The Laker/Lutz News

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

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Making a name for themselves, on a new stage

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Before these athletes hit the gridiron for their respective colleges, they were known for their skills on local fields. Find out more about what they are up to now. Check out our coverage on Sports.

Donovan Jennings didn’t start playing football until his freshman year at Gaither High School, but he quickly developed his skills, attracting a number of scholarship offers. The massive left tackle is now a junior at the University of South Florida. (Courtesy of Gaither High School athletics department)

 

Noah Ruggles, a Steinbrenner High standout, emerged as the University of North Carolina’s primary kicker as a sophomore last year. At Steinbrenner, he earned All-State honors and other accolades. (File)
Isaiah Bolden was a three-sport star at Wesley Chapel, shining in football, basketball, and track and field. In addition to his pigskin talents, Bolden was the varsity basketball team’s leading rebounder (8.5 rebounds per game in 2017-2018) and collected a bronze medal in the 100-meter dash at 2018 Class 3A state championships. Now, he’s a redshirt sophomore at Florida State University. (File)
Ja’Quan Sheppard, safety at the University of Cincinnati, was mostly known for his skills as a wide receiver at Zephyrhills High School, where his impact helped guide the Bulldogs to arguably its best season in program history in 2018. (Courtesy of Zephyrhills High School Athletics department)

Stepping into the 2020-2021 school year

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Avery Langston and her brother, Connor, are attending Christian Crossing Academy. The family lives in Long Lake Ranch, in Lutz. (Courtesy of Ben Langston)

Whether it’s by wearing a mask, or learning remotely, or just figuring out how to keep your distance — beginning a school year during a global pandemic is anything but routine.

Still, adapting to change, doesn’t mean completely abandoning time-worn traditions.

Families within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area obviously still enjoy the annual ritual of First Day of School photos.

Here’s a collection that we’ve assembled from reader submissions to share with you.

We dedicate the page to students, teachers and staff at schools within our coverage area.

We hope the 2020-2021 school year is filled with moments that creating lasting memories for you.

For all the reader-submitted school photos, watch the video above.

Published September 09, 2020

Seeking first day of school photos

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The first day of school, because of COVID-19, will be anything but routine for the 2020-2021 school year.

Some students will be attending classes virtually, while others will be strapping on masks, and heading to school campuses.

It’s become a tradition for us to share First Day of School photos with our readers, and we would love to share yours.

The photos can be taken in your home, on your front porch before or after school, near the school, at the bus stop, or at another location you prefer.

We don’t care if your child is heading to kindergarten, or heading off to college.

We welcome group shots of siblings, but please identify each child in the photo, from left to right.

When submitting your photo, please tell us your child’s name and age, what community you live in, what school the student attends (or if the child is homeschooled) and the grade of the student. Also, please provide contact information, in case we have questions.

We’d like to publish our First Day of School photo collection on Sept. 9, so please submit your photos by Sept. 2. Send them to .

Published August 19, 2020

Sienna Gizelbach couldn’t wait to meet some new friends at Bexley Elementary School. The girl’s family had just moved to the area from Virginia last year, and her mom, Verena Gizelbach, said they received a warm reception from the school. (Courtesy of Verena Gizelbach)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silas posed on his first day of second grade last year, while his older brother, Evan, was getting ready for his first day of fourth grade. The Carozza boys were at their home in Heritage Harbor in Lutz. (Courtesy of Lisa Carozza)

Not your typical vacation shots

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Land O’ Lakes photographer Lillian Cucuzza often shares her photographs of local wildlife with readers of The Laker/Lutz News (In fact, we’re publishing one today in our B section). These shots were taken, however, during her vacation out West this summer. This photo of the Neowise Comet, was taken on July 15, when the comet was closest to  earth — still about 70 million miles away, the photographer said.

(Lillian Cucuzza)

The Laker/Lutz News scores four awards

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The Laker/Lutz News received four awards in the Florida Press Association’s 2020 Weekly Newspaper Contest, announced in a virtual awards ceremony on July 31.

Christine Holtzman won second place for photo series in one issue. The judges wrote: ‘The exuberance of an 86-year-old woman before and after her first-ever skydiving experience jumps off the page at readers in this photo package. We get to see her joking with friends before the jump. We get to see her falling from the sky with her purple and pink (tandem) parachute. We get to see her walking across the field with raised arms linked to fellow jumpers. If you were having a bad day when you saw all of that, it most certainly would have raised your spirits.’

Holtzman also won second place for sports photo and third place for a story entry in the Outdoor and Recreation category.

The Laker/Lutz News competed in the contest’s largest circulation category (13,000 and above).  This year’s competition received more than 1,400 entries — the most in five years. Twenty judges from across the nation picked the winners.

Matt Mistretta, the newspaper’s art director, received third place in the best headline category for his headline, “Clear the shelters, a howling success.”

The judges wrote: “Any animal lover will appreciate the headline and what it tells the reader.”

These photos helped to illustrate the story, ‘86-year-old scratches skydiving off her bucket list,’ detailing Gerry Austin’s experiences. In a purple and pink parachute, Gerry Austin soars through the clouds with her tandem instructor, Paul Wolfe. (Christine Holtzman)
After their first skydiving adventure together, the trio hold hands in celebration, as they walk back to the staging area. From left: Alvin Davis, Gerry Austin and Betsy Strickland.
Gerry Austin jokes around with a group of her supporters in the waiting area of Sky Dive City.

2020 MLB season is here, and so are these locals

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The 2020 MLB (Major League Baseball) season will be unlike any other it has experienced,  thanks to COVID-19. A handful of players (and a manager) with ties to The Laker/Lutz News coverage area look to take on prominent, even starring, roles with their respective MLB franchise this season. Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash grew up in Lutz, and played at Northside Little League and Gaither High School. Take a closer look at more locals to watch in the full Sports story.

(Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays communications department)

Memories are made, and honored here

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The Pioneer Florida Museum and Village, a mile north of Dade City, has a collection of historic structures that help tell the story of Florida’s past. During non-COVID times, it’s also a place where lots of memories are made, during special community events, private events and school field trips. This photo captures one of those events. See the full story to learn more about the history of this East Pasco attraction.

The driver and hitchers of team Jason Abrell, of Russell Springs, Kentucky, try to calm their two horses, Dick and Cracker, during a Farm Festival and Quilt Show at the museum and pioneer village. (File)

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)

 

Getting a sneak preview of a coming attraction

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Dozens of people had a chance to get an early look at The Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, which is expected to open in August in Zephyrhills. The facility will offer much more than tennis. To find out more about it, read this week’s sport story!

All racquet Sports USA’s Marcos del Pilar, second from left, is the promotions and sales manager for the center. He shows some of the features that are expected at the new tennis center. Looking over his shoulder is Ileana Figueroa, of Zephyrhills. Others pictured are Lawrence Popescu, of Wesley Chapel; Alan Secrest, of Zephyrhills; Marvin Tyler, of Land O’ Lakes; and Jet Hall, of Zephyrhills. (Fred Bellet)