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The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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Lutz Depot

The Lutz Depot, by design

July 26, 2017 By B.C. Manion

Those wishing to escape the oppressive heat during the Fourth of July festivities in Lutz may have decided to check out a train show inside the Lutz Branch Library.

If I they did, they could have seen an exhibit presented by the Suncoast American Flyer Enthusiasts.

Eugene Vrooman, left, explains differences in the type of gauge size trains running on the tracks at the Lutz Public Library. (Fred Bellet)

And, perhaps they would have had a chance to chat with Eugene Vrooman, one of the club’s members.

If they did, Vrooman may have pointed out a wall display, showing the plans that were used to build the Lutz Depot building, across the street from the library.

Vrooman is quite familiar with the plans. He’s the one who drew them.

“We’ve done this (train) show for 17 years in a row,” Vrooman said, noting the Lutz Depot building was dedicated to the community’s residents in 2000.

He recounted how he got involved with the depot project.

“My brother-in-law came down from Lake Park, at Dale Mabry and Van Dyke, and he said that he went to that craft show, and there were some people who were planning to reestablish a train building,” Vrooman said.

So, the Lutz man, who is a draftsman, volunteered to draw up the plans.

He used a photo from “Citrus, Sawmills, Critters & Crackers,” by Elizabeth Riegler MacManus and Susan A. MacManus, to provide the building’s dimensions.

“I got the book and Xeroxed the pictures,” Vrooman said.

“I worked on it for about three months,” he added. It was a fun, but time-consuming project.

He isn’t an architect, so he needed one to review and sign off on the plans. That’s where Randy Stribling came in.

“He had to be happy with how the building was, appearance and structural,” Vrooman said.

The draftsman said he knew that the building had to be built to withstand hurricane winds, but he didn’t want it to be ugly.

Eugene Vrooman, a draftsman by trade, drew the drawings for this building, which was erected in 2000. He based the dimensions on a photo that was published in ‘Citrus, Sawmills, Critters & Crackers,’ by Elizabeth Riegler MacManus and Susan A. MacManus. (B.C. Manion)

“The intent was to make it look like the original building,” he said.

He found a creative way to fortify the structure.

“I came up with this idea of taking steel plates and putting them in the wood columns and beams, hiding them and putting the bolts through that would hold them all together,” he said.

He is completely confident it will withstand high winds.

“It’s going to be there. It has the strength of eternity,” Vrooman said.

And, despite nearly two decades since the project’s completion, Vrooman still feels a surge of satisfaction when he passes by the Lutz Depot.

The project is a testimony to community involvement, he noted.

“All of this material was paid for by donations, or donated by material suppliers,” he said, and volunteers completed the actual construction.

“The intention was to dedicate the building to the citizens of Lutz on July 4, 2000.

“So, July 3, 2000, it hadn’t received its certificate of occupancy.

“The reason it hadn’t received its certificate of occupancy was because the building inspector rejected the certificate, based on this little handrail.

“The inspector said the handrail wasn’t the right height,” he said.

That correction was made and the certificate of occupancy was issued on the afternoon of July 3, he said.

That allowed the dignitaries to come to the building and stand on the deck during the Fourth of July, and to dedicate the depot to the citizens of Lutz.

“It was nip and tuck,” Vrooman recalled.

For Vrooman, the depot building is not only a community fixture, but a reminder of the role he played in helping it to become a reality.

“It’s part of who I am,” the draftsman said. “I have a plaque on the side of the building with my name on it.”

Published July 26, 2017

Filed Under: Local News, Lutz News Tagged With: Dale Mabry Highway, Elizabeth Riegler MacManus, Eugene Vrooman, Lake Park, Lutz, Lutz Branch Library, Lutz Depot, Randy Stribling, Suncoast American Flyer Enthusiasts, Susan A. MacManus, Van Dyke Road

Lutz draws a crowd on July Fourth

July 12, 2017 By B.C. Manion

Whether they were competing in the Cake Bake competition, driving a float in the parade, or checking out the entertainment at the old Lutz Depot — Lutz was a popular place to be on the Fourth of July.

Runners survey the course and wait for the start of the morning race. Joseph Salerno, of Wesley Chapel, finished first this year. (Fred Bellet)

Once again, the annual event was a showcase for patriotism — from a rendition of the national anthem, to the traditional raising of the American flag, to a parade which wound its way down Lutz Lake Fern Road, along Second Avenue N.W., down First Street N.W., and then in front of the Lutz Branch Library.

Scouts sold hot dogs and cheeseburgers, the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club sold doughnuts and coffee, and other vendors sold everything from handmade soap to smoked mullet to homemade jam.

People of all ages seemed to get into the spirit of things at Lutz’s Independence Day event — joining together to celebrate America’s birth.

Cake Bake Contest Winners
The winners for the Lutz Independence Day Cake Bake Contest:

  • Madison Levine: Best decorated, youth
  • Tracy Gaschler: Best pie
  • Samantha Evans: Cupcakes
  • Leigh Spanton: Guv’na Choice
  • Maddox Forman: Youth boys
  • Katelyn Payne: Best tasting, youth
  • Jeanne Mills: Best tasting, adult
  • Gary Krotz: Men’s division
  • Christa Evans: Judges’ choice
  • Noelle Edmonson: Most patriotic
  • Mikayla Charron: Best tasting, patriotic
  • Catherine Pramberger: Best decorated, 10 and under

The winners from the Lutz Fourth of July Parade:
Grand Marshall’s: Choice-Pack 9 Pirate Ship
Judge’s Favorite: Caroline Contractors Star Float
Walking Unit: #1 Martial Arts
Neighborhood Entry: Canine Companions for Independence
Most Patriotic: Marines Forever Veterans Group
Most Comical: American Belly Dancers
Family Entry: Fantastic First United Methodist Church
Commercial Entry: Pinch A Penny
Youth Entry: Troop 139
Bicycle Entry: Tampa BMX
Antique Vehicle: Lutz Volunteer Fire Truck

Published July 12, 2017

Filed Under: Local News, Lutz News Tagged With: First Street NW, Fourth of July, GFWC Lutz-Land O' Lakes Woman's Club, Lutz Branch Library, Lutz Depot, Lutz Lake Fern Road, Second Avenue NW

In Print: Don’t miss Fourth of July, we have pics

July 9, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

What did you do on the Fourth of July? Well, hopefully you didn’t stay home, because there were plenty of options, which as a regular reader of The Laker/Lutz News, you already knew about.

Bridget Richwine, second from right, helped her sons get into the Fourth of July spirit with hats she made for C.J., 11, at right, and Ben, 5. Grandmother Chloie Adkins, far left, looks on.  (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Bridget Richwine, second from right, helped her sons get into the Fourth of July spirit with hats she made for C.J., 11, at right, and Ben, 5. Grandmother Chloie Adkins, far left, looks on. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

The Shops at Wiregrass kicked things off with its annual Fourth of July celebration July 3, complete with bicycle decorating contests, watermelon eating and Miss and Mr. Firecracker. It continued Friday morning in Lutz with its annual Fourth of July parade, which had large crowds lined up along Lutz Lake Fern Road leading into the Lutz Depot.

And if that wasn’t enough, the fun continued Saturday in places like Avalon West and Connerton, with booths, games and fireworks.

Want to see some of the great images from those events? Well, you can find them right now in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News. If you don’t have a newspaper in front of you, you can see all the picture in our free e-edition by clicking here.

Also, a Lutz News reader, Tracy Gaschler, submitted some of her own pictures from the Lutz parade. You can check those out on our Facebook page by clicking here.

If you were at any of those Fourth of July events, then there’s no doubt in your mind that we’re in the middle of summer, and it can be hot. But how do you enjoy the sun and fun, without ending up in the emergency room?

Three local doctors from places like Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and St. Joseph’s Hospital-North shared some advice on how to stay safe while celebrating summer whether it’s on the road, in the water, or in the outdoors.

But it’s not just about keeping yourself safe, but children, too. And they require constant vigilance, especially when they are in the water.

“Don’t take a break to get on the phone,” Dr. Javier Gonzalez, assistant medical director of the emergency department at the Zephyrhills hospital, told reporter B.C. Manion. “I hear that all the time, ‘I just went out for a second to speak to somebody or to  pick up the phone.’ Before they know it, two minutes have passed by and the child is dead at the bottom of the pool.”

Another key safety tip is to stay hydrated, and not just when you’re in the heat — but drinking plenty of water before you go out is essential too.

“You’re losing water with every breath you take, you’re losing water with the heat itself,” said Dr. Michael Longley, medical director of the emergency department at the Wesley Chapel hospital. “You’re losing water with sweating and you’re losing water with the activity that you’re doing. It’s compounded and there’s just no way to keep up if the tank isn’t full to being with.”

To see what else these doctors, along with Dr. Katrina Cordero, has to say about summertime protection, check out the print edition of this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, or you can read it for free in our e-edition by clicking here.

Finally, Pasco County sheriff Chris Nocco learned Tuesday that the first draft of the county’s budget for the next year will include more than $5 million he’s requested in additional funds to help stave off the departure of deputies to neighboring counties. But what is the long-term plan for the sheriff’s office?

Probably the biggest thing on the drawing board is creating a fourth district for deputies, based out of the Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel area.

“we are going to need many more deputies, and we’re going to need a fourth district in the (State Road) 54 corridor,” Nocco told reporter Michael Hinman. “We need to have a stronger presence in the Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel area. Deputies who serve that area right now are based out of Dade City, and there has to be something much closer to serve those needs.”

However, many of those plans will require money — something Nocco believes Pasco County commissioners are supportive, since public safety is a key factor to continued growth and happy residents.

“We are not wasting taxpayer dollars,” Nocco said. “Instead, we are very efficient. I know our commissioners are being pulled in a thousand different directions, but I also think they realize that public safety is a priority.”

You can read more about Nocco’s plans in the print edition of The Laker, or you can read our free e-edition by clicking here.

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: Avalon West, B.C. Manion, Chris Nocco, Connerton, Dade City, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, Hillsborough County, Javier Gonzalez, Katrina Cordero, Land O' Lakes, Lutz, Lutz Depot, Lutz Lake Fern Road, Michael Longley, Pasco County, St. Joseph's Hospital-North, The Shops at Wiregrass, Tracy Gaschler, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills

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Avalon Applauds… Norah Catlin

February 23, 2021 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

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‘Aladdin jr.’

Live Oak Theatre is now selling tickets for its Acorn Theatre production of “Aladdin jr.” Performances will be March 18 through March 28, at the Carol and Frank Morsani Center for the Arts, 21030 Cortez Blvd., in Brooksville. Seats are $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 13 and younger, when accompanied by an adult. For show times and tickets, visit LiveOakTheatre.square.site, email , or call 352-593-0027. … [Read More...] about ‘Aladdin jr.’

03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will offer “Foodie Feast: Apple Pie Bombs” on March 5. Participants can learn how to make tasty, apple pie bombs. Watch the prerecorded video between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., online at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email Danielle Lee at . … [Read More...] about 03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

03/06/2021 – Bridal Trunk Show

The Gulfside Hospice New Port Richey Thrift Shoppe, 6117 State Road 54, will host a Bridal Trunk Show on March 6 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be more than 250 dresses to choose from, starting at $29.99 and many brand new. Admission is free, but limited spots are available to allow for social distancing. Brides must register online in advance, by March 3, at bit.ly/NPR-Bridal-Trunk-Show. All proceeds from the shop go to help hospice patients in Pasco County. For questions, contact Jeremi Sliger at , or call 727-842-7262. … [Read More...] about 03/06/2021 – Bridal Trunk Show

03/11/2021 – Economic security

The Pasco Unit of the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County will sponsor a panel discussion on “Economic Security in Pasco County During the COVID Outbreak” on March 11 at 7 p.m. Panelists will include Brian Hoben, community services director, Pasco County Public Services; Marcy Esbjerg, director of community development, Pasco County Public Services; Don Anderson, CEO, Pasco Homeless Coalition; and, Mike Bishop, director, Stakeholder Engagement, Pasco Economic Development Council. For information on how to register, email . … [Read More...] about 03/11/2021 – Economic security

03/13/2021 – ‘Grease’ event

T-Mobile will sponsor “Grease is the Word” on March 13 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. There will be a sing-along contest pitting Pasco County Fire Rescue against the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, a free movie “under the stars,” and a classic car show with prizes. There also will be food trucks and games. Admission is free. … [Read More...] about 03/13/2021 – ‘Grease’ event

03/13/2021 – Exhibitors needed

Demene Benjamin and UrEsteem will host “UrSelf: A Dabble in Self-Care” on March 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. Exhibitors can be anyone who has a product or service to promote physical, mental and social health, including physical and massage therapists; counselors; churches; nail techs/hairstylists; yoga/pilates/exercise; or natural products. For information, call 813-334-6006, or email . … [Read More...] about 03/13/2021 – Exhibitors needed

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