, in a written statement.

The Wesley Chapel chamber opened its new office on Jan. 2, after vacating its former office at The Grove at Wesley Chapel.

The lease at the mall expired, and it was obvious a roomier site was needed.

“We had been looking. We had grown out of our space,” said Hope Allen, the chamber’s president and CEO. “We couldn’t even hold our board meetings at the (former) chamber.”

The Wesley Chapel chamber merged last year with The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce — creating the largest chamber in Pasco County.

In recent months, chamber officials have been working on merger details, including a new name for the chamber.

A task force is working on recommendations, but the membership will make the final decision, Allen said.

Allen said she had some trepidation about the move, and how visible the office would be.

But, the compliments rolled in, as members stopped by for visits, she said.

“Traffic grew. It tripled and quadrupled from the other location,” Allen said. “The whole place is beautiful.”

Suzanne Beauchaine is the new executive director of The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. (File)

The approximately 3,500 square foot office space is large enough that the chamber plans to sublet space to four businesses. There will be a certified public accountant, an architect, two financial planners and a Realtor, said Allen.

The names of the companies will be announced soon.

A ribbon cutting for the chamber is being planned for March.

“We’re excited to have a place where we can grow and be centrally located for our businesses,” Allen said.

As the Central Pasco Chamber’s new president, Beauchaine expressed enthusiasm for her role at the chamber.

“It’s very rewarding to help bring business owners together, and see their relationships grow and prosper,” Beauchaine said, in a written release.

Before joining The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Beauchaine was an account manager at The Laker/Lutz News for about three years.

She also owned a business in Lutz for five years, and has worked in retail and office management.

Her husband, Gary Beauchaine, is a small business owner and a member of the Central Pasco chamber.

The couple has two adult daughters who are area residents.

For more information about The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534, or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

For more information about The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, call (813) 909-2722, or visit CentralPascoChamber.com.

Revised January 17, 2018

Compark 75 sold to Atlanta investors

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Compark 75, a Class A industrial park off Wesley Chapel Boulevard, is under new ownership, according to a news release from Cushman & Wakefield.

Rick Brugge, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield

The real estate services company negotiated the sale of five buildings at the park to MDH Atlantic Acquisitions LLC. The Atlanta-based real estate investment company has more than 11 million square feet of properties in the southeastern United States.

Rick Brugge, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield; Mike Davis, vice chairman; and Michael Lerner, executive director, negotiated the sale as part of Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets team. They represented HR Pasco LLP, and closed the deal in November.

The sales price was not made available.

According to the news release, Compark 75 is the only Class A facility currently serving the northeast Tampa Bay area, including north Hillsborough and south Pasco counties.

“It tends to attract very good leases and a high quality of tenants,” said Brugge, president of Cushman & Wakefield.

Compark 75 has about 286,000 square feet in five small-bay, light industrial buildings.  The buildings are about 91 percent occupied, with about 26,000 square feet available for lease.

The space could be suitable for two to three new tenants, said Brugge.

Current tenants include the Pasco County Tax Collector, U.S. General Services Administration, Ortho Technology, Morgan Auto Group and Streetside Classics.

The 165-acre site is zoned industrial, and is suitable for warehouse, manufacturing and office uses. About 105 acres is a wetlands and conservation area.

The five buildings were built between 2007 and 2016, using “tilt-wall” construction, where concrete panels are poured on site and later tilted into place. Suites range from 3,300 square feet to more than 41,000 square feet. Features include rear-loading docks, 18-foot to 24-foot clear heights, early suppression fire sprinkler systems and 118-foot truck courts.

Compark 75 recently sold to an Atlanta-based investment company, MDH Atlantic Acquisitions LLC. The park has five industrial buildings that are close to fully occupied. (Courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield)

While the park is largely leased to tenants, two industrial condominiums under private business ownership are located at Compark 75. They weren’t included in the sale.

The Pet Lane mailing address for Compark 75 puts it in Lutz, but the 165-acre site is located off County Road 54 (Wesley Chapel Boulevard), about halfway between the interchanges of State Road 54 and State Road 56, with Interstate 75.

Suncoast Parkway is about 12 miles to the west. And, the Tampa Aero Park is on the park’s northern boundary.

The park provides diversity to the central Pasco area, which is booming with residential and retail development, such as The Shops at Wiregrass, Estancia, Bexley, and Tampa Premium Outlets.

In 2014 owner Larry Morgan launched a $15 million expansion of the privately-developed park. Morgan is the founder of Tires Plus, and his family-owned business has several automobile dealerships. Gov. Rick Scott attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion.

The construction marked the first major investment in commercial office construction in Pasco County since the real estate crash in 2008.

Published January 10, 2018

Lutz resident receives ‘Community Champion’ award

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It’s not all that uncommon for Freddy Barton to spend part of his weekend working — heading out to talk to people in the community.

If he’s headed out from his Lutz residence on his motorcycle, chances are he’s going to go hang out with some kids — to find out what’s on their minds.

“I’m talking to kids. I’m trying to probe their mind, to figure out, ‘What does it take to make you feel that you can have a chance in life?’” he said.

Freddy Barton’s work, both in volunteer and professional roles, aims to help people avoid violence, build job skills and find ways to be engaged, whether at play or at work. He has been named one of six ‘Community Champions’ across the state by Molina Healthcare of Florida. (B.C. Manion)

Barton recently was named one of six “Community Champions” across the state by Molina Healthcare of Florida at the organization’s eighth annual recognition event. The awards dinner was held at Busch Gardens.

Over the course of his life, Barton has done volunteer and professional work aimed at helping youths to avoid violence, helping both youths and adults to develop job skills, and helping those who have been incarcerated to make successful transitions into society after their release.

While working with incarcerated men, he created relationships through mentoring that continue to this day.

The Community Champions program celebrates the vision of Dr. C. David Molina, the founder of Molina Healthcare, as well as community partners who work together to care for society’s most vulnerable individuals.

Each Community Champion was nominated by a community-based organization.

Recipients received a $1,000 grant to give to a deserving nonprofit organization. Barton chose to donate his to the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, where he previously worked.

Barton said he was nominated for the award by two professional colleagues and by one of the men he mentors.

He was gratified by the recognition.

In his current role, as executive director of Safe and Sound Hillsborough, he works in a collaborative that aims to prevent violence.

Safe and Sound is the outgrowth of a think tank pulled together by Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner in 2013, in response to the Sandy Hook shooting deaths.

“When that happened, it was like a national wakeup call to everyone,” Barton said.

“You can’t do anything to stop the random shooter, but you can do something to address the community violence that occurs,” he said. “We look at violence as a disease, something that is preventable.

“My role is to work within the communities in which we serve, tie together elected officials, public agencies, private sector, residents, youths, adults — all together — to find out what do we need to do to address the factors that contribute to violence,” he said.

The work includes looking at issues such as truancy, mental health needs, job opportunities and re-entry after incarceration, Barton said.

Before taking his current job, he worked for Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, which built homes, built commercial development, had a workforce development team and created a vocational school.

Currently, he said, he’s out in the community, working to discern what the problems are and how they can be addressed.

“How do you stop violence? We’ve been trying to stop violence since Cain killed Abel.

“It’s not going to stop overnight. It didn’t start overnight,” he said.

But, there are some steps that can help, he added.

“I’m focusing on out-of-school-time opportunities for kids,” Barton said. “If we don’t find something for kids to do, they’re going to find something to do.  And, it’s not going to be what we think.”

For instance, Barton was instrumental in getting Hillsborough County to unlock a recreational center that had not been used for several years.

“With The Children’s Board and the county’s (Hillsborough County) help, we started up a camp. We said, ‘Let’s only have about 30 kids, let’s run a test. Within a day, we had 54 kids signed up.

“Now, it’s an afterschool Safe Haven for kids. We’ve got all types of programming,” he said.

Kids need to be engaged, and they need opportunities, Barton said.

“We look at spring break, we look at summer break, we look at over the winter break — whenever the kids are out of school,” he said.

It’s also important for youths to understand the repercussions of their actions, he added.

“They’re living out fantasies that they see in video games,” he said. Often, they don’t realize the serious consequences that can result,” Barton said.

Baron and his wife, Denise, have two sons, 14-year-old Tahj and 11-year-old Cameron.

Published January 10, 2018

Local dancer gets big break in ‘The Greatest Showman’

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When Chelsea Caso recently went to watch “The Greatest Showman” at Cobb Grove 16 in Wesley Chapel, she wasn’t going to watch just any movie.

She was going to watch a movie that she is in.

And, the young woman who grew up in Lutz, didn’t go to the viewing alone. She joined 115 of her favorite people for a private screening.

Her family was there.

Her neighbors were there.

Chelsea Caso hugs one of her supporters before a private screening of ‘The Greatest Showman’ begins at Cobb Grove 16. Caso plays the role of Dancer Oddity 5 in the film, which celebrates diversity and the vision of P.T. Barnum, of circus fame.

Dancing friends she’d made through the years were there.

Former teachers were there.

People from every part of her life were there — to share a moment with her that had been about 18 years in the making.

“We’re just bursting with pride,” her mother, Kim Caso said, adding that having a private screening with family and friends had been part of the plan ever since Chelsea landed the role.

Chelsea, who has been dancing since she was 2, is Dancer Oddity No. 5 in the film.

“I’m the tattoo lady,” she said.

It’s a nonspeaking role, but offered Chelsea the chance to dance — the thing that she loves best.

During the audition, she recalls thinking: “This is exactly what I want to do.”

The movie, which stars Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron, has already been nominated for a Golden Globe for best motion picture, musical or comedy. Hugh Jackman also has been nominated for best performance by an actor in that category.

Chelsea is still trying to take it all in.

“I don’t have words yet. I really don’t. It’s just so much to process,” she said, before joining her friends and family for the private screening.

“I took my grandma and my mom and my godparents this morning, and they were all crying,” Chelsea said.

“I was sitting there thinking, all of the hard work, all of the hours and all of the work that she’s put in — it makes it all worthwhile,” said Eileen Hoffman, of Lutz, who is Chelsea’s grandma.

“I am so thankful that she is part of something that is so amazing. To be in a movie of this caliber, with the actors that are in it — the music, the choreography, the songs — all, wonderful,” Hoffman said.  “It’s the most amazing feel-good movie that I’ve seen in a very long time.”

Local girl makes good
Chelsea attended Lutz Elementary, Martinez Middle School, and Steinbrenner High School for one year before transferring to Blake High School in Tampa, which has a performing arts magnet program.

“When she was at Blake High School, we took her every morning and picked her up every day. From Lutz, that’s a little ride,” Hoffman said.

Chelsea also studied dance at Karl & DiMarco in Tampa, where her mom worked before starting Next Step Dance Studio in Lutz.

Chelsea Caso and her mom, Kim, stand in front of a poster for ‘The Greatest Showman.’ Chelsea, who grew up in Lutz, has a dancing role in the film. Chelsea began dancing when she was 2 and her mom, who has a dance studio in Lutz, began dancing when she was 4. (B.C. Manion)

Kim said Chelsea has “worked so incredibly hard, sacrificed a lot, and just has done so very, very well.”

Chelsea was just 9 when her mom began taking her to New York for dance classes. And, when Chelsea was 14, she auditioned for The Ailey School Summer Intensive Program and was accepted.

“We stayed up there for six weeks with her every summer,” Kim said. “I was up there for two weeks. Her dad (Andy) was up there for two weeks, and my mom (Eileen Hoffman) was up there for two weeks. We did shifts,” Kim said, noting she also has a son, Carson, who is now 15 and attends Wharton High School.

After graduating from Blake, Chelsea moved to New York intending to pursue classical dance. But, she changed her mind and decided to explore commercial dance, which includes such things as television commercials, music videos and movies.

Chelsea attended Broadway Dance Center, where she took a program introducing her to the commercial dance world and then signed with an agency called MSA, which has offices in New York and Los Angeles.

She had been working at a fitness place for about a month, when her agent called her to go to an audition.

She needed to be at the audition in two hours, the agent told her. Chelsea said she was at work and couldn’t leave. The agent said she had to find a way.

The last fitness class was over, so Chelsea cleaned things up and asked her boss if she could go to the audition. The boss let her leave.

“I ran home, got ready, did my makeup on the way to this audition and didn’t really know what I was auditioning for. I just knew where I had to be and what the time was.

“I got there and I saw a couple of my friends and I said, ‘What is this? What are we auditioning for?

“They said, ‘It’s something to do with Zac Efron. We don’t really know,’” she said.

“During the audition, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is what I want to do. This is awesome,’” Chelsea said.

She left feeling good about the audition, and an hour later her agent called to let her know she had a callback for the next day.

Chelsea called her boss to say she couldn’t come into work the next day, but fortunately there was someone who could cover for her, she said.

She went to the audition and danced again.

“They called people back in to start singing, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m cut. I don’t really sing.’

“They said, ‘OK, these are the people who we want to sing. I didn’t get called, so I’m like, ‘OK, I’m cut. Onto the next.’”

But then, as she was gathering her stuff, someone came and called her name, and a few others, too.

The person told them: “Not all of the parts in the movie are singing. Don’t book anything.”

Chelsea called her agent to find out what that meant, and her agent said she’d have to wait to hear from the casting agency.

That was in August of 2016.

Three weeks later, Chelsea found out that she’d landed the part.

A musical about dreaming, diversity, acceptance
“The Greatest Showman” is a musical inspired by P.T. Barnum. It celebrates the birth of show business and tells the story of a visionary who rose from poverty to create a worldwide sensation.

It’s also a story about diversity and acceptance, and about breaking down barriers based on race and social class.

It took four months of rehearsal and three months of filming to make the movie.

Every day, Chelsea spent four hours in hair and makeup.

“They just put the tattoos on with water. It’s like a transfer sheet. I used to have to go home with them on. It was too much to redo them every day,” she said.

Now that the film has been released, Chelsea is getting ready to move to Los Angeles.

“It’s going to be a brand-new world. I have to kind of start over, but I feel with this on my resume now, it might be a little easier to get my foot in the door,” Chelsea said.

And, maybe, just maybe, the movie’s cast will be able to make an appearance at the Academy Awards, her mom said. “There’s talk they’re going to dance at the Oscars. We’ll see. We’re hoping.”

While the future is full of possibilities, Chelsea, her friends and family are clearly enjoying her success to date.

Harriette Jackson, whose daughter, Crystal Jackson, danced with Chelsea at Blake High, was among those invited to the private screening.

She’s thrilled for Chelsea.

“I think it’s awesome to be two years out of high school, to have landed a movie role. I am so proud of her,” Jackson said, adding “hard work pays off.”

Chelsea’s grandma is delighted, too.

“She’s always wanted to dance. She was very set in her mind what she wanted to do. She went after it.

“It’s just a wonderful moment in time — and we’re so thankful to be able to be sharing it with her,” Hoffman said.

Published January 3, 2018