Chip In For Education To Benefit New Tampa Schools

(L.-r.) Wharton PTSA president Jenny Giraldo, Hunter’s Green Elementary PTA president Rebecca Towner, Hunter’s Green Community Association president Rob Larsen and Benito/Wharton PTSA treasurer Jamie Priest are helping to organize the Chip In For Education golf tournament fund raiser for Labor Day (Mon., Sept. 6). (Photo: Charmaine George)

Emerging from a pandemic and a year when most Parent Teacher Associations (PTSAs) had a hard time organizing and hosting fund raisers and, in most cases, weren’t even allowed on campus, the Hunter’s Green Community Association came up with an idea to give a boost to the three schools where the community’s kids are zoned to attend.

For the past 25 years, residents of Hunter’s Green have sent their kids to Hunter’s Green Elementary, Benito Middle School and Wharton High.

This Labor Day, on Monday, September 6, those three schools will benefit from the “Chip In For Education” golf tournament at Hunter’s Green Country Club.

“There are a lot more students at these schools than just Hunter’s Green residents,” says Rob Larsen, the president of the Hunter’s Green Community Association, who has been a resident of Hunter’s Green since 1992 and whose three kids attended the local public schools. “So, this is an opportunity to build community. We have good schools and teachers and this is something we can do to promote that and get people together.”

In fact, the three schools combined serve nearly 4,000 students.

Volunteers from the elementary school PTA and the middle and high school PTSAs (Parent Teacher Student Associations) are helping to make the tournament a reality.

AdventHealth, which is planning to open its Care Pavilion (se ad on pg. 2) outside the Hunter’s Green neighborhood (in the former LifePoint Church building) in September, has signed on as the title sponsor of the event.

The tournament will be open to 144 golfers, with proceeds from registration, sponsorships, and a silent auction going to the PTA/PTSAs at each school.

Rebecca Towner, the president of the Hunter’s Green Elementary PTA and a Hunter’s Green resident, says the funds will be allocated according to the number of students at each school, and it will be up to each PTA how to spend the money.

“This is a way for schools to work together instead of being segmented and thinking only about where you are now,” says Rebecca. “Right now, I only have kids at the elementary school, but what’s going on at Benito and Wharton matters to me, too, because one day that’s where we’re going to be.”

Rob, Rebecca, and the team of volunteers helping to make this tournament happen hope that members of the community will sign up to play, donate auction items, and consider becoming sponsors to make the event a success for the local schools.

The day’s events will include a family-friendly luncheon with activities for kids. Non-golfers are invited to participate in the luncheon and silent auction.

The Chip In For Education Golf Tournament will be held at Hunter’s Green Country Club (18101 Longwater Run Dr.). The four-person team scramble tournament will have a 9 a.m. shotgun start and will be followed by family-friendly festivities with a silent and live auction and luncheon.

For more info, visit HuntersGreen.com and click on “Chip In For Education Golf Tournament” under the “Resident Life” tab of the menu.

Pasco County Offers New Tools to Help Olympus Pools Customers

Photo: WFLA

Pasco County Building Construction Services is stepping up to help customers burned by Olympus Pools, offering new tools and financial relief for those whose pool projects are in limbo due to open permits.

They have launched a dedicated webpage to help customers navigate the permitting process, as well as providing answers to any additional questions in this FAQ. Best of all, the county is waiving all fees associated with Olympus Pools permits through Dec. 31, 2021, a move expected to help hundreds of customers left with unfinished pools.

“We hope this action will help ease the financial burden on our customers who choose to seek other permitting options,” said Assistant County Administrator Sally Sherman.

Olympus Pools customers have three options for open pool permits:

  • Oversee the project yourself.
  • Hire a new, licensed pool contractor.
  • Cancel your pool permit.

To choose an option, just fill out the form found HERE and e-mail to BCS@MyPasco.net.

The county says over the past two years, Olympus Pools has pulled hundreds of permits for pool projects in Pasco County, and most remain unfinished.  For more information on your options, please visit the county’s new webpage: bit.ly/OlympusPermits.

Contractor Pulls Out Of 54 Widening Project

One month after being kicked off the Diverging Diamond Interchange project at S.R. 56 and I-75, D.A.B. Constructors has informed the Florida Department of Transportation it is voluntarily defaulting on the S.R. 54 widening project as well.

On July 28, “FDOT received letters from DAB informing us that they are financially unable to perform or complete the performance of the work as prime contractor, which constitutes a voluntary default…,” FDOT spokesperson Kris Carson wrote in an email.

But it isn’t just the S.R. 54 widening project, which was supposed to be completed by the end of the year, that D.A.B. Constructors is walking away from. There are five other projects in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties:

  • C.R. 580 Sam Allen Rd. from S.R. 39 to Park Rd.
  • US 19 Widening from Green Acres to W. Jump Ct
  • US 19 Widening from W. Jump Court to W. Fort Island Trail
  • US 19 Resurfacing from Hernando County Line to Green Acres
  • SR 52 Widening from Suncoast Parkway to US 41

“FDOT will be working with the Surety Companies to take over and complete the projects,” Carson says.

D.A.B. Contractors issued a statement, signed by president Doborah Bachschmidt and executive vice president Bill Bachschmidt, earlier this week, published in the Citrus County Chronicle, saying that “After over 33 years as a small heavy civil construction firm based in Inglis, Florida, D.A.B. is winding down all operations and putting the completion of ongoing projects in the hands of our bonding companies.”

D.A.B. essentially says the DDI project led to it pulling out of its other projects due to financial strain.

FDOT’s actions in regards to D.A.B. being behind schedule on the DDI which was made public last fall, were a “deathblow” to the company. D.A.B. says it accelerated construction without payment from FDOT to meet milestone dates.

“When D.A.B. achieved the milestones to the extent feasible under the FDOT-furnished defective plans”, the company wrote, “FDOT moved the goalposts. We suffered a classic domino-effect, as our acceleration efforts had diverted resources from other ongoing projects and drained the company of millions of dollars such that operations cannot be sustained.”

It wrote it has been in a 15-month tug-of-war with FDOT due to errors in the design.

“Despite the existence of a significant errors in the project design provided by FDOT and the recommendation of an independent Disputes Review Board that upheld D.A.B.’s contentions regarding the existence of the design errors and the resulting impact to the project schedule and costs to complete, FDOT has declared D.A.B. in default.”

Last month, in a letter dated June 25, D.A.B. Constructors told FDOT they were “demobilizing” from the DDI project, two days before it was defaulted on the project by FDOT.

D.A.B., which says it is the only remaining woman-owned prime contractor in the state, says it cannot continue to self-finance FDOT projects while it waits on the outcome of court action.

Carson says D.A.B. Constructors filed a lawsuit against FDOT on July 1.

“We very much regret the inevitable inconveniences to the traveling public as D.A.B.’s ongoing jobs are transitioned to others for completion,” the Bachschmidts wrote.” We are working cooperatively with our sureties to expedite take over and completion work. Likewise, despite what we’ve encountered with FDOT, we intend to continue to cooperate with the department.”

That is disappointing news for Wesley Chapel residents, who just a few months ago were expecting the DDI and 54 widening to be completed before 2022. That now appears unlikely.

The 54 widening is a $42.5-million project to transform S.R. 54 from two to four lanes east of Curley Rd to east of Morris Bridge Rd., a 4.5-mile stretch. A sidewalk will be built on the north side of the road and a 10-foot wide multi-use trail will be built on the south side.

Visit My Friend Lavern At Her New Clip Art Hair Studio In Wesley Chapel

Master Hairstylist Lavern Houston always starts out talking with her clients about the type of style they’re looking for at her Clip Art Studio in the Blo N Go Building in the Summergate Professional Center, located behind Sam’s Club in Wesley Chapel. 

When I last checked in with my friend Lavern Houston at the beginning of 2020 (before the Covid-19 pandemic shut everything down), I was singing her praises as a Master Hairstylist (and part-time therapist, at least for me) at the Great Clips salon on S.R. 56, across from the Tampa Premium Outlets.

Well, after that Great Clips location closed for good a few months ago, Lavern considered taking her skills to another Great Clips salon in South Tampa, but chose instead to open her own studio in the “Blo N Go” building in the Summergate Professional Center, located directly north of the Sam’s Club on the north side of S.R. 56 in Wesley Chapel, less than a mile east of I-75.

Her Lavern’s Clip Art studio is modern-looking, cozy and private and she still offers both her great hairstyling services and her always attentive ear.

And, while she says she does plan to add hair coloring services at her new location, she currently is only offering shampoo, style, bang and beard trim and blow-out services, but she has been doing a great job on my hair for more than a year-and-a-half (not including the time when Great Clips was temporarily closed during the pandemic) and is equally comfortable with women’s and children’s cuts and styles for seniors as she is with men’s haircuts — and her prices are always extremely reasonable.

For my money, Lavern is equally as adept at listening as she is at styling hair, so whether you want to talk about what’s happening in your work or personal life or just want her to get your style exactly the way you like it (or both), her styling and conversational skills and natural warmth will make you feel right at home — and you’ll always end up looking your best.

“I have more than 15 years of experience,” she says. “My goal is to listen to what my clients need to create an everyday hairstyle that looks good and is easy for them to maintain.”

Our editor has been getting his hair cut by Lavern for more than a year and a half and is always happy with his results. (Photo: Charmaine George)

So, whether you’re looking for a tight fade, pixies, blunt bobs or layered cuts, Lavern has cut it all. And, although she has only been open in her new studio for a few months, she already has all five-star reviews (18 of them) on the Booksy.com app, where you also can book an appointment with her. In other words, don’t just take my word for it:

“Lavern is the best!,” says client Charles W. on Booksy, adding that she, “takes the time to understand the look you’re going for. The whole family only lets Lavern cut our hair and highly recommend your family do the same.”

Diana L., another reviewer on Booksy, says, “We love Lavern! She does a perfect job cutting my three sons’ hair and my husband’s too.”

If you still need a little more incentive to give Lavern’s Clip Art studio a try, with the coupon in the ad on pg. 31 of this issue, first-time customers can save $2 off any haircut, which start at just $20 for men and women, and $18 for seniors and kids ages 12 & under.

Lavern’s Clip Art Studio is located at 2241 Twelve Oaks Way, Suite 102 (Salon Suite #2) and is open Tues. & Wed., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. on Thur.; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Fri.; and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sat. For appointments or more info, call (813) 599-8924 or download the “Booksy” app and type in “Lavern’s Clip Art.  

Editorial: Congrats To Hope & The Bolts; Condolences To Samantha

Hope Allen

When North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) president and CEO Hope Kennedy asked me to write her a recommendation letter to help her get into the Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at my alma mater, the University of Florida, I was proud and honored that she asked, but I warned her that I didn’t know how much pull I actually had at the school I graduated from 30 years ago.

Well, now I’m proud to report that my letter didn’t prevent Hope (photo, right) from getting into U-F, as she posted her letter of acceptance to the program (which is weekends-only) on her Facebook page, which said “…We feel you will be a great addition to our incoming class, and your academic and professional background will be a terrific asset inside our MBA classroom.”

Hope said that because the program is weekends only, there will be “no changes for my role at the NTBC.” Congrats, Hope. Go Gators!

Go Bolts!

As I went to press with my July 6 Wesley Chapel issue (on July 27), the Tampa Bay Lightning had just advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second year in a row, following a thrilling, seven-game series win — capped by a hard-to-breathe 1-0 squeaker at Amalie Arena in Game 7 — over the New York Islanders in the Cup Semifinals, to claim the Prince of Wales Trophy usually given to the National Hockey League’s Eastern Conference champions. 

At that time, I called my shot — Bolts in 5 games over the Montreal Canadiens — and not only did they capture their second Cup in a row, they did so in the five games I predicted.

Just as they did last year before they ended up beating the Dallas Stars 2-0 in the sixth game of the 2020 Cup Finals in Edmonton, Alberta, Captain Steven Stamkos and his teammates (including team chiropractor Dr. Tim Bain (photo, right) chose to touch the Prince of Wales trophy. 

Many teams advancing to the Cup Finals have avoided touching the Conference trophies, but the Lightning proved that superstition wrong last year, when they took home the 2020 Cup in the NHL’s Edmonton “bubble” (meaning that Tampa Bay fans did not get to see any of those wins at home), and again at home at Amalie Arena this year.

The Canadiens — who beat the Vegas Golden Knights in five games and have won more Stanley Cups (23) than any other NHL team— chose to not touch the Clarence S. Campbell bowl usually given to the NHL’s Western Conference champions before heading to the Finals, where Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy outdueled Habs’ netminder Carey Price to claim the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP.

My Condolences…

It is with great sadness that I send my condolences to Samantha Taylor for the recent passing of her husband Drew, who would have turned 51 this month, after a three-week battle with pneumonia.

Samantha, of course, is the owner of four Samantha Taylor Fitness studios for women, including here in Wesley Chapel, and Drew was her personal trainer and the reason she started her studios. Jannah (who works out at Samantha’s Wesley Chapel studio) and I share her grief. 

To make a donation to help, search “Please pray for Samantha Taylor’s husband, Drew” at GoFundMe.com. — GN