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Economic forecast is bright, expert says
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
The forecast for both the United States and the world economy appear to be “pretty sunny” this year. At least that’s the word from Tim McGee, director of macro strategy and research at U.S. Trust-Bank of America Wealth Management.
McGee offered that assessment during the Pasco Economic Development Council’s annual economic forecast luncheon recently at Hyatt Place Tampa/Wesley Chapel. At Bank of America, McGee manages a team of analysts that research global economic trends, and then develop those trends into investment strategies for individual clients, institutions and foundations supporting the wealth management business.
McGee’s economic outlook, delivered to a sold-out luncheon, contained predictions that should inspire confidence on the whole. The global economy will “grow a little bit faster than it did last year,” McGee said. “Last year, global GDP growth got down a little bit below 3%.This year it’s expected to be about a half a point higher than that,” he See ECONOMIC, page 15A
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Still sweethearts, after all these years Ninety-six-year-old Earl Angel kisses Alice, his bride of almost 77 years, in the living room of their Zephyrhills home. The couple were sharing their tips for a lasting marriage, just in time for Valentine’s Day. One of their tips: Kiss each other good night…and throughout the day, too. To find out more about the life they’ve shared and advice they have for maintaining a lasting marriage, please turn to Page 1B.
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LOCAL WILDLIFE
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The LAKER WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA EDITION
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FEBRUARY 3, 2016
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The site is located at the corner of of heading toward a construction start Magnolia Boulevard and Wesley Chapel Amici Plaza in spring with an opening likely Boulevard, which is also known as County ksteele@lakerlutznews.com by the end of 2016. Road 54. Pasco County records show a conceptual Pasco County is moving forward with acOwners of Amici Pizza & Deli are planthe plan with about 3,000 square feet for Road ning to build a new stand-alone restaurant, for quisition of right-of-way along County restaurant, and about 1,800 square feet 54 to prepare for the expansion of the twowith additional retail space, on Wesley retail. the lane road into a four-lane road at Chapel Boulevard. “We’d like to have our own building and 54 junction of State Road 56 and State Road The new restaurant is a short distance a bigger kitchen,” said Andrea Mannino. from the existing Amici restaurant in Grand No decisions have been made on the adSee PIZZA, page 13A Oaks Square, at Wesley Chapel and Pet Lane. ditional retail space, he said. Andrea and Josephine Mannino, are
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JANUARY 27, 2016
Pasco administrator to retire in
By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker expects to be very busy over the next year and a half. She’ll be crossing off a to-do list, one by one, before leaving in 2017 to go on a lengthy road trip with her husband. The couple will hit the road with their recreational vehicle and their motorcycles, on a tour of as many baseball parks and national parks as they can squeeze into a year. “That’s been our dream,” Baker said, so letting her contract lapse in July 2017 makes sense. But, don’t expect a lame duck administrator. “There’s no kicking back here,” Baker said.“This isn’t me slowing down. ” Baker has told Pasco County commissioners she won’t seek renewal of her current two-year contract, which makes her
2017
last day July 9, 2017. the jail and construction of new fire stations By then, Baker will • Relocating have worked 35 years central Pasco more government offices to in public service, 24 Baker also plans to fill vacancies for a of those years with few key leadership positions that remain, Pasco County. cluding an assistant county administrator infor Her to-do list, in public safety and administration. short form, includes: Progress has been made, Baker said, but • Completing mas- government services still could be more ter plans and updates customer-friendly. for storm water, solid A culture that was decades in the waste and tourism making is being changed, she said.“You don’t • Funding and building a diverging get to dia- turn a canoe.You’re turning mond road design to ease traffic congestion a ship.” Public service wasn’t Baker’s first at State Road 56 and Interstate 75 career choice. • Completing the State Road 56 extenOver the years she worked sion as a waitress, • Nurturing SunWest Park, the county’s flight attendant and a theater manager. She also served in the U.S.Air Force Reserve. fledgling aqua park Her undergraduate degree was in • Replacing and repairing aging busiinfra- ness administration. structure and roads damaged by the It wasn’t until she accepted a secretarial summer flooding • Making progress on the expansion of See RETIRE, page 11A Michele Baker
Kumquats reign supreme at area festival
By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
®
Saturday, January 30, 2016 9 AM - 5 PM Historic Downtown Dade City
FREE ADMISSION KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTOS
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WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA
Amici Pizza plans stand-alone location
Mark Pizzurro, Joe Traina and Peter Abreut
anticipate opening their craft brewery
in Land O’ Lakes in spring.
I th
The first kumquat tree in St. Joseph took root more than 100 years ago, when C.J. Nathe planted it in his backyard. He added a few more, and soon he had small grove on an acre of fertile ground. a The kumquat king, as Nathe was later dubbed, transformed a quiet back road community into the Kumquat Capital of the World. An open house will take place on Jan. and Jan. 29 at the Kumquat Growers 28 packi h d
Margie Neuhofer and her h
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While reminiscing on the life they have shared together for nearly eight decades, Alice Angel, 93, holds her 96-year-old husband Earl’s hand. Their 77th anniversary is on Feb. 20.
SMARTstart helps Pasco area Will cross-county entrepreneurs get off the ground commuters have
By Kevin Weiss
kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
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 business incubators. One is in Dade City and the other in New Port Richey. Each offers its own set of unique features, along with affordable desk spaces and professional meeting spaces with Wi-Fi connections. One of the newer features at the Dade City site, for instance, is an incubator commercial kitchen. It aims to help those looking to launch a food business beyond farmer’s markets and vendor fairs. Operating at 15029 14th St., the facility features a six-burner range, a single-door refrigerator, a single-door freezer, an under-the-counter ice machine, shelving, and stainless steel work tables. Mitchell said it helps food entrepreneurs facilitate wholesale distribution “to grow to that next level.” Pasco EDC’s location in West Pasco offers its own digital media studio for podcasting, recording commercials and so on. It comes furnished with a high-quality sound board, four boom mics, green screens and white See SMARTSTART, page 15A
a new option?
By Brian Fernandes bfernandes@lakerlutznews.com
Commuters in Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties could have a new way to get around, as planning continues on a proposed 41-mile bus route connecting the counties. The plan being considered calls for designated rapid bus transit lanes to be built along the shoulders of Interstate 75 and Interstate 275. The route would run from Pasco to Hillsborough County — beginning at State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, heading south to the University of South Florida and ending in downtown Tampa.The system also would have a leg continuing into Pinellas County, ending in downtown St. Petersburg. Various bus stations would be built adjacent to the highway and within a 1-mile radius of communities with larger concenSee COMMUTERS, page 15A