By Amy Scherzer, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Junior League of Tampa Holiday Gift Market co-chairs Susan Zelenka and Kim Carswell, left and far right, thank sponsors John Simmons and Stuart Lasher of Lifestyle Family Fitness.

Junior League of Tampa Holiday Gift Market

Junior League of Tampa president Betsy Graham and Roger and Suzanne Perry, past president of the Ocala chapter, thanked Holiday Gift Market patrons and annual donors of $1,000 and up on Oct. 21 at the Perrys' home in Hyde Park. Guests arrived to sangria and flamenco dancers accompanying Datz restaurant chef Heather Stalker's paella, ceviche, empandas and other Latin favorites.

The league has lined up 140 specialty vendors for its seventh holiday mart, open today through Sunday at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Co-chairs Susan Zelenka and Kim Carswell say you'll find fun jewelry, clothing, food, home and holiday decor, children's items, and of course, Junior League cookbooks. Entry is $5.

Between merchants, browse the Project Spotlights to learn about the programs your shopping supports to improve foster care, literacy, education, and to fulfill basic needs of disadvantaged children.

Last year's market drew 9,500. "Our goal is 10,000 through the door in 2010,'' said Zelenka, optimistically adding, "and we're looking at bigger space for next year."

Pink and Blue for Two

Singer Olivia Newton-John and her nephew Emerson Newton-John created Pink and Blue for Two (PB42), a lively benefit promoting couples' diagnostic screenings for breast (pink) and prostate (blue) cancer. The motto: Screen together, liv together, spelled to play off Olivia's nickname, Liv.

"Couples are in this together,'' said the breast cancer survivor, surrounded by fans of her 1978 film, Grease, and more recent episode of Glee. "If one spouse gets either disease, the other is affected," added Emerson.

DJ Mason Dixon auctioned five items and saxophonist Eric Darius jazzed the crowd in Busch Gardens' Desert Grill before Liv sang two songs, Xandau and Help Me to Heal.

Liv's Tampa connection goes back seven years to a Florida Orchestra performance, sponsored by Suzette and Monroe Berkman. (John Travolta popped in that night.) While touring Moffitt Cancer Center, Liv met H. Lee Moffitt, the former legislator who initiated funding for the center. A friendship began that led to her joining the Moffitt board of directors and to asking his wife, interior designer Dianne Devant Moffitt, to decorate her home in Jupiter. The Oct. 27 event proceeds go to Moffitt Cancer Center and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

"I hope PB42 catches on all over the nation," said Moffitt. "Make it global," said Emerson.

Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies

Celebrating the 11th annual Eternal Light Award on Oct. 27, the eve of the 45th anniversary of nostra aetate has special significance, said Ruth Maass, chairwoman of the annual dinner benefit for the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies, a collaboration of the American Jewish Committee and Saint Leo University. Latin for "in our time," the declaration "opened the door for interfaith education and dialogue," Maass said.

AJC Rabbi Gary Greenebaum arrived from California to deliver the Eternal Light award to Saint Leo president Arthur F. Kirk Jr., a founder of CCJS. Another founder, AJC senior interreligious affairs adviser, Rabbi A. James Rudin, presented a new award for community leadership to Paul and Gail Whiting. In a very personal blessing, the Most Rev. Robert N. Lynch noted Gail's former chairmanship of the CCJS board and Paul's service as the first and only chairman of Academy Prep Center of Tampa. Some of those students sang a musical tribute to the couple. Proceeds from the $200-ticket dinner will fund programs from Dade City to Naples.

By Mike Brassfield, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

CLEARWATER — On July 6, 1982, Ken Cooper robbed a bank in Clearwater. As he usually did, he grabbed a hostage and forced her to leave the bank with him during his getaway.

On Wednesday morning, 28 years later, his former hostage gave him a hug.

Cooper spoke at the YMCA of the Suncoast's annual Mayor's Prayer Breakfast. About 400 community leaders, businesspeople and pastors packed into the Sheraton Sand Key Resort to hear from a man who spent 13 years as a serial bank robber.

The morning featured nondenominational prayers for the troops, for youths, for public officials and religious leaders. Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard, who hosts the breakfast, invited Cooper to come speak after reading his book, Held Hostage. Cooper is the founder of several Florida prison ministries.

Cooper's string of bank robberies ended in the early 1980s when a deputy shot him in the chest during a Tampa heist. He says he found God in jail: "I went into prison a free man."

He served hard time in one of the darkest places in Florida — the notorious, fortresslike prison called "the Rock," a now-demolished section of Union Correctional Institution at Raiford.

Cooper, who is now a white-haired, bespectacled great-grandfather, described how killings and rapes were common in the Rock. He lived in fear and terror — "the same that I had inflicted on other people."

After his best friend was stabbed in the chow hall and died in his arms, a depressed Cooper retreated to his cell and began to recite "that little kid's prayer," the Lord's Prayer.

Others began to pray with him. Inmates called out Scripture up and down the cell block. The guards asked what was going on.

"We're praising God. Is that okay?" Cooper said.

The guards said they guessed so; it's just that no one had ever done it there before.

The cell block "became a church," Cooper said.

Released after four years in prison, he remarried. He and his second wife founded Prisoners of Christ in Jacksonville, House of Hope in Gainesville and Mercy House in Tallahassee. Gov. Jeb Bush sought his advice when opening the nation's first faith-based prison at Lawtey Correctional Institution.

Cooper's ministries give released inmates a place to stay and help in overcoming addictions. Cooper himself was once addicted to the adrenaline jolt of robbing banks.

"Maybe some of you here are prisoners in one way or another," he told his audience Wednesday. "My prayer is that your chains will be gone."

Mike Brassfield can be reached at brassfield@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4160.

By Howard Troxler, Times Columnist
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Let's review two recent news items. First:

Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet on Tuesday upheld a judge's decision to block new development on Tierra Verde, a barrier island on the southern tip of St. Petersburg.

The 4-0 decision was a victory for the Tierra Verde Civic Association and a defeat for the city of St. Petersburg.

And the second item:

The city has capitulated in its four-year legal battle with former officers who sued to get back money they paid into the pension fund while on the police force.

In the coming weeks the city will pay back 351 former officers a total of $1.5 million —which doesn't include interest, the officers' legal fees or what the city itself spent in an ultimately futile fight.

Both of these defeats show the government of St. Petersburg at its worst — a stubborn, almost childish denial of reality. The city is always right, even when it isn't.

In the first case, the city invaded Tierra Verde with a bizarre annexation in 2008, using a "snorkel" of submerged land to connect to exactly two developers who wanted a deal.

The city then passed new rules for those developers, over the objection of the rest of the island, allowing them to stuff their "city" land with more density than the county had allowed.

The city breezily asserted that the new growth would present no problem for public services or evacuation.

However, to quote again from the news:

The judge said the increased density would adversely affect hurricane evacuation times and storm shelter capabilities, that the city had failed to demonstrate a need for the developments, and that it would be incompatible with surrounding land uses.

The police-pension case is even more interesting.

State law says flatly that when a Florida police officer leaves the job before 10 years, he or she "shall be entitled to a refund of all of his or her contributions" to the pension fund, "less any benefits paid to him or her."

But St. Petersburg refused to refund the contributions. It was the only pension plan in the state not to do it.

The city made officers sign a paper saying they had given up their refunds. The city also argued that the way it would have to pay the refund would be a "benefit." Lastly, the city claimed that being forced to pay would be an "unfunded mandate" by the state.

All of these defenses were thin if not ridiculous. In 2009, a Pinellas judge decided the case for the officers.

The city appealed.

In July, the 2nd District Court of Appeal issued yet another slam-dunk ruling.

My favorite part is where the court drily instructed the city on the meaning of the word "shall" in state law:

"The use of the mandatory term 'shall,' " the judges wrote, "normally creates an obligation impervious to judicial discretion."

Well.

Had the city admitted it was wrong when this issue first came up a decade ago, the taxpayers would have been out a few thousand to a few officers. Instead, taxpayers are on the hook for $1.5 million. Plus interest. Plus legal fees.

To repeat: well.

I am sure the folks at City Hall will be plunged into deep self-examination by these repeated whackings. By which I mean, I doubt they will think about it for a millisecond.

They do get dug in.

By Phyllis Day, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Brooksville

Accordion Adventure: Thanksgiving Celebration, 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Brooksville Elks Lodge, 14494 Cortez Blvd. Admission is $2. A cash bar is available. This is an informal group of enthusiasts and accordionists of all levels. Cathy, (352) 686-0975, or Peg, (352) 442-5574.

Brooksville Elks Lodge 2582: 14494 Cortez Blvd. Steak Shoot, 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday. A spaghetti dinner will follow from 5 to 6 p.m.; the cost for dinner is $5. Karaoke will start at 6 p.m. For members and their guests. (352) 596-2582.

Chill Smart: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Harbor, 7074 Grove Road. This is the youth group of the Hernando County Community Anti-Drug Coalition, open to Hernando County middle and high school youth. The role of the group is to assist in planning and implementing strategies that target underage drinking, tobacco and drug use. (352) 596-8000.

Daughters of the American Revolution, Annuttaliga Chapter: 11:30 a.m. Monday, Brooksville Country Club at Majestic Oaks, 23446 Links Drive. "Fanning the Spirit of the DAR" will be presented by Barbara W. Makant, Florida state regent. The meeting's hostesses are Frances Kmiec, Ann Dee Mulligan and Caroline King. Members are reminded to bring donations for the state regent's project. Reservations required by today. Carol, (352) 796-1017, or Alice, (352) 344-3408.

German American Club of Spring Hill: Schlachtfest, Nov. 19, Hernando Shrine Club, 13400 Montour St., west of Brooksville. Doors open at 5 p.m., with food served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dancing to the music of Alpen Diamanten will be from 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $18 for members, $22 for guests, and must be purchased by today. Call Lisa Yaskulski, (352) 688-3744.

GFWC Brooksville Woman's Club: Board meeting, 10 a.m. Nov. 17, 131 S Main St. The District 8 Reporting Workshop will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday in Ruskin. The club is accepting new and used children's books. Donations can be dropped off at the clubhouse at noon the first Wednesday of the month or 10 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month. Betty Ann McLaren, (352) 666-9433. For membership, call Audrie Henson, (352) 754-8627.

U.S. Submarine Veterans Inc., Weeki Wachee Base: 1 p.m. Saturday, Marine Corps Detachment 708, 8405 Sunshine Grove Road, west of Brooksville. Membership open to submariners who are qualified to wear dolphins. Base Cmdr. Robbie Roberts, (352) 592-5161.

Spring Hill

AARP Chapter 1026: 11:30 a.m. today, Buffet City, 13235 Cortez Blvd. The program will be "Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Funeral Plan," presented by Brewer & Sons. A complimentary lunch will be served after the presentation. Nothing will be sold at the meeting. Reservations required. Bob, (352) 596-0722. Monthly meeting, noon Nov. 18, Outlet Mall (south entrance), 3021 Commercial Way; members should arrive by 11:30 a.m. The cost is $8.50, which includes lunch and hall rental. The speaker is Jim McGrath, one of the chapter's Medicare consultants, who will discuss "What You Need to Know ... Medicare 2011." Nothing will be sold. Reservations required. Bob, (352) 596-0722, or Rose, (352) 688-5606.

Aglow International, Spring Hill Chapter: 8:45 a.m. Monday, Atria Evergreen Woods, 7030 Evergreen Woods Trail. Several Aglow members will speak. The topic is "Power of Prayer, Personal Life-Changing Events and Blessings." The cost for breakfast is $6.25. Although not required, members can bring in donations of nonperishable foods for Thanksgiving baskets, which Aglow members will distribute to churches for families in need. Final arrangements will be made for the upcoming Joyce Meyer conference. RSVP to Loretta, (352) 610-4164, or Rachael, (352) 848-4182.

Brooksville Book Discussion Group: 6 p.m. Monday, Lykes Memorial Library, 238 Howell Ave. The book to be discussed is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer. Gatherings are on the third Monday of each Month. Discussion of The Shack, by William P. Young, will be Dec. 20. Ronette, (352) 544-5669.

Brooksville Garden Club: Light luncheon at 12:30 p.m. today, First Presbyterian Church, 250 Bell Ave. A program will follow. Jim Moll of the Hernando County Cooperative Extension Service will discuss "Colorful Winter Landscapes." Louise, (352) 799-3160; Robin, (352) 799-2503; or Lorraine, (352) 397-3157.

Democratic Women's Club of Hernando County: Noon Friday, Spring Hill Branch/Harold G. Zopp Memorial Library, 9220 Spring Hill Drive.

Fantasy African Violet Club: 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Spring Hill Enrichment Center, 11375 Cortez Blvd. (behind Oak Hill Hospital). Guests welcome. Thad Scaggs, (352) 398-1679.

Gulf Coast WAVES: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Atria Evergreen Woods, 7030 Evergreen Woods Trail. New members welcome; open to all former and present-day women of the sea services including U.S. Navy (WAVES), Coast Guard (SPARS), Marine Women, Navy Nurses and the Reserves. Barbara, (352) 683-7119, or Lee, (352) 686-8613.

Hernando Computer Club: General meeting, 7 p.m. Monday; the public is welcome at no cost. There will be a demonstration on how to use your computer to draw your own Christmas artwork by tracing photos or other graphics. Also, Jim Moll with the Hernando County Cooperative Extension Service will talk about landscaping. Upcoming classes include Get Started With Your Computer (class 2 of 2), 1 p.m. today; PC Maintenance and Security, 7 p.m. today; Import, Organize and Improve Photos with Picassa (class 2 of 2), 10 a.m. Friday; Introduction to OpenOffice — The Free Alternative to MS Office (class 1 of 2), 1 p.m. Friday; Quickbooks, 10 a.m. Monday; Beginning Genealogy — Family Tree Maker, 1 p.m. Monday; PhotoShop Elements, After the Basics, 10 a.m. Tuesday; Introduction to Computers with Windows 7 (class 2 of 4), 1 p.m. Tuesday; and What's New in Windows 7 (class 3 of 4), 7 p.m. Tuesday. All programs are at Grace Presbyterian Church, 8375 Spring Hill Drive. www.hcc.org or (352) 684-7171.

Hernando Hills Hi-Lites: Rehearsal, 7 p.m. Mondays, Mariner United Methodist Church, 7079 Mariner Blvd. This is a women's a cappella chorus. New members, spectators welcome. Tessie, (352) 686-4122.

Hernando Porcelain Artists: 9 a.m. Monday, LifeSouth Community Blood Center (second floor), 11375 Cortez Blvd. Alma Welch, who teaches porcelain art in Floral City, will demonstrate how to paint acorns and holly. Those participating should bring a tile or piece of porcelain to paint on, as well as your palette. Judy, (352) 592-4814.

Illinois Club of Spring Hill: 1 p.m. Friday, Forest Oaks Lutheran Church, 8555 Forest Oaks Blvd. The speaker will be Ruth Savage with Spring Oaks Retirement Village. Coffee and dessert will be served. During the meeting there will be a vote on what restaurant to meet at on Nov. 17. Annual dues are $12. Pat Godfrey, (352) 597-0346.

Nature Coast Bridge Club: Regular games at 12:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays. Free Easybridge! classes will be offered at 11 a.m. Thursdays through Dec. 9; designed for beginners. All activities are at the Hernando County Senior Citizens Club, 7925 Rhanbuoy Road. Beverly Tillberry, (352) 556-3892; or Annabelle Hills, (352) 597-5221 or hillsja@gate.net.

Nature Coast English Car Club/Suncoast Classic MG Club: 9 a.m. Saturday, Silverthorn Country Club, 4550 Golf Club Lane. Ralph Decker, (352) 796-6984.

Nature Coast Orators Toastmasters Club: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Spring Hill Enrichment Center at Oak Hill Hospital, 11375 Cortez Blvd. Terry Weaver, (352) 796-9891 or tlweaver@w-t-g-inc.com.

New Hampshire Club: 11:30 a.m. today, Buffet City, 13235 Cortez Blvd. Current and former residents welcome. Meetings are on the second Thursday of each month through April. Walt King, (352) 596-3578.

New Jersey Club: Doors open at 11 a.m., meeting at 1 p.m. Nov. 17, Hernando County Senior Citizens Club, 7925 Rhanbuoy Road. This will be the annual Thanksgiving dinner, catered by La Fontana. The menu includes turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sliced pork loin, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, salad bar and various desserts. The cost is $8 for members, $9 for guests. Bingo will be played. Bring a nonperishable food donation. Mary, (352) 666-0533. Upcoming trips include Singing Christmas Tree, Dec. 5 for $49; Christmas Party at the Palace Grand, Dec. 7, for $25; Christmas show at the Show Palace, Dec. 19 for $43; and Jersey Boys at the Straz Center in Tampa, March 26 for $117 for orchestra seating (includes transportation). For trips, call Annette, (352) 683-8752.

New York State United Teachers, Teacher Retirees in Florida, Nature Coast Unit: The annual TRIF Holiday Toy Drive will also begin; donations of new, unwrapped toys are needed for distribution to children in need. B.J. White-Meyers, (727) 869-7896, or Tom Smith, (352) 683-9423.

Reserve Officers Association: 11:30 a.m. Monday, Chefs of Napoli, 14227 Powell Road. Current and former military officers and cadets invited. Capt. George Borchers, (352) 382-3630.

Spring Hill Telephone Pioneers (Telcom Pioneers): 10:30 a.m. Monday, IHOP, 3660 Commercial Way. Members are reminded to bring soda cans, can tabs and stamps. New members welcome. Jerry Abenante, (352) 688-5825, or Bob Muehlbauer, (352) 686-6962.

West Hernando Hadassah: Tribute to Our Veterans, 10:30 a.m. Friday, IHOP, 3660 Commercial Way. Col. Nick Morana will speak. Open menu. Those attending pay for their meal, plus a $3 donation to Hadassah. (352) 684-3345.

Wowettes: Rehearsals, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, Spring Hill Enrichment Center, 11375 Cortez Blvd. This dance group performs at noon the third Thursday of each month at Gulf View Mall in Port Richey, and also performs at local church festivals, club meetings and nursing homes. Edwannah, (352) 686-9948, or Terry, (352) 688-2697.

Writers Guild Group: 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, West Hernando/Staffordene T. Foggia Branch Library, 6335 Blackbird Ave. For new and experienced writers. (352) 293-4988.

Pasco County/Hudson

Aripeka Elks Lodge 2520: 9135 Denton Ave. Karaoke contest, hosted by Karaoke Annie, 6 p.m. Saturday. Prizes will be awarded: grand prize is recording time at Colorama, second prize is $50, third prize is $25, plus various other prizes. The event is a fundraiser for Operation Shoebox, to send boxes to troops in Afghanistan. Admission is $5 at the door, or a donation of five items valued at $1 each (such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, candy, cup of soup and coffee). (727) 863-2520.

Send information for the Clubs column to Phyllis Day, Hernando Times, 15365 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613; fax to (352) 754-6133; or e-mail pday@sptimes.com (put the club's name in e-mail subject line). Deadline for this news is two weeks before event or reservation deadline. Information cannot be published if the time, date, place, ticket price (if applicable) or contact person and phone number is missing. For information, call (352) 754-6101 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

By Andrew Meacham, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Times Staff Writer

PINELLAS PARK — In many ways, Rick Keeney was a big kid.

He collected model John Deere tractors. He never tired of practical jokes and once helped design a haunted house with a fog machine, prisoners begging for help and a man twitching at the end of a noose. As visitors exited, Mr. Keeney sprang out from behind a tombstone.

He also swung a hammer for Habitat for Humanity, volunteered at his children's school and donated gallons of blood.

And when his daughter died of cancer, he built an urn out of cherry wood, her favorite.

Recently, Mr. Keeney and his wife intended to spend more time camping in their new RV. But a seizure at Disney World in May cut those plans short.

The Warsaw, N.Y., native met his future wife in 1969, in a neighborhood bar.

"We were a bunch of girls. He just came over and started talking," said Sally Keeney, 61. "We each one thought the others knew him."

None of them did. One thing Mr. Keeney never talked about: his time in Vietnam, where he took shrapnel to the neck and leg. The Army awarded him two Purple Hearts.

Rick and Sally married in 1971. He built his first home as his son, Shawn, watched. Mr. Keeney would go on to teach the boy how to use a lathe to turn a block of wood into a ball-point pen or rebuild furniture.

The family moved to St. Petersburg in 1982, where Mr. Keeney built pre-fabricated homes. He worked his way up to buyer, and used that experience to get a job with Bayfront Medical Center when the plant closed.

He went back to construction for a couple of years, then spent about 17 years as a buyer for Baxter Healthcare.

He chaperoned his daughter's bus trips to away games with the Dixie Hollins High School band. He looked imposing when he stood up on the bus and told the band members to be quiet.

"Even the big kids backed down," his wife said.

At home, he loved grilling barbecued chicken and listening to a down-and-dirty country song, like Trashy Women by Confederate Railroad or Brad Paisley's Ticks.

The worst time of his life came two years ago when his daughter, Jen, died at 31. After that, he seemed a little less boisterous and more subdued.

Then came his own collapse six months ago at Disney World . A week later, doctors found a brain tumor and diagnosed late-stage cancer.

Mr. Keeney told Sally to take care of their beagle, Buddy. Privately, he told Shawn Keeney to look after his mother.

Mr. Keeney died Nov. 3, at Bay Pines VA Medical Center. He was 63.

His son made the rectangular urn that contains his remains, a reddish brown box with little feet on the corners and sides that look like columns.

He used oak and cherry woods, Mr. Keeney's favorites.

Andrew Meacham can be reached at (727) 892-2248 or ameacham@sptimes.com.

By Tony Marrero, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

BROOKSVILLE — Eight days and one full recount later, the Election Day results of two tight Hernando County races were confirmed Wednesday.

Retired Brooksville educator Cynthia Moore defeated four-term incumbent Sandra Nicholson for the District 5 School Board seat, and Ken Fagan emerged victorious over Guy "Rusty'' Amore in the race for a second seat on the Spring Hill Fire Rescue Commission.

After reviewing ballots by machine and by hand, the margins of victory changed only slightly by the time the recount ended.

Moore, who led by 41 votes on Election Day, ultimately won by 38 votes out of 59,565 votes cast. Fagan, who had a mere one-vote lead last week, won by five votes in a race of nearly 41,000 votes cast in the fire board race.

The recounts were required by law because the margin of victory was less than one-half of 1 percent.

"You won, Miss Cynthia," Elections Supervisor Annie Williams said as she hugged Moore, who came Wednesday morning to the elections office at the Government Center to await the results.

"So, it's over?" Moore asked. "She can't ask for any more recounts?"

"It's over," Williams said.

The final official results will be submitted to the state Friday afternoon, Williams said.

The elections canvassing board reviewed absentee and provisional ballots last week. Then, on Monday and Tuesday of this week, board members oversaw an electronic recount of precinct ballots and on Wednesday reviewed so-called over- and under-votes.

On these ballots, the voter either did not make a clear selection or made too many choices. Williams and County Judge Donald Scaglione pored over ballots with dots and smudges in the respective races to determine voter intent.

The winners and losers alike said they had faith in Williams, her staff and the recount process

"They did their job," said Amore, 68, from behind the counter of the cafeteria he runs in the Government Center two floors about the elections office. "The public has spoken."

Fagan agreed.

"Tomorrow is Veterans Day, and everything I stood up for, I saw come to fruition," said Fagan, a 73-year-old Air Force veteran and former New Jersey firefighter. "This process may not be the best, but damn it, it's the best in the world."

Moore will take her seat during the School Board's workshop on Tuesday and be officially sworn in during the evening meeting. Fagan will take his seat at the next regular fire board meeting, which is slated for next month.

"I think what happened was supposed to happen," Moore said. "It's still sinking in."

Nicholson's loss spoils a sweep for the three incumbents on the School Board. Members John Sweeney and Dianne Bonfield defeated their opponents in the August primary in the nonpartisan races, each on their way to a second term. The terms of board Chairman Pat Fagan and James Yant end in 2012.

In the August primary, the 68-year-old Moore took the second-most votes in a three-way race that also included Hernando High teacher Michael Bainum. She tried during the campaign to cast Nicholson, a former office manager for an engineering firm, as out of touch with teachers and parents.

Nicholson, 62, dismissed that assertion and said her lack of experience in the education field offered a much-needed business-based perspective.

She attributed the nail-biter of a defeat to a few factors, noting that the difference could have been made simply by being listed second on the ballot. But she also acknowledged that 14 years on a board takes a toll on a politician, and that she would have made some different decisions. She wouldn't cite specific cases.

"If you're doing your job and follow your conscience, you're going to tick some people off," Nicholson said. "You cannot make everyone happy. I'm proud of my record. I did what I felt was right at the time. I have no regrets."

Asked to gauge the prospects in her political future, Nicholson smiled and remained vague.

"I'm leaving all of my options open," she said. "When one door closes, another opens."

It's unclear what those options might be, though. Nicholson, who is a registered Republican, grimaced when asked if she might run for County Commission, comparing that job and the School Board as moving "out of the frying pan and into the fire." Nicholson lives in the district of Republican County Commissioner James Adkins, who is up for re-election in 2012, and she said she would not challenge Adkins if he decides to run again.

Perhaps a bid for the state House 44 seat, then? Republican Rep. Rob Schenck just won a third term and can run once more in 2012 before term limits would force him out.

Nicholson said the school district staff won't need to save a seat for her in the audience during board meetings. Staying very active in the district's business "is not my style," she said.

"If someone wants to call and pick my brain, I'll be more than happy to share some history," she said.

Fagan came in second behind Sherry Adler in a field of six candidates seeking to fill two open seats on the all-volunteer board. Board member Leo Jacobs decided not to run for election. The sole incumbent was Benjamin Edwards, who was appointed earlier this year to fill the seat of Gene Panozzo, who retired due to health reasons.

Both Adler and Fagan have been vocal critics of the current fire board, and their arrival is expected to create a triumvirate of sorts with current member Rob Giammarco.

Giammarco also called for more transparency and fiscal conservatism in the fire district and has been criticized by fellow board members who felt he asked too many questions. The terms of Giammarco, Chairwoman Amy Brosnan and member John Pasquale end in 2012.

"Everything I spoke of for two years, I'll try to make right," Fagan said. "I believe that Commissioner Giammarco has become the new leader, and we look forward to doing what we asked of the board and what the board refused to do."

Times staff writer Logan Neill contributed to this report. Tony Marrero can be reached at (352) 848-1431 or tmarrero@sptimes.com.

Times staff


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Clearwater

Farm worker ministry plans annual supper

The Pinellas Support Committee of the National Farm Worker Ministry will hold its 26th Annual Soup Supper at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 3200 N McMullen Booth Road. Homemade lentil soup and bread will be served. The guest speaker will be Jeannie Economos, Pesticide Project coordinator for the Farmworker Association of Florida. Economos is involved in local, state, national and international coalitions related to pesticide reduction, farm worker rights, health and safety, sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty. All are welcome; no reservation are necessary.

Tickets on sale for Handel's 'Messiah'

Tickets are on sale for Handel's Messiah, performed by the choirs and orchestra of Clearwater Christian College. Under the direction of Dr. Philip Golson, performances will be Dec. 2-3 at 7 p.m. in the Arts Auditorium of St. Petersburg College, 2465 Drew St., Clearwater. Tickets are $10 general admission; $8 seniors, students, and military. Tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at (727) 726-1153 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Workshop set on mentoring children

Adults Mentoring Children Gulf Coast Community Care will hold a workshop to share facts and tips on mentoring children. The program will be at 2 p.m. Nov. 20 at Barnes and Noble Bookstore, Sunset Point Shopping Center, 23654 U.S. 19 N, Clearwater. For reservations, call Beverly: (727) 479-1841 or Susan (727) 450-7293.

Applications open for Daisy Grants

The GFWC Clearwater Community Woman's Club has opened the application process for the 2011 Daisy Grants. Grants of up to $1,000 are available to nonprofit organizations in Pinellas County that have demonstrated positive service to the community. Applicants can access the application through the GFWC Clearwater Community Woman's Club website, clearwatercwc.org. The deadline is Jan 7. The awards will be presented at the 40th annual Daisy Grants Fashion Show at the Belleair Country Club on March 31.

Palm Harbor

Volunteers needed to be phone pals

The Palm Harbor Telephone Friends program needs volunteers to make calls to those who would like to talk with someone on a regular basis. Volunteers make the local calls either from the Palm Harbor Community Activity Center, 1500 16th St. or from their home. For information, call (727) 771-6000.

By Robert Trigaux, Times Business Columnist
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Are the wheels getting wobbly and in danger of falling off the high-speed rail project planned and partially funded to connect downtown Tampa and Orlando?

At a gathering of high-speed rail advocates this week in Orlando, just a whiff of backpedaling could be smelled after the Nov. 2 election that not only killed Hillsborough County efforts to fund the start of a regional light rail and bus system, but also ushered in Republicans at the state and national level keen on shrinking government.

The first hint of vacillation arose Monday when Florida congressman John Mica suggested building the mostly federally funded Orlando-to-Tampa route in phases.

Mica is a Winter Park Republican who represents a chunk of Central Florida near Orlando. He will soon take charge of the key House Transportation Committee in Washington now that Republicans have retaken the majority in the House.

"We should take a strong look at the possibility of building the train in phases," Mica said, according to several media reports from Orlando. "The Tampa to Orlando route may not be a moneymaker, but the airport-to-attractions route looks like it would be."

Whoa. So a high-speed rail connecting Orlando International Airport to Disney's nearby theme parks makes sense, but extending the rail west to Lakeland and Tampa may need to come later?

Truth is, in the best of economies the Tampa-to-Orlando rail line barely justifies a high-speed train. The 84 miles separating the two cities' end points is just long enough to make the train ride shorter than the drive.

High-speed rail backers point out that this single link is just the first of a planned statewide high-speed rail system. The second leg, the 220-mile stretch linking Orlando and Miami, is an easier pitch for the benefits of high-speed trains. Of course, that means Tampa would be linked, via Orlando, to Miami and ultimately other Florida metro areas if and when a high-speed rail network develops.

At Orlando's high-speed fest this week, even Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio was reduced to promoting just the proposed endpoint terminal in Tampa as a development stimulus for a part of her city that does not get much economic attention.

Before last week's election killed the start of regional light rail and bus services here, Iorio crowed often about the economic development potential of a high-speed link tied to a Tampa Bay-wide regional transit system.

What's not yet clear is whether incoming Florida Gov.-elect Rick Scott, who has doubts about high-speed rail's expense, will give a thumbs up or down on any federal project requiring additional state funding. One Scott adviser thinks he may support it.

Amid all this transportation turmoil, in South Florida, leaders this week gave their blessing to a proposed regional train system using existing rail lines with dozens of stops connecting Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties through new routes and bus connections.

"I just think people are enamored with rail," Florida Department of Transportation study project manager Scott Seeburger told the Palm Beach Post.

"Enamored" is one thing. But as we learned the hard way here last week, paying for it is another.

Robert Trigaux can be reached at trigaux@sptimes.com.

By Nicole Poggi, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

SPRING HILL — When Colour Concepts Hair Design hosted its first Cut-for-a-Cure in February, the women at the salon didn't know what would become of their friend, Andrea Means-Montmarquet, but they were determined to do what they could to help save her life.

Now, nine months later, friends and family members of Means-Montmarquet are faced with the loss of the 42-year-old mother of two, who battled ovarian cancer.

"We've been friends for about 10 years," close friend and hairstylist Cheryl Poot said.

Means-Montmarquet's two daughters, 11-year-old Honor and 12-year-old Megan, still come to visit Poot at the salon, where they helped set up the fundraiser for Means-Montmarquet earlier this year.

With all that the family has been through, now they are dealing with more obstacles. Doug Montmarquet, Means-Montmarquet's husband, is raising both girls, and also battling pulmonary fibrosis. Montmarquet is facing a double lung transplant.

So, once again, Colour Concepts is stepping in to help the family. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Colour Concepts, at 13141 Spring Hill Drive, will host a Day of Caring for Montmarquet and the two girls.

The event is not a cut-a-thon but is a fundraiser hosted by the salon during normal business hours. There will be a 50-50 drawing and a Christmas basket raffle. Refreshments will be available, and donations can be made to the family.

"We're going to donate all of our tips," Poot said.

For information, people may call Colour Concepts at (352) 683-8184.

Times staff
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

SPRING HILL

Looking for a job? Workshop can help

Career Central will present a "Finding a Job" workshop at 6 p.m. Monday at the West Hernando/Staffordene T. Foggia Branch Library, 6335 Blackbird Ave.

The workshop consists of three parts: The first will examine the job market as it is today and the trends that exist; the second will look at the five steps in planning a job search; and the third will be a discussion on networking and how to take advantage of the benefits of speaking with people.

There is no cost to attend. For information, call (352) 540-6391.

Brooksville/SPRING HILL

COPPS accepting donations for holidays

Deputies from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) collect donations to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for needy families in the community from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at several locations:

• Walmart, 13300 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill

• Walmart, 7305 S Broad St., Brooksville

• Publix Supermarket, 4990 Commercial Way, Spring Hill.

While COPPS deputies will be collecting donations of food, supplies, money and toys, visitors can also see the Sheriff's Office's SWAT Humvee, COPPS bicycles, AVT's and the Marine Unit's Jet Ski.

For information, call (352) 754-6830.

Brooksville

Sell, or find, treasures at service league sale

Junior Service League of Brooksville will host the annual "Treasure Sale and Turkey Shoot" from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Grande, 725 Desoto Ave.

Vendors are welcome to sell crafts, plants, produce, "trash and treasure" and other items. Booth rentals are $15. JSL is also accepting "special" donation items (tax deduction forms will be provided).

A concession stand will be available. Some items include turkey legs, hot dogs and kettle corn.

Visitors will also have a chance to "shoot" to win a free turkey.

To reserve a booth or for information, call Anne Cummings at (352) 585-2490 or Stacie Clarkson at (352) 279-8190. Checks can be mailed to JSL of Brooksville, P.O. Box 936, Brooksville, FL, 34605-0936.

HIGH POINT

Lady golfers to hold dessert, card party

The High Point Ladies Golf League will host a "Dessert, Card and Game Party" on Nov. 20 at the High Point Community Center, 12249 Clubhouse Road. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and a dessert buffet will be at 12:30 p.m.

Guests can bring cards or other games of choice. Tickets are $5, and will be available at the door.

For information or to reserve tickets, call (352) 596-0833.

By Demorris A. Lee, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

East Lake High senior Logan Williamson’s dream came true Friday when he played fullback and rushed for a touchdown.

EAST LAKE — Logan Williamson talked about the possibility since he started playing football at East Lake High.

An offensive and defensive lineman, Williamson wanted to score a touchdown.

Just once.

Friday night, Williamson, 18, got his chance.

It was Senior Night and the Eagles were knocking on the door for another touchdown in what turned into a 35-7 victory over Dunedin. The 6-foot-2, 265-pound Williamson lined up as the fullback and bulled his way into end zone.

"Coach told me to hold onto the ball and keep running," Williamson said, with a laugh. "I did just that. My teammates told me I almost ran into the goal post."

Williamson and his fellow seniors will cherish memories like that as their high school football days end in the next few weeks.

"You are always going to tell your kids what you did your senior year," Williamson said. "It's not that the other years are not good, but your senior year is what you think about. You go out and have fun, try to break records and have a good year.

"We haven't been 8-2 since 1997 and we have never beaten Tarpon back-to-back and we did this year."

Friday night marks the end of the regular season for East Lake (7-2), which will host Nature Coast High.

The on-the-field accomplishments are important. But just as important, Williamson and the other seniors said, are the things that they will take with them beyond the gridiron.

"I would have been in trouble if I wouldn't have played football," said Robert Johnson, a senior defensive back. "It basically saved my life.

"I was one of those kids who stayed out late and never listened. I only listened to my parents, but never listened to anybody else and I felt like I could do everything. Football made me realize that you can't always do everything."

It's about work ethic for senior receiver Ethan Leak.

"Work hard (and) do what I got to do," Leak said. "(And) to compete in life. I learned that from all my coaches."

The end of high school marks another change for athletes. Many have been playing sports competitively since they were in elementary school. Going to practices and games has been part of their daily life cycle.

Most will not play in college. For many of them, flag football in the local recreation league is the closest they will get again to the high school athletic experience.

Dr. Fayyadh Yusuf, a sports psychologist with the University of South Florida's Athletic Department, said he typically asks athletes a simple question.

"Why is it that they play sports anyway?" Yusuf said. "The more they understand that it's more than football and that there are more qualities there than just playing the sport, the better it is for them.

"Football is not being hit or hitting someone. It's the competition, challenging myself every day, working hard. … Let's take those qualities that you really like and channel them into something else."

East Lake head coach Bob Hudson said players often return to games to see how the team is doing and remember what it was like when they played.

"Just like parents and everyone who cares for them, we are trying to teach them to make good decisions, know that it takes hard work and nothing comes easy," Hudson said. "You have to work for things you care about and what you try to achieve. We want them to be a good person and to overcome obstacles. You will always have stuff come up in life. You have to work through them.'

Williamson said East Lake coaches always made sure he was successful on and off the field, "especially as far as character."

"Once you are on the field, you enhance those things like working hard, never giving up," Williamson said. "Coach (Hudson) preaches that stuff. Once you get off the field, it's going to turn into real life.

"I'm trying to do it over and over and over and build up (the thought of) never quitting and always working hard.

"You eventually do it on and off the field and so hopefully you will have a successful career off the field."

Contact Demorris A. Lee at dalee@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4174.

By Terri Bryce Reeves, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Keith Martin Johns, 56, of Holiday paints an old fishing boat north of the Sponge Docks on Wednesday. Johns’ and other artists’ works can be seen Friday to Nov. 20.

TARPON SPRINGS — In the latter 1800s, artists such as the well-known impressionist George Innes wintered here and enjoyed a cornucopia of natural beauty.

The winding bayous, the peaceful Anclote River, the sea's edge and lands with pines and palmetto bushes inspired their lovely land and waterscapes.

The pilgrimage has continued, now with an inaugural event called Paint and Photo Tarpon Springs.

Artists and photographers were invited to put on their sunhats and sunscreen and paint the town — for three days.

The creative marathon began Wednesday and continues through noon Friday. An exhibition of finished works follows.

Plein air artists were seen Wednesday along the Sponge Docks, at Howard Park, Sunset Beach and around the city documenting a variety of subjects like an antique store, old church and the city's golf course.

The clear skies, gentle breezes and 70-something temps provided ideal conditions.

"It's perfect, incredible weather," said artist Keith Martin Johns, 56, of Holiday.

He set up his easel north of the Sponge Docks in a remote location on the banks of the Anclote River where he painted an old fishing boat.

"I grew up here and rode my bike up and down the streets. I remember smells of salt water, seaweed, ropes and marine paint," he said. "To me, this is Tarpon Springs."

Heather Risley, the event's chair, said artists come from around the bay area, Spring Hill and as far away as Gainesville.

The community is invited to observe them at work and see their finished products during two free receptions from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The exhibits will remain at both locations through Nov. 20. The works of art will be for sale.

At least $1,200 has been donated by the business community for prize monies for the artists, Risley said.

"They can see what a positive effect this will have on the community. We feel this is an event that can grow to include more lectures, studio tours and children's programs."

By Steve Huettel, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

What role does Jacqueline Russo perform for Gresham, Smith and Partners, the company at the center of a procurement controversy at Tampa International Airport?

After hearing last week that Louis Russo, her husband and a senior TIA official, was in a position to influence their selection of Gresham Smith for contracts, airport board members suspended action on all pending contracts. An outside counsel is poised to investigate any possible conflict of interest.

Letters from Gresham Smith executives released Wednesday shed some light on Jacqueline Russo's position with the company. But not enough to satisfy the airport's top attorney.

"I'm still not comfortable determining what her role is at Gresham Smith," said Gigi Rechel, general counsel at the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority. "I'm going to leave that for the investigator to determine."

Louis Russo, the airport's senior director of planning and development, told authority lawyers his wife was a designer in the company's Tampa office. The St. Petersburg Times reported Tuesday that the company named her as a new owner in the company in a May 3 press release. She identified herself as a principal of the firm on LinkedIn, an online networking site.

Gresham Smith CEO James W. Bearden wrote Rechel on Tuesday to explain her employment status. Russo is a senior associate and principal in the company's corporate and urban design division, he wrote, and has no involvement in the firm's airport projects at Tampa International or elsewhere.

She was offered an ownership stake earlier this year, Bearden wrote. But her ownership contract was never executed and Russo remains a senior associate.

The distinction between her being an owner and an employee could make a big legal difference.

Under the state's ethics law, public employees can't do business for their agencies with a company in which a spouse is an officer, partner or proprietor or owns an interest of 5 percent or more, according to an overview of the law written by John G. Hubbard, Dunedin city attorney.

Last week, Gresham Smith was the top-ranked firm for a contract to design a $7.9-million renovation of the TIA's main terminal. Board members threw out the ranking after learning Jacqueline Russo worked for the company and that five of six members of the committee that reviewed the proposals worked for Louis Russo.

Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8128.

By Shary Lyssy Marshall, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Hernando County Veteran Services officer Matt Peters, 45, is a retired Marine Corps chief warrant officer 2. 

SPRING HILL — If you are a military veteran and a stack of denied applications stands between you and your benefits, the word on the street is that Matt Peters can help.

"He's the man that walks on water," said RayE'tta Barnett.

Her husband, Edward Barnett, served in the Navy as an electronics technician from 1957 to 1962. He was certain that both a back injury and asbestos exposure sustained during his years in the service qualified him for disability services, but he kept getting denied.

One day a fellow veteran suggested he take his paperwork to Peters, who serves as Hernando County's Veteran Services officer and Veteran Services manager. Peters helped Barnett refile his claim, which was approved a few months later.

When it comes to navigating red tape, Peters has the magic touch.

"I'd put him up against any Veteran Services Office in the state," said director of county Health and Human Services Jean Rags, who supervises the Department of Veteran Services.

"He makes the extra calls," said Rags of the free services that Peters provides. "He puts a face on the claim. He has gone above and beyond for our veterans."

Peters, 45, is a retired Marine Corps chief warrant officer 2. After retirement, he began working with veterans, even spending a year commuting to St. Petersburg to work as a veterans' claims examiner for the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.

This experience has proved invaluable.

"I learned the inner workings of the department," said Peters.

A lot of paperwork is involved in submitting a claim. In many cases, a veteran must have proof of disability. The form used to be up to 20 pages, said Peters. It's now online, but you still have to print out the signature page and mail it in.

"In St. Pete, they get anywhere between 10,000 and 15,000 a day," said Peters. "It's the busiest regional office in the country."

"To file a claim that's going to be granted takes talent and in-depth knowledge of VA law," said Alene Tarter, director of the Division of Benefits and Assistance for the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.

"Hernando County is outstanding at determining the best benefit for each vet," Tarter said.

On a recent morning, Peters pointed to a stack of papers several inches thick. It was from a veteran who had been turned down for benefits.

"He wants me to go back through these," he said. "This is what I do at home when I can't sleep," he added with a smile.

With more than 23,000 veterans in the county, the office, at 7478 Forest Oaks Blvd. in Spring Hill, keeps busy with walk-ins, appointments, home visits and a transportation service. During the 2008-2009 year, officials visited with more than 2,500 clients, including 219 outreach visits.

The hard work pays off, said Peters. During the 2008-2009 year, county veterans received an additional $14 million in support, bringing the total to more than $73 million.

"That money keeps people off county and state programs," said Peters. "It helps them have a better quality of life."

Shary Lyssy Marshall can be reached at slmarshall.sptimes@gmail.com.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

SPRING HILL

Fire board gathers, but not officially

For the first time in recent memory, there were no fireworks as members of the Spring Hill Fire Rescue board got together Wednesday. That's because not enough members of the contentious five-person board were on hand to make a quorum. Chairwoman Amy Brosnan and Commissioner John Pasquale attended, but Rob Giammarco was absent because of illness. Newly elected Sherry Adler was present, but she could not participate because her win in the Nov. 2 election has not been certified. The final seat was still in play Wednesday morning as the recount continued for Ken Fagan and Guy "Rusty'' Amore, with Fagan declared the winner later in the day. The meeting will be rescheduled for December.

Event will benefit family of triplets

A daylong fundraiser for the family of the Rossman triplets will be on Saturday at County Line Cafe, 120 Commercial Way. A silent auction will start at 7 a.m. A bake, jewelry and holiday gifts sale will start at 9 a.m. and continue until it sells out. Raffle drawings will be at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Live music with Tommy Johnson will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Also, County Line Cafe will donate a percentage of proceeds from that day to the family. Five-year-old sisters Gabrielle, Isabella and Delaney Rossman of Hudson were struck by a Jeep while playing in their yard Friday. Delaney died, and Gabrielle was critically injured. The girls' grandmother and aunt are waiters at the cafe. For more information, call (727) 267-8608.

BROOKSVILLE

Flags to be placed for U.S. veterans

The We Remember 27-H-1 group will present the Veterans Field of Glory, placing nearly 600 American flags with veterans' names attached at 11 a.m. today at Chocachatti Elementary School, 4135 California St. Honor guards will be present. Hernando County Sheriff Richard Nugent will speak. Anyone wishing to place a flag in honor of a veteran is welcome. For details, call (352) 686-6962.

Poker run will help local autism group

A Children's Autism Poker Run will be Saturday, with registration from 9 to 11 a.m. at Coney Island Drive Inn, 1112 E Jefferson St. There will be seven stops, with the final stop at Pit Stop Bar & Grill, 14445 Ponce de Leon Blvd., where there will be live music, a silent auction, raffles and a drawing. The entry fee is $15 per rider, $5 per passenger and $5 per extra hand. Proceeds will benefit the local chapter of CAUSE (Community for Autism to Understand, Support and Educate). Call (352) 346-1142 or (352) 345-1231, or send an e-mail to causepokerrun@yahoo.com.

Today's picks

Brookridge Entertainment presents Jimmy Travis: 7 p.m., Brookridge Clubhouse, 8150 Hampton St., Brookridge. $15. (352) 610-4901.

Veterans Day Ceremony at Florida National Cemetery: 11 a.m., 6502 Southwest 102nd Ave., Bushnell. (352) 793-7740. www.cem.va.gov/CEMs/NCHP/florida.asp.

Veterans Day Spaghetti Dinner: 4-6:30 p.m., United Church of Christ, 4244 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill. $6 for adults, $3 for children 12 and younger or $16 for families (two adults, two children). Veterans with ID receive a $2 discount. Hosted by St. Paul the Apostle Parish. (352) 584-3988.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

DADE CITY — Members of the Dade City Chamber of Commerce want to allow beer sales at the 2011 Kumquat Festival.

Chamber's president Joey Wubbena, brought the idea before the Dade City Commission on Tuesday. A large, Tampa beer distributor wants to sponsor and gain naming right to the event, scheduled for Jan. 29.

There would be, "a beer garden located in the festival grounds," Wubbena said.

Wubbena didn't disclose the name of the beer company or the dollar amount, because the deal is still in negotiation, and he didn't want to risk losing the sponsorship.

Fundraising for the festival is down $15,000 from last year, Wubbena said. The chamber's goal is typically $35,000 to $40,000.

For 14 years, the Kumquat Festival has been the chamber's biggest fundraiser and draws as many as 40,000 people to Dade City. Although a city ordinance allows for a vendor to apply for a permit to sell alcohol at such events, this would be a first for the Kumquat Festival, said the chamber's executive director, Nita Beckwith.

To get a permit to sell beer, the applicant must have $2 million in insurance and foot the bill for any related off-duty police, fire rescue staff or other city services at the activity.

Having ample police officers on-site at the fest was a concern for Commissioner Eunice Penix "because people get crazy," she said.

Mayor Scott Black said most people know that he is uncomfortable with alcohol sales at family friendly events, but "the ordinance is what it is and the guidelines are what they are."

In other news from Tuesday's commission meeting:

• The Dade City Community Redevelopment Agency revised its guidelines for both the facade and signage grant program for improvements to businesses within the designated CRA district. The facade grant guidelines exclude government and non-profit properties and is only for businesses whose property taxes are current. The grant allows for up to $20,000 for multi-story buildings or those with linear feet of 100 feet or more of road/alley exposure.

The CRA's signage grant is now separate, and offers a 50/50 match and funding for up to $1,250 for a business sign in the designated CRA district.

The grant program was revised to make the guidelines more concrete and alleviate special exceptions.

• City Commission meetings scheduled for Nov. 23 and Dec. 28 have been canceled for the holidays.

Times staff


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

NEW PORT RICHEY

Principal chosen for Mittye P. Locke

Adam Wolin, assistant principal at Seven Springs Elementary School since 2006, is Pasco County superintendent Heather Fiorentino's pick to lead Mittye P. Locke Elementary School. Wolin will replace Tammy Berryhill, who is transferring to the principal post at Schrader Elementary after longtime principal Mary Ellen Stelnicki retires. The moves take effect in early December. Wolin, 32, has taught in Pasco County schools since 2001. Trained in special education, he figured he'd be a good fit for Mittye P. Locke, which has a large population in exceptional student education. He said he looked forward to continuing the school's tradition of academic and behavior excellence with the staff and students there. "I love working with children. I love the challenge of it. And I love seeing the successes that kids make," said Wolin, who had not applied to be a principal before this job opened. "I am very excited for the opportunity."

NEW PORT RICHEY

Traffic stop reveals stolen GPS units

Three people were arrested Tuesday after deputies found numerous GPS units and radar detectors in their truck during a traffic stop. Deputies also found needles, spoons and a glass pipe in the 2006 Dodge pickup, according to arrest reports. The truck was pulled over on Little Road near Fox Hollow Drive after striking a median several times, the reports say. The deputy noticed an odor of marijuana, and a search of the truck turned up the stolen items. The defendants, the report says, said they had been driving around neighborhoods "carhopping" in unlocked cars. Sierra Rhonda Edwards, 22, of Spring Hill; Dana Joseph Anderson, 19, of Hudson; and Donato Anthony Anderson, 22, of Hudson, all face auto burglary charges. The Andersons are also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

COUNTYWIDE

Old cell phones needed for seniors

The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas Inc. is seeking donations of old cell phones for the Senior Safety Phone Project. The agency collects, tests and charges the phones and distributes them to seniors in Pasco and Pinellas counties to use in emergencies. For a list of the donation and distribution sites, call toll-free 1-800-963-5337.

By Lisa Buie, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

NEW PORT RICHEY — For 25 years, Pasco and other Florida counties have sought to pay for new roads primarily with assessments on construction — so-called impact fees.

In a new approach discussed on Wednesday at the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting, county leaders indicated every property owner might have to share that cost through a new assessment and higher gasoline taxes.

New construction would still have to pay a fee — now dubbed a "mobility fee" — that will be cheaper than the current impact fees. Builders have traditionally fought impact fees, claiming they hinder sales.

The proposed mobility fee, which would cost each property tax payer an extra $50 a year, would enable county officials to charge lower fees to new development for transportation projects. Gas taxes would go up by 5 cents a gallon.

The fee schedule would give breaks to industries and offices that locate in the county's denser west and south areas. Residential and retail development would receive no discounts, though they would pay less than they do under the county's current system of impact fees. The only exception would be the northern area, which officials want to remain rural.

Development that improves public transportation would pay no fee in the county's south and west areas.

"We're in a whole new world from where you were," said James Edwards, director of the MPO. The group, which got its first look at the proposal during a workshop, includes the county's five commissioners and mayors of the major cities. No action was taken, and the proposal will be discussed by the County Commission and most likely sent back to the MPO for changes. The county's current impact fees are set to expire in 2012.

Unlike the boom times, when revenues simply couldn't keep up with growth, slower growth will offer the opportunity "to catch up some," Edwards said. The change from impact fees to mobility fees resulted from the passage of Senate Bill 360, which relaxed development rules. The law was declared unconstitutional, but governments expect the Legislature to make fixes.

Supporters say the mobility proposal would lower transportation fees, which are the highest in the region, and help attract higher-paying jobs and put Pasco on more equal footing with larger counties.

It also would enable the county to steer development toward areas set aside for dense growth and discourage it from rural areas, where fees would be higher. Gas taxes and an annual fee also would spread the financial burden more evenly across the county. Impact fees are levied only on new construction and can't be used to pay for operations and maintenance, forcing governments to look for additional money to cover those costs.

"We've hamstrung ourselves," said Port Richey Mayor Richard Rober. "I support a move that spreads the burden as evenly as possible."

In addition to roads, the fees could also be spent on public transportation.

"It's not just a roadway fee," Edwards said.

County Commissioner Michael Cox, who soon will give up his seat to Henry Wilson Jr., urged members to support the new fee structure, saying "today we'll see who's a leader and who's a politician."

"We've danced around the problem — not paying for impact as it occurs," he said. "We collect in today's dollars and hope to build a project down the road. Sooner or later we have to wake up and say we have to find a better way of doing something. I challenge all of you to step up and do some leadership. That's the only way you're going to make this stuff happen."

County Commissioner Jack Mariano fretted that not giving discounts to retail development might hamper efforts to redevelop the U.S. 19 corridor.

"I just don't want to put any deterrent on anybody coming in business," Mariano said. "We need to get people into those buildings. I don't care if it's retail."

But Cox said retail will inevitably happen where there's growth and disposable income.

The key, he said, is increasing income through attracting industries that offer more than the minimum wage of most retail.

"If you relax the landscape buffer rule so McDonald's can come in, you're going to get more $7.25-an-hour jobs. Whoopee. I hate to be that cold about it, but reality is what reality is."

Developers in the audience praised the proposal.

"I'm very much encouraged by where we're heading on this," land use attorney Clarke Hobby said. "(Development fees) have to be reasonable at the end of the day."

Stew Gibbons, the local head of the development company that owns Connerton, agreed.

"With impact fees, the pendulum had swung too far."

By Ebony Windom, Times Correspondent
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

ZEPHYRHILLS — Yellow ribbons dangle from trees all around downtown Zephyrhills — the brainchild of a 14-year-old high school standout.

Zoe Berger gathered a group of her buddies from Zephyrhills High School's junior ROTC to launch Operation We Remember to commemorate those who have served in the military. Zoe and fellow cadets will serve in the drum corps, the honor guard and the exhibition team today during a Veterans Day dedication ceremony.

It took a lot of planning and hard work for a group of youngsters to pull off Operation We Remember.

"It's one thing to have a plan, and it's another thing to get it off the ground," said Zoe, who leads the Crusaders, a community volunteer section of the JROTC.

Operation We Remember is not about earning a grade for school. It is about a bunch of kids who want to honor veterans. On Saturday, they started hanging 600 bright, bold, yellow ribbons.

"I realize what this country stands for and what is offered to us that other people cannot get. It moves me," said Zoe, an honor student.

She approached Sgt. Michael Smith, who heads the school's JROTC, and then the school's principal and City Council members.

Zoe dreams of going to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and becoming a military linguist. She's a bold public speaker who wasn't afraid last month to stand in front of a packed City Hall and pitch the project.

Principal Steve Van Gorden gave Operation We Remember the green light, and the school paid for the ribbons.

"I was very impressed with her initiative," said Van Gorden.

Zoe caught the attention of Smith last year as a freshman because she works hard and "is always looking to go the extra mile," he said.

"She's one of those rare ones,'' he said.

"There's a lot of older senior citizens (in Zephyrhills), and a lot of them are vets, and they really, really appreciate it," said Smith, who retired from the Army after 20 years. "Especially when they see that they are kids (who planned this). It puts a warm feeling in my heart."

By Jeffrey S. Solochek, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

A fourth-grader’s backpack at Richey Elementary has led to a discussion over what is appropriate for school.

LAND O'LAKES — The fight over the appropriateness of a fourth-grader's backpack last week has prompted one new Pasco County School Board member to call for a review of the policy that led to the pack's removal.

But Alison Crumbley isn't looking for rules to make the bag with an illustration of a scantily clad woman and a large snake — or any similar artwork, for that matter — any easier to carry to class.

"To me, it is just so clear you shouldn't be bringing something like that to an elementary school," Crumbley said. "I think we can take a more clear approach and define it more clearly."

The policy in question states that students should wear "modest clothing" that is "consistent with community standards as determined by the school principal." It offers some guidance that designs, decorations and symbols that are "offensive to good taste or the maintenance of decorum" are not allowed.

And it leaves the final decision to each school principal.

The question at hand is whether those broad terms offer enough direction for students and parents to follow. Fred Ferrer, whose son Quentin sported the banned backpack at Richey Elementary School, contended the policy needed specific details.

Crumbley agreed that, as Ferrer demonstrated, there might be too much room left for interpretation, which could lead to lawsuits. She planned to bring up the topic after she gets sworn in.

Other board members signaled they would be open to conversation. But they didn't see any pressing need to rewrite the rules absent some compelling argument.

The board gives principals "great responsibility, and with that it is appropriate to give them authority," board chairman Allen Altman said.

The superintendent always can intervene if necessary, board vice chairwoman Joanne Hurley added.

"If there were an instance where the superintendent disagreed with the principal, you know the superintendent would voice that," Hurley said.

In this particular instance, though, neither superintendent Heather Fiorentino nor the board disputed principal Ken Miesner's decision to keep the boy's backpack in the school office. That's despite the fact that he had used it for two years before anyone complained.

"It's important that whatever is at school not be disruptive to the education process," said newly elected board member Cynthia Armstrong, a former teacher. "Something that may not have been disruptive can become disruptive."

She hesitated to support any policy change that becomes too pointed or that takes discretion away from the principal.

"We have too many issues already where you have a no tolerance level. That makes it too difficult to make exceptions," Armstrong said.

Only recently did state lawmakers ease their "zero tolerance" policy on weapons, giving schools more leeway to impose lesser penalties on students who did such things as accidentally carrying a toy plastic gun to class. Similar flexibility should be available to a school administrator in dealing with kids' clothing and apparel, Armstrong suggested.

School Board lawyer Dennis Alfonso noted that trying to identify specific items that are not allowed could cause problems if someone wears something that causes objections yet doesn't appear on the list.

"When you laundry list things, I don't care how well-intended you are, I don't care how good your lawyer is, there's always going to be something that isn't on the list," Alfonso said.

One possible solution might be a move to uniforms or a dress code that strictly sets limits on what children may wear or carry to school. Even that move could lead to similar challenges, though, as kids and parents might question the use of patches, temporary tattoos or any other loopholes.

When School Board member Kathryn Starkey brought up that idea, though, she found no support. Crumbley, who replaces Starkey, does not intend to go there.

She said she only wants to see if there's a way to beef up the board's dress and apparel policy in order to avoid gray areas that lead to challenges. After all, Crumbley said, the board has more important matters to deal with as it moves ahead.

Jeffrey S. Solochek can be reached at solochek@sptimes.com or (813) 909-4614. For more education news, visit the Gradebook at www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook.