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JANUARY 21, 2015
Housing recovery likely to continue By B.C. Manion
a meeting of the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors. He offered plenty of food for thought Most of the time when you hear what about the housing market’s condition. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the “The bottom line is that we have enNational Association of Realtors has to say countered some degree of recovery. I think — it’s during a congressional hearing or on we will continue the recovery over the next the national news. two to three years, and then subsequently, But last week, Yun made an appearance the recovery may well change into expanbefore real estate professionals gathered for sion,” said Yun, who frequently speaks at
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conferences for real estate professionals around the country. “Now, you are just trying to get back to the prior principal in terms of prices. It may take an additional two to three years to get to where it had been in 2005-2006,” Yun said. When it comes to home prices, he said, See HOUSING, page9A
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Teaching the art of business through small transactions By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
The children on the covered play court behind Chester Taylor Elementary School were having a blast. They were learning the ins and outs of business without even realizing it. As the kids made their way from station to station, they could earn money by asking questions. They could then spend their earnings on games of chance to win prizes. Of course, the money was paper money, and the prizes were things like candy, tiny balls and pencils — but the experience gave kids a chance to interact with area businesses, learn a bit about their operations and have some fun at the same time. The event’s main goal was to pave the way for elementary school children to develop a greater interest in business, said Rene Martinez, a teacher at Weightman Middle School in Wesley Chapel. Martinez, Gregg Clapp and Ryan Prieto, all serve as advisors to the Future Business Leaders of America chapter, which meets as a club at Weightman Middle. Chester Taylor Elementary, in Zephyrhills, was just one of the elementary schools included in the American Enterprise Project organized by the Weightman Middle School chapter. Other schools they included were Wesley Chapel Elementary, Seven Oaks Elementary, Double Branch Elementary and New River Elementary. By the time they’d finished their rounds, thousands of children in nearly 75 classes had the opportunity to learn about local businesses and have some fun. “Every year, each FBLA chapter has to do something called the American Business Enterprise. And the kids have to come up with a theme and an idea and put it together and organize it,” Martinez said. “Right now, Weightman Middle School is the only middle school in Pasco County that has an FBLA chapter. It’s our first year. We’re really small,” Martinez said. Chapter members were wondering how they could expand, and they came up with the idea of reaching out to elementary schools, Martinez said. Prieto, a student at Pasco-Hernando State College, was involved in FBLA at Wesley Chapel High and he saw the need to get more students involved at the middle school level, Martinez said.
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Brody Gommier, at left, and Matthew Walford were in charge of a game in which children threw bean bags — trying to get them to land in the netting within the holes of the colorful fabric.
The club came up with the idea of using the game Monopoly as a model, and filling each of the spaces with a local business. The kids would make their way around the board, spending money at the various stops.
Their aims were a bit ambitious, Martinez said. “There’s 22 squares on a Monopoly board. Do you what it’s like to get 22 busiSee BUSINESS, page9A
Welcome to Dade City, where kumquat is king By B.C. Manion
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Crystal Enger enjoyed showing off a sports car from Wesley Chapel Nissan to children at Chester Taylor Elementary in Zephyrhills. Enger said the kids seemed to enjoy asking her questions about the car, and she enjoyed seeing them have a chance to think about things they might not have considered before.
Every year, as marauders take over Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa’s Gasparilla Parade, there’s another invasion of sorts— as thousands stream into downtown Dade City for the city’s annual Kumquat Festival. “It’s a wonderful alternative (to Gasparilla),” said John Moors, executive director of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce. The Dade City event — which draws its name from a diminutive, tangy orange fruit — gives visitors a chance to experience a taste of old Florida in a family friendly atmosphere, Moors said. With its free parking, free admission, free entertainment and assorted free activities, people can enjoy the day without having to spend a fortune, Moors said. Of course, Moors said, the chamber would like to see festival-goers do a bit of spending on items sold by vendors, at area restaurants and in merchant’s stores. The event, now in its 18th year, is expected to attract 30,000 to 40,000. Event-goers come from as far north as The Villages, as far south as Sarasota, as far west as the beaches, and as far east as Orlando. For some, it’s an annual tradition. For oth-
health and wellness section, entertainment and, for the first time, several food trucks. The food trucks are an additional component to the area’s restaurants and food vendors at the festival, Moors said. Local restaurants are always swarmed on festival day, the chamber executive said, adding some restaurant owners have told him they do a week’s worth of business on that single day. Of course, the kumquat is king at this event, and vendors offer it up in myriad forms. There’s kumquat pie, kumquat salsas, kumquat jam, kumquat jelly, kumquat preThis tiny orange fruit has helped called serves, and even kumquat lotions and soaps. attention to Dade City, a town that boasts a Over the years, the event has helped put charming downtown and an annual festival Dade City on the map and has helped raise with an old Florida feel. the community’s profile. It was heralded by the Pasco County Tourism Board as the ers, a reunion. And for still others, it’s an in- Pasco County Event of the Year in 2012 and troduction to the East Pasco city with the has enjoyed the distinction of being named historic courthouse and quaint shops. a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeast Tourism The annual festival started simply. Society, which selects premier events in 13 It began when Phyllis Smith, Roxanne Southeastern states. Barthle and Carlene Ellberg were looking Offering the event without charging an for a way to help inject new life into down- admission means that organizers rely on the town Dade City. generosity of sponsors, income from vendor They decided to have a festival to honor fees and support achieved through other the kumquat, and the first event was held fundraising efforts. on the lawn of the historic Pasco County This year, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is Courthouse. the event’s headlining sponsor, Moors said. This year there will be 450 vendors, a car See KUMQUAT, page9A show, children’s activities, an enlarged