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Big changes coming to The Grove
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
The Grove at Wesley Chapel shopping center is in store for a major makeover — something being hyped as a future downtown entertainment district for the growing Pasco County community. Owner and developer Mark Gold unveiled his vision for the property during a
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North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce luncheon last month. He has sweeping plans for the large, but rather traditional strip mall, which is situated west of I-75 and north of State Road 54 . The Grove is already home to a 16screen theater and more than a dozen national retail chains, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, Old Navy and others.
Gold purchased The Grove for $62.7 million in September, through parent company Mishorim USA Real Estate Investments. While many of those major retail spaces will remain in place, it’s what Gold has in mind for the property’s surrounding 114 acres of vacant land that’s been generating buzz. See THE GROVE, page 13A
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Mural project promotes healthy eating The Autism Society of Florida, along with Pasco County Planning and Development, UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension, and Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources organized a mural project — engaging youths with special needs, to promote healthy eating. Above, 10-year-old Jenna Nevins, of Palm Harbor, left, holds on to the palette of paint, so 6-year-old Vanessa Rodriguez, of Wesley Chapel, can move freely as she paints flowers on the mural. Nevin’s mother, Amy, is the artist that transposed the winning drawings on the wall. The artwork for the mural, now on the wall at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, was designed by student artists with special needs, and on the autism spectrum, who submitted a colored drawing or painting depicting what sustainable ‘Food for All’ means to them. Six winners were chosen to have their work memorialized on a mural next to the new community gardens at the park. Artist Amy Nevins, of Palm Harbor, transposed the winning artwork onto the wall, and student artists, including those with special needs, helped to paint it. The official mural unveiling and a grand opening of the community gardens is planned for a family friendly event on Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m. At left, 5-year-old Isabelle Romain, of Wesley Chapel, helps create handprint flowers on the Food for All mural with artist Amy Nevins.
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73rd annual Pasco Fair: SMARTstart helps Pasco entrepreneurs ‘It’s An Adventure’ get off the ground
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
With its slew of food options, new performances, live entertainment and other activities, the 73rd annual Pasco County Fair is aiming to make an impression. The fair’s theme is “It’s An Adventure,” and the show will run Feb. 17 through Feb. 23 at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City. Details about the festival were shared at a Jan. 21 Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting, hosted at the fairgrounds. The fair kicks off with a parade in downtown Dade City on Feb. 17 at 11:30 a.m. As usual, there will be marching bands, colorful floats, mounted horse units and more.The parade’s grand marshal will be country music star Billy Dean. “We are excited about that,” said annual fair chairman and director Tracy Thompson.“We think that’ll attract some more people to come out to the parade.” In the way of entertainment, there figures to be a little something for everyone during the course of the weeklong event,Thompson told chamber members. “We promise you there’ll be lots of adventures this year, in entertainment,” he said. One of the major headliners is Jay Mattioli, a magician illusionist who was featured on Season 3 of “America’s Got Talent,” and became one of the youngest magicians ever to receive the International Brotherhood of Magicians’
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Champion of Magic award. A sought-after entertainer on luxury cruise lines and for corporate events, Mattioli performs magic with live animals, levitates microphones and other illusions. He will perform daily on the Back Porch Theatre. Keeping with the adventure motif, the fair will take on a bit of a Jurassic Park feel from “Walking With Giants,” an interactive, California-based show that will feature moving animatronic dinosaurs that children can crawl and play on, and pose for a picture with.The show will be in the Schrader Building Entertainment Area. Children also may get a kick out of another daily show called “Pirates of the Colombian
Ever wanted to create your own business or startup? If you do, the Pasco Economic Development Council’s (Pasco EDC) SMARTstart program may be able to lend a hand, or two. Essentially, the program is designed to assist entrepreneurs — through a combination of guidance, collaboration, funding, education and workspace opportunities. SMARTstart program manager Dan Mitchell detailed many of those offerings, at last month’s Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting Seven Springs Golf Club in New Port Richey. Mitchell told those gathered:“If you’re an entrepreneur somewhere in the startup phase, or first couple years, we probably have a program that can help benefit you at some point during that journey. You just have to ask.” Pasco EDC is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes countywide economic development, and is partnered and funded by corporate and public investors focused on the economic vitality of Pasco County. Through SMARTstart, it operates two
See FAIR, page 13A
See SMARTSTART, page 13A
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This year’s Pasco County Fair runs from Feb. 17 through Feb. 23. It’s expected to draw more than 50,000 attendees.