Volume 22 Issue 8
Inside:
The ‘Pirates’ Win The Rotary Spelling Bee!
April 12, 2014
See Neighborhood Magazine!
The Direct - Mail News Magazines Serving New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Since 1993! THIS INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWS MAGAZINE IS DIRECTLY MAILED TO: WESLEY CHAPEL: Aberdeen • Belle Chase • Bridgewater • Brookside • Chapel Pines • Country Walk • Lexington Oaks • Meadow Pointe • New River • Northwood • Pinewalk • Pine Ridge Saddlebrook • Saddleridge Estates • Saddlewood • Seven Oaks • The Lakes at Northwood • The Villages of Wesley Chapel • Watergrass • Wesley Pointe • Westbrook Estates • Williamsburg OUR NEW TAMPA EDITIONS ARE MAILED TO: Arbor Greene • Cory Lake Isles • Cross Creek • Easton Park • Grand Hampton • Heritage Isles • Hunter’s Green • Hunter’s Key K-Bar Ranch • Lake Forest • Live Oak Preserve • Pebble Creek • Richmond Place • Tampa Palms • The Hammocks • West Meadows
PHSC Dedication Honors Porter Family, School Staff & FHWC By Gary Nager & Matt Wiley
If you missed the official dedication ceremony for the new Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch on April 2, you probably don’t realize just how important the new PHSC is likely to be to the future of not only Wesley Chapel, but of all of eastern and central Pasco County and even New Tampa. As we’ve reported more often than any other local media, PHSC opened its doors to students in January as the fifth campus of Pasco Hernando Community College (PHCC), but was renamed PHSC (as were the other four then-PHCC campuses) later that month. It was the incredible, new, seven-story Porter Campus of PHSC itself that was dedicated Apr. 2, with at least 300 people stuffed into the campus’ auditorium. The emcee for the evening was the game-show-host affable Provost of the Porter Campus, Stanley Giannet, Ph.D., who introduced dozens of dignitaries with his usual flair, including the Porter family (the developers of Wiregrass Ranch who donated the 60 acres of land for the new college), PHSC president Katherine M. Johnson, Ed.D.,, PHSC District Board of Trustees chair Frank Rygiel, Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of
Commerce president Jeff Novotny, Florida Architects, Inc. (who designed the impressive campus) director of design Joe Sorci and Skanska USA Building, Inc. (who constructed the campus) senior VP Roger Stephan. The ceremony opened with a rendition of the National Anthem by the Double Branch Elementary chorus, “60 students we know will be future students at PHSC,” Giannet told the crowd. “The Porter family has a vision,” said Johnson. “They decided to reserve this land for higher education. (PHSC) is forever grateful that (the Porters) have entrusted us with this land.”
(Above) Dr. Stanley Giannet, the Provost of the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Rach of Pasco-Hernando State College, was joined by reperesentatives of not only the school itself, but also by the architechture and construction firms that helped create Wesley Chapel’s first college campus, at PHSC’s dedication deremony on Apr. 2. (Below left) Bill, JD & Don Porter of the Porter Family Trust and the Double Branch Elementary chorus also were at the event.
See “PHSC” on page 32.
District 2 Pasco County Commission Race Gets More Crowded By Matt Wiley
As the so-called “mid-term” 2014 election season begins to gather steam, the Republican primary ticket for the District 2 County Commission seat in Pasco is beginning to stack up, as more Republicans, and now, the first Democratic candidate, have entered the race. Wesley Chapel resident Mike Moore continues to gather endorsements and contributions in his bid to take the District 2 seat when current Comm. Pat Mulieri retires, rather than seeking reelection — most
recently from District 12 U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis, However, Moore now faces a total of three competitors, as former State Rep. Ken Littlefield has joined the race for the Republican nomination, which also includes Zephyrhills financial planner Robert (Bob) Robertson, who will square off at the polls during the August 26 Republican Primary. The winner of that Primary election will go on to face Democrat Erika Remsberg, on (L.-r.) Dist. 2 Commissioner Republican candidates Mike Moore, Ken Littlefield & Bob Robertson and Democratic candidate Erika Remsberg. November 4. According to an April 1 press release, in addition to running for the Pasco Board and our region continues to grow, it is vital of County Commissioners, Moore has been that we plan wisely for the future, in order to appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott to afford our children and future generations the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council the greatest opportunities while preserving (TBRPC). According to the organization’s and protecting qualities of our region that Neighborhood website, the TBRPC brings together gov- we all value and cherish.” Magazine ernments to coordinate planning for the See ‘Race’ on page 15 Neighborhood News Pirates Win Rotary community’s future and provide an opporSpelling Bee, The Front House Photography tunity for sharing solutions among the 43 Story, La Fuente Adds Cuban Cuisine, Plus jurisdictions in the Tampa Bay region. Neighborhood Nibbles & Biz Bytes! “I am honored by the opportunity to serve and represent Pasco County on the Pages 29-44 (TBRPC),” Moore says. “As Pasco County
Also Inside This Issue!
News, Business, Sports & Education Updates
Wesley Chapel Welcomes New PCSO Capt., Skimmers Found On Hess Gas Pumps, Our Excusive Summer Camp Guide, Lots Of Local Business Features & Much More!
Pages 1-28