The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Architect selected for $48 million technical education center

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The Pasco County School Board has selected Hepner Architects Inc., to provide architectural services for the design of the new east-central Pasco technical center the district plans to build.

The facility, which has a construction budget of $48 million, is planned for the northeast corner of Handcart Road and Fairview Heights Road, in Wesley Chapel.

Hepner’s fee includes architectural design, civil engineering, structural engineering and other services for a total fixed basic fee of $2,880,000.

The agreement also includes not to exceed confirmed additional services allowances in the amount of $403,570, and a not to exceed reimbursable allowance $30,000.

Hepner was selected from a short list of three architectural firms that the school board approved in November, and it was ranked No. 1 during the interview process.

The center will be designed for 900 students in grades nine through 12, although the district may opt to incorporate post-secondary programs, according to documents included with the board’s agenda item.

The center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2022.

Published February 13, 2019

Creating sweet cards for their Valentines

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Children had a chance to create some Valentine’s Day cards in a make-and take-day at the Hugh Embry Branch Library, at 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City.

Kristine Johnson, of Dade City, left, watches as her 6-year-old granddaughter, Natalie, designs a Valentine’s Day card. Natalie made two handcrafted cards, one for each of her parents. The library had tables set up throughout the day with all the supplies needed to make a handmade card or a paper heart wreath, at no cost. (Christine Holtzman)
While making a handmade heart wreath for her grandfather, affectionately known as Papa Bear, 4-year-old Cadince Lethco, of Dade City, reaches for another brightly colored heart cutout to glue on her creation, as her father, Ashton, looks on. Cadince enjoyed making the wreath but said the glue made her fingers sticky.
Six-year-old Natalie Johnson, of Dade City, puts the finishing touches on the Valentine’s Day card she made for her father. She said she wanted to make cards because she loves her parents and wanted to give them something special from her heart.

Florists’ fingers fly, as they gear up for a very, very busy Valentine’s

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Rose’s Hub Florida on North Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz has played a role in brightening Valentine’s Day for recipients of the florist’s handiworks for decades. The business, which opened its doors in 1959, is best-known for its farm-fresh flowers and 70-cm long-stem roses. Rose Moore is the current shop’s owner. Her mother, Louise, opened it, and Rose’s daughter, Egan, is the third generation of floral designers to work there. They expect to be very, very busy with Valentine orders. Caroline the cat likes to hang out, there, too.

While Caroline the cat rests on the counter, Rose Moore, the owner of Rose’s Hub Florist, left, and her 20-year-old daughter Egan, who is a third-generation florist, create a long-stem rose masterpiece. Between deliveries and walk-ins, Moore said that during this time, her shop will create and sell hundreds of flower bouquets and centerpieces. (Christine Holtzman)
Caroline, a stray cat that stuck around to become the mascot of Rose’s Hub Florist, 18721 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., in Lutz, rests on the counter while watching shop owner Rose Moore and her daughter, Egan, prepare flowers for what promises to be a very busy Valentine’s Day.
Rose Moore, the owner of Rose’s Hub Florist, tidies a long stem rose that will be used in one of several centerpieces. Roses are the top choice by customers for Valentine arrangements, and they prefer the red, white and pink varieties.

Grand Horizons celebrates the Italian way

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From left: Susan Reams, Judy Hiler and Racel Gamache (Courtesy of Helene Rubenstein)

On Feb. 5, we had our monthly ladies lunch bunch. Eighteen women attended a lunch that was hosted by Robbie Lockard, which was held at Piccola Italia.

I must say that this lunch was  presented in a very nice fashion.

The women met at our community center at 11 a.m., so they could discuss upcoming luncheons and also to insure that all women attending had a ride.

Robbie Lockard, hostess

When we first arrived at the restaurant, which was under new ownership, we were shown to a table that would accommodate all 18 women.

We picked out what we wanted to order from a very extensive menu that consisted of chicken parmesan, lasagna, calzones, pasta specials and more. Garlic bread, as much as you requested, was served in baskets to the table.

The atmosphere was lovely, and we had an enjoyable lunch.

There was a slight mix-up, but eventually it cleared up, and we still had a good time.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons

 

From left: Haraldi Coombs, Dana Outman and Susan Parker
From left: Fran Boulay, Helen Jette and Judy Fischer

Bring on the quilts, draft horses and antique cars

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If you enjoy stepping back to a simpler time, the Farm Fest & Quilt Show at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village was probably your kind of gathering.

A small-pieced quilt catches the eye of Maya Clausen, who said she and her family made the trip over from Longwood to check out the work of the artistic quilters. (Fred Bellet)

Quilters showed off their works and draft horses demonstrated their strength during the event, which featured an array of activities designed to appeal to people of all ages.

Event-goers could peruse quilts made by local quilters, pick up some quilting supplies, or have their quilts appraised, for a fee, by Brenda Grampsas throughout the day.

There were opportunities to watch cane grinding and syrup making, check out some antique cars and take part in various children’s activities. There was live entertainment, too.

The draft horse pull competition drew a crowd.

Those attending were invited to bring their lawn chairs, to grab a pulled pork dinner or sandwich from the concession stand and to find themselves a spot to watch the mighty horses compete.

Matt Malnory waits with his team of draft horses for their next attempt at pulling thousands of pounds during the Southern Draft Horse Association horse pull competition. There are two weight classes: Lightweights (3,400 pounds and under) and Heavyweights.
While his grandmother, Valencia Salter, of Dade City, assisted at a food concession, Cedric Cochrane, 10, of Tampa, had it made in the shade with a bag of freshly popped popcorn and a great view watching horses pulling their weight in the horse pull competition.
Deacon Fred Wolfe of Zephyrhills sat on the porch of the historic Enterprise Methodist Church at the Florida Pioneer Museum and demonstrated the art of caning. He said he’s been pursuing the art for 10 years.
Audrey MacDonald, of Nova Scotia, Canada, lives in Dade City during the winter. Here, she looks over the colorful display of quilts at the competition. Many quilters offered their works for sale.

Superheroes help at fundraiser

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Josiah’s Warriors’ fundraiser and vendor show on Jan. 26 at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, benefited the Abbott family of Wesley Chapel, whose 5-year-old son, Josiah is fighting acute lymphoblastic leukemia. There was a bounce house, a DJ, games, face painters and a chance drawing for a television. The event was hosted by Jami Lynn Photography and the networking group ‘Pasco Ladies Wanna Have Fun.’

Four-year-old Ava Rose Arrington, of Land O’ Lakes, gets a fist bump from the Deadpool character, played by Tyler Kirchner of Hudson, right. She was dancing to ‘Watch Me (Whip and Nae Nae)’ with Spiderman, played by Austin Gomez, of Weeki Wachee. (Christine Holtzman)
Seven-year-old Shane Spence, of Wesley Chapel, gets some serious air in the bounce house, performing a move he excitedly called, ‘The Jumping Jack.’
Sixteen-year-old Ariana Orlando, of Lutz, smiles as she tosses a bright orange ball at a small cup containing tiny rubber ducks in a game called Duck Cup. The object was to keep the ball in the cup to win a prize.

 

Bring on the quilts, draft horses and antique cars

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Quilt lovers had a chance to enjoy a wide assortment of artistic creations, and those who enjoy seeing draft horses pull heavy loads, each had a reason to head to the Farm Fest & Quilt Show at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Heritage Village. There were also plenty of activities for the kids, vendors selling goods and concessions to enjoy.

The crowd closely eyes this team of horses during the horse pull competition. (Fred Bellet)
Artist Debbi Pappas, of Brooksville, arranges the heads in her vendor booth display of character-themed headbands. She was one of many vendors and exhibitors.

Local residents will soon be able to Live Longer with Earth Fare

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If you’ve driven by Cypress Creek Town Center lately, you might have noticed the newest addition coming soon: natural supermarket Earth Fare.

Terms like “healthy” and “natural” are authentic at Earth Fare. In fact, they’ve been leading the mission to bring healthy food to everyone for over 40 years.

It starts with its Food Philosophy, a guide to what is and isn’t allowed on its shelves, and the roots of that philosophy that started more than 40 years ago in Asheville, North Carolina. It was the city’s first natural food store, and it had a mission to let people take control of their health with real food.

In 1993, when artificial ingredients were on the rise, Earth Fare wanted to better define “real food,” and started its food philosophy by banning hydrogenated oils from its shelves. The philosophy has continued to evolve, and banned ingredients now include high fructose corn syrup; artificial fats and trans-fats; synthetic growth hormones; artificial sweeteners; bleached and bromated flour; antibiotics; artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. Now, Earth Fare reads the labels, so you don’t have to.

Earth Fare made headlines two years ago when it challenged Americans to take control of their health through their food choices and Live Longer With Earth Fare®. To further that commitment, Earth Fare launched its healthy lifestyle magazine, The Clean Plate — a guide to eating clean and living a healthier, longer life.

Page by page, The Clean Plate walks the reader through why the Earth Fare difference matters by examining every category of the store, outlining Earth Fare’s approach to meat and seafood, pantry staples, prepared foods, bakery, specialty, wellness and beauty.

Earth Fare stores offer more organic produce than anyone in the industry, and its commitment to organic and non-GMO can be seen throughout the entire store. In fact, all Earth Fare private brand products are made with only non-GMO ingredients. The meat and seafood department carries everything from organic grass-fed beef to sustainably sourced seafood, while the bakery uses old world techniques for the freshest, cleanest breads and pastries.

The store also includes an Heirloom Juice Bar, complete with crafted juices, smoothies and coffee. For meals on the go, its extensive prepared food department boasts an organic salad bar, a fresh hot bar and ready-to-go packaged meals.

For local residents who want the convenience of their groceries delivered, the store will have online grocery delivery powered by Instacart. With one click, shoppers will be able to place a grocery order online to be delivered to either home or office.

And, to bring healthy food to everyone at an affordable price, more savings are available through the store’s Healthy Rewards loyalty program and weekly email flyers.

The Earth Fare Wesley Chapel location is hosting a grand opening celebration on Feb. 20 at 6:45 a.m., with a ribbon cutting ceremony and mystery gift card giveaway to the first 500 people in line, as well as demos, special deals and fun for the whole family the entire week.

Learn more at Earthfare.com/wesleychapel, and follow along with them on social media Facebook.com/earthfarewesleychapel for grand opening updates and events. Earth Fare’s address is 25535 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz.

Elvis lives!

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The rumors are true. Elvis is alive and well in Dade City. He performed Jan. 25 at Country Aire Manor.

Gene Styles put on a “Tribute to Elvis” show for 85 residents. He opened with “Trouble/Heartbreak Hotel.” During the show, he had three costume changes, each reflecting the various stages of Elvis Presley’s entertainment career. The final costume was a black jumpsuit that he wore while performing in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gene Styles, aka Elvis Presley, performs for a crowd at Country Aire Manor. (Courtesy of Paul Proctor)

Tall with bouffant-styled dark hair, Styles is a humble person. He has been performing for 16 years, entering Elvis contests throughout the country. He placed second in Branson, Missouri and in Akchin Casino, Arizona. He also took second place in Vegas with a song, “If I Could Dream.”

Styles’ career began when his wife, Sheryl, bought him a karaoke machine for his birthday. He started performing as a side job at recreational vehicle (RV) resorts, singing to 300 to 400 fans. Now, he performs in Central Florida due to the proximity of many RV parks. “I like doing this because it brings a smile to people’s faces,” states Styles, “Although Elvis fans are slowly slipping away, due to age.”

The smiles appeared Friday night when the Elvis impersonator performed “Teddy Bear,” and began passing out stuffed teddy bears to the ladies. One of the lucky recipients, Judy Betz, said that, “This is better than winning a prize at the fair.”

Several other ladies got on the dance floor to perform the Twist with Elvis while he sang, “Blue Suede Shoes.” More residents joined the dance floor for the Electric Slide line dance to the tune, “Now and Then There’s a Fool Such as I.”

By the time Styles closed his act, the majority of couples were on the dance floor slow-dancing to, “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You.”

For more information on Gene Styles’ availability, go to his website at GeneStyles.com. He plans to return to the area next year.

By Marjorie K. Nanian, Country Aire Manor

Karaoke party at Grand Horizons

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On Jan. 16, there were a little more than 75 residents at the community center where a “meals on wheels” dinner was being served.

We were unable to attend, but I do understand from several people that they had a lovely meal consisting of a salad, chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and apple pie for dessert. This will hopefully be the start of something new, and we will have another dinner in March.

Swethearts of Branson – Denny Yeary and Sheila Renee (Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)

Joyce Bell arranged for this to take place and our thanks go out to her. Marty and I were unable to attend as we had previous commitments.

We saw, at Rainbow Village, a fantastic show called “Sweethearts of Branson.” It was a very good show that consisted of two singers – husband and wife.

The show that they presented to us was called “Dolly and Friends.” It had  many of Dolly’s hits through the years, including “A Coat of Many Colors,” “9 to 5,” “Jolene,” “Islands in the Stream,” “I Will Always love You,” and several more. They told charming stories about Dolly and where she came from, how she met the man of her dreams, plus singing with Porter Wagoner and more. The show lasted 2 hours with a small intermission. We went home delighted with what we saw.

On Jan. 19, approximately 50 residents and guests came out to experience a karaoke party at the community center. It was hosted by Paul Williams with Gary Wilcox assisting.

Denny Yeary

Between the two of them, they kept the evening rolling. The karaoke music was shown on the computer, and they also had a CD player there if anyone brought a CD to play their special karaoke music.

They started out the evening with a fantastic song by Gene Watson and sung by Gary Wilcox called “Memories to Burn.”

The evening continued with several more songs entitled “Amarillo by Morning,” “Mack the Knife,” “Hey There Lonely Girl,” “Wabash Cannonball,” plus so many more. There were Elvis songs, some slow songs and some Charlie Pride tunes.

Several couples brought some snacks and drinks.

As the evening progressed, more and more people wanted to take the mike and sing their hearts out. We discovered that several residents at Grand Horizons have talent.

It turned out to be a successful evening and loads of fun. This was a first, and we hope to have it every month.

By Helene Rubenstein, Grand Horizons