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Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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U.S. Navy

Wesley Chapel native proudly serves country

August 15, 2018 By Mary Rathman

Kaelyn Cardona, a graduate of the Class of 2013 at Wiregrass Ranch High, is now known as Seaman Cardona and she works as a cryptologic technician in Pensacola.

The Wesley Chapel native is stationed with a command that’s responsible for teaching future information warriors the skills required to defend America around the world.

Seaman Kaelyn Cardona

She operates out of the Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station in Pensacola.

As a cryptologic technician, she’s responsible for analyzing electronic communications, jamming enemy radar signals, deciphering information in foreign languages, and maintaining equipment and networks used to generate top secret intelligence.

Cardona credits success in the Navy with lessons she learned during her years in Wesley Chapel.

“Growing up, I learned to never give up, which helps me so much in the Navy,” Cardona said, in a news release.

The IWTC Corry Station is just one component that makes up the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT) domain, headquartered at Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station.

The CIWT leads, manages and delivers Navy and joint force training to 22,000 students annually.

It also oversees about 200 courses at four information warfare training commands, two detachments, and additional learning sites located throughout the United States and Japan.

As a member of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, Cardona and other sailors and staff know they are part of a legacy, serving as a key component of the information warfare community.

These sailors have a tremendous responsibility in creating options for fleet commanders and advising decision-makers at all levels, serving worldwide aboard ships, submarines and aircraft, and from the National Security Agency to the Pentagon.

Cardona said, “Serving in the Navy means giving back to my country that I love.”

Published August 15, 2018

Filed Under: Local News, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News Tagged With: Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station, Kaelyn Cardona, National Security Agency, Pensacola, U.S. Navy, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch High School

More mortgage-free homes for veterans coming in 2015

December 29, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Building Homes for Heroes is using a $2 million grant through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to help build or modify homes in the state for injured veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Florida is becoming the most military-friendly state in the nation, and our partnership with Building Homes for Heroes is a fantastic opportunity to thank our veterans,” Gov. Rick Scott said, in a release. “As a Navy veteran, I’m very proud of this partnership, and look forward to seeing many more veterans benefitting from this program.”

Building Homes for Heroes is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of wounded American service members and their families, according to a release. This past year, the organization gifted 13 mortgage-free homes throughout the state.

With the new grant funds, Building Homes expects to build or modify another 20 houses in the coming year. Florida is home to nearly 1.5 million veterans, the third largest population of veterans in the nation. The state’s work force boards have helped 23,000 veterans find jobs, government officials said.

“The state’s support enables us to make a meaningful and memorable difference in the lives of our injured servicemen and women,” Building Homes president Andy Pujol said, in a release. “In addition, we’re seeing an extraordinary spirit of patriotism and community support all across Florida.”

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: Afghanistan, Andy Pujol, Building Homes for Heroes, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Iraq, Rick Scott, U.S. Armed Forces, U.S. Navy

Flags at half staff to remember Pearl Harbor

December 7, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Gov. Rick Scott has ordered flags Sunday for both the United States and Florida to be flown at half mast in honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

“On Sunday, Dec. 7, we will remember and honor the 2,400 American lives that were lost during the sudden attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941,” said Scott, himself a U.S. Navy veteran, in a release. “This somber and reflective day remains significant to our nation’s preserved independence and identity. May we never forget this time in history, and the sacrifices that were made on freedom’s behalf.”

The day commemorates the anniversary of Japan’s surprise attack in Hawaii that crippled American Naval forces, and would directly lead the United States into World War II. In his proclamation, Scott said “the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces are remembered for their courage, selfless dedication and sacrifice during World War II.”

“To our military and veterans, we sincerely thank you for your sacrifice and commitment,” Scott said. “We will continue to keep your bravery and sacrifice in our hearts and minds as we continue to support those who serve to protect our nation’s freedom.”

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: Florida, Hawaii, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Pearl Harbor, Rick Scott, U.S. Navy, United States, World War II

Retired woman writes a new chapter in life

November 20, 2014 By B.C. Manion

After spending a career in the high-pressure arena of hospital risk management, Linda Pollock retired a couple of years ago and promptly immersed herself into a new full-time endeavor.

The Land O’ Lakes woman, who turns 70 this month, often devotes 10 hours or more a day to writing.

Linda Pollock, who writes under the name Linda J. Pifer, holds two of her finished works. ‘Ohio Girl’ is a memoir about growing up in Ohio. The other book, ‘Windows,’ is a novel that the author describes as part romance, part genealogical mystery. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Linda Pollock, who writes under the name Linda J. Pifer, holds two of her finished works. ‘Ohio Girl’ is a memoir about growing up in Ohio. The other book, ‘Windows,’ is a novel that the author describes as part romance, part genealogical mystery. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She finished her first book, a memoir called “Ohio Girl,” in 2013. Just a few weeks ago, she published a novel called “Windows,” which is available through print-by-demand on Amazon.

She’s also done the writing for “Daniel Smith,” a second novel that continues the story she began in “Windows.” But she still needs to edit “Daniel Smith” before she can publish it.

Then, she expects to follow that with “Copper Swift,” which will either round out the trilogy, or set the stage for a fourth book in the series. She’s aiming for a 2015 release date for “Daniel Smith,” and a 2016 publication date for “Copper Swift.”

Pollock, who publishes under her maiden name, Linda J. Pifer, always has loved to write.

“I had an English lit teacher when I was in high school that just really encouraged me to use the gift,” Pollock said. “He really was my inspiration, when I was a kid.”

Initially, she studied nursing and planned to pursue that as a career.

“That’s what girls did then,” she said.

It didn’t take her long to discover that nursing wasn’t her true calling, so she enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After her stint there, she went into retail work.

Later, she began working for hospitals — first, as an administrative clerk, and then later in risk management. She finished her career doing just that for the former University Community Hospital, now Florida Hospital Tampa.

Over the years, Pollock wrote articles for hospital newsletters. She penned her first nationally circulated work in 2003, a piece about her uncle called “The Cloverfinder” that was published in Country Magazine.

After she retired, Pollock turned her attention to telling the story of growing up in Ohio, surrounded by her family. She culled through hundreds of photographs to accompany her memoir that details her life and her recollections about her grandparents, great aunts, uncles and other family members on both sides of the Pifer, Wanamaker and Guerin families.

Her first novel “Windows” focuses on a Florida woman whose husband has died from cancer. The main character, Sarah Sandlin, is obsessed with genealogy, and uses it as a way to hide from life.

“She wants to let go of her grief,” but she can’t, the author said.

Eventually, Sarah receives a letter from one of her husband’s friends who wants her to come to the United Kingdom to research his family’s genealogy. She agrees, which leads to a story that Pollock describes as both romance and genealogical mystery.

As Sarah uncovers secrets hidden in the old estate house, a New Zealand connection emerges which leads to the next novel, “Daniel Smith.”

That novel tells the story of Daniel Smith, who travels to New Zealand from Scotland with his wife on a masted ship in 1843.

Pollock’s novels draw heavily from her imagination, but also involve considerable research. She uses the Internet, books, movies and other sources to help create the backdrop for her stories.

She even consulted with a member of Blackheath Dawn Writers, a United Kingdom writers group, to ensure that the descriptions of her settings and the dialect she uses create an authentic look and feel.

The Land O ‘ Lakes author understands there’s no guarantee that her hard work will attract a broad audience or yield a lucrative return. Still, she’s willing to invest the time and creative energy that’s required.

“You’ve got this stuff in you, and you’ve got to put it down on paper, even if it is just for my family or someone that looks at it on some dusty shelf in 20 years,” she said.

Even though she’s content to lose herself in the work, Pollock has one regret.

“It’s a shame I didn’t start sooner,” she said.

She believes it takes authors 15 to 20 years to become established and widely known.

“Now, I’m 70,” Pollock said. “And even if I lived to be 90, I’ve only got 20 more years.”

Published November 19, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Filed Under: Local News, People Profiles Tagged With: Amazon, Blackheath Dawn Writers, Copper Swift, Country Magazine, Daniel Smith, Florida Hospital Tampa, Land O' Lakes, Linda Pollock, Ohio Girl, The Cloverfinder, U.S. Navy, University Community Hospital, Windows

A time-honored tradition to remember those who served

November 13, 2014 By B.C. Manion

The four men came to Lutz Cemetery on a Saturday morning, with a cool breeze stirring the trees, and the sun shining brightly in the clear blue sky.

They got to work quickly, each grabbing a supply of American flags and staking out a segment of the cemetery.

Bill Garrison, commander of American Legion Post 108, marches through Lutz Cemetery, surveying gravestones of military veterans to decorate with an American flag in honor of Veterans Day. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Bill Garrison, commander of American Legion Post 108, marches through Lutz Cemetery, surveying gravestones of military veterans to decorate with an American flag in honor of Veterans Day. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The men — Bill Garrison, Ray Mason, Richard Fernandez and Jim Evans — worked their way through the rows of gravestones, looking for those marking the final resting place of men and women who served to protect American freedom.

While Garrison, Mason and Fernandez surveyed areas closer to U.S. 41, Evans checked out the rear section of the cemetery. Each time they found a veteran’s gravestone, they solemnly planted a flag at the edge of the gravestone.

Marking the grave with a flag is an act of remembrance, and of respect. It’s something members of American Legion Post 108 do at Lutz Cemetery every Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day.

The flags remain until a day after Veterans Day, when the men come back to recover them.

The flags honor veterans from World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War. There’s even a grave of a Civil War soldier and another of a Spanish-American War soldier a soldier, Mason said.

The ritual of remembering men and women who served has been going on for close to 30 years, said Mason, the post’s adjutant.

Each time, they post about 200 flags. “We used to do more cemeteries, but membership dwindled,” said Garrison, the post commander.

As World War II veterans die, the post’s membership has declined. Now, the post — which draws its members from Lutz and Land O’ Lakes — has 97 members, Garrison said.

There are around 200 veterans buried in Lutz Cemetery, he said.

“There’s a lot of sacrifice here,” said Garrison, who served in the U.S. Air Force as a code breaker.

Fernandez, a past commander and the current financial officer for the post who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, said he takes part in the flag postings to honor those who have courageously served this country.

“Unfortunately they don’t get the honor and respect that they deserve,” Fernandez said.

Respect for veterans has improved, however, said Mason, who served in the U.S. Navy.

“Every once in awhile I wear my hat out, and I can’t believe the number of people who come up and say, ‘Thank you for your service,’” he said.

That’s a far different response than the one he received when he first finished military service.

“When I got out in ’65, everybody was against the war, all of that anti-Vietnam stuff,” said Mason, who did not serve in Vietnam.

He was surprised by the negative reception.

“I was taken back,” Mason said.

Evans, who served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam and during the first Gulf War, said posting the flags at the cemetery provides a sense of satisfaction.

“It gives you a nice feeling to have them remembered,” he said.

The men do the best they can to ensure they honor each veteran buried there. They look at the gravestones for any indication of military service.

“Sometimes it is just a little notation on there,” Evans said.

To make sure he didn’t miss any, Garrison kicks leaves off of graves, and scrapes off dirt. The other men made close inspections, too.

“I hate to miss one,” Evans said. “It really hurts me if I miss a veteran. We always make an extra sweep, and we always find some that we missed.”

Evans estimates he’s posted flags at the cemetery about 20 times. Sometimes, the work is easier than others. During the recent posting, conditions were pleasant.

But the heat can be brutal during the Memorial Day and Fourth of July postings, or sometimes it’s pouring rain.

“There have been times after a heavy rain where you almost sink,” Garrison said. “We slop through the mess.”

On the upside, though, “there’s no problem with putting them (the flags) in,” he added.

After they post the flags and complete their sweep, the men conclude by playing “Taps,” — a final tribute for those who served.

Published November 12, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Filed Under: Local News, Lutz News Tagged With: American Legion Post 108, Bill Garrison, Civil War, Fourth of July, Gulf War, Jim Evans, Korean War, Land O' Lakes, Lutz, Lutz Cemetery, Memorial Day, Ray Mason, Richard Fernandez, Spanish-American War, U.S. 41, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Veterans Day, Vietnam War, World War I, World War II

Pasco Schools to honor veterans Tuesday

November 10, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco County Schools are hosting a variety of events on Veterans Day Tuesday to honor those who risked or gave their lives for America’s freedoms.

The day starts off at Wesley Chapel Center for the Arts with a Veterans Day presentation beginning at 8:30 a.m. It will include Superintendent Kurt Browning as well as Pasco County elections supervisor Brian Corley, and will honor and celebrate veterans, as well as encourage students to participate in the Vote in Honor of a Veteran program.

“This is the greatest country in the world, and we owe that to generations of men and women who have gone to war to protect our values and beliefs,” Browning said, in a release. “There is no better place for students to learn about the sacrifices and contributions of this nation’s veterans than in our schools.”

The arts center is located at 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

Corley will join outreach ambassadors from his government office to conduct voter registration at all high schools in the county from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. On top of that, several schools will host Veterans Day programs. They include:

• Salute a Veteran at Fox Hollow Elementary School, 10 a.m. — The entire student body will have a part in honoring local veterans. Each grade level at the school, 8309 Fox Hollow Drive in Port Richey, has taken time to learn the chorus of a branch of service, and to study their assigned branch.

• Veterans Day parade at Odessa Elementary School, 10:15 a.m. — Students at the Odessa school, 12810 Interlaken Road in Port Richey, will gather to honor veterans by witnessing a patriotic musical performance by their chorus, brass quintet, sax quartet, and Mitchell High School’s color guard. Retired Lt. Col. Alan Klyap will serve as guest speaker with a parade following.

• Veterans Day program at Taylor Elementary School, 10:30 a.m. — Taylor, 3638 Morris Bridge Road in Zephyrhills, will present a program that will include the Junior ROTC from Zephyrhills High School, as well as the high school’s jazz band. Guest speaker will be Browning.

• Second Annual Salute to our Veterans at Cotee River Elementary School, 10:30 a.m. — Cotee River studeents will hear from retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Michale Cheetam, commander of the Ridgewood High School Naval Junior ROTC, as well as Daniel Gosonda from the U.S. Coast Guard, at the school, 7515 Plathe Road in Port Richey. Cheetam’s cadets will perform, and the Cotee River chorus will give a patriotic performance.

• Schrader’s Tribute to Our Veterans at Schrader Elementary School, 2 p.m. — The fifth grade students have invited parents as well as veterans to hear patriotic songs and speaking parts that honor the men and women who work every day to protect freedom. It will take place at the school, 11041 Little Road in New Port Richey.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: Alan Klyap, America, Brian Corley, Cotee River Elementary School, Daniel Gosonda, Fox Hollow Drive, Fox Hollow Elementary School, Interlaken Road, Kurt Browning Pasco County, Little Road, Michale Cheetam, Mitchell High School, Morris Bridge Road, Naval Junior ROTC, New Port Richey, Odessa Elementary School, Pasco County Schools, Plathe Road, Port Richey, Ridgewood High School, ROTC, Schrader Elementary School, Taylor Elementary School, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Vote in Honor of a Veteran, Wells Road, Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel Center for the Arts, Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills High School

Fact Check: Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera’s campaign visit to Zephyrhills

September 30, 2014 By Michael Hinman

Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera made a campaign stop on behalf of Gov. Rick Scott in Zephyrhills Sept. 22, speaking in front of the Conservative Club of East Pasco.

Throughout his stump speech, Lopez-Cantera attacked Scott’s Democratic opponent, former Gov. Charlie Crist, but also made some other claims as well. 

For the complete story of Lopez-Cantera’s campaign stop, read the Oct. 1 edition of The Laker/Lutz News.


 “The high-speed rail was a project that is about $2 billion, but that would not have covered the cost of the project. And you know who would’ve been on the hook to cover the cost of the project? All of us.

“Look at California. They took the federal money, and they have not laid one inch of rail in their state for high-speed rail. They’re hundreds of millions of dollars in the hole. They raised the gas tax 6 cents just to cover the expense.

“And that is still not going to cover the cost, that is projected to be around $100 billion.”

President Obama announced construction of high-speed rail routes in several states, including Florida, in 2009 as part of his overall stimulus package to help jumpstart the nation’s lagging economy.

Florida was set to receive more than $2 billion, while California was gearing up to receive $8 billion in federal funds. However, while the federal dollars were expected to cover the cost of the Florida route’s first phase between Tampa and Orlando, the California contribution was just a fraction of the $68 billion needed to build the entire line in the state, that had been planned for decades.

The California project took a big hit last January, however, when a state judge there ruled the government could not sell billions of dollars in bonds that would’ve helped finance the project, according to the Washington Post.

In August, the New York Times called the high-speed rail project a failure, claiming the Obama administration spent $11 billion on the project, with nothing to show for it. However, Michael Grunwald from Time magazine disputed that report, saying just $2.4 billion has been spent nationwide, and that major construction of the first high-speed rail lines are just beginning after years of planning.


“In the next two years, you can expect another $1 million in tax cuts, and this is not a Charlie Crist rhetoric tax cut. Another $120 million will be cut in taxes if you have a cellphone. Your cellphone bill will go down.

“And we’re going to eliminate the manufacturing sales tax once and for all, so that we can continue to attract manufacturing jobs to our state, because those are good, high-paying jobs.

“We are going to get a constitutional amendment passed that if your (home) value does not go up, your property taxes will not go up. It is not fair.”

The Tax Foundation, a non-partisan research think tank based in Washington, D.C., has called some of these policies a “mixed bag.”

The constitutional amendment, for example, would require the approval of 60 percent of voters. At the same time, this would affect local government revenue, not state government revenue, said Lyman Stone of the Tax Foundation.

“Restrictions on property tax assessments can reduce local taxation, but only if there are also restrictions on property tax rates, effective standardization of tax-assessing practices, and strict limits on other local revenue sources,” Stone said. “Otherwise, if property taxes are ineffectively capped, localities will just raise the same revenues through less transparent means, like excessive fees, fines, or budget gimmicks that just push expenses further out.”

However, in the same analysis, Stone praised the proposed reduction in cellphone taxes. Florida, he said, has the fourth highest taxes on cellphone usage, and would bring the state closer to norms experienced elsewhere in the country.


 Drug testing those people receiving state funds “was passed in 2011, and has been challenged by liberal groups since then. We are still appealing it. There is an injunction in place that doesn’t allow (the state to enforce drug-testing) until it makes its way through the courts.”

A federal judge last December struck down the law forcing welfare recipients to be drug tested, saying the law violated the Constitutional protection against unreasonable searches. It was similar to a ruling made in Michigan in 2003 that put many proposed drug-testing policies on hold for several years.

The suit that led to the decision was put together by the American Civil Liberties Union, a group generally described as “liberal,” on behalf of a U.S. Navy veteran, Luis Lebron, who had filed for public assistance and was asked to submit to testing.

The New York Times reported late last year the program cost far more than it saved, finding less than 3 percent of those tested with positive results for narcotics.


“We talked about how we increased funding for education the last three years, and how Gov. Scott was a champion of a $480 million pay raise (for teachers). That was not a bonus but a pay raise.”

The raises, according to Scott, would amount to $2,500 per teacher, and up to $3,500 for those deemed “highly effective.” However, while the Legislature did approve a measure that would make an additional $480 million available to school districts, it’s still up to county school boards — not the states — on how that money will be distributed, if at all.

Also, the allocated money is not just for teachers in the classroom. It’s also for guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, librarians, principals and assistant principals, according to the bill, which means at least some of the money is earmarked for those who aren’t in front of students.

Scott has pushed for increased education funding in recent years, but that came after he slashed the education budget in 2011 by $1.3 billion. In fact, despite his most recent increase, education funding per student is still below the levels under Crist in 2007, according to Politifact.


“Charlie (Crist) doesn’t want anyone to remember that he was governor for four years, and what the state looked like when he took it over. It had a 3.5 percent unemployment rate, and when he left, it was much higher. He is going to say it was the global recession, and that it would’ve happened to anybody. That is not true. The same time that Florida lost 830,000 jobs, there was another governor who focused on jobs, and they added 200,000 jobs. And that was Texas.”

Crist moved into the governor’s mansion in January 2007, enjoying an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent. However, by that July, it had climbed to 4 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As the Great Recession went into full swing, unemployment would rise to 4.8 percent after Crist’s first full year in office, and then 8.8 percent after his second.

Florida’s unemployment rate peaked at 11.4 percent in December 2009, and started to drop by April 2010.

When Scott took office in January 2011, the unemployment rate already was declining, dropping to 10.9 percent. It would take nearly three years for Scott to see unemployment rates drop below 7 percent, which it finally did in September 2013, but has plateaued around the 6.3 percent mark since last December.

In terms of what states weathered the recession better than others, Texas did gain attention for its job growth. However, many of those jobs, according to news reports, came in the oil and natural gas industries, which took only a minor hit during the recession.

Florida, on the other hand, was hit hard by the crash of the housing market, losing many jobs in that field — something Texas was able to absorb.

Last July, NPR reviewed job growth in all 50 states between January 2008 and May 2014, using data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During that time, North Dakota had the biggest job growth at 21.2 percent, followed by Texas with 8.4 percent — both taking advantage of growth in the petroleum industry.

In total, 18 states and the District of Columbia saw positive job growth since the time the recession was in full swing, but none of them are Florida. The Sunshine State is ranked 38th in job growth since January 2008, tied with Maine, showing it’s still short of reaching its pre-recession levels by 1.7 percent.

Of the 19 states and territories that have seen positive growth since the recession, eight are led by Democrats, and seven by Republicans. Two other states — Oklahoma and Iowa — went from Democrat to Republican governors during that time span, while two others — Minnesota and California — went from Republican to Democrat.


“The first two years, he was chasing the vice presidency and not focusing on the state. The second two years, he was running for a United States Senate seat.

“And he is the first governor in the history of Florida to not run for re-election.”

Charlie Crist was touring and campaigning with John McCain after the U.S. Senator won the Republican nomination in 2008, and many news outlets said Crist was one of the contenders to possibly accompany McCain on the presidential ticket, especially since that could help deliver Florida in the presidential election.

McCain, however, chose Sarah Palin instead, and would go on to lose to Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the November race.

Less than a year later, Republican Mel Martinez resigned from his U.S. Senate seat some four years after winning it, and Crist appointed his chief of staff, George LeMieux — who many largely saw as a placeholder for Crist — and Crist soon after announced his intentions to run for the seat.

When it became obvious Marco Rubio was going to win the Republican nomination two years later for the senate seat, Crist would stay in the race as an independent, eventually losing to Rubio in 2011.

Crist, however, is not the first governor in history to not run for re-election. Assuming Lopez-Cantera was only referring to sitting governors eligible to seek re-election (which would exclude the likes of Lawton Chiles and Jeb Bush), C. Farris Bryant chose to serve just one term as governor, and did not seek re-election in 1964. He would be succeeded by another Democrat, W. Haydon Burns, in a two-year term in 1965.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: American Civil Liberties Union, Barack Obama, California, Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Charlie Crist, Conservative Club of East Pasco, D.C., District of Columbia, Florida, Iowa, Luis Lebron, Lyman Stone, Maine, Michael Grunwald, Michigan, Minnesota, New York Times, North Dakota, NPR, Oklahoma, Orlando, Politifact, Rick Scott, Tampa, Tax Foundation, Texas, Time, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Navy, Washington, Washington Post, Zephyrhills

Free admission July 4 for military personnel

July 3, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Museum of Science & Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa, is offering free admission for all military personnel on July 4.

It’s open to active duty, veteran and retired military personnel for them and up to five family members.

Open exhibits on Independence Day include Disasterville, The Amazing You, as well as the BioWorks Butterfly Garden. Visitors also have a chance to check out MOSI’s newest exhibit, 3-D Printing the Future.

Those eligible include branches like the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps.

The offer excludes Imax films and Sky Trail Ropes Course & Zip Line.

For more information, call (813) 987-6000, or visit MOSI.org.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: BioWorks, Fowler Avenue, MOSI, Museum of Science & Industry, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, Tampa, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Navy, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps

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The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to make green grilled cheese on March 9 at 4:30 p.m., for grades four to seven. To view the video, visit the Library Cooperative on Facebook or Instagram. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will host a virtual poetry discussion group on “Female Power!” on March 9 at 6:30 p.m., for ages 16 and older, via Zoom. Participants can share a favorite poem or take part in discussions on poems about women or written by women poets. Themed poems will be sent out to help with the session. Registration is required. For information, contact Amaris Papadopoulos at 727-861-3020 or . … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will offer a Technology Tuesday: Robots & Machines on March 9, through a curbside pickup activity. The kit will help kids learn more about technology, from robots to coding, through online and hands-on activities. The pickup is limited to 35 participants and must be reserved ahead of time. A book bundle can be included. Kits must be picked up between March 9 at 10 a.m., and March 13 at 5 p.m. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

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Solution to Land O’ Lakes traffic jams still years away, if then

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Zephyrhills discussing 911 dispatch

No plans to shutter Zephyrhills police department

Local Jewish temple gifted Torah

Save money, get back behind the wheel

Pasco County Fair lives up to its billing

Meals on Wheels looks to expand

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