The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Some oppose planned Quail Hollow school boundaries

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When Pasco County School Board members consider proposed boundary changes for Quail Hollow Elementary School in January, they’ll likely hear from parents who oppose the idea of shifting their children from Wesley Chapel Elementary to the reconstructed school.

Buses will line up once again next school year when the massively remodeled Quail Hollow Elementary School reopens its doors. It was closed to create more traditional classroom spaces to replace its former ‘open’ design. (File Photo)
Buses will line up once again next school year when the massively remodeled Quail Hollow Elementary School reopens its doors. It was closed to create more traditional classroom spaces to replace its former ‘open’ design. (File Photo)

About three-dozen parents and students turned out for a Dec. 8 community meeting to discuss Quail Hollow’s proposed boundary, and some parents made it clear they don’t want their children transferred out of Wesley Chapel Elementary, Pasco County Schools planning director Chris Williams said.

Quail Hollow, at 7050 Quail Hollow Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, has been closed for a massive reconstruction project, and will reopen next fall. When it does, the school will have classroom doors and walls, unlike its previous “open design,” and will have updated technology.

A committee has been working on recommending proposed boundaries, which the school board is expected to consider at its 6 p.m. hearing on Jan. 20. A second and final vote is expected at the board’s Feb. 3 meeting.

The school will have more capacity than it did before. The proposed boundaries call for shifting some students there from Wesley Chapel and Veterans elementary schools. The Veterans students would come from an area that includes the Pasco Woods apartments, Williams said.

The area that would shift Wesley Chapel to Quail Hollow includes the neighborhoods of Wesley Pointe, Villages at Wesley Chapel, Citrus Trace and Saddleridge Estates.

There are 62 students living in the area that would be reassigned from Veterans to Quail Hollow, Williams said. There are 100 students living in the area that would be reassigned from Wesley Chapel to Quail Hollow.

Veterans has a capacity of 762 students, but currently has 828, including pre-kindergarten. So, Williams said, Veterans already is over capacity and could use relief.

Wesley Chapel Elementary has a capacity of 613 students, but will have far fewer students when children who attended Quail Hollow return to their school. However, Quail Hollow has space to accommodate a greater number of children, so the committee recommended reassigning students from Wesley Chapel to Quail Hollow to provide room for growth that is expected to result from the development of Epperson Ranch South near Overpass Road.

Some parents at the community meeting voiced concerns about shifting the communities north of State Road 54 and west of Interstate 75, Williams said. Quail Hollow is a little more than a mile farther away, but parents are concerned about the traffic congestion they could encounter along State Road 54 through Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

Another concern raised at the meeting relates to the difference in Wesley Chapel and Quail Hollow’s performance. Wesley Chapel is an A school, based on the state’s criteria. Quail Hollow was a C school.

Beyond boundary changes, the district still needs to name a new principal for Quail Hollow. Superintendent Kurt Browning had intended to recommend Lane Morris, assistant principal at Gulfside Elementary School, as Quail Hollow’s principal. But Browning put that recommendation on hold after Gulfside principal Chris Clayton was placed on administrative leave pending investigation of reports he violated school district policy.

District officials do not anticipate Clayton returning to Gulfside, said Pasco County Schools spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said.

The Pasco County School Board is scheduled to take an initial vote on proposed boundary changes affecting Quail Hollow, Wesley Chapel and Veterans elementary schools at the board’s 6 p.m. meeting on Jan. 20.

The final vote is expected at the board’s 9:30 a.m. meeting on Feb. 3.

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Athletes met lofty expectations in 2014

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Athletic competition typically is marked by athletes and teams with lofty goals for the upcoming year. Many times, however, they fall short of those goals despite a great deal of determination and hard work.

Sunlake’s Terrence Jackson and Zephyrhills’ Antwione Sims go up for a ball when the schools met late in the year, a game the Bulldogs won. Both football teams had big plans for 2014, and their hard work paid off during the season. (File Photo)
Sunlake’s Terrence Jackson and Zephyrhills’ Antwione Sims go up for a ball when the schools met late in the year, a game the Bulldogs won. Both football teams had big plans for 2014, and their hard work paid off during the season. (File Photo)

But there also are cases where that hard work really pays off, and both individuals and teams meet their goals.

Here are a few sports stories that had successful endings across a variety of athletic contests.

Missions accomplished
Before the season started, the Sunlake Seahawks wanted something that had eluded them throughout their history: A district championship.

“That’s one of our goals, to win the district title,” Sunlake head coach Bill Browning said last August. “It’s missing right now, but it really just provides more motivation for us.”

Middle linebacker and tight end Austin Yeloushan felt the same way.

“We’re planning on doing that this year,” he said. “We’ve been working hard in the weight room.”

Whether it was the weights or the program’s history of success, Sunlake had another strong year, finishing the regular season at 8-2. They also survived a three-way tiebreaker with Mitchell and Springstead high schools to claim their first-ever championship in Class 6A-District 6.

At Zephyrhills High School, Head Coach Reggie Roberts knew people would be focused on the Bulldogs’ rivalry with Pasco High School. But Roberts was concerned about something else: The postseason.

“Contrary to what people believe, I’m not worried about Pasco,” Roberts said ahead of the season last August. “We have a lot of games. If we lose all our games and win the Pasco game, we’re still not in the playoffs.”

Instead, things turned out almost the exact opposite of Roberts’ hypothesis: The Bulldogs lost to Pasco again, this time a tough 35-34 loss. But they won nearly all of their other games, finishing the regular season 8-2 and earning a playoff spot through Class 5A-District 6 in another tiebreaker.

As a result, an eight-year playoff drought was snapped, and Roberts took his team to the postseason for the first time in his tenure as coach at Zephyrhills.

Getting gold, again
As a freshman in 2013, Abbey Duncan was a state champion for Wesley Chapel High School’s swim team, and was even profiled by The Laker/Lutz News in March.

But things change from year to year, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the outcome was a little bit different in 2014.

Not the part about being a state champion. Duncan did that again. But this time it was for a different school.

Duncan transferred to Academy at the Lakes and helped that program achieve success in her sophomore year. Her state championship also was a little different, claiming the 100-yard backstroke in 2014.

Duncan took the championship in a freestyle event last year.

She enters 2015 as a two-time state champion, and she’ll only be a junior.

New coach, similar success
On the baseball diamond, the Wiregrass Ranch Bulls had a few question marks as they tried to follow up on their 2013 campaign, which included their first-ever playoff berth and a spot in the regional final.

A big one was their coach.

Marshall McDougal was not only a new coach at the high school, he had never coached high school baseball before. But as a recently retired professional baseball player, he brought a lot of experience and optimism to the Bulls’ job.

“As a whole, our team is pretty solid all the way through,” McDougall said last April during his inaugural season as coach. “It’s a matter of keep pushing the kids, keep improving, and keep playing hard, and I think our kids can go a long way.”

McDougal turned out to be right, taking Wiregrass Ranch right back to the playoffs. This time they fell in the regional semifinals, but proved that the program was ready to continue its success streak, even with a new coach at the helm.

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Yes, Virginia, he is Santa Claus

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If you believe 970-WFLA personality Tedd Webb, the radio career of Pat George started simply by being in the right place at the right time.

George was a janitor at WDAE in the 1970s when a personality called in sick. And because George could operate the broadcast board, he was allowed to fill in.

Pat George, dressed as Santa Claus, shares breakfast with kids at the Old Lutz School recently during the town’s Christmas events. (Courtesy of Suzin Carr)
Pat George, dressed as Santa Claus, shares breakfast with kids at the Old Lutz School recently during the town’s Christmas events. (Courtesy of Suzin Carr)

The rest is history. He officially joined WRBQ-FM — informally known as Q105 — in 1979, and then spent another decade or so at Radio Disney.

George is still recognized when he’s out and about — but not so much when he sticks a long white beard to his face, and slips into a bright red costume. It’s then that George becomes Santa Claus, a common visitor to the area — including the Old Lutz School — finding out what children everywhere want to find under the tree come Christmas morning.

“I don’t know what it is, the eyes or the smile, but when I watch little kids approach me as Santa Claus, they’re willing to sit on my lap. And some of these are kids who never sit on Santa’s lap otherwise. Maybe it’s because I have blue eyes. Who knows?”

Every year, George will dust off the Santa costume at the beginning of December, and make a number of appearances at events and even private homes leading up to Christmas. He takes part in the Christmas festivities at the Old Lutz School because his son is a member of the Civil Air Patrol’s North Tampa-Lutz Squadron, which meets at the historic landmark. He’s been the go-to Santa there the past few years, and families look forward to having him there.

“There are still kids that sit on Santa’s lap and cry, but parents still snap a picture,” George said, with a chuckle. “I don’t understand it at all. But I always try to talk to the kids, I pat them on the shoulder and tell them they are my buddy, and that usually calms them down enough to get a happier picture.”

The big item kids want this year are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, popular toy characters from the 1980s that have been resurrected thanks to the recent movie. Boys in particular, George said, want the Ninja Turtle backpack, which like the turtles themselves, comes in a hard shell.

What girls are asking for, however, is surprising.

“A lot of them want guitars,” George said. “I don’t know what it is out there driving it, and I’m pretty up on a lot of music. But it might be because there are a lot of shows on television right now where girls are not only singing, but they’re playing instruments too. So maybe we have Taylor Swift to thank for that.”

Of course, the big question Santa always asks children is whether they have been naughty or nice. Many say they’ve been good, but some will be honest and talk about some of the bad things they’ve done.

“I always tell them to be a good example to their younger brother and sister, and be sure to listen to their parents,” George said. “Always look out for your brother and sister, whether it’s at school or at the mall, and go to bed early. And if nothing else, make sure you have a good time, because we’re only kids once.”

Getting to know Santa Claus

What’s your favorite kind of milk?
I think 2 percent milk is the best, but never skim milk. It’s just too thin, even for Santa.

What’s summer like at the North Pole?
There’s nothing at the North Pole in the summer. That’s because Santa likes to go to the Caribbean, wearing Bermuda shorts and relaxing. But no matter how far you get into the Caribbean, people still recognize you.

How do you make all your stops on Christmas Eve?
It’s very magical, but we also get an early start. We don’t like to waste too much time. Sometimes I might be a little late, but that’s only because some boys and girls don’t want to go to bed early, and I have to wait down the street for them to fall asleep.

Who is your favorite reindeer?
It’s definitely between Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph gets all the attention and excitement, and the other reindeer are very quiet. But they are all hard-working reindeer.

What’s your message to the people of the world?
Santa would like peace on Earth, and goodwill to all. And a grilled cheese sandwich when it’s all done.

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Baby’s first Christmas ornaments find new homes

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One of the most satisfying pleasures of Christmas is taking down my boxes of ornaments from the attic and unwrapping memories of past holidays.

The flush of memories, temporarily forgotten, comes rushing back as I rediscover ornaments carefully packed away in old newspapers.

Andy’s ceramic bear is making the transition from my Christmas tree to my son’s tree this year.
Andy’s ceramic bear is making the transition from my Christmas tree to my son’s tree this year.

The most emotional unveilings are of ornaments given to me the first Christmas after the births of my son and my daughter. My favorites are a little brown ceramic bear with dangling arms that a sister-in-law made for Andy in 1988. And a pink Hallmark carousel pony with Rachel’s name and birthday, May 4, 1992.

My Christmas boxes seem to have more ornaments for “Baby’s First Christmas” than any other theme. There is something endearing about the birth of a child that prompts friends and relatives to bestow these special ornaments on parents.

And then, in what seems like no time at all, reindeers made out of clothespins and glitter-globbed Santas with cotton ball beards take over the ornament box.

So again this year, a few days before Thanksgiving, I dragged down my Christmas boxes and set them on the edge of my garage.

Andy, now 26, was coming home for the holiday with his new wife, Erin. I thought Andy would want to dig through these boxes and take a few ornaments back to hang on his and Erin’s first Christmas tree.

So on Saturday afternoon, Andy and Erin went out to the garage to sort through the decorations. When I checked a half-hour later, they had set aside a dozen or so ornaments, including those from Andy’s first Christmas.

I felt a real tug at my heart when I saw that little ceramic bear — the one I had cherished almost as long as my son — laying on top of their pile. But I just smiled and said I was sure the ornaments they had chosen would look great on their tree.

A few weeks later, my daughter Rachel was home from Jacksonville to celebrate an early Christmas because both of us will be away with friends for the holidays. Like Andy, Rachel went through our Christmas boxes to find favorite ornaments for her tree in Jacksonville. Even before looking, I knew that the little carousel horse with her name in cursive letters would be in Rachel’s take-home pile.

Letting go of Rachel’s carousel horse and Andy’s ceramic bear was a rite of passage — more for me than for my children. I’ve come to realize that parents go through as many rites of passage as their kids — we just don’t talk about it. We anticipate the transitions as our children grow from infants to teenagers, and all too soon leave home for college and jobs with plans and dreams separate from our own.

And one of those rites is passing along our most treasured gifts, which for me includes giving my children their first Christmas ornaments. And it is with joy that I share with you this, my newest Christmas memory.

Diane Kortus is publisher of The Laker/Lutz News. She has owned the newspapers since 2000, and has been publisher since 2009.

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An act of kindness rekindles my Christmas spirit

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I have always looked forward to Christmas.

Except for one year.

My sister Anne Marie was very ill, and I just couldn’t feel the joy of the season.

This Walgreens tree will always remind me of Heather and Bob’s act of kindness to restore my Christmas spirit.
This Walgreens tree will always remind me of Heather and Bob’s act of kindness to restore my Christmas spirit.

So, instead of going to get a freshly cut tree from a lot and decorating it with my friends, Bob and Heather, I decided not to put up a tree.

When I told Heather that I was skipping our annual tradition, she invited me to come to their place and help them to decorate their tree. As I put ornaments on their tree’s branches, I knew the decorations evoked memories of happy events, important places, and special moments for my friends.

And, I thought to myself: I have a fine collection of ornaments, too.

So, on my way home, I bought myself an artificial tree from Walgreens. It wasn’t very tall or full, but putting my ornaments on its branches — and remembering special times with family and friends — restored my Christmas spirit.

That was Anne Marie’s last Christmas.

Her legacy lives on, though, through the lives of her children and grandchildren, and in the happy memories of her that I carry around in my heart.

I especially feel her presence each year, as I hang ornaments that she gave to me on my smallish Walgreens tree — celebrating Christmas and all that it means during Anne Marie’s favorite season.

B.C. Manion is community editor of The Laker/Lutz News, joining the paper in 2010. She writes news and features, takes photographs and edits the work of her colleagues.

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‘I can’t take you anywhere’

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When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to work at a radio station not far from my Pennsylvania home, where I anchored the weekend news.

That was a big job for someone so young, something I didn’t appreciate until I was older. But it sure got me a lot of attention — especially from my church, a small rural Methodist congregation that would get me up at the pulpit regularly to read Bible passages.

Christmas time in the Hinman household back in 1979 included … power tools?
Christmas time in the Hinman household back in 1979 included … power tools?

My hometown was primarily Roman Catholic, so one of the big events of the year, obviously, was Christmas Eve Mass.

At the same time, I thought there was something special about conducting a service entirely by candlelight, like my church did for the holiday season.

I really wanted to share the candlelight service with one of my good Catholic friends. And she was all for it — as long as I, in turn, accompanied her to Mass.

I think my friend was surprised by the simplicity of the service at my church, and enjoyed what was a very intimate, yet moving celebration of Christmas.

Later on, we took our seats in the large sanctuary that was Holy Rosary Church in the heart of downtown. It was packed with people, as if Bruce Springsteen himself was going to come out and deliver a homily.

Once the priest arrived at the altar, he started talking. I’m sure what he was saying was profound, but what really got my attention is that behind me from a balcony on the second story, a small choir started a low, dramatic hum.

The priest continued to talk, and he held out his hands, first at waist level, and then on a slow rise up. As his hands ascended higher and higher, so did the crescendo of the choir behind us.

Suddenly, the priest’s hands shot straight up into the air, and the choir was in full majestic sound. At the same time, all the holiday lighting came to life around the beautifully adorned sanctuary, and it was as if a small slice of heaven had enveloped the room.

I was shocked and I was awed. I was overwhelmed by the sound, the light, the energy.

Before I knew it, I was up on my feet, clapping and cheering — completely in the moment, even as the choir finished its long note.

It might have been only a few seconds, but to me it felt like an eternity. I stopped clapping, and looked around. It was only then I realized I was the only one applauding, the only one standing.

All eyes were upon me.

I quietly sat back down, and the service resumed. I was so afraid that my friend would be irritated by my behavior. But as the priest starting speaking again, she leaned over and said, with a mock, angry look, “I can’t take you anywhere.”

Michael Hinman is the news editor of The Laker/Lutz News, joining the staff in 2013. Besides focusing his coverage on local government and development, he’s also responsible for planning every issue of the paper.

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A shy boy’s singing debut made Christmas memorable

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When my son was a little older than 3, the blond-headed, blue-eyed tyke was extremely shy. Whenever someone he didn’t know well would drop over, Michael would try to hide behind me.

That is until one Christmas when we had a house full of visitors.

Michael always was pretty shy … until you asked him to sing a song.
Michael always was pretty shy … until you asked him to sing a song.

My brothers were there, and my grandfather and step-grandmother were too. So were my uncle and his pregnant wife, my parents, my husband and our three kids.

I had mentioned to my brother, Tom, Michael’s tendency to shy away from people. So during our gathering, Tom asked Michael, “What’s your favorite song?”

Without missing a beat, Michael said, “Sunshine on My Shoulders.”

“Can you sing it?” Tom asked.

And, much to the surprise of both my husband and me, Michael began singing — and he knew nearly every word.

When he finished, we all applauded, and Michael blushed and raced out of the room. Michael’s performance of that John Denver song made that Christmas one that I’ll never forget.

– Kathy Welton

Kathy Welton joined The Laker/Lutz News in 2007. She handles a wide array of administrative and circulation duties, including dealing with delivery issues, mailing published advertisements to those who placed them, and keeping track of office supplies.

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There’s nothing like a Polish Christmas

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It didn’t matter if the tree wasn’t always real. Or that we weren’t wealthy.

What mattered was that we spent the holiday celebrating the birth of Christ in the company of family and friends — Polish style.

My parents saw that our Polish heritage played a huge part in celebrating Christmas when I was growing up. There are so many memorable traditions, a few of which I try to carry on today.

The Christmas wafer, or oplatek, comes in an ornate envelope depicting a traditional Polish Christmas Eve. (Mary Rathman/Staff Photo)
The Christmas wafer, or oplatek, comes in an ornate envelope depicting a traditional Polish Christmas Eve. 

Christmas Eve, or “Wigilia,” was our most important holiday tradition. We’d eat delicious pierogi and break bread. The bread, or Christmas wafer called oplatek, was imprinted with a holy picture. We offered our oplatek to family and friends to ask for their forgiveness, or to extend a wish for happiness.

Also on Christmas Eve, I or one of my three sisters would add hay to our crèche in preparation for the Christ child. We’d then dress in our Sunday best, pile in the car and attend midnight Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Even though we didn’t understand the language of our parents — no matter how hard they tried to teach us — just listening to the Polish Christmas carols gave me more reasons to love the season.

And even though I can barely stay awake for a midnight Mass today, to this day, hearing Polish carols transports me back to my childhood.

My parents always did their best to make sure we had wonderful presents to open. But while the presents nestled under the tree brought sparkles to our eyes, it was the manger that took center stage in our home.

Baby Jesus was not added to the crèche until Christmas morning, and the scene would remain center stage until the three kings arrived Jan. 6.

For us, that one solitary life changed the world. Nothing meant more than honoring the birth of Christ with the breaking of oplatek and a Christmas toast among family and friends.

The faith my parents instilled is a constant with me today. My crèche for baby Jesus always has a prominent place in my home. My parents still mail me oplatek so I can break bread with my family and friends.

I may sing Christmas carols in English, but the English does not diminish the feelings brought on by the beautiful Polish verses.

I am so very grateful to my incredible parents for honoring our heritage over the years, teaching us that no matter what you believe, we should treat each other with love, dignity and respect.

Mary Rathman is the editorial assistant at The Laker/Lutz News, joining the paper in 2002. In addition to proofing stories, advertisements and pages, she compiles the What’s Happening, Health and Chalk Talk columns.

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A royal Christmas fit for a princess

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Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, I dreamed that I was a princess.

I was 10 years old, and pink and purple were the colors that shimmered and shined for me.

I wanted a bedroom fit for a princess. I wanted pink walls and a full-sized white canopy bed with layers of purple ruffles, white nightstands with small lamps that were fitting, and a white fur rug to place my princess feet upon. This was a Christmas wish.

As the gifts started going under the tree, I would try to figure out which part of my princess room could fit into the box. The day arrived when a very large, but flat, gift appeared. Could it be my princess bed?

My parents asked me if I really thought a big canopy princess bed could fit into such a box. How could it? I knew they were right: No way a bed could fit into that box.

Why should Christmas come to our home when my one and only wish was not coming true?

Christmas morning came anyway. The house was full of soft and glowing lights from the tree and decorations, hot chocolate was in our cups, and beautiful Christmas music was playing throughout the house. Everything was beautiful, and we were all happy and dancing around, enjoying our Christmas Day.

I told my mom that it didn’t matter too much that I would not have a princess room, and that I still liked Christmas Day.

She smiled and winked at me. She told me that I have been a princess since the day I was born, and I didn’t need some silly bed to prove it.

We gathered around the tree, and I was instructed to open the first and largest gift. I opened an end and peeked inside. There was a picture of the most beautiful canopy bed I had ever seen. It was not just white, but trimmed in gold. I was so overwhelmed, I cried.

There was no way that a bed was inside. My parents had convinced me it could not be. The box was opened, and piece-by-piece, it came out to make my complete full-sized princess bed.

Not only that, I had a matching dresser, two bedside stands, white shimmering lamps, and layers upon layers of purple bedding, canopy and curtains.

Within a week, my beautiful pink and purple princess room was complete, right down to the white fur rug. I still remember the way it looked.

But the best present I received that Christmas was not that, it was the memory of those words my mother spoke.

– Carolyn Bennett

Carolyn Bennett joined The Laker/Lutz News in 2004. She is responsible for processing advertising copy for production, and ensures ads are scheduled and running correctly in the paper. She also is the paper’s customer service representative and sales assistant.

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The spirit of giving comes full circle

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Some of my favorite memories of Christmas are the parties that my mom’s company threw every year for children of struggling families.

My brothers and my sister and I were always eager for the annual event, which included lunch, a movie with popcorn, and a present from Santa. We would get dressed up for Christmas, and would be excited, never knowing what present we would receive.

We lived in Flint, Michigan, the hub of the automobile industry. My mom worked at General Motors and was bringing up four children on her own. She couldn’t afford big Christmas presents, and while we never went hungry, we sure ate a lot of hamburger casserole meals.

We loved mom’s company party. We hardly ever got to go to a movie, and if we did, we never got popcorn. Plus, the gifts were always things we enjoyed.

Those holiday parties made a real difference in my life, and to this day, they have inspired me to want to bring cheer to children who otherwise might not receive Christmas presents.

For years, my family and I have taken angels from our church’s tree to provide presents for one girl and one boy. It’s been our tradition for my two children to go with me to shop for these presents, because we wanted to be sure to select the perfect gifts.

I also wanted to teach my children to be aware that there are others who are less fortunate, and the importance of sharing with them. I want the children who receive presents from our family to have the same happy feelings that my mom’s company party gave to me.

– Terri Williamson

Terri Williamson is a senior account manager. She joined The Laker/Lutz News in 2003, and she establishes, maintains and strengthens relationships with local businesses and helps them with their marketing efforts.

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