The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Hillsborough to cast votes on road, school taxes

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Hillsborough County voters have the option of raising sales taxes to help pay for transportation, and for school air-conditioning and capital improvements.

The transportation improvements would be made by voting to amend the County Charter to enact a 1-cent sales surtax that would be levied for 30 years and deposited in an audited trust fund with an independent oversight.

That tax would be in addition to the current 7 percent sales tax and is estimated to raise $278 million annual, and $552 million in the first two revenue years. The revenues would be shared by the Hillsborough Regional Transit Authority, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, and using a population-based formula by the Hillsborough County Commission, the City of Tampa, and the City of Temple Terrace.

The money would be used for road and bridge improvements; expanded public transit options; to fix potholes; enhance bus services; relieve rush hour bottlenecks; improve intersections; and, make walking and biking safer.

Hillsborough voters also have the option of authorizing a ½-cent sales surtax for 10 years to fund air conditioning replacements and repairs, capital improvements and construction of other schools, building enhancements for school security and other maintenance needs.

The new ½-cent tax is in addition to the current 7 percent sales tax. It is estimated to raise $138 million annually. Expenditures will be governed by the Aug. 24, 2018 Hillsborough County School Board resolution.

Published October 31, 2018

Wesley Chapel Episcopal Church makes ‘house calls’

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When the Rev. Adrienne Hymes was considering ways to reach out into the community surrounding the new Wesley Chapel Episcopal Church, she hit upon an idea that literally involves making house calls.

The Rev. Adrienne Hymes sprinkles holy water in Pete and Sharon Soto’s Wesley Chapel home as part of a home blessing. (B.C. Manion)

She has made herself available, by appointment, to visit a house or apartment — or business or other gathering space, for that matter, to lead a ceremony to bless the space.

Recently, she visited the home of Pete and Sharon Soto, of Wesley Chapel, and read from scriptural text, as she and those gathered took part in a rite aimed at welcoming and acknowledging God’s presence, and asking for blessing and protection.

The couple, their daughter, and some friends and neighbors joined in reading passages, at certain points in the rite.

Hymes used salt and a blessing, seeking to turn ordinary tap water into holy water — used to bless every room in the home.

Salt is used for purification, she explained.

And, near the home’s front door, Hymes recited a pray, which said in part: “Almighty and everlasting God, grant to this home, the grace of your presence, that you may be known to be the inhabitant of this dwelling and a defender of this household.”

As she and the others made their way throughout the home, she sought blessings for each room.

In the bedroom, for instance, Hymes prayed: “Guide us, waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep, we may rest in peace.”

Family and friends gather to join in a sacramental ritual to bless Pete and Sharon Soto’s home in Wesley Chapel.

Others attending the ceremony were Jeri Jeffries, Maggie Thomas, Christine O’Donnell, Karen Bauer and Michelle Flemming, the Sotos’ daughter.

“As we go on our spiritual journey, and our deeper relationship with God, we started to realize that we need extra protection,” Sharon Soto said.

“We lived 30 years in the other house and we didn’t get it done, so when the opportunity came up for this house, we couldn’t pass it up,” Pete Soto said. “That was just like a God-sent message.”

The Sotos moved to Wesley Chapel a couple of years ago.

“We were ready to downsize to a smaller home, and we have a daughter, a son-in-law and two grandsons that live in Wesley Chapel.

“It’s not that we don’t feel the presence of God here, we already do. It just is kind of an affirmation, I guess,” Sharon Soto said.

Hymes said besides blessing homes, she’s available — by appointment — to bless other spaces, too.

“More and more, as people are pushed into very determined sacred and secular spaces, I think it’s important to remind people that showing up where they live, work and play, and saying, ‘You know what, all of it is sacred,’ ” she said.

“Ritual is so important for us to memorialize different milestones in our lives. One of those would be that now, we have a new home, or we have a home that we now want to make sure that is adequately blessed, particularly if you’re a religious person,” Hymes said.

“It’s one way for the church to say, ‘We’re new here,’ but we also want to be able to bless you in whatever way that we can. Interacting with people, not just on the street corner, or the place where we’re shopping — but to be able to go into their home, is a very intimate space. And, I think that connects with people on a very different level.”

If you’d like to schedule an appointment, email Hymes at .

New church begins Sunday services
What: Wesley Chapel Episcopal Church is beginning to offer a Sunday morning service
Where: 3758 Maryweather Lane, Wesley Chapel
When: Nov. 4 at 8 a.m. (This will be the new church’s first Sunday service, which it plans to offer each week at 8 a.m.)
Details: Besides offering a Sunday service, the church also offers home blessings and other activities aimed at promoting spiritual development.
Info: Visit WCEpiscopalChurch.org, or call (813) 418-1281.

Published October 31, 2018

Portion of Starkey Park Equestrian Trail temporarily closed

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A portion of the Starkey Park Equestrian Trail is closed, while a project is done by Tampa Bay Water to improve water levels and ecological function at Bonnet Lake.

Construction crews will install a 12-inch pipe to divert water from Grassy Prairie to Bonnet Lake. While that work is done, a portion of the trail will be closed to keep trail users safe.

The trail will remain open to the north and south of the construction area, and will be accessible to trail users. Signs will be placed at trail closure locations with a map to help trail users navigate the closure area.

The closed portion is expected to reopen in February 2019.

Residents can follow the project’s progress by monitoring Tampa Bay Water’s Twitter and Facebook feeds for updates. For specific concerns or questions, call the dedicated construction hotline at (866) 463-6426.

Published October 31, 2018

LOL Swampfest returns with carnival fun

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The fall Swampfest will celebrate its 10th annual event at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., from Nov. 1 through Nov. 4.

The Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club is hosting the event, and invites the public to come and enjoy the festivities.

Swampfest, from Nov. 1 to Nov. 4, will have 24 carnival rides for all ages to choose from at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. (File)

Twenty-four carnival rides will be set up on the premises by Arnold Amusements Inc.

A one-night armband for unlimited rides — for all ages — can be purchased online for $15, or at the fair for $25.

Pre-sale tickets can also be purchased at these Land O’ Lakes locations: Sanders Elementary School, 5126 School Road; Pine View Middle School, 5334 Parkway Blvd.; and, Sugar and Spice Day Care, 3508 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

They can also be picked up at Beef O’ Brady’s at Wilderness Lakes, 7040 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., and the Lutz Beef O’ Brady’s at 18835 State Road 54.

Food vendors will be selling refreshments, and JT Curtis, The Big Bong Theory, and the Suncoast Dance Academy will be among the groups offering entertainment.

“I like the idea of having a place where everybody in the community can go have a little festival,” said Doug Hutchison, founder of Swampfest. “We try to make it a family-type affair.”

Proceeds benefit the Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Program.

Admission is free, however, there is a $5 parking fee. Only service pets are allowed on the premises.

For additional information, contact Doug Hutchinson at (813) 293-3684 or .

Swampfest
Where: Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
When: Nov. 1, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Nov. 2, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Nov. 3, noon to 11 p.m.; Nov. 4, noon to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Details: Four nights of carnival rides, games and live performances on the field of Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.
Info: Contact Doug Hutchinson at (813) 293-3684 or . To purchase armband tickets online, visit LOLSwampfest.com.

Published October 31, 2018

Duke Energy is planning a project in Lutz-Land O’ Lakes

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Duke Energy plans to install a new substation and transmission lines to meet the electrical demands of the growing population and businesses in Lutz and Land O’ Lakes.

The energy company had a public open house at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Lutz to share its plans.

Those attending could drop by multiple booths, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., to learn the particular’s about the project’s engineering and potential impacts to traffic, the environment and vegetation.

Construction for the new substation is planned to start January 2020 at an open field in Land O’ Lakes, where Morgan Road and Land O’ Lakes Boulevard intersect.

A 230-kV line and two 69-kV lines will run from the new substation to the existing Denham substation on State Road 54.

Three routes are being considered:

  • Route 1 would run down the eastside of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard heading south, then turning east on to Carson Drive where it would then cut south through a trail to State Road 54.
  • Route 2 would take the same path as Route 1, while traveling on the westside of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard.
  • Route 3 would cross from the west side of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard to the east side of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard and then head south, cutting through an open field and then turning east on Carson Drive, then head south where Route 1 and Route 2 run to State Road 54.

Property owners will be informed by letter in November regarding which route has been selected.

At the same time, Duke Energy will announce the path that a 230-kV transmission line will take  to get from the new Morgan Road substation to its endpoint at the intersection of North Dale Mabry Highway and West County Line Road in Lutz.

Currently, Duke and Pasco County are only making a proposal for the 3-mile path, and are working in accordance with the Tampa Electric Company.

Substations control the flow of electricity, taking high amounts of voltage and converting it to lower levels so transmission lines can distribute appropriate amounts to local communities.

Mark Hickson, a Duke Energy associate, was at the engineering booth and stressed the benefit of new lines for backup energy.

“These transmission lines are here to help boost the capacity so that during storms, winter peaks, summer peaks – we’re not in a situation [where] we could lose the area,” he said.

In addition to assuring the project will provide a safe infrastructure, Hickson stated that Duke is keeping in constant communication with the Pasco County officials.

The project will use overhead transmission lines, which the utility officials say are more cost effective and pose fewer impacts on natural resources, such as wetlands and wildlife habitats.

The proposed routes are not in dense residential areas.

Once the official path has been chosen, the public will be informed of any traffic detours needed during construction.

“We might have to close down a lane for a few hours,” said Drew Gilmore, lead public engagement specialist for Duke Energy. “That’s all carefully planned and choreographed.”

The company will avoid causing traffic delays during peak traffic times, Gilmore said.

The project is scheduled for completion in November 2021.

To view the current project proposals online, visit tinyurl.com/ybl5yhfl.

For additional information, contact Duke Energy at (877) 552-8725 or by emailing .

Published October 24, 2018

Efforts continue in quest to help Hurricane Michael victims

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The death toll continues to climb, as rescuers search for the missing in areas hit hardest by Hurricane Michael.

The monstrous storm slammed into Florida’s Panhandle as a Category 4 hurricane, before making its way across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, according to CNN reports.

Harmonie Price, a Land O’ Lakes resident, helps with Hurricane Michael relief effort. (Courtesy of Lakeside Heating, Cooling & Plumbing)

As residents try to regroup in communities ravaged by winds clocked at up to 155 mph, storm surge and flooding —  a groundswell of support has risen from across the nation, including local groups.

In Pasco County, Lakeside Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, 4608 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes, is among those who have stepped up to help the hurricane victims.

The company emptied out a trailer and began collecting donations, so it could drive the items up to Panama City.

“We reached out to Lutz Elementary, as well as the Central Pasco Chamber who is assisting us in collecting donations,” Jacqueline Horruitiner, the company’s office manager, said via email. “Dade City Transmission is also collecting donations for us,” she added.

The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce got involved, too, putting out the word that one of its members, Carlos Saenz with Ballantrae Dairy Queen, would be making a trip to the Panhandle with supplies. The chamber accepted donations, including such items as bleach, trash bags, water, personal hygiene products, nonperishable foods, diapers and feminine products.

The chamber also notified its members of Lakeside Heating, Cooling & Plumbing’s collection efforts.

Previously, the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon, the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce and Wesley Chapel Nissan stepped up to collect donations and transport them to Port St. Joe, and Pasco County emergency personnel deployed to the hurricane zone to help in Hurricane Michael’s aftermath.

Area Goodwill stores and donation centers continue to accept donations for Hurricane Michael relief from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Sunday, according to a news release from the organization.

Donations also are being accepted at Goodwill donation trailers from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.

Goodwill staff is working on arrangements for when and how donated items, such as bottled water and nonperishable food, will be delivered to help storm victims both at the Fasano shelter and in the Panhandle.

Items such as clothing and household items donated to Goodwill will be sold in its stores, and the proceeds will support Red Cross certificates redeemable in stores that will be given to storm victims, allowing them to select items they want and need.

Goodwill can accept almost anything for this effort, but is focusing on clothing, shoes, towels, linens and other household goods.

For Goodwill donation locations, visit Goodwill.org/donate-and-shop/donate-stuff.

If people would like to make monetary donations to Hurricane Michael relief efforts,  visit RedCross.org.

Published October 24, 2018

Dade City set to give locals a ‘Spook-tacular’ time

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The Dade City Woman’s Club will host its first ‘Spook-tacular’ on the evenings of Oct. 26 and Oct. 27.

The event will be held on the grounds of the Pioneer Florida Museum, at 15602 Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City.

The public event will take place from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., each day, with an admission charge of $8 and free parking.

Guests can attend in costume, and will be greeted with concession stands offering such foods as candy apples, popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones.

Attendees will be able to walk through a haunted cemetery, as well as an Indian corn maze and may bump into a variety of zombies.

A “Hocus Pocus” segment will be offered for those under age 12, with a guided tour and history of the Salem witches.

Those age 12 and over can attend the “Jeepers Creepers” area where they can rock around in the Haunted Hayride.

“We’re hoping that this is something they anticipate for years to come,” said Laurie Padavan, president of Dade City’s Woman’s Club.

Proceeds will help support restoration work at the historic woman’s club building in Dade City.

Attendees are asked to bring only service pets.

For more information, contact Laurie Padavan at (352) 457-1409 or .

Spook-tacular
Where: Pioneer Florida Museum, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City
When: Oct. 26 and Oct. 27, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Cost: $8 admission
Details: This Halloween-themed event allows visitors to roam through a corn maze, go on a hayride, visit a cemetery and enjoy some food.
Info: Contact Laurie Padavan at (352) 457-1409 or .

Published October 24, 2018

Recreational options expand in northern Hillsborough

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Carrollwood Village Community Park is finally a reality — and ready for the public to enjoy.

Situated on a 50-acre site that was once home to the now-offline Dale Mabry Wastewater Treatment Plant, the “passive” community park offers a number of amenities.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Oct. 19 to celebrate the partial completion of Phase I of the park.

Features include a dog park, a multi-use trail, exercise stations, picnic shelters, a pond, an open lawn, restrooms and parking.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan called the new Carrollwood Village Community Park ‘an oasis in Carrollwood Village,’ during an Oct. 19 ribbon cutting ceremony. (Kevin Weiss)

A splash pad, playground and amphitheater are set to open by February, marking the completion of Phase I construction of the park.

Planning for the park, which is at 4680 West Village Drive in Tampa, began years ago.

Carrollwood residents weighed in during a series of community meetings dating back to 2014.

The original idea for a new park in Carrollwood became a community-driven, grassroots effort after word spread more than four years ago that the wastewater site was being retired.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan was among those who championed the idea of funding the park, and the Hillsborough County Commission approved the $6.5 million park project last May.

Hagan, a northwest area resident who grew up in Carrollwood, said the county “had a rare opportunity to do something special” with the large green space that was once home to the wastewater plant for more than 40 years.

He characterized the new park as “an oasis in Carrollwood Village.”

“This park will be a centerpiece for the entire community to enjoy,” Hagan said during the festivities. “It will be one-of-a kind, right in the heart of Carrollwood Village, and a great place to relax, exercise, have fun with your pet, and take a break from your fast-paced day.”

At the ceremony, Hagan also announced the county has allocated another $3.5 million for Phase II construction of the park.

Potential amenities may include the following, subject to community input and funding: An observation pier, shade canopies, solar trail lighting, a skate park/pump track, a community nature center, a pedestrian boardwalk, water fountains, a bridge/trellis, an event pavilion, a secondary playground and landscaping/garden area.

“There’s still plenty of room to grow,” Hagan said.

The Carrollwood Village Community Park adds to a list of more than 170 neighborhood parks in the county.

It is expected to become the county’s “most amenity-rich community park” once all phases are complete, said Rick Valdez, who is Hillsborough County’s parks and recreation director.

“We have skate parks that are skate parks, splash pads that are splash pads — this will have it all,” Valdez explained.

“There’s a lot of things that make this place special,” he added. “It’s very rare that we get $10 million to build a park, so we are paying attention to the smallest details, and just also going and getting input from the community, and just giving the community what they want.”

Local residents are excited about the park’s possibilities.

Dawn Hudson is president of the Carrollwood Park Conservancy — the group responsible for initially spearheading the park project.

“Parks make life better,” Hudson said. “I think it will draw people from 10 to 15 miles — someplace for people to go.”

She said the opportunity to build another park in Carrollwood would not have been possible without the retirement of the wastewater site and the simultaneous collaboration of local residents.

“We carried our vision through, and here we are. It’s pretty amazing,” she said.

Hudson said she’s most looking forward to helping plant a botanical garden that will make the park “really interesting to walk through.”

The addition of a “nature play” playground is another feature that will stand out, she said. “It’s not going to be your plain jane swings and slides,” Hudson said. “It’s going to be a place where you use your imagination to play, like running up a hill, hiding behind a big rock, crawling through a tunnel.”

Park hours will normally be from sunrise to sunset, with staff on-site to facilitate programming and provide maintenance.

Another unique aspect of the park: It is home to a 1,200-square-foot, 24-hour indoor fitness facility used exclusively by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies. In essence, that creates  built-in security — with officers working out around the clock on park grounds.

The workout facility is in a former administration building structure at the wastewater plant. Everything else associated with the former treatment plant has been demolished, with the exception of two reclaimed water tanks, pump stations and fencing.

A grand opening for the park will take place sometime in early 2019 after Phase I construction is complete.

For more information on the park, visit CarrollwoodVillagePark.com.

Published October 24, 2018

Festival offers Halloween fun for all ages in Wesley Chapel

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The Wesley Chapel Fall Festival is back again for its 14th year, ready to offer festival-goers a variety of ways to have seasonal fun.

Festivities will include a Glow Party, where participants wear glow bracelets and necklaces, while dancing to a live DJ performance.

Pet owners can claim bragging rights if their favorite four-legged friend wins the costume contest during the Wesley Chapel Fall Festival, Oct. 26 to Oct. 28. The pet costume contest is on Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. (Courtesy of Shaunte Langley Photography)

On Oct. 27 at 4 p.m., children are encouraged to come out with their Halloween costumes for Trunk-or-Treat, where they can collect candy from vehicle trunks at the festival.

Other offerings include a Bounce House with a $5 play-all-day fee; a $30 wristband will grant unlimited access to 12 to 14 rides at the carnival, including a Ferris wheel and Gravitron. On Oct. 26 only, there’s a buy-one, get-one free deal for the carnival.

Visitors can buy a variety of items from food trucks, and there will be pumpkin-painting, a petting zoo and a business expo, too.

There’s a pet costume contest on Oct. 27 at 11 a.m., with a $5 entry fee. The following day, there’s a pumpkin pageant for kids at 11 a.m.

Kids are encouraged to wear their costumes to the Wesley Chapel Fall Festival. They also can collect lots of candy from vehicles during Trunk-or-Treat at the event.

There also will be live band and community performances on two stages at the event.

Some of the acts include Kris Pierce, George Pennington III and Jessica Rose Powell.

Proceeds will help K-9 Heroes 4 Our Heroes, Relay for Life of East Pasco and The Stano Foundation.

The fest will be outdoors at The Grove at Wesley Chapel plaza, on Oct. 26 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and, on Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission and parking are free. The Suncoast Credit Union is hosting the event.

For additional information, contact Drew Cecere at (727) 674-1464 or .

Wesley Chapel Fall Festival
Where: The Grove at Wesley Chapel, 6105 Wesley Grove Blvd., in Wesley Chapel
When: Oct. 26, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Details: Guests can enjoy a glow party, carnival rides, contests and live performances.
Info: Contact Drew Cecere at (727) 674-1464 or .

Published October 24, 2018

Dade City teenager enjoys challenge and camaraderie of motorbike racing

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For Madison Snider, 831 not only represents her birthdate, it signifies the number of a champion.

That’s the number she races under on her motorbike.

Racing on the bikes is nothing new for the 13-year-old Dade City native. She began competing when she was 7.

Although her father, Wilbur, enjoyed watching bike races on TV, Madison never expressed an interest in learning the sport herself.

That is, until her mom Carol surprised her with a four-wheel motorbike.

Madison Snider, 13, poses on her latest motorbike, a Yamaha Raptor 250. (Brian Fernandes)

“She got me a quad for my seventh birthday,” the teenager said.

She fell in love instantly with the bike, and began practicing at the local Dade City Motocross track.

In her first year at Motocross, her hard work paid off when she won the championship for the 70 cc mini quad division.

Her victory propelled her to continue in races and, the following year, she won second place in the 100 cc mini quad division.

After two years at Motocross, Madison began racing in the Florida Trail Riders (FTR) events, allowing her to perform in hare scramble competitions.

These types of races are off-road and are usually held on rugged terrain such as mountains, woods or desert.

At this point, Madison had gone from quarter-mile to 1-mile competitions and had now moved on to racing several miles while doing multiple laps.

She gradually climbed the ranks at FTR races and last year won the Quad Super PeeWee A championship.

Her rising notoriety took her to the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) tournaments in Florida, Georgia and West Virginia, where she would compete with kids from around the U.S.

The three-state competitions granted Madison the opportunity to not only race in mud and up steep mountains, but to develop relationships with other riders.

“The kids go out and battle, but they get off the track and they’re still friends,” Wilbur explained of the riders’ camaraderie.

Wilbur and Carol’s support for their daughter has been evident. They admitted that if she wanted to quit racing the next day, they would be right behind her.

Many weekends they have loaded up their truck and traveled across the state for tournaments, as Madison averages about 15 races a year.

Local sponsors have also supported and rallied around her through the years – a dedication the family appreciates.

While Madison enjoys the exhilaration that comes with riding, she also understands the need for safety. When racing, she is sure to put on her gear, which includes a chest protector, gloves, helmet, neck brace and boots.

She is also versed in the mechanics that keep the bike running, sometimes having to adjust her brakes and change tires.

Madison is her own coach, as she trains herself. As an observer, she will often watch races so she can pick up techniques that will be beneficial to her.

Although tournaments are a priority, she makes time for her friends, family and collection of pets – a cat, a rabbit, two fancy rats, two sugar gliders and three dogs.

She also enjoys fishing, as well as hunting, and is passionate about volleyball.

“We’ve raced races on the other side of the state and drove home to go to a volleyball game,” chuckled Wilbur, on his daughter’s commitment to the two sports.

Now an eighth-grader at Centennial Middle School, Madison is racing on her fourth bike, a Yamaha Raptor 250.

Her backyard is a wide-open field, which makes practicing at home convenient.

Still determined, she has hopes that motorbike 831 will one day make it to the professional level.

Published October 24, 2018