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The LAKER WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA EDITION
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JULY 29, 2015
Coming soon: outlet mall’s job fair By Kathy Steele
Suites, at 3705 Spectrum Blvd., in Tampa. The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce and Career Central at PascoIn a sign that Tampa Premium Outlets is Hernando State College are event gearing up for its October opening, plan- coordinators. ning is under way for a job fair to fill The chamber will invite retailers to a priapproximately 800 positions. vate breakfast before the fair. Members also The hiring event is scheduled for Aug. are helping promote the event. 27, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Embassy “It’s so exciting to see this,” said Hope
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Allen, the chamber’s executive director. Career Central at Pasco-Hernando State College is preparing for a job fair that’s expected to attract between 1,000 to 2,000 applicants, said Ana Segovia, a business consultant with Career Central. It proved difficult finding a venue in See MALL, page 11A
Soccer team is golden By Kathy Steele
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Austin Harrell, 16, and Lyndzee Gugel, 16, both from Wesley Chapel, are dressed as Jackie and Sal. More LAMECon 2015, page 1B.
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With American flags waving, the Land O’ Lakes High School Unified Special Olympics Soccer team boarded a school bus in their first part of their journey to Los Angeles and the 2015 Special Olympics World Games. Hopes are high for a 12-member team that is the sole representative of the United States in unified soccer. “It will be beautiful if they bring home the gold,” said Marie Lambert. But win or lose, she said, “That whole team, I’m so proud of them.” Lambert’s 19-year-old grandson, Andrew Ahearn, plays fullback for a team with seven Special Olympic athletes, who are intellectually disabled, and five partner players. He has played on the team since its inception nearly eight years ago. KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTOS “Soccer is his love,” said his mother, About 40 friends, family members and school faculty members waved flags and cheered as Adelle Ahearn. the Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team headed to the airport In addition to Ahearn, team members are on the first leg of their trip to Los Angeles. Christopher Hale, Kyle Lufcy, Hassan Shehab, Ordray Smith, Rufus Smith-Jones, Joseph Tramel III, Samantha Frahm, Thomas Guglielmello, Cameron Hilgenberg, Haley Eckel and Kyle Townsend. Vicky King is head coach. Phyllis Crain and Meghan McLean are assistant coaches. Lambert and Ahearn joined about 40 friends, family members and Land O’ Lakes High School faculty for an impassioned and patriotic send off on July 20. They lined the covered walkway outside the school, cheering and slapping high-fives as the team boarded the bus on their way to the airport and the world stage in Los Angeles. The Special Olympics event will host more than 6,500 athletes from 165 countries from July 25 through Aug. 2, according to its website. It is billed as the largest event hosted by See SOCCER, page 11A
The Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team pauses for a final group photo before they leave for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.
Higher property taxes appear likely in Pasco County
Kira Lepree, of New Port Richey, was entertaining the crowd waiting for the doors to open to LAMECon2015. She is Kira Chi Cosplay and is known for her Sailor Moon varieties. FILE PHOTO
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Compark 75, which is next to the Tampa North Aero Park and visible to motorists on Interstate 75, has found ways to attract new tenants. It is getting ready to expand again, with a 65,000-square-foot building expected to begin construction in 2016.
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Pasco County commissioners have agreed to advertise a tax hike that could fully pay for salary increases for Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco's deputies. The increased revenues might also pay for a few other items on a wish list suggested by commissioners, including new fire An orthodontics distribution company rescue vehicles, additional code enforcealso will relocate from Tampa into about ment officers, and more money for libraries. But the increased tax rate will not be41,000 square feet of space at Compark 75. The company name has not been an- come final until commissioners approve the nounced, but Tuttle-Beisner said, “It’s a approximately $1.3 billion budget in September, and they can always roll the prohigh-end, incredible company.” The office park is strategically located posed rate back. However, commissioners, at the July 21 next to Interstate 75 about halfway between the State Road 54 and State Road 56 meeting in New Port Richey, had to approve a tentative millage rate that can be adverinterchanges. Suncoast Parkway is 12 miles to the tised in trim notices sent to property west. The Tampa North Aero Park is along owners. The vote came before a standing-roomthe park’s northern boundary. A $15 million expansion of Compark 75 only crowd. The board has adopted rate of 9.4, which broke ground in 2014. It was the first major investment in commercial office construc- is about half a mill higher than the current rate of 8.9. tion in Pasco County since the recession. For a $150,000 house, with taxable value Ross Kirk, owner of KVR Development LLC, handles the development and design of of $100,000, the increase would mean the park. Larry Morgan, president of HR about $36 a year in additional property tax. Between now and September there will Pasco LLP, owns the park. “It’s a collaborative effort,” Tuttle-Beisner be workshops and public hearings where commissioners might get an earful from unsaid. The 165-acre site is zoned light industrial happy taxpayers. Or, they could be greeted with cheers and can accommodate warehouse, manufac-
Compark 75 plans expansion in 2016 By Kathy Steele
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By Kathy Steele
Compark 75 is growing again. The industrial park, off Wesley Chapel Boulevard, will add a new 65,000-squarefoot building to four buildings that are already leased almost to capacity. The permitting process for the new structure is under way, with construction set for 2016. No tenant has signed on yet, but that’s typical for an industrial park that, from the start, has proved that location and the right market conditions will produce results. “All of our tenants have come after the building was built,” said Heidi Tuttle-Beisner of Commercial Asset Partners Realty, an agent for the property. “They feel confident in the level of activity.” In October, Compark 75 will welcome two new tenants. Streetside Classics Cars specializes in the consignment, purchase and sale of classic and collectible cars. Compark 75 is its fourth showroom. Other locations are in Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta.
See COMPARK, page 11A
See TAXES, page11A