Category: Featured

Cypress Creek Valedictorian: Ashleigh Lacey

Ashleigh Lacey had a lofty goal when she entered Cypress Creek High as part of its first freshman class — she didn’t want to get anything lower than an “A’’ in any class she took. Ever.

It wasn’t that far-fetched of an idea. The only “B’’ she had ever received was in third grade at Denham Oaks Elementary. The subject was reading, which is actually something she loves to do. Like any good student, she analyzed why she didn’t get an A and made sure she never made that mistake again.

“Back then, I thought you could only get As if you were a nice person,’’ Ashleigh says. “I just thought I needed to be nicer. But, that isn’t how it works.’’

It helps to be nice, and Ashleigh certainly is. But, the hard work is the most important thing.

After four years of budgeting her time between classes, extracurricular activities and a part-time job, Ashleigh has accomplished her goal.

She will finish her high school career with a weighted grade point average of 4.6. She earned only As in every class she took, which included her favorite classes (history and psychology) and her not so favorite classes (anything to do with math).

On June 2, Ashleigh will graduate as Cypress Creek’s valedictorian. She will be the first valedictorian to attend all four years at the school, which opened in 2017.

“I guess I’m in the school history books,’’ Ashleigh (photo) says.

She already has taken enough college-level classes to earn her Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree, which means she will enter college needing only two years to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree. She will attend the University of South Florida in Tampa on an academic scholarship.

“I’m kind of a perfectionist, so when I entered high school I told myself that I want to get all As,’’ Ashleigh says. “I didn’t even know what a valedictorian was.’’

*Ashleigh Lacey (in front) competed in track for Cypress Creek, winning a district championship in the long jump this season. She plans to try to walk onto the track team at USF.*

It was certainly not an easy path to graduation for any student over the past year and a half. Covid-19 restrictions reduced half of the 2020 school year to on-line learning only. Students were given a choice of on-line or in-person learning this school year. Ashleigh did both.

What’s also impressive is that Ashleigh didn’t just spend her high school days in classrooms and libraries or behind a computer screen. She has been part of the school’s art club for three years. And, she is an important member of the Coyotes’ track team. She won the District long jump championship last month and advanced to the Regional meet. She also competes in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles and is part of the school’s 4x100m relay team.

In short, she is one of those student athletes who excels at whatever she decides to try.

“I would say that’s right,’’ her father Robert says. “You could see signs of it as a child, just in the way she organized and lined up certain toys in a perfect row. She always did very well in school. She’s just always done well in everything she’s done. She’s competed in speech contests and done well. She played the flute for a while and became an All-County flute player. She’s a very talented artist. She excels at anything she picks up.’’

The next step is college. Ashleigh’s goal is to attend medical school at USF and eventually become a psychiatrist. Early on, she thought maybe she might like to be a lawyer, but after taking advanced classes in biology and psychology, she decided to change her goals.

“I would read books on those subjects just for fun,’’ she says. “Sometimes I’m kind of a nerd.’’

Just because she is off to college doesn’t Ashleigh’s goals will change. She still doesn’t want to get a B. And, she says she would like the chance to walk on to USF’s track team.

She won’t be far away from the Wesley Chapel home where she grew up. She’ll be able to visit her younger brother Luke and parents, Robert and mom Michelle, often. As expected, Ashleigh credits her parents as having been a key to her success.

“They’ve been very encouraging,’’ Ashleigh says. “They’ve never pressured me. They put a lot of trust in me.’’

Well-earned trust.

“We’re lucky that she’s been so driven,’’ Robert says. “We haven’t had to push her. She’s taken care of her academics. She’s really taken control of her life. She’s made our jobs as parents a lot easier.’’

The Cypress Creek High graduation is scheduled for Wednesday, June 2, 7 p.m. at the school’s football stadium.

New River Library On 54 Is Open For The Curious

The New River Library isn’t officially open yet, thanks to a number of Covid-related delays, but Wesley Chapel residents are encouraged to swing on by and check out the new digs.

The library was closed for renovations in October 2019, and until an actual Grand Opening is scheduled, the library is hosting an ongoing soft opening for those who want to see the progress.

On the day we visited, the books hadn’t arrived yet but the renovated library was mostly complete, its makeover adding a fresh new vibe to Wesley Chapel’s only full-size library.

The lobby is larger and more inviting. There is a meeting room, and the old men’s and women’s restrooms with stalls have been replaced by four new family bathrooms.

The inside of the library also is more spacious. The children’s area has been relocated to the front of the building, where it is double its former size, with three touchscreen computers. There are two soundproof study rooms, which can accommodate up to four people, and one larger study room for up to eight. A large mounted television is ideal for presentations.

The teen room is stocked with a console gaming area on one side, and Alienware computers on the other.

The scanning and printing area, as well as the book self-checkout area, also have been upgraded.

A new outdoor study area leads to a new community garden that may attract those with a green thumb. While other libraries in Pasco County offer woodworking, theater or art besides in addition to traditional books and studying, the new community garden at New River has 28 planting beds, four water barrels and will eventually have a butterfly garden and sensory items for children who have autism.

Patrons can check out a planting bed just like they would a book, to grow and maintain whatever they like, from wildflowers to fruits and vegetables. You can bring your own seeds, or take advantage of New River’s “seed library.”

“We’re hoping the garden and outdoor study area gets people active,” says branch manager Danielle Lee. “After Covid, people need something like that.”

You’re welcome to stop by the New River Library at 34043 S.R. 54, or call 813-788-6375 for more information.ialists.

Offering short-term rehabilitation in Florida’s newest state-of-the-art therapy center, Blue Heron’s health and rehabilitation blends the comforts of a luxury hotel with advanced therapies and facilities in a unique “Return to Home” program that includes private suites, advanced therapy equipment, physical, occupational and spe

As I mentioned on page 1, Blue Heron is Wesley Chapel’s only assisted living facility that also offers both short-term rehabilitation services and skilled nursing care on-site.

For residents who require 24-hour nursing care, Blue Heron has private suites in its health & rehabilitation center, where each resident will enjoy consistent care delivered by a dedicated team of professional, licensed specialists.

Library new river

Raising The Curtain At The IPAC

Lauren Murray, DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts), couldn’t keep the smile off her face, which was obvious by the twinkle in her eyes as she showed off the new Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC) to the media.

Standing in the middle of the state-of-the-art, 444-seat theater that is the centerpiece of the 35,000-sq.-ft. project, the new executive director of the IPAC called it her dream job to help turn the IPAC, which is located in front of Cypress Creek High on Old Pasco Rd., into one of Wesley Chapel’s true jewels.

“It’s a beautiful addition to the community,” Dr. Murray says.

Murray (photo), who PHSC lured away from her position as the music chair at the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, says she has two objectives — to provide a space for the community, local schools and art and performance organizations that need space to perform and have a hunger to learn, as well as to provide programs for PHSC students who are practical and viable.

No expense was spared on creating the IPAC to achieve those goals. Because the 5.85 acres to build on was donated by Pasco County Schools (PCS), PHSC provost Dr. Kevin O’Farrell said his school was able to “pour more money into what’s happening there instead of acquiring land and preparing it for building.”

The theater will have the benefit of an orchestra pit, which allows for the best acoustics. It also features a high-tech counterweight rigging system — also known as a fly system — which should make anyone playing Peter Pan or any other high-flying character happy as the IPAC serves high school and college students from all over the county.

Murray says she hopes to lure touring companies to the IPAC to put on quality shows. At the groundbreaking in 2019, Pasco County deputy superintendent of schools Ray Gadd raved that it would be a “full-blown, professional theater.”

From the spacious lobby to the new classrooms for dance, music, drama and multimedia, the IPAC, a joint $18-million venture between PCS and PHSC, is brightened by large windows everywhere.

Covid delayed the opening, which was originally scheduled for fall 2020. Like many construction projects, the IPAC dealt with supply issues. The rigging system came from New York, the seats from Michigan and much of the sound equipment from California — three of the hardest-hit states during the pandemic.

However, PHSC will offer limited online classes this summer and, in the fall, will hopefully welcome students back to a full complement of classes.

PHSC will offer two programs at the IPAC. The first will be an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree, within which there will be four pathways — two in music (instrumental and vocal), one in dance and another in theater.

Second will be an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree, which will focus on multimedia and digital technology and include things like web and graphic design, as well as video editing and production. It includes one lab featuring Apple computers, and another with PCs.

O’Farrell calls the new IPAC a missing link, or missing piece, for area students with an interest in fine arts.

“A lot of people will graduate high school and have to go away because there’s nothing here locally for them,” he says. “This will allow them to continue here locally and earn that A.A. degree in a fantastic, state-of-the-art facility.”

PHSC also has found the perfect person to lead the IPAC into its future, O’Farrell says. Murray is an accomplished oboist who has performed at New York City’s renowned Carnegie Hall. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Stetson University in DeLand, FL, a Master of Music degree from Yale University in New Haven, CT, , and her DMA from the University of North Texas in Denton. She also has taught at a number of universities, including at USF.

This, however, may be her most exciting challenge yet.

“The opportunity to come into a brand new building that someone has built and create programming from the ground up is completely unheard of,” she says. “Friends of mine who I called and told about this were like, ‘What? You’re in a brand new place that they just built?’ No one could say no to this. It’s dream job, it really is.”

IPAC phsc

Tiger Woods-backed mini-golf concept coming to Wesley Chapel

PopStroke Entertainment, a mini-golf and restaurant concept owned by golfing legend Tiger Woods and entrepreneur Greg Bartoli, is coming to Wesley Chapel’s Cypress Creek Town Center on S.R. 56.

According to the PopStroke Entertainment website, and first reported by the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Wesley Chapel is just part of a major PopStroke Entertainment expansion that will also include seven new locations in across three states. In Florida, new locations also include Sarasota, Orlando and Delray Beach.

Its two current locations are located in Port St. Lucie and Fort Myers.

And these aren’t your daddy’s putt-putt golf courses. There are no windmills to hit around, just specially designed holes meant to mimic real putting on a real course. Woods and TGR Design, his award-winning design team, will be building two 18-hole putting courses — at the Fort Myers PopStroke, for example, one course is called the Cub and is more for beginners, while and the other more challenging course is called Tiger.

The courses have synthetic turfs, incorporate fairways into the design, and the primary obstacles — replacing windmills and ramps — will be the same bunkers and rough you face on a real golf course. The undulation changes will bring the course to life.

“I am very excited about our expansion plans,” Woods said in the statement on PopStroke.com. “Putting is a universal part of golf that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. It has been rewarding to see the broad and diverse group of guests enjoying their experience at PopStroke, and I look forward to seeing players make those long putts in locations throughout the South and Southwest. Each new location will have a different course design and layout giving players unique putting challenges as they travel across the country.”

PopStroke was founded in 2018, and uses technology to enhance the putt putt experience. A customized app will track scores on a digital scoreboard, as well as allowing customers to order food and drinks to be delivered directly to you on the course. There will be an outdoor dining area with a full menu, a variety of craft beer and wine, ice cream, outdoor games and a playground.

The Port St. Lucie location also has three golf simulators, allowing you to play more than 200 courses worldwide.

A mini-golf course is also under construction at The Grove Entertainment Complex, next to the movie theater. It is expected to be completed this year.

cypress creek town center golf tiger woods

Will The Show Go On At The New Tampa PAC?

Despite the fact a majority of Hillsborough County commissioners declined to vote to award a $7.3-million construction contract for the long-awaited New Tampa Performing Arts Center (PAC), District 2 Commissioner Ken Hagan says the show must go on, following another intermission.

Hagan believes that once all of the county commissioners’ concerns are addressed by staff, construction will proceed.

“I’m not really concerned,” Comm. Hagan told the Neighborhood News. “I think once staff fully describes and explains not only the history of the project but the operational plan, I think the individual Board members will be comfortable with it.”

Hagan’s motion to execute the construction contract with Bandes Construction Company was seconded by Dist. 4’s Stacy White but received no other support. It was withdrawn after some debate, and deferred to the next BOCC meeting on May 5.

The opposition, mostly due to concerns over money and the company that will be managing the facility, raised a few eyebrows in New Tampa, but Hagan says the project, which is located directly across Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from the Hunter’s Green community in The Village at Hunter’s Lake, is not in any danger. The pad for the PAC is already in place (see photo), built by the developer, Harrison Bennett Properties, LLC.

Roughly $8 million in funding to complete the project was set aside in 2019 via a bond issue.

The New Tampa PAC — which for almost all of its history had been referred to as the New Tampa Cultural Center — will be a 350-seat venue with four dance studios. The seats in the auditorium will be retractable, allowing the space to be converted into a multi-purpose room for event receptions. The 20,000-sq.-ft. building is adaptable to accommodate various needs when it comes to space. There also are plans to add a second story in the future to accommodate additional dance studios and community spaces.

Commissioners Mariella Smith, Kimberly Overman, Gwen Myers and Harry Cohen shared many of the same concerns, mostly centering around questions regarding the company that will manage the facility — the Florida Cultural Group (FCG). Formerly known as The Manatee Players, Inc., the FCG is an umbrella organization that operates the Manatee Performing Arts Center, and the Manatee Players community theater.

Smith questioned why the operations would be handled by a Manatee-based company, as opposed to the local New Tampa Players (NTP). But NTP, which would make its home at the new PAC, is a much smaller organization that has never handled the management of a theater. It currently operates out of its recently completed Uptown Stage location in the University Mall on E. Fowler Ave.

“I just have a concern about the county putting $8 million into a 20,000-sq.-ft. edifice somewhere where there’s not more local community control,” Smith said, while also voicing concern that the City of Tampa was not contributing to the construction when the facility is located in Tampa. However, as Hagan pointed out, the PAC is just as close to residents in the unincorporated area of New Tampa as it is to those in the area living within city limits.

Overman said with so many of the county’s capital improvement projects having to be deferred in these cash-strapped times, she was not necessarily opposed but, “the timing just feels wrong…..I just can’t support moving this forward right now.”

Cohen also had concerns about the arrangement with FCG.

“I don’t think money was the issue, but the main misunderstanding was with the Florida Cultural Group and their role,” says Hagan of the group that will receive nearly $1.5 million to run the PAC through 2025. “A couple of commissioners didn’t understand their history. Our staff has worked on this for a couple of years. They feel extremely confident this will be a very successful partnership and they (FCG) will be able to bring in major national acts and fundraise.”

As for the City of Tampa contributing, District 7 City Council member Luis Viera motioned at the Council’s April 15 meeting to request Mayor Jane Castor’s administration meet with the county to make an arrangement on helping to finance maintenance, to the tune of maybe $50,000-$75,000 a year.

Rendering of the front of the NT PAC, which the county commission has yet to award a contract for construction for. (Fleischman Garcia Architecture)

The previous administration under Bob Buckhorn declined to help, Viera says he was told.

Viera told his fellow Council members that the project was a long-time coming and of much importance to the New Tampa area, and that he was ready to fight for it. Viera’s motion passed unanimously.

How much that helps get the project over the final hurdle remains to be seen.

The PAC has been in the works for 20 years, beginning in 2001 when a Connecticut firm was paid $27,000 by the City for a study that determined New Tampa could support a cultural center.

Rendering of the lobby of the NT PAC. (Fleischman Garcia Architecture)

The project fizzled out in 2005, but was revived in 2007, when Hagan and former fellow Commissioner Victor Crist pushed to keep it alive. In 2014, the Village at Hunter’s Lake project, of which the New Tampa PAC is a central part, was initially approved.

Hagan said he has sat through at least 15 different votes on the PAC throughout the years and, at different times over they years, we reported that it was expected to be completed by 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Even that latest projection isn’t going to happen, however.

“I’m extremely frustrated that it’s taken this long to execute the (PAC’s) construction contract,” Hagan says. “We should be cutting the ribbon now, not awarding the construction contract. I mean, we designated the funding in 2019. We really should have been up and running by now. That part is very, very frustrating.”

New Tampa Performing Arts Center