The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

The Shops at Wiregrass

If you’re looking for holiday cheer, check this out

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There are plenty of local holiday happenings to appeal to young and old, but there’s a wide assortment of regional attractions to help brighten the season as well.

Experience the charm of an old-fashioned Christmas at the 33rd annual Victorian Christmas Stroll at the Henry B. Plant Museum. (Courtesy of Henry B. Plant Museum)
Experience the charm of an old-fashioned Christmas at the 33rd annual Victorian Christmas Stroll at the Henry B. Plant Museum. (Courtesy of Henry B. Plant Museum)

If you’re looking for something fun and affordable to do, here’s a list of possibilities.

TAMPA
The 33rd annual Victorian Christmas Stroll at the Henry B. Plant Museum, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd. — Beneath the towering silver minarets of the former Tampa Bay Hotel, visitors have the chance to peek at 14 rooms decked out in 19th century themes for the holidays.

Carolers sing in the evenings in front of a 15-foot tree, and visitors are invited to sing along. Complimentary spiced cider and cookies are served on the veranda.

The stroll is being offered daily through Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for senior citizens, and $9 for kids between 4 and 18.

Wild Wonderland at Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W. Sligh Ave. — Enjoy a holiday stroll around the zoo and see a dazzling display of lights synchronized to holiday music, see lighted animal figures and possible snow flurries, enjoy rides, and see some penguins.

Admission is $15 for adults, 
$13 for children between 3 and 11, and free for children younger than 3.

Ice Palace at International Plaza, 2223 N. West Shore Blvd. — The mall transforms into the Ice Palace, a 30-foot dome with snow, a light show, and interactive snow globes depicting scenes from the Disney movie “Frozen.”

Entertainment includes an icy handprint experience, size comparisons with Sven and Olaf — characters from the movie — and photos with Olaf on an ice throne.

The attractions run through Dec. 24 during mall hours.

For information, visit ShopInternationalPlaza.com.

Tampa’s Downtown on Ice at Curtis Hixon Park, 600 N. Ashley Drive — Skaters can enjoy an outdoor rink in the park. Each 90-minute session, including skate rental, is $10.

DOVER
Nights of Shimmering Lights at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, 215 Sydney Washer Road — Drive through two miles of dazzling displays, illuminated tunnels, and dancing light-emitting diodes, while listening to holiday tunes on your radio.

The attraction includes more than 2,000 sculpted light displays.

After you drive through the light tunnels, stop at Christmas Village, where you can drink hot chocolate, watch holiday movies, and have a picture taken with Santa.

Admission is $15 per car Monday through Wednesday evenings, and $20 per car Thursday through Sunday evenings.

LARGO
Holiday Lights in the Gardens at the Florida Botanical Gardens, 12520 Ulmerton Road — Every evening through Dec. 31, visitors can stroll through the gardens from 5:30 to 9:30, enjoying laser lights, flora and fauna displays, decorated trees, a 7-foot gingerbread house, and more.

There’s free entertainment, and visits from Santa Claus.

Admission is $4 for those 13 and older

WESLEY CHAPEL
Symphony in Lights at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive — The shopping center offers nightly synchronized music and light shows on the hour, from 6 p.m. through 9 p.m., through Dec. 31.

The free attraction features a 55-foot tree with more than 250,000 lights and snow flurries. 

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH
Holiday Lighted Boat Parade at the Holiday Inn Harbourside, 401 Second St. — Come watch a parade of all kinds of boats decked out for the holidays.

The parade is open for all kinds of boats, including canoes and rowboats. It begins at 7 p.m. on Dec. 20, and starts and ends at the Holiday Inn at Harbourside.

SPRING HILL
The Celebration of Lights, at Safety Town 15325 Alric Pottberg Road — Drive along a mile-long route to see a dazzling display of animated lights.

The event was the vision of Dave Parrish, a community leader in West Pasco County, who died before his vision could come to life.

The event is open at dusk through Jan. 4. Entry fees are $20 per car, and $40 for a 14-passenger van.

Published December 17, 2014

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No-cost Christmas fun for the entire family

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It’s Christmas season, and families will spend a lot of time doing holiday-themed activities together.

Nutcrackers of all sizes are just part of the Christmas decorations at the Old Lutz School. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Nutcrackers of all sizes are just part of the Christmas decorations at the Old Lutz School. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

But what does that really mean in 2014? Going to a crowded mall to buy more things? Waiting for an hour to get into a chain restaurant? Stringing up half-broken lights on the house that will stay up until well past the Super Bowl in February?

Sure, you can do all of that. But may I suggest you also spend at least one evening enjoying some of the local holiday fare?

There are activities going on where you live that provide nice entertainment without a naughty hit to your wallet.

If you want to enjoy some family-fun activities without a long drive or big price tag, consider these options:

Christmas at the Old Lutz School
The school is an area treasure, faithfully preserved and looking much like it did over the past eight decades. And naturally, they do an old-style Christmas at 18819 U.S. 41 N.

One room is full of Christmas trees, decorated by area organizations. No crazy-looking, post-modern decorations here. If you have a fond memory of a Christmas tree in your youth, it probably looked a lot like these: Simple, elegant and festive.

Another room is dedicated to a couple of train collections, with intricate details and scenery you could study for quite a while. And really, what’s a better reminder of the Christmas season than model trains? They just kind of go together.

There’s also a room full of nutcrackers. I mean, a lot of them. The hallways are decorated, too. Outside, you’re treated to some hot chocolate and a cookie.

You can visit with your neighbors, visit a historical landmark, and enjoy the kinds of refreshments people have loved since, well, since the school opened in 1927.

Did I mention this is free? You won’t pay a penny for anything. They do have barrels to collect toys and food for the less-fortunate over the holidays. But that’s part of the Christmas spirit, too.

If you miss this, you’re missing out.

Symphony in Lights at The Shops at Wiregrass
What has a quarter-million lights and 2,000 watts of holiday cheer?

Hopefully it’s not your neighbor’s Christmas decorations. But it is the Symphony in Lights at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel.

Every night in its center court, the center coordinates its sizeable Christmas display to the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. If you haven’t heard of this orchestra, you’ve probably heard their music. Their bombastic, elaborate sound mixes rock and classical music, and is used at high-energy holiday, fireworks and sporting events, as well as a bunch of holiday commercials.

And it just happens to be perfect for coordinated Christmas light displays.

What’s great about this event is the fact that they do it four times a night, so you can get there when you want. Every hour on the hour, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., they play three holiday-inspired instrumentals to go with their light display.

It’s not too long, but they alternate two different sets of songs. All you have to do is stay for the next one and hear a different trio.

By the way, this also is free. You can do some shopping while you’re there, of course. But they don’t charge a thing to come and enjoy their display. Just fit it into your schedule and enjoy.

If you time it right, you can hit both of these events in the same evening, and still get the kids home by bedtime. With a traditional Christmas at the school, and a fun, modern take at the shops, you’ll find something for everyone to enjoy. If you can’t get into the holiday spirit after these local displays, you just might be a Grinch.

Besides, all it costs is a little time and enough gas to get there. You won’t find a better deal than that in December.

The Old Lutz School is open from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 18, Dec. 20, Dec. 21 and Dec. 26-28. The display at The Shops at Wiregrass runs every night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. through Dec. 31.

For more information, visit OldLutzSchool.com or TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.

Published December 17, 2014

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Moore takes aim at sexual predators with new ordinance

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New Pasco County commissioner Mike Moore wasted no time settling into his office, nor cementing his relationship with county sheriff Chris Nocco, proposing an ordinance Monday that could be one of the toughest in the state against registered sexual predators and sexual offenders.

Moore wants to introduce a draft ordinance at the commission’s regular Jan. 13 meeting that would expand existing state law requiring registered predators and offenders to not live within 2,500 feet of where children might congregate.

It’s modeled after an ordinance already in place in Miami-Dade County, and that already has been challenged in federal court by the American Civil Liberties Union. That ordinance prohibits predators and offenders from living within 1,000 feet of a school.

Moore’s would go beyond even that. He wants nearly a half-mile separating predators and offenders from not only schools, but also bus stops, day care centers, libraries, assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

“Anywhere that our most vulnerable citizens congregate,” Moore told reporters Monday at The Shops at Wiregrass, where the sheriff’s office maintains a field office.

Considering the number of bus stops in Pasco County number more than 6,500, that alone could make it nearly impossible for someone who is a registered predator or offender to move into or live in the county. Nocco said he had no problem with that.

“It’s not a bad day if they all leave the county,” he said.

For details on Moore’s proposal, check out the Dec. 10 print edition of The Laker/Lutz News.

Porters give blood, sweat, tears to Wiregrass Ranch development

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Not too long ago, Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn called Pasco County a bedroom community, doing nothing more than supplement the economic engine of his county, Hillsborough.

Whether Buckhorn’s observation of Pasco is accurate or not now is not what J.D. Porter is focused on. Instead, he wants to make sure that’s not the Pasco County of tomorrow.

J.D. Porter, right, joins his late father, Don, in groundbreaking ceremonies that helped create what would become the Wiregrass Ranch development area in Pasco County. The Porter family has owned much of the land for decades. (File Photo)
J.D. Porter, right, joins his late father, Don, in groundbreaking ceremonies that helped create what would become the Wiregrass Ranch development area in Pasco County. The Porter family has owned much of the land for decades. (File Photo)

“Bedroom communities are not the future,” Porter recently told members of the Pasco Alliance for Community Associations.

Porter represents his family in the expansive Wiregrass Ranch project that is converting thousands of acres of grazing and agricultural land into sustainable residential neighborhoods and corporate parks in the greater Wesley Chapel area.

The land is part of more than 14,000 acres the Porter family picked up in 1941 at $1.73 an acre when their previous land holdings in Zephyrhills were grabbed to create what would become the municipal airport there.

Porter’s uncle would be the first to flip his land, doubling his money in just four years in what would later become Meadow Pointe. But J.D.’s grandfather James and father Don would hold on for decades.

“We could’ve easily sold out to a bunch of different developers, but none of them represented the legacy that my dad and my grandfather really embraced,” J.D. Porter said. “They wanted to do all the things they didn’t have growing up. That is why you see a college and a hospital, something other communities don’t have after 35 years. Here, you see them in before there is even a rooftop at Wiregrass.”

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel far exceeded any of the initial expectations, and already is running at capacity, Porter said.

Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch opened in 2013 already saw its enrollment jump more than 22 percent in its second year.

The Shops at Wiregrass, which opened in 2008 at the corner of State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, makes more money per square foot — about $15 more — than Tampa’s International Mall, Porter said.

Property nearby along the east side of State Road 56 is planned for more of a mixed use, including the possibility of constructing apartments up to five stories tall.

“It would be for young professionals working at the hospital, at the college, or even with Raymond James, they might be able to catch some of those buyers,” Porter said. Rents there could run as high as $1.25 a square foot — or $1,375 for a 1,100-square-foot unit — well above some of the typical prices of about $1 per square foot.

Porter doesn’t want to just start and stop with young professionals, however. Instead, he envisions having a community that serves all walks of life, from birth to retirement. That’s why that particular area also includes plans for a 300-unit active adult community that could save families having to drive to places like Zephyrhills or the University of South Florida area to see older relatives.

Pasco has not had tremendous luck in attracting big-name employers to the county, but Raymond James Financial is still at the table, Porter said. The St. Petersburg-based financial company announced in 2011 plans to build two 100,000-square-foot buildings that could bring 750 jobs to the area by 2024. The county and state even kicked in $15 million in tax incentives to help make it happen.

Raymond James, however, missed its 2012 target date to start construction. Making matters worse, the company says it will likely delay that project up to five years simply because they’re not ready to expand.

“We think it’s a great site over time,” Raymond James’ chief executive Paul Reilly said during an October symposium. “But right now, we don’t need the space, and when we need the space, we’ll look at expansion there, or see what happens to our other facilities.”

But it’s just not the economy holding that project up, Porter said. It’s the federal government.

“We have all the permits from Pasco County, and all the permits from Swiftmud,” Porter said, referring to the Southwest Florida Water Management District. “What we’ve been waiting for over the past 16 months is the Army Corps of Engineers. There are a lot of things I’d rather do than deal with these people. It is disgusting.”

Although there are a lot of hands in the Wiregrass Ranch pot when it comes to development, Porter refuses to take a backseat.

“So much blood, sweat and tears go into this,” he said. “But you only get one shot to do it right.”

Published December 3, 2014

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Rushe Middle goes extra mile to encourage reading

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Students from Rushe Middle School traipsed through Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass, on a scavenger hunt to solve a riddle.

They went from place to place picking up new clues in a search that finally led them to the discovery of the selection for the book the We Be Book’n club will read over the next few months.

Sgt. Robert Loring, a veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, unveils the book that the We Be Book’n book club is reading at Rushe Middle School. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Sgt. Robert Loring, a veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, unveils the book that the We Be Book’n book club is reading at Rushe Middle School. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The big unveil took place on Nov. 11, and the school-wide book club will read the young adult adaptation of “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand. It tells the story of Olympian Louis Zamperini’s journey from airman to castaway to captive.

Students, accompanied by their parents, dropped by a table to get pointers on how the scavenger hunt worked, and picked up their first clue. As they solved one clue in one part of the bookstore, they received another clue that led them to a different part of the bookstore.

They concluded their search by meeting former Sgt. Robert Loring, a veteran who was a qualified parachute jumpmaster in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

Rushe faculty members Dawn Gilliland and Kelli Rapaport came up with the idea of creating a school-wide book club, according to school principal David Salerno. The principal was quickly onboard with the idea, and Rushe’s teachers, staff and parents have been great supporters, Gilliland said.

Gilliland — an information and communication technology literacy coach at Rushe — and Rapport, an intensive reading teacher, said the book club aims to motivate kids to read. So far, more than 100 students have joined the voluntary club.

“It’s just for fun,” Rapaport said. “We just want to get kids excited about literacy.”

Both women view themselves as avid readers and want to pass along their love of the written word to Rushe’s students. They selected an informational text because they want to help students develop the ability to read for information. They also wanted students to see that these kinds of books can be fascinating.

“We see kids who just aren’t reading, especially informational texts,” Gilliland said. “They don’t have that passion.”

Hillenbrand’s book recounts a story about perseverance, Salerno said. It’s a character trait he hopes students will develop.

The message Salerno hopes students will get from the book is this: “No matter what barriers you have, you can overcome them.” Salerno thinks the book is a good choice because it introduces students to a genre they don’t normally read.

The big reveal at Barnes & Noble capped weeks of buildup. Rushe staff members helped create a sense of excitement through dramatizations during which they pretended to beg for the book title’s name, offered bribes for the name, and even broke down crying.

Yet, Gilliland and Rapaport refused to give out the title.

At one point, they wrapped copies of the book in brown paper and marked them with the words “confidential” and “top secret,” and placed them at various places around the school. Teachers also talked up the big reveal.

Rapaport and Gilliland worked with the managers at Barnes & Noble to plan the event. Gilliland’s husband Jeff joined the teachers to developer the clues.

“Every clue has to go with what’s in the book,” Rapaport said. “It’s really previewing the content for them ahead of time.”

Jennifer Kosowski, whose daughter Brooke is a seventh-grader at Rushe, appreciates the efforts the school is making to encourage reading.

“It’s fun,” she said. “It gets them in here and gets them interested in reading.”

Brooke said she had fun figuring out the clues, noting some of them weren’t very easy.

The Barnes & Noble event is just one of many activities the school has planned for the book club. Over the next few months, as they read the book, a number of special events will take place that center on the book’s themes.

For instance, the school will have a mock Olympics because the book’s main character was an Olympian. The final event will be a lock-in at the school’s David Estabrook Collaboration Center, where students and staff members will spend the night playing games, watching movies, and having a chance to win prizes.

Published December 3, 2014

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Holiday happenings abound: Prepare to have fun

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Whether it’s a stroll along Christmas Card Lane in Lutz, tree lighting festivities in Zephyrhills, synchronized tree lights and music at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, or a magical Christmas parade in Dade City — there are plenty of holiday events in coming weeks to put on your calendars.

Several events are planned in anticipation of the holidays in Lutz.

Here’s just one of the displays that visitors are likely to encounter if they visit the Old Lutz School during the holiday season. (File photo)
Here’s just one of the displays that visitors are likely to encounter if they visit the Old Lutz School during the holiday season. (File photo)

Shoppers looking for a unique gift may want to check out the 2014 Lutz Arts & Crafts Festival at Lake Park, 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway, on the weekend of Dec. 6-7.

The annual event attracts more than 250 vendors, offering a wide array of items including paintings, photography, jewelry, woodcarvings, ceramics and pottery, and stained glass.

The juried art show awards cash prizes as the year’s biggest fundraiser for the GFWC Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, and supports a multitude of community organizations and activities. The event also features various food selections, including the woman’s club’s famous peach cobbler.

The event’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 6, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 7. There is no admission charge, but parking costs $2.

The Lutz community also is planning a couple other events likely to appeal to those who enjoy old-fashioned holiday festivities. At the 18th annual Christmas at the Old Lutz School, 18819 U.S. 41 N., visitors can walk through rooms to enjoy holiday displays, listen to musical presentations, sip a cup of hot chocolate, and nibble on a cookie.

There is no admission charge, but donations are accepted. Proceeds are used for the Old Lutz School. Canned foods and new toys also are accepted to provide for those less fortunate.

It’s open this year from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 11, Dec. 13, Dec. 14, Dec. 16, Dec. 18, Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Dec. 26, Dec. 27 and Dec. 28. For a nominal fee, children can enjoy breakfast with Santa from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 13.

For those who like entertainment, the heartwarming Christmas musical, “3 Wise Men and a Baby” may be just the ticket. Heritage Church, 1854 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz, is presenting free performances of the play at 7 p.m. on Dec. 13, and 10:30 a.m. Dec. 14.

Lutz also is planning another community event beginning at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16, when it will showcase its Christmas Card Lane.

The event features the displays of four-by-eight-foot illuminated holiday cards, along with performances by children from local schools, a visit by Santa, hot chocolate and cookies.

The event takes place at the corner of U.S. 41 and Lutz Lake Fern Road in the vicinity of the Lutz Train Depot near the library.

Those who enjoy holiday concerts may want to plan on attending one of two presentations of “A Saint Leo Christmas,” at Saint Leo University in the town of St. Leo. The free presentations are scheduled for 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 2 in the Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms of the Student Community Center, 33701 State Road 52.

Although admission is free, those attending the 7 p.m. show must call to reserve tickets to be assured seating. To reserve a seat, call Tamra Hunt at (352) 588-8294.

The Founders Garden Club of San Antonio also is gearing up for its annual “Christmas in the Park,” held at 7 p.m. on Dec. 7 in the city park.

The event includes lighted Christmas cards placed around the park by area businesses and families. After the lighting, the Rev. Santiago Huron and his musical family from Heritage Bible Church of San Antonio will present a Christmas concert.

The event also includes refreshments, carol singing, and a Nativity blessing by the Rev. Edwin Palka.

Those who enjoy watching parades may want to mark their calendars for the 2014 Magical Night of Christmas Parade in Dade City at 7 p.m. on Dec. 5, and the parade planned for 6 p.m. on Dec. 6 during the Festival of Lights in Zephyrhills.

The Dade City parade, organized by the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, will feature bands, floats and walking units.

In addition to the parade, the Festival of Lights, presented by Main Street Zephyrhills, has a theme this year of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Another event likely to draw a big crowd is the 30th annual Lighting of the Trees, hosted by Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, on the front lawn of the hospital, 7050 Gall Blvd.

The event includes decorating trees, entertainment, a live Nativity, Santa’s arrival, skydivers, and of course the tree lighting and some fireworks.

Forest Lake Estates, 6429 Forest Lake Drive in Zephyrhills, has its annual craft fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 6. It will feature handcrafted items including jewelry, jams, decorations and other goods.

Those who enjoy a lively Christmas lights show can swing by The Shops at Wiregrass to take in its seventh annual Symphony of Lights. The holiday light show features a 55-foot tall tree and more than 250,000 lights, synchronized to music by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Shows run nightly, on the hour, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., through Dec. 31 at 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel.

Wesley Chapel also has a new performing arts company presenting O. Henry’s heartwarming story “The Gift of the Magi.” Dreamhouse Theatre will present the play at 8 p.m. on Dec. 5 and at 2 p.m. on Dec. 6 at Bridgeway Church, 30660 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

Tickets at the door are $22 for adults, and $17 for students and kids 12 and younger. Tickets also are available at a discounted rate online at DreamhouseTheatre.com.

For those who don’t mind venturing out of the area to take in some holiday sights and sounds, there are a host of offerings that they may find enticing.

The Celebration of Lights is a new attraction in Tampa Bay, which features a mile-long route that motorists can drive along to see a dazzling display of animated lights.

The event was the vision of Dave Parrish, a community leader in West Pasco who died before his vision could come to life.

The event is open at dusk on Nov. 27-30, and Dec. 5-Jan. 4 at 15325 Alric Pottberg Road in Spring Hill. Entry fees are $20 per car and $40 for a 14-passenger van.

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No tricks, but plenty of free community treats for Halloween

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Many families will go door-to-door in local neighborhoods searching for candy this Halloween. But if you’d rather do something different — or don’t want to limit the fun to Oct. 31 — there are several public events to enjoy.

Mr. Tommy, right, is a regular at The Shops at Wiregrass annual Halloween event, which will be on Oct. 29 this year. He’ll perform at 10 a.m., and serve as emcee for the costume contest at 11 a.m. (Courtesy of The Shops at Wiregrass)
Mr. Tommy, right, is a regular at The Shops at Wiregrass annual Halloween event, which will be on Oct. 29 this year. He’ll perform at 10 a.m., and serve as emcee for the costume contest at 11 a.m. (Courtesy of The Shops at Wiregrass)

Several activities — most of them free — occur the weekend before Halloween, while others are scheduled for the week of the holiday, and the rest on Oct. 31.

For families
Halloween Howl in Zephyrhills is an annual free event Oct. 25 along Fifth Avenue from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

There will be a costume parade, a hayride — which costs $2 — and free books for children. There’s also a haunted house at 38533 Fifth Ave., the historic Jeffries House.

The costume parade starts at 6 p.m., near the 7-Eleven on Fifth.

If daytime activities are better for your schedule, Hillbilly Farms at 10325 U.S. 98 in Dade City, will host its annual Harvest Festival Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hayrides, horseback rides, face painting, pumpkin painting and train rides on the Woodland Express all are on the agenda.

Food and other vendors also will be available.

If you’re looking for something on a weekday morning, The Shops At Wiregrass at 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel will have a Halloween event Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to noon in its parking structure.

Around 400 children are expected to attend, with gift bags ready for each of them.

Debbie Detweiler, The Shops’ marketing director, said the shopping location enjoys putting something special on each year that attracts so many people.

“It’s just a great opportunity for us to be able to give back to the community and provide free entertainment for families,” she said.

That free entertainment includes cookie decorating, balloon art, face painting, crafts and a photo booth. There will also be a costume contest for children 11 and younger benefiting the American Cancer Society, with the winner receiving a family four-pack to Legoland.

The cost is $15 until the day of the contest, and $20 on the day of the event.

Registrations must be completed by Oct. 29 at 10:30 a.m. To register in advance, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.

For pets
Your four-legged friends can participate in the Halloween fun with Spooky Tails on Oct. 25, an annual event at Parwick Kennels, 22129 Carson Road in Land O’ Lakes.

Starting at noon, children can enjoy pony rides and face painting, with a police dog demonstration at 1:30 p.m.

But it’s the pets that go all out for the event, with a costume contest that begins at 2:30 p.m. Each entry gets a free pumpkin and the winner receives $200.

Local business booths, raffles and live music round out the information and entertainment.

While it’s a fun Halloween-themed event, it’s also a fundraiser to help pay the bills for police dogs when they retire from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. It also helps pay for equipment and other supplies for the K-9 Unit.

In the past, Spooky Tails has helped pay for a bite suit, which is used in K-9 training drills.

For more information about the event, call (813) 949-1687, or visit ParwickKennels.com.

Halloween alternatives
If your family doesn’t celebrate Halloween, or you’d prefer to participate in a faith-based setting, there’s fall fun on your schedule, too. Several churches are hosting events on or around Halloween.

On Oct. 31, Myrtle Lake Baptist Church, 2017 Reigler Road in Land O’ Lakes, will hold a Trunk-A-Treat celebration from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free, and includes games, face painting, balloons and candy.

That same evening, Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 2348 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, will host its Trunk or Treat event from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Children will go from car to car — with their trunks and tailgates open — in the church’s parking lot to collect candy and other treats in this family-friendly environment.

Also on Oct. 31, Idlewild Baptist Church, 18333 Exciting Idlewild in Lutz, will have its Light the Night event from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. No costumes are allowed, but there will be games, a hayride and inflatables.

The cost is $3 per person or $15 per family, with children under 2 admitted free.

Published October 22, 2014

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Fairfield Inn planning Wiregrass Ranch location

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Wiregrass Ranch has a mall, a hospital, a college campus, and in the near future — a new hotel.

Developers want to build a 92-room Fairfield Inn & Suites on State Road 56, on a 91-acre parcel east of The Shops at Wiregrass. It would be located less than a mile off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, and be close not only to the mall, but also to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

Pasco County officials will meet with developers in a non-public meeting next week to hash out some of the details of the project, but it will be located on land that has been used for decades for grazing at Wiregrass Ranch. It’s not clear if developers plan to subdivide that tract of land on State Road 56, or to provide other outparcel amenities, since the 91 acres is far more than the typical 2 acres or so a hotel of this size would need.

The developer, who was not identified in documents filed with the county, has hired Hardeman-Kempton & Associates of Tampa to manage the project, which will include 54,500 square feet of commercial space.

It would be just the second Fairfield Inn in Pasco County, joining a 78-room hotel in Holiday. The chain is considered one of the lower-cost brands operated by the Marriott chain, and locations typically are franchised out.

Bus service now including PHSC’s Porter Campus

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The bus schedule for Route 54 has been adjusted, allowing it to now include Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

Pasco County Public Transportation started offering the bus service Sept. 29, and will come to the campus every two hours beginning at 8:07 a.m., and ending at 6:07 p.m.

Students are eligible for discount fares and passes with a valid PCPT reduced fare card, and can use a bus shelter and stop on the north side of the main facility, next to the parking garage.

“This is a wonderful addition” to the system, said PCPT director Mike Carroll, in a release. “I encourage students who use the campus to consider using the bus service as their main way to commute to school. Students able to catch the bus will save money on gas and transportation costs.”

Cross County Route 54 also makes stops at The Shops at Wiregrass, The Grove, Zephyrhills, and Medical Center of Trinity.

PCPT also operates the county’s para-transit services for those unable to access services because of a verifiable disability, environmental barrier, or distance from a route.

Those who would like more information about PCPT can call (813) 235-6073.

Bus route can be found by clicking here. More information on routes and schedules can be found right here.

‘Pretty Little Liars’ star visiting The Shops

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Keegan Allen, one of the stars of the ABC Family television series “Pretty Little Liars,” will make an appearance at The Shops at Wiregrass on Aug. 2 as part of the shopping center’s Back-to-School Bash.

Allen, who plays Toby on the show, will be available between noon and 3 p.m., where some lucky fans will have a chance to get his autograph and a back-to-school style guide.

“The Shops at Wiregrass is thrilled to bring Keegan Allen to Wesley Chapel for a meet-and-greet with his local fans,” said Debbie Detweiler, marketing director at The Shops, in a release. “Our team enjoys ‘Pretty Little Liars” fashion-forward attitude for teens and young adults, and many of our shops carry styles and even brands featured on the show.”

The event also will include live performances from D.J. Milez and Kira Taylor.

Allen has been nominated for two Teen Choice Awards for his role on the ABC Family show, winning in 2013.

The Shops at Wiregrass is located at 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel. For more information on the event, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.