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FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Construction pace picks up in Pasco By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Commercial and residential developments are popping up at the Suncoast Parkway interchange and along State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor at an ever-quickening pace. There’s so much happening that it’s diffi-
cult to keep up with what’s under construction, what’s on the drawing board and what’s moving toward final sale. To help sort things out, the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., brought developers and brokers together for a meet-and-greet session on Feb. 19 at the Residence Inn at NorthPointe. “We see the dirt flying,” said John Hagen,
president and CEO of the Pasco EDC. “It struck us there’s really a lot of people who don’t know what’s going on here.” So, in 10-minute bursts of information, representatives for the various developments presented highlights of a half-dozen mixed-use, master-planned and commerSee CONSTRUCTION, page7A
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Get all your favorite local news stories Eagle Scout’s gazebo project benefits church online.
COURTESY OF THE STURM FAMILY
Sturm’s project not only helps the church, it helped him earn his Eagle Scout designation. His Eagle Court of Honor was held at the church last year.
By Michael Murillo
church members and their families can enjoy the comforts of a covered outdoor area. After a few months of work, the gazebo Eighteen-year-old Robert Sturm has been was finished last summer, and Sturm bea scout most of his life. came an Eagle Scout later that year. His He became a Tiger Scout when he was 5 Eagle Court of Honor was held at the and has been involved in scouting ever church. since. Taking the lead on that kind of project He’s also attended First United Methodist takes more than just pointing fingers and Church of Land O’ Lakes since he was quite sketching out plans. young, too. First, Sturm contacted the church In fact, the church formed his first scout trustees and worked with them on what packs and troops. they’d like to have. So, when it came time to choose an Once they decided on a gazebo strucEagle Scout project, an important part of ture, there was the issue of money: Building qualifying for the highest rank in the Boy a quality, outside structure that can survive Scouts of America, it was pretty easy to de- the elements isn’t cheap. Sturm had to raise cide to combine the two together. around $1,300 to make it happen, and tradi“I’ve been going there my whole life,” tional fundraising methods weren’t going to Sturm said about the church. “And they sup- raise a lot of money quickly. port our troop, too, so it’s nice to be able to So instead, he started buying and selling give back to them.” used items to make a quick profit. With help from around a dozen people, So, he and his friends began hitting up Sturm managed a project to create a gazebo garage sales, looking for good deals. for the church, located at 6209 Land O’ “After we bought stuff at garage sales Lakes Blvd. pretty cheap, we could turn it around and The idea was to create a place where make money off that.”
mmurillo@lakwerlutznews.com
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A good day of searching could result in some pretty good bargains: A two-dollar investment in a tent turned into $60. At the end of one garage sale, someone gave him and a friend a T-shirt press for free. His cut of the resulting sale netted $200 toward his project. After few months of getting up at 7 a.m., to go bargain hunting for tools, video games and whatever else he could find, he had the money necessary to build the gazebo. Now that the project is finished, when he comes home for a visit from his classes at the University of Central Florida, Sturm can see his and his helpers’ handiwork. As he looks at the completed gazebo, he’s reminded of the hard work and challenges he faced along the way. The paving was especially difficult, he recalled, because the gazebo had to have a level and strong foundation. With its paver-stone floor, tin roof and wooden construction, the gazebo was built to last well into the future. So, in addition to recalling the challenges,
INSIDE, PAGE 1B
By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is almost certain to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2016, according to political strategist James Carville. Her chances of winning are “no worse than 50-50,” said Carville who was keynote speaker on the opening day of the sixth annual International Business Conference at Saint Leo University. This year’s conference theme was “Best Practices in Global Organizations.” Before an audience of about 200 people, Carville entertained with funny anecdotes and blunt remarks on the dysfunctions of national politics. The ‘ragin Cajun,” as he is sometimes called, was the Democratic strategist who led Bill Clinton’s successful presidential campaign in 1992, popularizing the slogan – “It’s the economy, stupid.” Clinton defeated incumbent President George H.W. Bush who, months before the election and in the aftermath of the first Gulf War, enjoyed more than 91 percent popularity in polls. “I think (Hillary) has a good chance,” he said. “But running for president is enormously difficult.” She will have to show how she is “substantively and stylistically” different from President Obama. “Whatever you may think of Obama, people are kind of looking for something different. They always are,”
FRED BELLET/PHOTO
Democratic political strategist James Carville’s stories and anecdotes even had him laughing.
Carville said. And the Republican candidate will be? “I give (Chris) Christie no chance,” he said. “I give Jeb (Bush) less of a chance than most handicappers…and Ted Cruz a little more of a chance.” Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney recently backed away from a third presidential run. But Romney is waiting and watching, Carville said. “I think Mitt is doing his knitting on the sideline. If anybody is looking for Jeb Bush to lose in New Hampshire, he is.” Carville tagged Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as a must-win candidate in Iowa, or he will be out of the race. But like Romney, he also is counting on a Bush loss in New Hampshire’s primary.
Carville was a counterpoint to conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, who was last year’s keynote speaker at the business conference. “It’s great for students,” said Frank Orlando, political science instructor at the university. “I want kids to pay attention to different issues. It’s important to know them.” Emily Mincey, 21, a junior majoring in history, is focused on a career as a political strategist. “Politics is where I want to go,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to know what was going on. I want to look for candidates who are smart. We can’t function without good politicians.” Mincey said she doesn’t agree with Carville on every issue, but he is an example of how to be successful in politics. Dade City resident Lex Smith also doesn’t always agree with Carville. But he said, “I always respect his opinions. I always enjoy hearing what he has to say.” Carville’s remarks were provocative and snappy. The country is divided, he said, with Democrats clustered in cities and Republicans in rural communities. A check of the election map in Pennsylvania in 2012 is a stark picture of the political landscape, he said. President Obama carried the state by 5 percent of the total vote. But within 18 Congressional districts, he carried only five. It is an example of why Democrats are better positioned to win presidential elections and Republicans Congressional elections. “Because of clusters, we don’t interact in the way we used to do,” Carville said. “Everyone is comfortable with their own coalition.” Florida will be ground zero for Republicans in the presidential election because the state has 29 of the 270 electoral votes needed to capture the White House. “If you win Florida, See CARVILLE, page7A