University of South Florida

Florida could decide 2016 presidential election

June 24, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Predictions as to which Republican candidate will come away with the prize of the national party’s presidential nomination is an impossible task this early in the race. But there is no doubt that Florida will be a pivotal state in a hard-fought 2016 election, according to Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida political scientist.

“There’s not another state in the country that will be this competitive,” she said. “It’s considered a bellwether, a microcosm.”

Susan MacManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida, offered insights into the 2016 presidential race to members of the Conservative Club of East Pasco. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo) — Susan MacManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida, offered insights into the 2016 presidential race to members of the Conservative Club of East Pasco.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

MacManus addressed about 30 people at the Conservative Club of East Pasco on June 15 at the group’s monthly meeting in Zephyrhills.

The Interstate 4 corridor will be key to carrying the state, she said.

Gov. Rick Scott had just a 1 percent edge in votes along I-4 in his re-election victory over former Gov. Charlie Christ in 2014. And, past presidential elections were decided by about that same slim margin.

“Almost half of registered voters are between Pinellas County and Daytona Beach,” MacManus said.

Florida mirrors the nation in demographics such as population age and diversity among registered voters, though not among total population.

It is a myth, MacManus joked, that people in Florida are 95 years or older. Also untrue is the perception that all Hispanics in Florida are Cuban, she said.

Along I-4, for instance, Puerto Ricans are the largest Hispanic demographic.

One of the most intensely fought over groups will be the millennials. The generation from about age 18 to age 24 is going to be as influential as the baby boomers were in their day, she said.

“I see a little bit more movement (of millennials) back to the Republicans,” MacManus said. “A lot of that is over fiscal issues.”

To date, 12 candidates have announced among Republicans including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Donald Trump.

MacManus was dismissive of Trump.

And, her first encounter with Gov. Scott Walker, who has not officially announced as a candidate, was not impressive.

“I was rather disappointed,” she said, though she will give him another chance. “I didn’t think he’d had a lot of sleep.”

Bush’s launch of his campaign, however, was masterfully done, she said. He spoke to a crowd that reflected the diversity in Miami and across the country, dispelling the criticism that Republican crowds are mostly white.

MacManus also noted that the Republican field of candidates is more diverse than Democrats running for president.

Bush’s first speech as a candidate struck an anti-Washington tone, MacManus said. She expects he will tout his economic record in Florida and his education reforms, as well.

The question MacManus is asked most often is who will win Florida’s Republican primary, Bush or Sen. Marco Rubio.

She doesn’t have a crystal ball on that one.

“So much is volatile,” she said.

She does predict that the 2016 presidential race will be the most expensive ever, and Tampa Bay will be in the thick of it.

“This is really going to a happening spot,” MacManus said.

However, local and state candidates may face challenges because national races, including Congressional elections, will compete for donations and media attention. They could be “starved out a bit,” MacManus said.

On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is the front-runner for the party’s nomination. But MacManus said, “It is surprising to see the interest in (Sen.) Bernie Sanders…People find him very interesting.”

She also has been surprised that there are women voters who like Sen. Elizabeth Warren “but wouldn’t vote for Hillary Clinton.”

Some of Clinton’s support comes from women voters who believe she got a “raw deal” in 2008 when then-candidate Sen. Barack Obama won the nomination.

But there is another reason.

“She would be the first woman president,” MacManus said. “People love people that can break the mold. That’s why Obama got elected. He broke one of the biggest barriers – race.”

Voter turnout will be crucial for both parties.

“The emphasis, and rightly so, will be to get people to vote,” she said. Though extended and early voting is popular, the trend hasn’t boosted overall turnout, she added. “Both parties have felt the sting of bad turnout.”

With the election about 17 months away, residents should be prepared for campaigns that likely will be fought through social media, scare tactics and negative advertisements, MacManus said.

“That’s kind of sad,” she said.

But on the plus side, Florida and Tampa Bay will be the place for politics.

“Thank God, I don’t live in North Dakota,” MacManus said. “How very dull.”

Published June 24, 2015

Goodbye, Mrs. Fernandez

June 10, 2015 By B.C. Manion

In her 38 years as an educator, Mary Fernandez relied on this simple guiding principle: Is it what’s best for children?

In sorting through the myriad issues and competing interests that a principal faces in the day-to-day work of running a school, that principle provided clarity when making decisions, Fernandez said.

Fernandez joined Lutz Elementary School’s staff in 1993, as an assistant principal.

Mary Fernandez, principal at Lutz Elementary for the past 11 years, retired this week. She was an educator for 38 years. While she’s stepping away from her full-time duties, she suspects that after giving herself some time to relax, she’ll be involved in education again, but not on a full-time basis. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Mary Fernandez, principal at Lutz Elementary for the past 11 years, retired this week. She was an educator for 38 years. While she’s stepping away from her full-time duties, she suspects that after giving herself some time to relax, she’ll be involved in education again, but not on a full-time basis.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She took over the school’s top post 11 years ago, becoming only just the third principal to lead the school during the past 40 years.

Fernandez took the reins from Gloria Kolka, who succeeded Eulah McWilliams.

The decision to become an educator came early for Fernandez.

She vividly recalls sitting in her fourth-grade classroom at St. Patrick’s Catholic School in South Tampa, looking at her teacher Rebecca Thomas, and thinking: “I want to be her.”

She never wavered from that desire.

Fernandez attended the University of South Florida, graduating in three years, and began her teaching career at St. Lawrence Catholic School, when she was 21.

“I worked there for seven years. It is absolutely amazing the number of children, that are now adults, that I run into,” she said.

Indeed, one of those former students, Dr. Joe Lezama, of the James A. Haley Veterans Administration Hospital, surprised her at her retirement party.

“It was really quite touching.

“He talked about when he was 9 and he came to my class, and he had just moved to the city. He was lost,” she said. But he settled in, and life moved on.

Last year, he came with his children to the school, and when he walked in the door, he asked: “Are you Mrs. Fernandez?’”

She responded: “You’re my Joey.”

“It’s full circle,” Fernandez said.

After teaching at St. Lawrence, she went on to teach at Citrus Park Elementary, under the direction of Principal Virginia Urbanek, who is now deceased.

“What a great, great mentor she was,” Fernandez said.

When Fernandez told Urbanek she was interested in becoming an administrator, she said Urbanek told her: “Just come every Monday morning and sit with me.”

Urbanek was an early riser.

“From 6:30 to 7:30, whatever she was working on, she let me watch,” Fernandez said.

As the day progressed, Urbanek would pop in to tell Fernandez how she followed through on various issues.

When Urbanek opened Essrig Elementary as its first principal, Fernandez joined the school’s inaugural staff.

She took on her first administrative role at Lutz Elementary.

She was attracted to the school because of the community’s hometown feel.

“Lutz is well known for that,” Fernandez said.

“I didn’t want just a job,” she explained. “I wanted to be part of a family and part of a community, and I never left,” she said.

Despite her many years as an administrator, Fernandez said she has never forgotten what brought her into education in the first place.

“I loved being in the classroom, and I loved the children, and to be honest with you, I miss it every single day.

“But I found that by being an administrator, you could really be involved in so many other children’s lives,” she said.

At Lutz Elementary, she said, “We treat children like our own. If this were your child, how would you want them to be treated?”

It means being caring, but she added, “It also means tough love.”

“We just need to love children and take care of them, and I wanted to share that value with other people,” Fernandez said.

During her years as an educator, she’s seen a greater degree of attention being paid to schools at every level — federal, state, local and community.

She agrees that accountability is important, but she also thinks many communities need to do more to help schools succeed.

“The best schools are in communities that support them. That doesn’t mean wealthy, it means communities that support them.

“Lutz is a unique community. Honestly, my wish would be that a lot of schools could feel the connection to their community like we do,” Fernandez said.

And, while technology and curriculum changes, there are some aspects of education that are timeless, she said.

“You have to work with every child, individually. If you don’t understand them personally, it doesn’t matter what program you give them. You’ve got to reach them individually. You have to reach their heart,” she said.

“You have to know their family. You have to know where they’ve come from. Their values. What they’re afraid of. What their goals are,” she added.

“You have to let them know that you care about them.

“And that,” Fernandez said, “has not changed.”

Published June 10, 2015

Florida Hospital Center Ice skates into view

May 20, 2015 By Kathy Steele

A naming contest for the ice rink complex under construction in Wesley Chapel drew some 200 suggestions.

And, the winner is: Florida Hospital Center Ice.

The name and logo were unveiled May 14 by Florida Hospital representatives and Gordie Zimmermann whose company, Z Mitch, is building the 150,000-square-foot ice rink and sports complex.

Hockey fans watch from the sidelines in this interior rendering of Florida Hospital Center Ice, an ice rink and sports complex under construction at the State Road 56 and Interstate 75 interchange. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Center Ice) — Hockey fans watch from the sidelines in this interior rendering of Florida Hospital Center Ice, an ice rink and sports complex under construction at the State Road 56 and Interstate 75 interchange.
(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Center Ice)

The name is fitting, said Zimmermann, because so much takes place in a rink at center ice. That includes face-offs over hockey pucks and figure skaters waiting for their music cues to begin their programs, he said.

“It truly is a center for sports. It has a good ring to it,” Zimmermann said, of the name for the complex at 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., off State Road 56 and near Interstate 75.

Many of the contest entries adopted “center” as part of the overall name for the ice rink.

“It’s pretty exciting that we had so much interest from the community,” said Denyse Bales-Chubb, the president and chief executive officer at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

The hospital, which purchased naming rights for the complex, is partnering with Z Mitch on the project and will offer sports performance and injury prevention programs. Fitness and wellness programs, as well as orthopedic and outpatient rehabilitation services, also will be provided.

“Not only are we going to be a name on the building, but we’ll have a function inside the building,” Bales-Chubb said.

The complex is headed for a fall 2015 opening, likely around the same time as the nearby Tampa Premium Outlets opens, Zimmermann said.

Pre-construction work is nearly finished, and Zimmermann anticipates building construction to be underway by summer.

The facility is expected to have regional and even international appeal from youth hockey leagues to global hockey tournaments.

“We’re getting a lot of people nationwide and in Canada who are interested,” Zimmermann said.

There will be four full-sized ice rinks and a mini-rink. A removable pad will be able to double as a multi-purpose floor for basketball and other sports, including soccer and lacrosse.

A sports-themed family-style restaurant also is planned. Non-sports activities, such as dog shows and graduation ceremonies, are likely as well.

Some open house events will be sponsored this summer, Zimmermann said.

One sport that might find a home at the ice rink is curling.

University of South Florida graduate Tabitha Holden can hardly wait. She became a curling enthusiast during the last Winter Olympics.

She and other USF students joined together to find team members and a coach and donors willing to pledge funding for a curling league. But they soon learned the biggest hurdle is finding a facility that can accommodate special icing needs for curling.

Holden, 27, hasn’t given up though. Florida Hospital Center Ice could be just the place they need.

“This is a really cool game,” Holden said.

Published May 20, 2015

Speakers shed light on health care challenges

May 13, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Patients and providers offered insights into obstacles relating to the treatment of people living with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis during a recent roundtable hosted by U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

Bilirakis, who is a member of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Health, hosted a roundtable focusing on neurological conditions on May 6 at the Carrollwood Cultural Center.

Bilirakis asked panelists and members of the audience to talk about challenges facing patients and their families, and obstacles thwarting providers. He also asked those gathered to share information about clinical trials and breakthroughs.

Ron Hall, who has Alzheimer’s disease told Bilirakis, “probably the biggest thing is the unknown —trying to figure out what you’re going to do to keep your life normal as possible.”

The hard part, he said, is “just not knowing what’s coming your way.

“With all of these other diseases out there, you can say, ‘I’m going to fight it. I’m going to beat it.’ With Alzheimer’s, there’s no beating it.”

Hall’s wife, Diane, said “we’ve never been to a neurologist, just a geriatric doctor and had tests performed.

“Sometimes, we think, maybe we should go, and then we ask ourselves: ‘Do you really want to know how far along you are?’ ” she said.

Dr. Charles Brock, another panelist, told the couple: “I think visiting the neurologist is helpful. It’s empowering because that physician is likely to know there may be drug trials going on, there may be new treatments, there may be new supportive measures that would be helpful to you and at least give you the opportunity to make a decision about what you want, which gives you more control.”

Dr. Jessica Banko, associate institute director for the University of South Florida’s Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, agreed with Brock.

“Having some of that knowledge of where in the journey you lie may open doors to additional measures, not always necessarily pharmacological,” Banko said. “There are caregiver interventions to minimize stress and burden, and improve quality of life; there are behavioral measures and other ways to get involved in, maybe in validating new diagnostic tools.”

Dr. Juan Sanchez-Ramos, who serves as the medical director of the Parkinson’s Research Foundation Center of Excellence at the Morsani College of Medicine, said “one of the big obstacles in moving forward in finding new treatments is the difficulties that we often encounter in the recruitment for clinical trials.

“People have a misconception about clinical trials. They’re worried, ‘Well, I might get the sugar pill.’ ‘I might get a placebo.’ Or, ‘I don’t want to be a guinea pig.’ ”

The physician said he always thought it would be easy to recruit patients for specific clinical studies, but he has learned that is not the case.

“I know, in my clinic, when I see a patient, I bring up the possibility of clinical studies and describe what’s available in Tampa and what’s available in other parts of the state, and what’s available in the United States,” he said.

Banko noted: “The truth is, the only access we have right now to new treatment measures for Alzheimer’s disease is through clinical trial participation.”

She added that the government hosts a website called ClinicalTrials.gov that lists anywhere from 20 to 60 trials, at any given time, that are enrolling for different kinds of treatment options for various stages of the disease.

Sanchez-Ramos said physicians are another source of information.

“Ask the physician if he or she is aware of any research going on involving new medications, new interventions, new surgical procedures for that specific condition,” he advised.

In the arena of Alzheimer’s disease, a huge frustration is the fact that even though amyloid imaging was a huge advancement, it is only available to patients through clinical trials, Banko said.

Dr. Rob Norman, who treats patients in long-term care facilities, expects the challenges to increase.

As Baby Boomers age, “we have what I call a silver tsunami going on.”

He said health care providers must rise to that challenge.

“We want to have, not just more treatments, but prevention and a vaccine. We shouldn’t settle for anything less than that.”

One caregiver in the audience urged Bilirakis to seek increased continuing education requirements for physicians and nurses, to improve the diagnosis and care of people who have neurological conditions.

It’s not just a lack of resources, said Diane Hall.

Some people who suffer from a neurological condition, such as Alzheimer’s, don’t want others to know about it.

“We can’t find a cure for it, if people don’t raise their hand and let everyone know there is such a need,” she said. “It’s going to be 10 to 20 times (as bad) with Baby Boomers coming up.

“Don’t be afraid, and don’t stay in a closet,” she urged. “It’s got to come out. We’ve got to find a way.”

Published May 13, 2015

Wiregrass Ranch graduate gets Ivy League offers

May 6, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Antonio Medina wanted to give himself the best chance he could to attend the college of his choice, so he applied to several places.

“You can be a top candidate but still, it’s really tough to get in. They get more top candidates than they can accept. Sometimes, it comes down to luck,” said Medina, who will be graduating soon from Wiregrass Ranch High.

Sandra, Antonio and Alfredo Medina pose for a photo after Antonio is named salutatorian of the class of 2015 at Wiregrass Ranch High School. (Courtesy of the Medina family) — Sandra, Antonio and Alfredo Medina pose for a photo after Antonio is named salutatorian of the class of 2015 at Wiregrass Ranch High School.
(Courtesy of the Medina family)

So, he applied to scores of schools, including the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, as well as to such colleges as Princeton, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Harvard and Yale.

Brown University sent him a letter saying he would likely be accepted, Medina said.

“We were so excited about the letter. That was so amazing. We were happy with that,” he said.

On the day that the colleges announce their decisions, Medina and his mom, Sandra, were sitting at three computers, waiting.

“So, I checked Brown. I got accepted, so I was happy,” Medina said.

“We checked Penn and Columbia and Princeton. None of those.

“Then I checked Yale and got in. I was super surprised.

“I checked Harvard last. I was like, ‘Let’s just see.’ ”

And he got into Harvard, too.

“I was speechless,” his mom said. “I’m never going to forget that day.”

Medina also received full-ride offers from USF, UCF and UF.

So, then it was a matter of choosing where he would go.

He and his dad, Alfredo, visited Harvard and Yale.

Then, Medina made his final choice.

“They’re both great schools. You can’t go wrong with either school,” Medina said. “It came down to, which school did I feel better at?”

He chose Yale.

“I was more at home there,” said the Wesley Chapel resident.

He is excited about his academic future.

“The caliber of education is through the roof,” said Medina. “You have world-class professors. I could be a roommate with a future president.”

Medina ranked second in the class of 2015 at Wiregrass and also was named the school’s Most Outstanding Senior.

In addition to his academic accomplishments, he was catcher on the school’s baseball team, drum major for the marching band and a member of the jazz band.

On top of all that, he has worked for his mom and dad’s business, Gator Fred’s, a fun and party center in Carrollwood.

“I helped them since I was 7. I’ve seen what it is like to manage a business, to work in a service — entrepreneurial, all that stuff, since I was a child,” Medina said.

That work has left an indelible impression on him.

“Probably because of the influence of my family, I want to go my own way, work for myself, create something that could be my own business, or create something new that would be completely under my wing,” he said.

He describes what he has gained by working in the family business in one of the essays he wrote for his college applications.

He details how the business started at the family’s home and has evolved into its own location, Gator Fred’s, a fun and party center in Carrollwood. He then explains the impact that working in the family business has had on him.

“The establishment of Gator Fred’s didn’t just enhance what my childhood had been. The store engraved in me a vital essence of my character,” he wrote.

“With my own bare hands, I helped my family turn an enormous, empty shell of what was once a Bealls Outlet into a beautiful playground of colors and bounce houses and train rides and joy.

“This experience taught me how to manage a business before I was even a teenager. “More importantly, it showed me how to take pride in building something bigger than myself.

“Every weekend that I spent there, instead of with friends, I remained aware that this place was what provided for our food, our house, our lives.

“I never took for granted what I had. I knew the value of hard work and persistence.

“My parents taught me the dangers of taking risks but also the courage needed to make the leap. For them, I will always be grateful,” Medina’s essay says.

The young man’s success in academics began when he was young.

He said he’s always been a good student, except for during kindergarten.

“We had just moved here (from Venezuela). I was 5 and I just learned English.

“The only problem was now, I wouldn’t shut up. I just kept talking. I’d get in trouble for being too talkative,” he recalled.

His mom recalls finding out about the problem.

“The lady called me and said, ‘He is too talkative,’ ” she said. “He would talk with an empty chair.”

His mom decided to nip the problem in the bud.

She put his toys in a bag and pretended to throw them out.

“I did better in school,” Medina said. “And my toys magically reappeared.”

Apparently, the lesson stuck.

“Being good in school is good. Learning for the sake of learning is good,” he said.

Medina is graduating from Wiregrass Ranch on May 31. His younger brother, Andres, will be attending the high school next year.

Medina’s mom is clearly ecstatic about her son’s academic accomplishments.

His dad is proud, too.

“My dad has worn the same Yale shirt for the past four days,” Medina said. “It says ‘Yale Dad’.”

Published May 6, 2015

EcoFest offers fun, and food for thought

April 22, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Thousands turned out for the sixth annual EcoFest at the picturesque setting of Lowry Park.

This year’s event had the feel of a farmer’s market and that was intentional, said Michele Northrup, an event organizer from Learning Gate Community School.

Thousands of people streamed to Lowry Park on April 18 to celebrate Earth Day a bit early. The event initiated by Learning Gate Community School in Lutz had to be moved to a larger venue last year because it has become too large for the school’s campus. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Thousands of people streamed to Lowry Park on April 18 to celebrate Earth Day a bit early. The event initiated by Learning Gate Community School in Lutz had to be moved to a larger venue last year because it has become too large for the school’s campus.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The charter school, located in Lutz, has spearheaded the event since its inception.

As its name implies, the festival celebrates efforts to make the earth more sustainable by promoting energy conservation, environmental protection and healthy living practices.

The event initially took place on the grounds of the school in Lutz, but it outgrew that location.

This year, the event was on April 18 and was presented by the school, the City of Tampa and the University of South Florida’s Patel College of Global Sustainability.

Festival-goers checked out entertainment and educational presentations near the band shell at Lowry Park, 7525 N. Boulevard, and browsed through a wide assortment of vendors on the park grounds across the street from Lowry Park Zoo.

The event gave people a chance to begin celebrating Earth Day — officially April 22 — a bit early.

There were 167 vendors at the event this year, which is a record, according to Northrup. It’s also a sizable jump from last year, when there were 118.

Event-goers could pick up foods from organic farms, buy healthy pet treats, pick up some local honey, grab a bite from some food trucks or enjoy organic popcorn.

There were loads of speakers and entertainers, too.

Amanda Renaud, of Topsy Turvy, an entertainment group, strolled on stilts through the festival, towering above the crowd and flashing a bright smile.

Samantha Petrone, who played the character Ariel from The Little Mermaid, had to be carried across North Boulevard, to be placed in her spot beneath a tree.

She and other members of the Much Foundation, of Tampa, attracted attention from fascinated children and parents snapping photos of their youngsters, posing with the characters.

Last year, the event was selected as the “Best Community Event” by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Northrup was clearly enthused, as people continued streaming into the event this year.

“We made the event bigger and better than ever,” she said.

Published April 22, 2015

Connerton in early planning stages for 150-bed hospital

December 24, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Florida Hospital is inching closer to eventually building a new hospital in the Connerton community after developers there got initial approval for a 150-bed facility.

Pasco County’s Development Review Committee gave the initial OK last week for Connerton to begin planning its second phase of the project, which could include 3,600 more homes, 190,000 square feet of retail and 725,000 square feet of government space.

As Connerton continues to grow just north of Land O’ Lakes, entrances from U.S. 41 and State Road 52 will have to be improved, Pasco County officials say. (File Photo)

The revised plan adds another 110,000 square feet of medical office space, bringing that total to 200,000, doubling the nursing home beds to 100, and adding 150 beds for a hospital.

Despite the move, Connerton representative Stew Gibbons tells The Laker/Lutz News there aren’t any immediate plans to build a hospital at the Land O’ Lakes Boulevard community, located just south of State Road 52.

“What we’re doing with now is securing approval of the entitlement limits so that can decide what they can put there, depending on the market at the time,” Gibbons said. “It’s a great location, especially when Ridge Road goes through, which will give you access across the county. “

Florida Hospital — which operates local hospitals in Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills and the University of South Florida area of Tampa — owns about 34 acres of land in the county, purchased by University Community Hospital Inc., before that hospital chain was acquired by Florida Hospital’s parent. It was part of a $5.1 million land deal the hospital put together in October 2007, just as the housing market was starting to come apart.

For the second phase of Pasco’s “new town,” Connerton is looking to focus a little more on multifamily, with about a third of the proposed residential in that phase taking that route. The first phase was primarily single-family homes, with approvals for nearly 4,000 homes.

The second phase also would include Connerton’s employment center, which will be a mix of government, office, industrial and medical.

“This is an example of how Connerton always has been designed,” said Andrea Zelman, an attorney who represents the community. “We are on the road to creating those jobs.”

But to do that, some of the roads in and around Connerton will need to be upgraded. That would include turn lanes for the entrances off U.S. 41 and State Road 52, and also finishing the link with Collier Parkway that has been on the drawing board for years.

Pasco’s chief assistant county attorney David Goldstein put emphasis on the stretch of Collier Parkway, proposed to link from Ehren Cutoff, calling it a “crucial piece of roadway that we cannot ignore much longer.”

“I wanted to make sure the county people up here understand the importance of doing something about Collier Parkway,” Goldstein told the committee. “We have to find a way to build that missing gap of Collier, and get that connected up to the employment center.”

However, not everyone is for expanding Collier. Stephen Coogle, who owns a 6-acre home on Ehren Cutoff bordering the Connerton project, said neighbors to the development deserve more attention to ensure they don’t lose value in their homes.

“We need to have buffers,” Coogle said, which could come primarily by preserving existing tree lines that border his property. Also, drainage from a Collier Parkway extension would need to be properly taken care of, so that it doesn’t flood his property instead.

“Our property and wetlands are not being taken into consideration,” Coogle said. “Progress needs to happen, but we should not have to sacrifice what we paid for.”

Gibbons said Connerton developers are working to address concerns of neighbors, but that many of Coogle’s concerns are premature.

“We are in the timing and phasing process, and we haven’t even designed anything yet,” Gibbons said.

When that process does begin, surrounding neighbors would be notified, and have a chance to express concern while those plans are drawn up.

Roadway improvements will be funded in part by a nearly $30 million contribution by Connerton, along with another $7.7 million in county incentives.

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Local Pearl Harbor documentary to air Dec. 7

December 5, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

It’s a day that will live in infamy, and one Pasco County Television will remember with a locally produced documentary on Japan’s surprise attack of Pearl Harbor.

“In Their War: America at War” will air on the government cable channel Dec. 7 beginning at 12:30 p.m. It features two Pasco residents — Werner Klemm of Port Richey and George Kass of New Port Richey. Klemm served on the USS Dobbin, while Kass was on the USS San Francisco.

The Dobbin was spared major damage, despite displaying admiral flags, and was not able to intervene in the attack from its moored location near Ford Island. The San Francisco was at Pearl Harbor for much-needed repair work, and was not even in combat condition. It also was spared major damage in the attack.

The documentary is produced by Spring Hill resident Matt Wilcox, currently a senior at the University of South Florida.

“The show focuses on the strategic history of the war, as well as the personal experiences of so many who lived during that time,” Wilcox said, in a release.

Pearl Harbor was attached at 7:48 a.m. local time on Dec. 7, 1941, and the documentary is set to air cad close to the anniversary of the attack as possible — converted to the Eastern time zone.

“I’m always looking for locally produced videos and documentaries featuring Pasco County,” said Doug Tobin, the county’s spokesman and the manager of Pasco County Television. “When (a) Spring Hill producer told me he had produced a documentary featuring Pasco County residents, I had to make time to air the show.”

The documentary is 22 minutes long, and covers the United States’ entry into World War II. It will air several more times on Dec. 9 (8 p.m.), Dec. 10 (6:30 p.m.), Dec. 14 (7:30 p.m.), Dec. 18 (1:30 p.m.), Dec. 20 (9:30 a.m.), Dec. 23 (10 a.m.), and Dec. 27 (noon).

A trailer for the documentary can be found at InTheirWar.org.

Pasco County Television can be found on Bright House channel 622 or Verizon FiOS channel 42.

Porters give blood, sweat, tears to Wiregrass Ranch development

December 4, 2014 By Michael Hinman

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)

“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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Petry named principal of Sanders Memorial Elementary

November 7, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning will ask the school board to approve Jason Petry as the new principal of Sanders Memorial Elementary School, when it opens next year.

Petry, who is currently the principal of Lake Myrtle Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes, has been with the school district since 2002, according to a release. He started as an intermediate grade teacher at Deer Park Elementary School, and spent time at Quail Hollow Elementary School before becoming the third-grade teacher at Double Branch Elementary School.

Petry was named the assistant principal at Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel in 2008, and continued there until getting promoted to his current job at Lake Myrtle in August 2011.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of South Florida in 2002, and his master’s at Saint Leo University in 2005.

Petry will take over the school Jan. 6, in preparation for Sanders’ opening in the fall.

Sanders will emphasize science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics — known as STEAM. It will draw largely from the Land O’ Lakes area, relieving overcrowding at Connerton Elementary School, officials said. Remaining seats would be open for students living outside the school’s normal boundaries.

Sanders will be located at 5126 School Road, and be almost entirely new. Just three of the former school’s buildings remain — the rest were demolished.

The school board will make a final decision on Petry’s appointment at its Nov. 18 meeting.