The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Photos of the Week

Paynes Prairie State Preserve is something special

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Wild horses on Paynes Prairie are descendants of horses that lived on the prairie in the 1600s, when it was part of a Spanish cattle ranch called Rancho de la Chua. Today, a trail in the park is named for the ranch. For more on this nature lovers’ paradise, see full story.

(Courtesy of Florida State Parks)

Making their voices heard in the Presidential Preference Primary

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Pasco County voters hit the polls on March 17 to make their vote count in the 2020 Presidential Preference Primary, despite threats posed by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. For more coverage on this story, see full story.

Robert Blanchard, of Land O’ Lakes, a poll deputy for Precinct 35, speaks with voter Mary Bialkowski, as she exits the polls at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. Blanchard has been a poll deputy since the 2014 cycle. He said his duties include guiding voters to the polls, keeping the peace and making sure no solicitation is done within 150 feet of the polling place entrance. (Christine Holtzman)
After exiting the polls, Reggie Satterwhite of Wesley Chapel, smiles outside of the Williamsburg Tanglewood Clubhouse, where voters from Precinct 24 and Precinct 99 voted in the Presidential Preference Primary. Satterwhite is a retired Major, from the U.S. Army.
Nineteen-year-old Lucas Zazulia, a first-time voter, from Wesley Chapel, waits for his Uber ride outside of the Williamsburg Tanglewood Clubhouse, in Wesley Chapel. He said it felt good to do his civic duty.

Using string to create masterpieces

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The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, recently hosted a paint-by-string event, as part of its Try it Tuesday program. This was the library’s first time doing this particular craft. The craft involved placing pieces of string in each of six available watercolor paint colors. One color at a time, participants then placed the painted string in between two pieces of paper, allowing a small section of the string to hang out. To provide weight, a large text book was placed on top of the paper. The final step was to pull the string free from the paper. Each time the child repeated the process, the dragging effect of the string created unique shapes and patterns. Karen Allen is the library’s youth services librarian. The Try it Tuesday program meets every other Tuesday, and gives school-aged children a chance to try something new.

Rebecca Jackson, of Lutz, enjoys helping her children, 7-year-old Joel, left, and 3-year-old Hope, as they create their paint-by-string artwork. The family was creating masterpieces at a recent Try it Tuesday event at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library on Collier Parkway, in Land O’ Lakes. (Christine Holtzman)
Nine-year-old Payton Burton, of Land O’ Lakes, pulls a string out of the orange watercolor paint, which will be used to make another design on her paint-by-string artwork. Her father, Daryl, left, said that they were enjoying the craft session together, as they waited for Payton’s sister, Ashlyn, who was attending a Girl Scouts meeting at the library.
Nine-year-old Victoria Matthews, of Land O’ Lakes, proudly shows off the paint-by-string masterpieces that she made during a recent Try it Tuesday event at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library. Matthews’ father, Tom, shared that in addition to enjoying art, Victoria is actively involved in Taekwondo and recently received her second-degree black belt.

The Roaring ‘20s return

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Downtown Zephyrhills transformed back into the wild decade of gangsters, flappers, sparkles, feathers – and tin can tourists. The 110th Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival, on March 7, was themed ‘The Roaring ’20s: Glitz, Glam and Tin Cans.’  This year’s event featured over 80 vendors, a kid-friendly zone, live music, storytelling presentations, a police K-9 demonstration and, of course, the iconic parade. See full story below.

Jim Bliss, a bartender with Zephyrhills Elks Lodge 2731, portrays a bartender during the Prohibition era, as he rides in the Elk’s parade float during the 110th Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival. This year’s festival theme was about the Roaring ’20s. Bliss is a snowbird from Michigan, who lives part-time in Zephyrhills. (Christine Holtzman)
Dressed appropriately for this year’s Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival’s theme – ‘The Roaring ’20s: Glitz, Glam and Tin Cans,’ David Schall of Wesley Chapel, and his wife Nicole, share a moment on Fifth Avenue, as they make their way around the festival. Earlier, the Schalls were seen in the parade – in Nicole’s sublime green 1929 Ford Model A.
At her first Zephyrhills Founder’s Day Parade, Jacqueline Pruden, a snowbird from Michigan, who lives part-time in Zephyrhills, patiently awaits the arrival of the next parade float near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Seventh Street. She was enjoying herself as she collected beads and candy that were being tossed around. Pruden said that she was happy to finally attend the event, since first hearing about it several years ago.

 

Environmental day offers hands-on lessons

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Academy at the Lakes, an independent school in Land O’ Lakes, recently hosted its fourth annual Senior Kindergarten Environmental Science Habitat Celebration Day. During the day, students in the senior kindergarten class were paired with eighth-graders as they moved through several student-led activity stations. The stations — prepared by the school’s Upper Division environmental science class — included a water pollution activity, a decomposer/worm station, a bear hibernation activity, and a bird feeder craft. Students also took a ‘floating classroom’ boat tour of Lake Myrtle.

Nathan Metzger, right, a kindergartner at Academy at The Lakes, points out an alligator during environmental day near a dock on Lake Myrtle, as kindergarten teacher Lauren Braxton, left, eighth-grader Ethan Keys, and fellow kindergartener Brayden Do look on. The group took a trip on the ‘Floating Classroom,’ operated by U.S. Coastguard certified boat captain Sheri Mahoney, to observe birds and other wildlife along the lake. (Christine Holtzman)
Students participating in the pollution activity learned a lesson about the negative effects of water pollution on marine animals and the environment. During this sensory activity, students used nets to collect water beads and small toy animals that were contained in plastic totes. If an animal was collected along with a black water bead — which represented pollution — the animal had to be quarantined. The exercise prompted a discussion regarding what could have prevented the situation. From left: Rio Lemra, Emily Halfpenny, Summer Senior, Nicole Gilleland and Mandy Ling.
At the decomposer station, Piper Kienast, left, and Nathan Metzger make edible dirt cups. The treats consisted of pudding, crushed Oreos, chocolate chips, and gummy worms. Before making the ‘dirt cups,’ the students watched a PowerPoint lesson on dirt and worms. Kacey Akins, Jackie Laihinen and Andrey Chee led the exercise.

Traveling back in time to 1861

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The thunderous sounds of canons and rifle fire filled the air at a recent Civil War reenactment at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village, at 15602 Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City. The three-day event, which concluded March 1, gave those attending a chance to get a feel for what life was like in the 1860s. Actors, dressed in period clothing and uniforms, remained in character, as they mingled with visitors. They set up realistic campsites and gave informational talks — leading to the reenactment of the Battle of Santa Rosa Island, a Civil War battle that took place Oct. 9, 1861, on the barrier island near Pensacola. For more coverage, see full story below.

Al Stone, of Zephyrhills — portraying Gen. Robert E. Lee — gazes into the distance while observing actors playing Confederate soldiers, preparing for battle. Stone, who is semi-retired from his 25-year-long career of playing General Lee, studied Lee’s life for five years, before taking on the role. Over the years, he said he has been part of 30-plus documentaries and private projects for National Geographic, and the History and Discovery channels. (Christine Holtzman)
Actors portraying Union soldiers fire rifles and a large Gatling gun on wheels toward the incoming Confederate troops, during a reenactment of the Battle of Santa Rosa Island. This reenactment took place during the Civil War event at the Florida Pioneer Museum and Village in Dade City on Feb. 29.
Larry Fentriss, plays a fife, which is a flute-like musical instrument, for the 37th Alabama Infantry Confederate soldiers. The native of Williamsburg, Virginia said he started playing the fife in fifth grade. He began taking part in Civil War reenactments last year.

Watercolor artist Joye Moon gives visual presentation

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Joye Moon, a watercolor artist and author, gave a free demonstration of her watercolor techniques during a Feb. 4 visit presented by the Pasco Fine Arts Council and Avalon Park West, at Avalon Park West’s Amenity Center in Wesley Chapel. During the 2-hour event, the award-winning artist offered a glimpse into her work flow and techniques. Besides explaining her techniques, she took questions from the audience. Moon is from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and has taught more than 200 workshops nationwide. She and her husband, Dave, are avid travelers and, to date, have organized 36 international artisan tours throughout Europe, Greece, the Bahamas, Costa Rica and Mexico.

After completing a detailed phase of one of her paintings, watercolor artist and author Joye Moon holds it up to show the audience the different elements she incorporated into the water, rocks and the trees of her landscape painting. Moon often uses items such as wax paper, plastic wrap, surgical gauze, sea salt, and alcohol drops to create interesting textures in her work. (Christine Holtzman)
Award-winning watercolor artist and author Joye Moon paints a landscape scene during a free watercolor demonstration, at the Avalon Park West’s Amenity Center in Wesley Chapel on Feb. 4. Moon hails from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and tours the country with her series of informative, workshop demonstrations.
After finishing the first phase of her painting, artist Joye Moon invites the audience to take a close-up look at her work. From left: Sue Ebert of Holiday, Rita Wilson of Land O’ Lakes, Martha Vee of Lutz, and Karen Mosakowski of Lutz.

Simulation teaches a real-life history lesson

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Second-grade students at McKitrick Elementary School, 5503 Lutz Lake Fern Road, went back in time, to the early 1900s, when the school had its third annual Ellis Island simulation on Feb. 27.  Students and volunteers, many dressed in period clothing, were able to get a taste of the kind of experience endured by people arriving in America during that time. The program featured the different steps that immigrants had to complete in order to become American citizens. For more, see our feature story of the week.

To simulate the boat ride to Ellis Island from their character’s home country, students and their handmade suitcases were crammed into the makeshift boat (a fenced in area) for 10 minutes. A quarter of the boat was reserved for first-class passengers, further reducing the space where students could stand. Volunteers periodically splashed water over the sides of the fence to mimic the ocean spray, as well as splashed them upon their arrival to simulate the delousing measures newcomers arriving in America faced. From left: Eli Pilcher, Ja’chai White and Mason Pettit. (Christine Holtzman)
In the Psychological Testing room, student Rafael Torres-Pereira sits in silence, clutching his suitcase, as he waits to be called. The tests administered here, such as the feature profile test, were widely used at Ellis Island, to determine mental ability. All the tests and questions used throughout the event were the actual ones used at Ellis Island in the early 1900s.
After completing the activity, which lasted about three hours, students were sworn in as American citizens by a judge, being portrayed by McKitrick Elementary School Principal Allison Cline. Before this step, they had to complete an application and take a citizenship test, answering questions such as: ‘What is your occupation?’ And, ‘Do you know the Pledge of Allegiance?’

First annual Pasco Sports Fair is a slam dunk

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People of all ages looking to experience many different types of sports were in luck on Feb 16.  The first annual Pasco Sports Fair, held on the grounds of Skydive City in Zephyrhills, offered scaled-down or mini versions of sports, such as tennis, basketball, football, soccer, floor hockey, golf, fitness training and virtual skydiving. Many of the stations had former professional athletes overseeing the sporting activities.

Eight-year-old Aidan Johnson, of Tampa, grimaces as he lifts a 10-pound weight over his head. He was testing out his endurance by doing 10-pound squats at the weight-lifting station. The aspiring football player is in third grade at the Academy at the Lakes, an independent school in Land O’ Lakes. (Christine Holtzman)
Don Knobloch, of Wesley Chapel, reacts with delight, when his 5-year-old son, Donny, center, hits a hole-in-one on the golf course. Donny’s younger brother, 3-year-old Landon, is on the left. The family, including mom, Jacquie, were enjoying the afternoon by trying out the different sport stations offered at the first annual Pasco County Sports Fair.

Community Garden is a space for all

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The UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension recently hosted a six-week ‘Gardening with Autism’ program, geared toward children ages 8 to 13, on the autism spectrum. The program, at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., featured numerous fun and educational, hands-on sensory activities that allowed children to learn about basic gardening. Participants also learned the importance of pollinators, and even got to construct their own birdbath.

The community garden, which had its grand opening on Feb. 15, offers a free space (plots are first come, first-served) for citizens to grow flowers and crops. In the future, the UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension will be offering classes on subjects such as how to compost, grow and can vegetables.

Eight-year-old Lucas Yingling, of Hudson, cleans off his cement birdbath that he made during the Gardening with Autism program on Jan. 25, revealing the elephant ear leaf impression. The six-week, hands-on program was hosted by the UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension, and held at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. Assisting him was his father, Randy, left, and mom Patty. (Christine Holtzman)
Brooke Whitehead, of Weeki Wachee, center, pretends to be a pollinator during an activity with University of Florida student Katie Yanuzzell, of Brandon, left, and UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension master gardener and east side community gardens program assistant Chris Carreiro. The group was using Cheetos dust on their fingers to simulate how pollen would stick to the legs of bees, as they pollinate flowers.
The community garden area at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park offers a free space (plots are first- come, first-served) for citizens to grow flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables. The garden also was the site of the six-week program, Gardening with Autism. This area also is the home of the ‘Food For All’ mural, which was a cooperative project presented by the Autism Society of Florida, Pasco County Planning and Development, UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension, and Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources.