The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Christine Holtzman

A glimpse into the farming life

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Three generations of Meltons have worked together to build a life around farming, ranching and family time on 1,500 acres in northeast Pasco County. Read more about the Melton farm operations in the full story this week.

Steve Melton, who has spent his life working the land, is retired now — and enjoys spending his time reciting poetry and doing heritage arts, such as making brooms and grinding sugar cane to make sugar cane syrup. (Christine Holtzman)

 

Take a moment. Savor a beautiful sunset.

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It’s no secret that the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed lives, caused job losses, closed school campuses, canceled celebrations and caused anxiety — and yet, beauty still remains. This sunset was captured on a spring evening, over East Lake Ellis, in Land O’ Lakes. The lake is situated between Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, School Road and Hopson Road.

(Christine Holtzman)

Celebrating Earth Day, in the midst of a pandemic

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On April 22, we celebrate Earth Day, which originated in 1970 as a national day to focus on the environment. Take a drive out to the edge of Pasco County and it won’t seem like we’re in the midst of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. Rather, there’s a sense of peace and tranquility — while the fields of rye and the garden crops grow, and cows congregate contentedly in a pasture. There’s a splash of color, too, in the wildflowers popping up along the side of the road. Today, we celebrate Earth Day, which originated in 1970, as a national day to focus on the environment.

When it is ripened, this field of rye, on a farm belonging to the Melton family, reminds Steve Melton of the amber waves of grain, which are celebrated in ‘America the Beautiful.’ (Christine Holtzman)
A group of families share a garden plot here in East Pasco — growing sweet corn, okra, kale, squash, mustard greens, turnips, collard greens and broccoli. Meanwhile, the cows hang out nextdoor.
These wildflowers provide a glimpse of the wild and colorful beauty that nature provides.

Rock ‘n’ Roll concert cures isolation blues

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With the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic changing the routines of everyday life, the Keystone Place at Terra Bella senior living community, at 2200 Livingston Road in Land O’ Lakes, came up with a creative way to safely engage and entertain its residents. To help reduce isolation during these challenging times, the community hired The Boomer Band to perform oldies from a flatbed trailer that was being pulled around the property. Many residents enjoyed the concert from the comfort of their apartment balconies.

From a flatbed trailer in the parking lot, The Boomer Band, a Pinellas County-based, two-piece pop/dance band, entertains the residents of the Keystone Place at Terra Bella senior living community on April 3. The senior living community hired keyboard/vocalist Kevin de Champlain and drummer/vocalist Vance Fontanella, to safely engage and entertain its residents, who have been isolated due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. (Christine Holtzman)
While practicing social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, several residents of the Keystone Place at Terra Bella senior living community in Land O’ Lakes enjoy the parking lot rock ‘n’ roll concert from the comfort of their apartment balconies. The Boomer Band, based in Pinellas County, entertained residents from a flatbed trailer that was pulled around to perform a set list in different parts of the community.
The Boomer Band perform a Fats Domino hit for the residents of the memory care unit at the Keystone Place at Terra Bella senior living community. Many of the residents listened from the comfort of their apartment balconies. The community hired the band to safely engage and entertain the residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Blessings and forever homes

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From its tranquil, wooded location — and before the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, one Lutz church hosted an event that was for the dogs — and, the cats.

The Unity North Tampa church, 19520 Holly Lane, had its first annual Pet Adoption Fair.

The Rev. Virginia Walsh, of Unity North Tampa, blesses Scrappy, a partially blind Corgi and French bulldog that was rescued 17-months ago by Ann Ottaviano, of Carrollwood. Ottaviano, who attended the fair with her adult daughter, Laura, said that the dog was recovering from severe burns to his back when she adopted him. At the pet fair, she adopted a black mouth cur named Maggie May, to be a companion for the dog. (Christine Holtzman)

The Rev. Virginia Walsh scampered around the church hall, as the event began, talking about why the church wanted to host an adoption fair dedicated to the animals.

The church moved to its current location, from Tampa, in June 2018.

Despite being set back slightly from the hustle and bustle of North Dale Mabry Highway, the property is quiet, and serene — featuring tall pines and grand oaks.

In the past, the church’s pet blessings have tended to be popular because people love their pets like family members, the church leader said.

This year, her congregation thought that it would be a wonderful idea to host an event on the church’s spacious property, and to invite the community to attend.

And, the idea for the Pet Adoption Fair was born.

Sitting at their vendor table, Janalea Hoffman, owner/founder of Rhythmic Medicine, left, plays a native flute, as her business partner, Marilyn Miller looks on. The women are snowbirds from Kansas, who live part-time in Sun City Center. They were at the Pet Adoption Fair selling native flutes and colorful pet T-shirts.

Before the reverend rushed outdoors to bless a pooch, she declared passionately: “We are excited to support finding good homes for these animals.”

Seven adoption agencies took part in the inaugural event. They were Pasco County Animal Services, SPCA Suncoast, Dachshunds Seeking Forever Home Rescue, Tampa Bay Cat Alliance, Tampa Bay Humane Society, Barking Out Loud Rescue, and A Promised Land Animal Rescue.

Many brought animals that were ready to be adopted that day.

A half-dozen vendors set up shop around the property, offering various food items, crafts, and pet gear and supplies.

Ann Ottaviano, of Carrollwood, and her adult daughter, Laura, came to the Pet Adoption Fair to find a companion for Ann’s 8-year-old partially blind Corgi and French bulldog mix, Scrappy.

Maggie May, a 3-year-old black mouth cur, hangs out of the Barking Out Loud Rescue van window, while she waits for the organization’s founder, Claudia Beaver, to set up the kennels. Maggie May, along with nine other dogs, traveled with the group from Highlands County, to be part of the Unity North Tampa’s Pet Adoption Fair. Maggie May found her forever home when Ann Ottaviano, of Carrollwood, adopted her during the event.

She adopted Scrappy 17 months ago from a shelter. He was severely abused, and had a bad case of heartworm. He was found in a cage; his front teeth are missing from trying to bite his way out.

Scrappy also endured the unthinkable.

Someone poured scalding hot water over his back, resulting in severe, visible burns.

When Ann saw him for the first time, in this poor condition, she really didn’t think of his issues. “I was sitting next to him at the kennel, and he looked up to me, and that was it. It was my intuition that I needed this dog.” She also said, “Dogs don’t need to be perfect.”

Her vet suggested that she get Scrappy a companion dog now, before he was completely without sight, to help him and comfort him in blindness.

She ended up adopting Maggie May, a 3-year-old black mouth cur, that was one of the 10 dogs arriving to the event with Claudia Beaver, the founder/director of the Barking Out Loud Rescue. Beaver’s agency is located in Lorida, in Highlands County.

As they work the bake sale during the pet adoption fair, Bobbie LeRoy, of San Antonio, left, converses with Donna Stevens, of Land O’ Lakes, inside the Unity North Tampa church. Several items were available for purchase, including brownies, red velvet cupcakes, snickerdoodle cookies, muffins, and bottled water. Proceeds from the sale benefited the church.

Maggie May was rescued from a Lake Placid ranch. Black mouth curs are dogs specifically bred for hunting and herding cattle. So, when she proved not to be a good farmworker, she was placed in a kennel, where she lived her whole life, before being rescued.

Before their blessing, Scrappy and Maggie May got acquainted with each other for the first time. As she watched them sniff each other’s face, Ann was confident that this pup will make a wonderful addition to her family.

Besides adoptions and blessings, the fair featured a bake sale and vendors.

The bake sale, held inside the church, offered patrons a selection of goodies, including  brownies, red velvet cupcakes, snickerdoodle cookies, muffins, and bottled water.

There was a free chance drawing, too, for a gift certificate from Pet Supermarket.

Proceeds from the pet blessing donations and from the bake sale will support the church’s ministry.

Published April 1, 2020

SPCA Suncoast board member Bessie Tomlin gives a hug to ‘Wafer,’ the chow mix that she brought to the Unity North Tampa’s Pet Adoption Fair last month. Wafer was one of the animals available for adoption at the event.

A place for friends, fun and food

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Normally, the county’s senior centers are places for gathering, and having fun and food. Concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have caused a temporary halt to these activities, but we recently dropped in to the senior center on the grounds of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church in Zephyrhills, before the threat of pandemic cast its shadow over daily activities. The Zephyrhills Senior Center, 5855 16th St., normally is an encouraging place where seniors can participate in a variety of enrichment activities that promote health, vitality, recreation and creativity. Other senior centers in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are located in Dade City and Land O’ Lakes. Please check the county’s website to find out when activities will resume.

New River Branch Library customer service specialist Caille Branscombe, left, and Vera Greenwood, of Zephyrhills, both do a wall hanging craft, using old DVDs and yarn. The library employee, along with her co-worker Laura Covillon, were at the Zephyrhills Senior Center last month for one of the library’s weekly outreach programs. Such programs have been temporarily halted because of concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). (Christine Holtzman)
Trying to keep his winning streak from the previous day alive, Mike Sims, of Zephyrhills, uses his hand to slide the puck to the opposite end of the tabletop shuffleboard, in order to score points. He is playing against his friend and frequent opponent, Joe Harvey, who is currently winning this round. The men both said that they come to the Zephyrhills Senior Center and play this game every day.
Holding a bunny made by finger knitting yarn, Linda St. Onge, left, and her friend Mary King, who is holding a macramé tree of life, admire some of the projects that the New River Branch Library’s outreach program was providing at the Zephyrhills Senior Center on that day. The ladies are both from Zephyrhills and say that they attend the center almost every day to play games, do activities and see friends.

 

Fair aims to find loving homes for pets

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Feeling the need to find forever homes for stray animals, The Unity North Tampa church, 19520 Holly Lane in Lutz, hosted a pet adoption fair last month. Dozens of kittens and 14 dogs were at the event. The adoption fair also featured pet blessings, performed by the Rev. Virginia Walsh. People wishing to have their pets blessed, could bring them on leashes or in carriers. Or, they could bring a photo of their pet to be blessed. For more coverage, see full story.

Tia Bednarczyk, founder of the Plant City rescue group, Dachshund Seeking Forever Home, holds Sally, a dachshund that will be ready for adoption after she recovers from dental surgery. The nonprofit group brought three dogs that were available for adoption.
Jane Piesco, of Land O’ Lakes, and her 14-year-old son, Seth, attend the Unity North Tampa’s Pet Adoption Fair with their dog, Pip. The family was sitting in the shade, as they awaited a chance to have Pip blessed by the church’s reverend, Virginia Walsh. (Christine Holtzman)
Church member and event volunteer Eileen Ross, of Lutz, cuddles with a kitten named Vera inside the safety tent that was set up to contain the kittens during the Unity North Tampa’s Pet Adoption Fair. The kittens were brought to the fair by the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

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.

Zephyrhills Founder’s Day heads back to The Roaring ‘20s

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Thousands made their way to downtown Zephyrhills to honor the city during the 110th Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival on March 7.

The Zephyrhills High School Marching Band was the first marching band featured in the 110th Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival. Other marching bands included Land O’ Lakes High School and Stewart Middle School. (Christine Holtzman)

This year’s theme was “The Roaring ‘20s: Glitz, Glam and Tin Cans” – which celebrated the wild decade of gangsters, the Charleston and flappers.

The 1920s also marked the start of the tin can tourist trend in Zephyrhills.

People from all over would come to the area for the warm weather, in their homemade camping trailers.

One could say this was the early beginnings of the modern day ‘snowbird.’

The parade, which featured floats, marching bands, dignitaries and various vintage vehicles, kicked off the event at 10 a.m.

Riding in a red jeep, Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield and his wife, Ernestine, tossed candy into the crowd along the parade route.

Many riding on floats tossed out beads and candy to the crowds that lined up along the parade route.

One of the parade highlights was when Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield, who along with his wife, Ernestine, tossed candy from atop the red jeep they were riding in.

Over 80 vendors and food trucks lined Fifth Avenue and some side streets, offering an array of dining and shopping options.

Throughout the day, live music was performed on the Eiland Clock Stage. A storytelling series, called ‘Tales of the Hills,’ also entertained audiences from the Hopkins Family Porch, at the Jeffries House.

Rounding out the event – there was a kid zone, with a bounce house and inflatable slide. The Zephyrhills Police Department had a K-9 demonstration, and there was an old-fashion corn grinding presentation at the Woman’s Club.

The event was hosted by Main Street Zephyrhills, 38537 Fifth Ave.

After enjoying the parade, Payton Adams of Wesley Chapel, and her sibling, Declan Sanders, both 5, enjoy an ice treat, while seated on the sidewalk along Fifth Avenue. Payton enjoyed a rainbow flavored ice treat, while Declan dug into strawberry.
On the sidewalk near the Eiland Clock Stage, Michael Thomas Jr., of Zephyrhills, performs with his ‘juggle sticks,’ to the live music entertainment of Rusty Trumpet & The Music Makers. Thomas is a medically retired U.S. Army veteran who, during his military career, completed two tours of Afghanistan.
Mitchell Shirley, SSG, Retired, of Lakeland, right, takes a turn tossing a bean bag while playing the game of cornhole with his 16-year-old son, Sean. The pair was at the Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival with Mitchell’s girlfriend, Ruth Larrett, of Zephyrhills.
Jacob Ozar, aka Captain America, bends down to pet Gizmo, an 8-year-old chocolate labrador retriever, owned by Jacqui Strickland, of Ontario, center, and her husband, Cliff.