Photos of the Week

Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club turned out in force to commemorate this most solemn and poignant 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our country. The women formed a long queue of wavers to remind those in the heavy traffic and passers-by along U.S. 41 in Lutz to “Never forget”. The women received hearty responses from car horns, 18-wheeler airhorn blasts, and even the sheriff’s motorcycle sirens in support. Every year since the first anniversary in 2002, club members have been a visible presence, to remind the community that we are all in this together.

Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club gathered and formed an assembly line to put together gift baskets filled with snacks, fruit and other treats, for first responders. Doris Ramaglia handcrafted thank-you notes to be included, too. The baskets will be delivered to stations in the Lutz and Land O’ Lakes area, in advance of the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The club itself will have flag-wavers along U.S. 41, in front of the Old Lutz School, on Sept. 11, which is something the group has done every year since 2001. Members Joan Young and Darlene Choe are shown here with some of the filled baskets.

 

Three juvenile green sea turtles on Aug. 19 were reintroduced into the Atlantic Ocean on the Palm Coast by The Florida Aquarium. The turtles originally stranded off the East Coast of Florida in March, as a result of a large cold-stun event. After five months of specialized care from the staff at the aquarium’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center, the trio was returned to the open ocean by biologists Jessica Sandelli and Alyssa Fessett.

Under head coach Mike Johnson, the Cypress Creek Coyotes could surprise some teams this year, given a deep offense laden with experience. See the Pasco County Fall football preview to get the team rundowns, in Sports.

When Joel Jackson sets out on his explorations, he never knows exactly what he’ll encounter. One day, as he was capturing an image of a swamp hibiscus, a butterfly flew in and landed on the bloom — right on cue. This Giant Swallow butterfly is perched on a Swamp Hibiscus. The Swamp Hibiscus grows 5 feet to 8 feet tall and 2 feet to 4 feet wide. It is a long-lived perennial with showy flowers that come in various colors. It is known for its interesting foliage, too. It attracts hummingbirds and is the larval host plant of several butterfly species. (See more photos in the full story above.)

Volunteer Deanna Okun, left, administers a medical exam inside the Medical Detainment room, to student Jyles Morales, during a living history simulation at McKitrick Elementary. The children were learning about Ellis Island. Christine Holtzman was awarded a second place in the feature story category and a second place for this particular photo from the series that accompanied a Laker/Lutz News story, at the Florida Press Association Weekly Newspaper Contest on July 16.

There was jubilation on July 7 in Thunder Alley, when the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 1-0, to secure the Bolts’ second consecutive Stanley Cup win.

David Eberhard, of Wesley Chapel, his daughter, Kimberly, and some of Kimberly’s teacher friends from Twin Lakes Elementary School were there to soak in the joy-filled atmosphere.

Fans couldn’t be there in person last year to watch the Bolts win the Stanley Cup because of COVID-19, but they went into overdrive this year — creating their own kind of thunder — to celebrate their victorious Bolts.

Here are a few scenes from Amalie Arena, on the series-clinching Game 5 of the finals.

Twin Lakes Elementary teachers cheer on the Tampa Bay Lightning, during Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals. From left: Dawn Rogers, Kimberly Eberhard and Lauren Stamm.