The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

New Port Richey

Ethan Allen out, Scott Fink moving in?

By

In 2001, Scott Fink took a gamble and decided to open a Hyundai dealership in New Port Richey.  At the time, Hyundai did not have the best reputation for dependability, and accounted for about three of 100 every new car sold.

What does local car dealership owner Scott Fink have planned for more than an acre of land next to a proposed Volkswagen dealership? Whatever it is, Fink thinks it’s worth $1 million. (File Photo)
What does local car dealership owner Scott Fink have planned for more than an acre of land next to a proposed Volkswagen dealership? Whatever it is, Fink thinks it’s worth $1 million.
(File Photo)

Since then, Hyundai has become one of the most popular overseas brands in America, and Fink has expanded his car empire to include Hyundai, Mazda and Chevrolet dealerships in Wesley Chapel, and a planned Volkswagen dealership on State Road 56 across from Mini of Wesley Chapel.

So what does Fink have up his sleeve on land next to his proposed dealership? He’s not talking — he didn’t return a call for comment from The Laker/Lutz News — but it’s now a $1 million gamble.

S&D Giant Real Estate LLC, a company, which lists Fink as its sole manager, closed on nearly 1.6 acres of land on State Road 56, just off Silver Maple Parkway on Aug. 26. The price was $1 million, something that might appear like a steep price for vacant land. But it’s a $400,000 discount from what Ethan Allen Retail LLC paid for the property in 2006, according to Pasco County property records.

Ethan Allen, a Connecticut-based furniture chain with locations in Citrus Park and Brandon, had announced in late 2005 it would build an 18,000-square-foot showroom on the site. It was supposed to open in 2006, and compete with the less-expensive Rooms To Go that opened down the road on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

However, the housing market crashed, and couches that cost as much as a semester at the University of South Florida simply were no longer in demand.

Unlike the Lowe’s on State Road 54 near Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, Ethan Allen never resurrected its plans to build on the site, despite holding the land for nearly a decade. A spokeswoman for Ethan Allen confirmed to The Laker/Lutz News on Monday that the project was indeed dead.

“I believe that the new use will be automotive,” Ann Zaccaria, vice president of real estate for Ethan Allen, said in an email.

In his annual report filed last June addressing the entire Cypress Creek development of regional impact area that includes this parcel, Skinner Bros. Realty president A.C. “Chip” Skinner III did not mention the pending sale to Fink. He still listed it as a closed sale to Ethan Allen, where 18,000 square feet of retail rights are still planned.

Fink is under contract to buy more than 5 acres of land immediately to the southeast of the parcel, where he plans to build a Volkswagen dealership complete with a nearly 30,000-square-foot showroom.

The lot Fink has closed on still is set for a retail store, but it’s not clear if that’s what he still plans to do, said Dawn Sutton with Pasco County’s planning and development department. No new paperwork for the site has been filed with the county.

“There is an agreement for (the Volkswagen parcels) for up to 46,000 square feet of retail entitlements,” Sutton said. “That’s probably a 22,000-square-foot building plus maybe a car wash, and some supporting retail.”

Land proposed for the Volkswagen dealership has yet to change hands, but if Fink’s purchase of the adjacent land sets a new precedent, then he could spend more than $6 million for the adjacent lot once that deal finally closes.

Published September 24, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Lowe’s wants to open with a big(ger) bang

By

When Lowe’s opens its doors later this year, it wants to make sure drivers on State Road 54 just east of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard realize it’s there.

The hardware store, now under construction in 152,000 square feet of space across from Village Lakes Shopping Center, is asking Pasco County’s Development Review Committee to allow its wall sign on the building to be more than double the size the county currently allows.

Current code limits a wall sign — that is, one that is hung on the front or side of a business — to 150 square feet. However, Lowe’s wants to build a sign on the front of its store at a little more than 375 square feet. That would make the sign nearly 19 feet tall and 20 feet long, instead of the 15 feet long and 10 feet tall usually allowed under county ordinance.

In return, Lowe’s says it’s willing to build just one sign at the road, instead of the three the county allows. Overall, that would reduce the amount of signage Lowe’s has to 37 percent smaller than what the county allows, according to records submitted to the Development Review Committee.

County officials have recommended the Development Review Committee approve the change at its Sept. 25 meeting, set to begin at 1:30 p.m., at the West Pasco Government Center, 8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey. The county’s Development Review Committee is led by County Administrator Michele Baker, and includes assistant county administrators Heather Grimes, Cathy Pearson and Bruce Kennedy, as well as John Walsh from the Pasco Economic Development Council, and Chris Williams from Pasco County Schools.

Lowe’s is expected to bring 125 jobs for the project, that had been planned since the North Carolina company purchase the land between Winter Quarters Pasco RV Park and the Pasco County fire station in 2005 for $2.7 million. It had originally hoped to open the store by 2009, but Lowe’s abandoned those plans in 2011 before resurrecting them earlier this year.

Super snacks coming to select Pasco schools

By

Pasco County is getting the chance to test a new after-school meals pilot program with the new offering of a “super snack” at select schools in the district.

A component of the Child Care Food program, it’s designed to provide nutritious snacks and meals to children in after-school programs. It’s funded through the U.S. Department of Health — unlike the school meal program, which is done with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

While the new “super snack” program is primarily same as the existing snack program, the select schools will now be able to offer five components for a snack, instead of two, according to a release. That’s because schools and the district’s food and nutrition department felt that the smaller snack was not enough for many of the kids at schools where more than half the students already receive free or reduced lunches.

Those who can participate in the snack program must be enrolled in an approved after-school or extended-day program. Snacks are available at no separate charge to children at the following sites:

• Anclote High School, 1540 Sweetbriar Drive, Holiday
• Cox Elementary School, 37615 Martin Luther King Blvd., Dade City
• Crews Lake Middle School, 15144 Shady Hills Road, Spring Hill
• Gulf Middle School, 6419 Louisiana Ave., New Port Richey
• Gulfside Elementary School, 2329 Anclote Blvd., Holiday
• Hudson Middle School, 14540 Cobra Way, Hudson
• Lacoochee Elementary School, 38815 Cummer Road, Dade City
• Pasco High School, 36850 State Road 52, Dade City
• Smith Middle School, 1410 Sweetbriar Drive, Holiday
• Stewart Middle School, 38505 10th Ave., Zephyrhills
• Taylor Elementary School, 3638 Morris Bridge Road, Zephyrhills
• Woodland Elementary School, 38203 Henry Drive, Zephyrhills

Veterans lobbying for where in Pasco new VA clinic should go

By

The men and women who have served our country during times of war, or in case of war, have been fighting a new conflict to ensure they have access to the federally provided health care they were promised.

But now part of that battle might turn into a turf war between the west and east sides of Pasco County.

Kathleen Fogarty, chief of the James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa, shares some of the issues her facility has faced in recent months during a packed town hall meeting of veterans hosted by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, right. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Kathleen Fogarty, chief of the James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa, shares some of the issues her facility has faced in recent months during a packed town hall meeting of veterans hosted by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, right.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Veterans gathered at the West Pasco Government Center last week to tell U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis where they want to build a new consolidated center made possible thanks to a Veterans Affairs bill signed by President Barack Obama last month.

The bill has set aside $1.3 billion to create or expand 27 VA clinics around the country, including Florida’s only new one — a planned 114,000-square-foot facility that would consolidate five existing locations on the west side of the county.

Many veterans have come to depend on having those centers in New Port Richey and Port Richey, and some are balking at the idea of moving the new consolidated center into Land O’ Lakes, or even into Zephyrhills or Dade City.

No plans have been finalized, or even proposed, on where this new facility would take place. But a majority of those speaking up last week were pushing for the government to take over the former Community Hospital campus in New Port Richey. That hospital shut down in 2012 after its owner, HCA Healthcare, opened the new Medical Center at Trinity on State Road 54 just east of Little Road.

But bringing that building up to the standards needed for a new VA clinic could be costly.

“We tried to get Community Hospital about seven years ago,” said one veteran, Paul Rizzo. “We met with the VA, and they turned us down, because they said the building was unsafe. It was only built for one floor, but it’s three floors.”

Despite that, Rizzo wants to have the new clinic there.

“I still say that Community Hospital is one of the best places that we could use,” he said. “It’s been standing there for 50 years now, so how is that unsafe? They say we need a complete overhaul of the building there, but what we really need is a complete overhaul of the VA.”

The Land O’ Lakes area has also been shared as a possible location for a new VA clinic, since it’s in central Pasco. However, east Pasco also remains on the radar simply because of the available land out there in case VA officials decide to build something new.

But getting out that way might create as many problems as simply going to the James Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa, some say. Plus, a clinic already exists near Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. That facility will not be a part of the consolidation, officials said.

“Most people, especially disabled veterans, have financial problems, and transportation is a huge factor in their lives,” said Lauren Price, an Iraqi war veteran who is one of the founders of the VeteranWarriors advocacy group. “We have some limited mass transit here in West Pasco, and there is much more minimal mass transit that gets out to Trinity. And before someone offers all that real estate out in Dade City or Zephyrhills, I will remind them that the only mass transit out there are the mud swamp runs.”

Despite hosting the town hall, Bilirakis will have minimal input on where the new facility will be located, he said. That decision, instead, will rely on the VA department itself, which also will receive an additional $10 billion to outsource some of the care to private doctors when VA officials get behind. It also gives Robert McDonald, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs secretary, the power to remove senior executives not meeting expectations more easily than before.

Congress put the legislation in motion this past summer after a series of reports highlighting backlogs in service and other problems at VA hospitals around the country. A government investigation found some of those hospitals were guilty of flubbing appointment lists while supervisors turned a blind eye.

The report, however, said there was nothing connecting the delays created by that activity with preventable deaths.

But some of the veterans in New Port Richey still feel like they’ve been treated improperly by the system. However, James Haley VA Medical Center chief Kathleen Fogarty said many of the delays and problems experienced locally are from the sheer volume facilities like hers have taken on.

“I am very pleased to tell you that all of our clinics were audited, and we did not have any discrepancies in the scheduling,” Fogarty said. “But will I tell you that we don’t have any waiting lists? Absolutely not.”

That’s because her system handles 89,000 unique patients every year, she said. Haley has 4,000 patients a day, and conducts 42,000 consultations a month.

“I am very blessed to have the University of South Florida a bridge away from me,” Fogarty said. “They don’t have a hospital they use to train all of their doctors. We are the primary facility they use, which is a great thing for us because I think we get the best doctors out there.”

Besides where the new consolidated clinic should be located, the more than 100 veterans who attended also shared some of the services they’d like to see there. That includes urgent care, physical therapy, radiology, women’s care and greater access to dental, Bilirakis spokeswoman Summer Robertson said.

If any other veterans wants to express their preferences on where the clinic should go and what should be there, they can call Bilirakis’ office at (813) 501-4942, or send an email to the congressman through his website at Bilirakis.house.gov.

Published September 3, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Pasco EDC honors local businesses for creating jobs

By

One day nearly a decade ago, Marcus and Erin Meyer realized their dream of opening their own business, kickstarting Gator Cleaning Solutions out of their garage. Not long after, it would move to a new home the couple bought in Land O’ Lakes, before finally taking up 2,500 square feet of warehouse space in Odessa.

DataMentors LLC, one of the Pasco Economic Development Council Industry of the Year winners, has maintained strong employee retention by finding ways to keep them motivated. Here Brandon Magliano, left, gets ready to receive the ball from Michael Meyers during a table tennis game in the office while Michael Cajigas looks on. (Courtesy of Larisa Bedgood)
DataMentors LLC, one of the Pasco Economic Development Council Industry of the Year winners, has maintained strong employee retention by finding ways to keep them motivated. Here Brandon Magliano, left, gets ready to receive the ball from Michael Meyers during a table tennis game in the office while Michael Cajigas looks on.
(Courtesy of Larisa Bedgood)

They employ eight people in their corporate office, and more than 80 people on cleaning crews that now include restoration services, carpet and grout cleaning.

They have provided plenty of jobs in the cleaning industry, and because of that, they are one of eight companies honored by the Pasco County Economic Development Council at its Industry of the Year Awards at Saddlebrook Resort.

“The reason why we were nominated in the first place is because there was a lot of focus on job creation, which is great, because we’ve created a lot of jobs,” Erin Meyer said. “And we’re still growing. It’s exciting — a little nerve-wracking at times, but it’s fun. There are days I’m pulling my hair out, and days I’m doing a dance.”

Pasco EDC honored Gator Cleaning with one of two service and distribution awards, the second going to A&K Energy Conservation in Dade City. They both were chosen from more than 30 nominees, who were judged based on growth in areas like technology, innovation, job creation, capital investment and community service.

While some companies were born and grown up in Pasco, others were attracted by what the county had to offer and relocated here. DataMentors LLC started 15 years ago in Tampa, but relocated to Wesley Chapel seven years ago on land they purchased on Oak Myrtle Lane.

“It’s kind of nice looking out the window and seeing trees instead of concrete,” said Bob Orf, the chief executive of DataMentors, which was honored with the technology award Tuesday night. “We took a little bit of a risk when we bought the land. There was no road to it when we purchased the property. We were the first building in this area, and it’s worked out terrifically.”

DataMentors is a data management company that requires a secure location for its many servers. The company started with five employees, but now has 36, working in areas like programmers and technicians.

“We do a lot of recruiting right out of colleges like the University of South Florida and the University of Central Florida,” Orf said. “There are not a lot of high-tech companies in Pasco, but you know, we’re happy to be here, and be one of the pioneers here.”

Half the employee base lives in Pasco, while the other half commutes in from Hillsborough County, Orf said. That’s great for him, however, because the “reverse commute” — driving in the opposite direction of rush-hour traffic — makes working in Pasco quite appealing.

“We don’t have a lot of turnover here,” he said. “Almost a third of our employees have been with us at least 10 years. And, you know, we try to do what’s right for our employees, because that’s a win-win for us.”

Other winners at the Pasco EDC event included:

• MedActive Oral Pharmaceuticals of Odessa won the new business award.
• Rochester Electro-Medical Inc., of Lutz, and Seaway Plastics Engineering Inc., of Port Richey, both won manufacturer of the year.
• Pasco-Hernando State College in New Port Richey was given the special contribution award.
• Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative of Shady Hills was given the special recognition award.

Published September 3, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

In Print: A day on the links? Or maybe a good book to read?

By

There has been a lot of bad news about golf courses lately, especially when it comes to places like Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes — and more recently, some financial issues at Scotland Yards in Dade City.

GolfCourseIPBut are golf courses on the way out? Or is this simply a correction in the market?

“Golf was in its heyday 20 or 30 years ago, when that was the thing to do, both socially and sports wise,” Laura Sanderson, a pro at Meadow Oaks Golf & Country Club in Hudson, told reporter Michael Hinman. “Everyone built a bunch of golf courses because, back then, we could keep them full. But now people’s interests have changed, especially the younger generation. People just have better things to do with their time and money.”

But that doesn’t mean golf courses are down and out. In fact, the courses that survive and thrive will be the ones who adapt to the new realities, Sanderson said. And you can read all about it in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, available on your local news racks or maybe even on your front doorstep right now.

If you can’t pick up a physical copy of the paper, you also can read our online e-edition for free. Just click here.

Every month, reporter B.C. Manion takes you on a journey with her Worth the Trip feature, exploring things that are beautiful and fascinating. This week, she takes readers to the only bookstore you’ll probably ever need — and it’s just a stone’s throw away.

But what if you just wanted to go somewhere inexpensive? Reporter Michael Murillo made a name for himself a few years back with a column known as “Cheap Date.” While that feature has been retired, there are still many low-cost outings people can take, and Michael explores that in a new column known as “On the Cheap.”

His first stop is the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater, where the price of a double feature harkens back to the good ol’ days when bank loans weren’t needed to buy a movie ticket.

“Why sit at home, when for $7, you could take a friend or a loved one to a historic theater and see something you know you’ll enjoy?” Murillo writes. “Two somethings, actually. It’s a double feature, remember? That’s a great deal, and cheap enough that it justifies a little drive time to get there.”

Find out more on why this is such a great low-cost outing in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, or you can simply click here to read it in our free online e-edition.

Finally, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis has become a champion for veterans causes, especially in the mess that has become the Veterans Affairs health care system.

Good news, however, is coming for local veterans after President Barack Obama signed a bill that includes a Bilirakis provision that would add a consolidated full-fledged VA medical clinic in Pasco County.

But where will it open? The tug-of-war seems to be between New Port Richey, and east toward Land O’ Lakes or even Zephyrhills.

Lauren Price is an Iraqi war veteran who is one of the founders of the VeteranWarriors advocacy group. She joined nearly 100 other veterans last week in New Port Richey to share her thoughts on where a clinic should go, and what should be offered with it.

“Most people, especially disabled veterans, have financial problems, and transportation is a huge factor in their lives,” Price said. “We have some limited mass transit here in West Pasco, and there is much more minimal mass transit that gets out to Trinity. And before someone offers all that real estate out in Dade City or Zephyrhills, I will remind them that the only mass transit out there are the mud swamp runs.”

How will this turf war be solved? Get details in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, or read it online by clicking here.

Oh, and are you ready for some football? We wrap up more than a month of local gridiron previews this week from reporter Michael Murillo with the Freedom Patriots.

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

And see The Laker XL with our brand-new video!

It’s gas tax decision day Sept. 3

By

Pasco County commissioners are up against a self-imposed deadline Wednesday where they will have to decide how they are going to fund a needed $8 million for road construction projects in the county.

And while there are really only three primary options on the table — the decision is not expected to be an easy one.

County budget director Annette Stahura is set to present those three options and any others commissioners bring up during what is expected to be a shorter-than-usual meeting in New Port Richey. Commissioners are being asked to either increase local gasoline taxes up to a nickel per gallon, increase property tax rates, or a combination of the two.

Increasing the gas tax is going to be the most difficult way to go, however, with four of the five commissioners needed to approve it. Outgoing commissioner Henry Wilson Jr., has already said he would continue his position from last year and not support increasing the gas tax, while commission chair Jack Mariano has been on the fence, but leaning against the gas tax.

Boosting property taxes, however, only requires three votes, although Commissioner Ted Schrader has said he is against increasing that tax to pay for new roads as long as the gas tax option is available.

Proponents of the gas tax say many consumers may not even feel it. Neighboring counties, they say, increased their gas taxes in recent years, and few of the gas stations actually passed that extra cost on to consumers, members of the county staff said. Those same proponents also discount the impact to businesses and such that need large amounts of fuel, since diesel fuel would not be levied the additional tax.

Those against the gas tax, however, say that there are no guarantees that gas stations won’t increase gas prices to compensate for the additional tax, and that the cost to consumers — including businesses who require large amounts of fuel — is unnecessary.

Each penny of gas tax is expected to generate $1.6 million each year, according to an internal county report. A full gas tax could, however, cost $37.50 more per year for driver, or a little more than $3 per month.

Raising property taxes, however, could have a larger impact to businesses than a fuel tax, according to an internal report. While a 5-cent gas tax would increase costs to small business owner by $250, raising property taxes instead to hit that $8.07 million mark would cost small businesses $478.That is based on a small manufacturing business with $200,000 property value and $1 million tangible property value.

However, the impact to the average homeowner for a property tax increase would be just under $20 a year for the full $8 million, assessed at homes with $100,000 in appraised value and $50,000 in homestead exemptions.

If the commission can’t come to a decision on how to raise the $8 million, seven short-term projects would be delayed up to 10 years. They include:

• Construction of Bell Lake Road from U.S. 41 to Alpine Road — moved from 2015 to 2017

• Right-of-way acquisition to expand DeCubellis Road from two lanes to four lanes from Little Road to Starkey Boulevard — moved from 2017 to 2019

• Creation of an automated traffic management system on County Road 54 and State Road 54 from Progress Parkway to Curley Road — moved from 2017 to 2025

• Right-of-way acquisition to expand County Road 54 from two lanes to four lanes from State Road 54/56 to Progress Parkway — moved from a one-year project to a five-year project.

• Creation of an automated traffic management system on Little Road from Embassy Boulevard to Star Trail — moved from 2018 to 2027.

• Right-of-way acquisition to expand Moon Lake Road from two lanes to four lanes from DeCubellis Road to State Road 52 — moved from a five-year project to a nine year project.

• Construction of Starkey Boulevard from River Crossing Boulevard to DeCubellis Road — moved from 2018 to 2020.

Projects that would be completely moved out of the 15-year plan and placed in limbo include:

• Chancey Parkway from Fox Ridge to Morris Bridge roads
• Collier Parkway from Parkway Boulevard to Ehren Cutoff
• County Line Road North from East Road to Springtime Street
• Moon Lake Road from DeCubellis Road to State Road 52
• Ridge Road extension from Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41
• Expanding Trinity Boulevard to four lanes from Little Road to State Road 54
• Twenty Mile Level Road from State Road 54 to Collier Parkway
• Two phases of the Zephyrhills Bypass extension, from River Glen Boulevard to Dean Dairy Road

The meeting is set to begin at 9 a.m., at the West Pasco Government Center, 8731 Citizens Drive in New Port Richey.

Demand for gas is dropping, taking prices with it

By

In any given day in the United States, drivers pump 369 million gallons of gasoline into their vehicles, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. If cars could travel in space, and get 20 miles per gallon, that would be enough to travel to the moon and back — more than 15,000 times.

A lot goes into the price of a gallon of gasoline, right down to how much fuel consumers are buying versus how much is being produced. Yet, the reason why gas typically gets more expensive the further inland one gets is actually much more simple: How expensive it is to transport the fuel there. (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
A lot goes into the price of a gallon of gasoline, right down to how much fuel consumers are buying versus how much is being produced. Yet, the reason why gas typically gets more expensive the further inland one gets is actually much more simple: How expensive it is to transport the fuel there.
(Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

Since 1990, the price of gas has skyrocketed 184 percent, from a national average of $1.24, to today’s $3.52, according to federal data. Yet, consumption remains brisk, even if actual volume is down. That’s thanks to better fuel efficiency, and the advent of hybrids and electric cars.

Labor Day is a busy weekend for gas stations as many families choose to travel by car to small vacation spots away from home. Typically, that kind of demand would push prices higher. But this year might be a little different, AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins says.

“The demand is higher, and you’ll see prices inch up a little bit,” he said. “And if it does, you won’t have to wait long for it to fall right back where it was before.”

Still, gas prices this weekend are expected to be the lowest in four years, and Jenkins believes a gallon of gas could fall below the $3 mark for the first time since the end of 2010.

That might be perfect timing for Pasco County commissioners, who will spend September debating on whether they should increase local gas taxes by a nickel to help pay for much-needed new roads in the county. Their biggest concern is having that extra tax passed on to the customer. But it might be hard to notice in a county where the difference in gas price from one side to the other is nearly 25 cents per gallon.

On Sunday, New Port Richey had one station offering fuel for $3.01, and many others well below $3.10, according to GasBuddy.com. However, by the time a driver reaches Wesley Chapel, the best she might find is $3.14 at a Sam’s Club.

And forget Zephyrhills. The cheapest there was $3.25 at a Marathon station just outside of Wesley Chapel.

Why? It’s all about logistics, Jenkins said.

“There are a lot of variables that goes into how much gas costs, but one of them is quite simply their distance from supply,” he said. “Gas is usually tankered in from the ports, and the further they have to go, the more it might cost in the end.”

If most of central Florida’s fuel is shipped into Tampa’s ports, then places like Lakeland and even Orlando should be sky-high when it comes to gas prices. But it’s not, Jenkins said, because underground pipes sends thousands of gallons of fuel each day across the state from Tampa’s ports directly into the area’s home of Mickey Mouse.

“You also have to consider retail competition,” he said. “If you’re in an area where there are fewer gas stations, your prices are going to be a little higher because there is less competition.”

Looking beyond the pump
Gas is big business nearly anywhere there are cars and roads, but stations themselves aren’t really making a killing when it comes to profits. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that for every dollar spent in gas, 13 cents go to taxes, 8 cents to distribution and marketing, 14 cents to refining, and 65 cents goes straight back to the companies that supply the gas in the first place.

The typical gas station may tack on a few pennies more for its own profit, but it usually has the smallest impact. Instead, these stations make their money by getting people inside their convenience stores, earning a much higher profit margin from drinks, snacks and tobacco products than they could ever see at the pump.

Wawa, the Pennsylvania-based chain that has opened dozens of locations in the Tampa Bay area over the past year, uses fresh food to get drivers through its doors. One of the longtime area brands it competes with is Atlanta-based RaceTrac, which might not offer made-to-order subs, but is not shy about helping its customers wake up in the morning. The stores offer an expanded coffee bar with six flavors, as well as prepackaged sandwiches and salads, company spokeswoman Ashleigh Collins said.

Collins wouldn’t say how much importance RaceTrac puts on attracting customers inside the store from the pumps, but touts the fact it’s a “one-stop shop” for customers who want to fuel up, stock up, or both.

“For the most part, gas stations are using gas as a conduit to get you inside their convenience stores,” Jenkins said. “Whatever they are offering in their store, that is basically their lifeline. And for the most part, the gasoline they offer is just a means of getting consumers into the door.”

Gas prices have been dropping for nearly two months, but the market’s bottom is quickly approaching, Jenkins said. In just a few weeks, refineries will start switching from its summer blend, and the changeover will wreak enough market havoc to kick up prices.

“We could see prices jump in September, and continue that way through the rest of the fall,” he said. “But this hasn’t really been the typical year, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lot more happy people at the pump by the end of the year because of where prices might end up.”

Florida’s price at the pump:
Sept. 2003 – $1.74
April 2004 – $1.85
Jan. 2005 – $1.92
Oct. 2006 – $2.39
Feb. 2007 – $2.24
Nov. 2008 – $2.47
May 2009 – $2.13
April 2010 – $2.88
Sept. 2011 – $3.66
July 2012 – $3.26
March 2013 – $3.88
Aug. 2014 – $3.49
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Published August 27, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Enrollment increases at Wiregrass Ranch’s Porter Campus

By

Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch began its fall semester this week, with an enrollment topping 2,100.

That’s an increase of nearly 300 students over its initial enrollment in January, when Pasco-Hernando State College opened the satellite campus in Wesley Chapel.

Stan Giannet, the provost at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, is looking forward to the campus’ first full academic year. The campus is a satellite of Pasco-Hernando State College. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Stan Giannet, the provost at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, is looking forward to the campus’ first full academic year. The campus is a satellite of Pasco-Hernando State College.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“We continue to exceed the enrollment expectations. We’re very delighted with that,” said Stan Giannet, provost at the campus on Mansfield Boulevard, just south of State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel.

“Compared to the spring term, we added another 70 class sections that were necessary based on the projected enrollment,” Giannet said.

On the first day of the fall semester, Patti Rocco, administrative assistant to Giannet, was excited about the 2014-15 academic year. She loves working on the Wesley Chapel campus, even though it means driving over an hour a day from Weeki Wachee to get there.

“It’s just wonderful. It’s like one big family,” Rocco said, noting she can’t say that’s been her experience in all of the jobs she’s had throughout the years.

The campus is a phenomenal place to work, she said. “It’s warm. It’s wanting to do what’s best for the students.”

So far, the most popular courses are those leading to an associate’s degree, as well as programs in information technology, nursing and human services, Giannet said. Students also are expressing an interest in business courses.

Debuting this fall are the bachelor’s degree program in supervision and management, and the surgical technology and pharmacy technician certification programs.

There are tracks within the management and supervision program that gear people for general management, health care management and public service management, Giannet said. The degree provides coursework to enable people to develop and hone the skills necessary to handle the responsibilities that managers and supervisors face.

The surgical technology and pharmacy technician programs will prepare graduates for jobs that are in high demand and that offer good pay, Giannet said.

Figures are not yet available, but Giannet said Porter Campus is attracting students from Hillsborough County, and those numbers appear to be growing. The campus also has a sizable number of students enrolled in its evening programs.

Classes are offered Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9:40 p.m., and on Friday until 4:30 p.m. Registration for this semester ends Aug. 29, while registration for the spring semester begins in early November.

In addition to debuting new programs this fall, the college also will open a café in its library in September. It will offer salads, sandwiches and other light fare, Giannet said. The college always planned to have a café, it just took some time to go through the process to select a provider.

The campus is situated near many good restaurants in Wesley Chapel, so many students leave campus for meals, Giannet said. However, students carrying a full load do not have time to leave campus, so this café will provide a convenient way for them to grab a quick bite.

The campus continues to seek to create a sense of community among the students, faculty and staff, Giannet said. It also wants to play the role of an intellectual and cultural hub for the community at large.

“We want to be very open and inviting to our community,” he said.

One way that Giannet seeks to foster strong relationships with students is by hosting events such as Pizza with the Provost and Picnic with the Provost, where he has a chance to share campus news, to field questions from students, and to hear feedback about how things are going.

He also has a Provost Success Academy, which focuses on themes aimed at helping students succeed. As part of that academy, the college will host a domestic violence awareness symposium in October.

The overall goal of the campus is to engage students and provide assistance to help students succeed, Giannet said. He thinks students are taking advantage of opportunities available on campus.

“The amount of activity in our library — from the perspective of traffic utilizing library services — is comparable to our largest campus, which is the West Campus in New Port Richey,” Giannet said.

He describes the college’s personnel as being “very student-driven, student-focused, compassionate and caring.

“I think it’s clearly evident,” Giannet said. “We want to provide a meaningful experience for students when they’re on our campus.”

Published August 27, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Wilson still collecting checks from development community

By

All the money that is going to be raised in the battle for Pasco County Commission seat District 4 has been raised. And now the only thing either candidate can do is sit back and wait for voters to decide.

Mike Wells Jr. is challenging Henry Wilson Jr. for his seat on the commission in an open primary race Aug. 26 where the winner takes all. Although both Wells and Wilson are Republicans, the primary race is open to all voters since there is not a general election opponent lined up.

That means at least one of the two contested seats on the county commission will be decided after votes are counted Tuesday night.

In the final two weeks of fundraising, both Wells and Wilson combined to raise $9,800. That puts total fundraising for the race at $127,200. That’s far less than what this district raised in 2010 when $171,300 was collected — nearly all of it from then incumbent Michael Cox, who lost his re-election bid to Wilson.

It’s also well behind the 2006 race where $184,111 was raised, and where an out-funded Cox toppled then incumbent Steve Simon.

District 4 has not been kind to incumbents, but Wilson is trying to change that by being the first to win re-election in the district since Simon did it in 2002.

Just as he has all campaign, Wells out-raised Wilson in the final two weeks with a little less than $7,000, compared to $2,850 from the current commissioner. That included $1,000 in in-kind contributions from Elite Mobile Advertising of Land O’ Lakes, as well as $1,500 from three New Port Richey investment companies that share the same address.

Wilson, on the other hand, continued to collect donations from those involved in the development industry despite his claims at a recent candidate forum that they don’t support him. He earned $500 each from Central Florida Testing Laboratories in Clearwater and Alfonso Architects of Tampa. He picked up another $500 from Reiss Engineering of Winter Springs.

Wells has spent a little more than $77,000 of his $86,355 total, with 51 percent — or $39,690 — happening in Pasco County. He spent $12,280 on advertising, but less than 4 percent of it was done locally. The rest, a little more than $11,800, was spent with Direct Marketing Southeast of Largo.

Wilson spent just over $40,000, nearly all the money he raised. Unlike other candidates in the county commission races this time around, Wilson spent a vast majority of his money outside the county. Only 29 percent, or $11,746, was used with local businesses. Other money, including $24,500 to Andrick & Associates of Sarasota, was spent elsewhere.

Wilson also spent a little less than $3,200 on “robo calls” with Strategic Victory Partners of Brooksville. He kept his advertising budget light, just under $650, and chose to use mailers instead.

Who will occupy District 4 on the county commission dais will be decided Aug. 26.