The Laker/Lutz News

Gator Lane

U.S. 41 getting new look and feel

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Portions of U.S. 41 soon will be repaved, or will have new landscaping, on the corridor, which runs through Lutz and Land O’ Lakes.

In Land O’ Lakes, resurfacing will be done on U.S. 41, to give motorists a smoother ride between Ehren Cutoff and Caliente Boulevard.

New trees, shrubs and groundcover are being installed at the apex where U.S. 41 and North Florida Avenue split. The $500,000 project will create a more inviting entry, as motorists head into Lutz or Tampa, depending which way they are driving. (Brian Fernandes)

Repaving began last summer and includes both sides of the four-lane stretch – divided by a median.

The $2.5-million project also includes a sidewalk on the west side of U.S. 41, where it intersects with Lake Bambi Circle and Gator Lane.

It also incorporates a shared use path along the east side of U.S. 41, where it intersects with Caliente Boulevard and Carriker Road.

Plans also call for minor drainage modifications.

Roadwork is occurring during the day and evening, with lane closures.

The Lutz project involves new landscaping at the apex of U.S. 41 and North Florida Avenue, to create a more inviting entry into Lutz or Tampa, depending which way you are driving.

The $500,000 project began in January.

New landscaping is being installed in the medians, which includes native trees, palms, shrubs and groundcover, surrounded by decorative wood fencing.

Both projects are scheduled to be completed by spring.

Published February 19, 2020

Pasco announces bus Route 41 service changes

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Pasco County Public Transportation has changed services on Route 41 in Land O’ Lakes.

The changes, which took effect on Jan. 6, are based on ridership, according to a news release.

Here are the changes, in a nutshell:

  • An hourly service is being added to the Central Boulevard/Pasco Utilities complex.
  • Service is ending along Collier Parkway and along the State Road 54 corridor to Collier Parkway.
  • Saturday service has been eliminated for this route.

The news release said the Route 41 changes are being implemented relating to Collier Parkway and State Road 54 because of a lack of ridership.

Those wishing to ride the bus to businesses on Collier Parkway can connect to the Route 54 bus.

Route 41 begins at the U.S. 41 intersection with Central Boulevard. It continues south to multiple stops, including where U.S. 41 meets Gator Lane, State Road 54 and the apex where U.S. 41 and North Dale Mabry Highway branch off.

Other stops are along U.S. 41, but the route previously included a jog onto State Road 54, over to Collier Parkway, where riders could pick up the bus near the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

The changes to Route 41 were approved by the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization board on Sept. 12. The recommendation to drop the portion of the route including State 54 and Collier Parkway was based on research by public transportation staff and public feedback.

For more information about Route 41, visit bit.ly/Route41.

For more information about PCPT services, visit RidePCPT.com.

Published January 08, 2020

Land O’ Lakes route to lose bus stop, weekend service

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Bus Route 41, in Land O’ Lakes, no longer will be making a stop on Collier Parkway — and also will discontinue operating on Saturdays.

Those changes were approved by the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board on Sept. 12.

Pasco County Public Transportation will remove the bus stop on Collier Parkway from Route 41, which runs in Land O’ Lakes. The entire route, which mainly runs along U.S. 41, also will exclude Saturdays from its service.(Courtesy of Pasco County Public Transportation)

The changes were prompted by a recommendation from Pasco County Public Transportation based on its research and public feedback.

“We received some concerns from some of our riders on Route 41,” Kurt Scheible  director of public transportation for the county told the MPO board.

“Unfortunately, it’s not one of our better routes.”

The route begins at the U.S. 41 intersection with Central Boulevard. It continues south to multiple stops, including where U.S. 41 meets Gator Lane, State Road 54 and the apex where U.S. 41 and North Dale Mabry Highway branch off.

Although other stops are along U.S. 41, the route also included a jog onto State Road 54, over to Collier Parkway, where riders could pick up the bus near the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

However, Scheible said, very few patrons took advantage of the stop and those riding the bus considered the stop to be an inconvenience because it delayed them in getting to their destinations.

A study done by the transportation department in June revealed a low volume of riders on Route 41, Scheible said.

There were only 250 trips made on weekdays and 20 on Saturdays during the month, he noted.

During 2018, of all of the county’s 825,767 bus trips, Route 41 only had slightly over 1,900 – making it the lowest performing route in the county’s transportation system, he said.

The study also showed that barely any riders used the service on Saturdays, he added.

The director also noted that those using the Collier Parkway stop were primarily using it to get to shops along State Road 54.

Because of the findings, the bus service decided to drop the Collier Parkway stop and to end Saturday services on the route.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who sits on the MPO board expressed agreement.

“Obviously we wanted to make sure that everybody had access to our public facilities, including the library and the rec center,” he said. “But if nobody’s taking part in it, [it is] obviously understandable that we need to reevaluate that.”

The MPO board’s approval was the final action needed to push the initiative forward.

Scheible also mentioned future plans to extend Route 41 further north up to State Road 52, once that corridor has widened.

While services are being reduced in one part of the county, the MPO board took another action that may have the effect of boosting ridership countywide.

The board approved free bus transportation for veterans, active military and county employees who present proper identification.

The Pasco County Commission made the change official during its Sept. 18 meeting.

“The whole idea is: walk on [with a] picture ID, they hit the button and they’re riding for free wherever they need to go to,” Scheible said during the MPO meeting.

The changes to Route 41 and the free bus rides will take effect in October, the transportation director said.

Published October 2, 2019

Land O’ Lakes band trip to states a long time coming

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It’s been over a decade since the Land O’ Lakes High School band performed at states.

That wait is over.

The school’s symphonic band will join more than 40 other Florida high schools on April 23 at the State North High School Concert Band Music Performance Assessment (MPA) at Flagler Palm Coast High School, in Palm Coast.

Mitchell High School is the only other public school in Pasco County performing at the meet.

The Land O’ Lakes High School band will perform at the state meet for the first time since 1994. The school’s symphonic band will join more than 40 other Florida high schools on April 23 at the State North High School Concert Band Music Performance Assessment (MPA) at Flagler Palm Coast High School, in Palm Coast. (Courtesy of Johnathon Mulder)

Land O’ Lakes qualified for the state competition after earning straight superior ratings—the highest mark possible — at a district MPA meet in early March at Hernando High School.

The program has met state performance requirements for the meet in previous years, but hasn’t made the trip in 14 years, for a variety of reasons.

First-year Land O’ Lakes band director Johnathon Mulder said one of his main objectives heading into the school year was to take the band to states, if the ensemble qualified.

“This is a big deal to the program because they haven’t gone to the tournament in a really long time,” said Mulder, who previously served as a band teacher for six years at Lakeland’s Kathleen Middle School.

The Land O’ Lakes band consists of more than 70 students, including 19 seniors.

With such a large group, the school district’s fine arts program coordinator, Tom Viking recently helped offset the cost for a second school bus so each student could make the three-hour trip to Palm Coast.

But, the band director also wants to provide meals for each student for the daylong affair. He has set a fundraising goal of $1,100 by April 13.

Band students also have been given sponsorship sheets to raise money.

“We’re just looking for the community to kind of rally behind us and support us, and help those families that can’t fully afford meals,” Mulder said.

At the state competition, Land O’ Lakes will play three prepared pieces before a panel of judges made up of college professors and retired music directors.

With it being the band’s first trip to state since 2004, Mulder has set reasonable expectations, hoping students relish the experience and just try their best.

“While it would be wonderful to go and get straight superiors again at the state level, this is a new experience for all of us,” Mulder said. “For us, what’s going to be successful is going there, preparing the best we can, and putting on the best performance possible. If that results in straight superiors, awesome. And, if it doesn’t, then you know what…I just hope we walk off the stage happy with what we did.”

Besides reaching states, the band performed well throughout the year at events like Lion’s Pride Festival at King High School and Festival of Winds at the University of South Florida, Mulder said.

Individual students were named to all-state and all-county teams, too.

Mulder credited the students’ hard work and dedication, and faith in him as a bandleader, as some reasons for success.

“They blow my mind a lot,” the teacher said. “Since Day One, I’ve kind of had it in my head that this is one of those bands in Pasco County that should be phenomenal.”

Senior band captain Jacob Barber is excited for the group to be making its first trip to states.

“As seniors, the fact we get to go to state MPA is a pretty big deal; it feels pretty good,” said Barber, who has had three different band directors in four years.

“I feel like there’s been a lot more growth this year than there has been in previous years… so I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

Junior saxophone leader Josh Mellin said, “It’s humbling because we haven’t been to a prestigious thing like this in a while.

“Mr. Mulder this year has introduced a lot of new opportunities to us to take as musicians,” added Mellin, whose father is Ric Mellin, principal at Land O’ Lakes High.

“The experience for this year has been unlike my freshman or sophomore year. I’ve had a lot more fun. I’ve seen a lot of people grow, and I hope that (Mulder) stays here for a long time,” he added.

For questions and to donate to the band trip, email .

Anonymous donations also can be mailed to the school, at 20325 Gator Lane in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, 34638.

Published April 5, 2018

New start times for some schools

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The Pasco County School Board has approved school bell times for the 2017-2018, and those times include some changes for schools within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Here’s a look at which schools are getting new starting times, along with an explanation that was provided in a news release from Pasco County Schools.

  • Bexley Elementary, 4380 Ballantrae Blvd., a new school, will begin its school day at 9:40 a.m. and finish the day at 3:50 p.m.
  • Cypress Creek Middle/High School, 8701 Old Pasco Road, also a new school, will begin its school day at 7:25 a.m. and finish it at 1:50 p.m.
  • Land O’ Lakes High School, 20325 Gator Lane, will begin its day at 7:25 a.m. and end it at 1:55 p.m. The school’s starting time is five minutes earlier to provide additional time for passing between classes. The additional time is needed because the school will be undergoing a large construction project.
  • Charles S. Rushe Middle School, 18654 Mentmore Blvd., will begin its school day at 7:25 a.m. and finish it at 1:40 p.m. Rushe’s school day previously started at 8:40 a.m. and ended at 2:50 p.m. The new starting and ending times are needed to balance routes associated with the opening of the district’s new transportation garage and compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station in Odessa.
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., will have a starting time of 7:25 a.m. and ending time of 1:56 p.m. for all students. The school had been using dual bell times associated with a 10-period day, but the school will resume a normal schedule with the opening of Cypress Creek Middle/High School in August.

Published April 12, 2017

Development is heating up in Land O’ Lakes

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Recent rezoning applications suggest that Land O’ Lakes is on the radar for new development.

Potential projects on tap are a craft brewery, new retail and townhomes —all along a single stretch of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, north of State Road 54.

Each project received a recommendation of approval on Jan. 13, from the Pasco County Planning Commission, a voluntary group that advises the Pasco County Commission, after reviewing recommendations from the county’s planning staff.

The Pasco County Commission is scheduled to consider the three proposals at its Jan. 26 meeting.

Imperial Buffet is applying for a license to sell beer and wine at its location in the Village Lakes Shopping Center, off State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Imperial Buffet is applying for a license to sell beer and wine at its location in the Village Lakes Shopping Center, off State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

Representatives of Interior Elegance Inc., and In the Loop Brewing have applied for a beer and wine license at a building located at 3338 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

County records show plans call for a 540-square-foot brewery, a 2,800-square-foot tap and tasting room, and an outdoor beer garden of nearly 6,800 square feet.

Just south of the proposed brewery, owners of E List Properties are proposing to build about 7,500 square feet of retail, and five townhomes with a boat dock fronting Lake Padgett.

That nearly two-acre site is at 3300 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., north of Stiverson Road.

Real estate broker Jim O’ Brien represented E List Properties at the planning commission meeting.

O’ Brien told planning commissioners that no decisions had been made yet on the type of retail the project would include.

E List Properties is seeking to rezone a vacant lot on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard for townhomes and retail development.
E List Properties is seeking to rezone a vacant lot on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard for townhomes and retail development.

After the meeting, O’ Brien said it is not surprising to see new interest in the Land O’ Lakes area based on residential development on U.S. 41, given the county’s new growth spurt. “It’s going to create more opportunities,” O’ Brien said. “People want to work where they live.”

He doesn’t anticipate a quick start to construction by E List, but he said, “Everything north of State Road 54 is booming.”

Brother Investments Inc., rounded out the three proposals, with a plan to build a contractor’s office, with storage, at 3228 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The zoning, if approved, would change from residential to commercial and light manufacturing.

In other rezoning requests in Land O’ Lakes, Imperial Buffet in the Village Lakes Shopping Center, off State Road 54, is seeking a beer and wine license. The restaurant opened Jan. 15 at the former location of Ichiban Buffet.

In another request, John D. Jones is seeking to rezone property at 7329 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., north of Gator Lane, from general commercial to commercial and light manufacturing. He proposes to remodel an existing building as a contractor’s office, with storage space.

Published January 20, 2016

 

Land O’ Lakes soccer team gears up for the world stage

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The Land O’ Lakes Special Olympics soccer team recently traveled to Indianapolis to begin preparing for its appearance in the 2015 Special Olympics Summer World Games.

The soccer team claimed the gold at the Special Olympics Florida State Summer Games in May, and found out on July 21 that they would trek to represent Team USA at the games in Los Angeles.

Ordray Smith plays with intensity during a scrimmage in Indianapolis, as the Land O’ Lakes High Special Olympics soccer team prepares to compete in the 2015 Special Olympics Summer World Games. (Courtesy of Land O' Lakes High School)
Ordray Smith plays with intensity during a scrimmage in Indianapolis, as the Land O’ Lakes High Special Olympics soccer team prepares to compete in the 2015 Special Olympics Summer World Games. (Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School)

The team competes in Division 2 soccer, with seven athletes on each side of the ball. It is a unified team, meaning there are four Special Olympics athletes playing along with three partners, who are there to provide help and support.

The Land O’ Lakes team will join thousands of Special Olympics athletes from 170 nations to compete for international medals. The games include 21 Olympic-style sports.

To help prepare for the competition, the team headed to Indianapolis in early October to begin training for the games, and to get a feel for what the schedule will be like in Los Angeles, said Vicky King, the team’s coach. The training camp in Indianapolis included 352 athletes and 96 coaches from across the United States.

While there, the team received Team USA gear from Finish Line, practiced their soccer skills, scrimmaged against other teams, toured the NCAA Hall of Fame, attended the Circle City Parade and the Circle City Classic football game, and visited the Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The World Games are scheduled from July 25 to Aug. 2.

While the team is gearing up for the competition, it’s also involved in fundraising efforts. There will be a Champions Breakfast Nov. 7 at the Academy of Culinary Arts building at Land O’ Lakes High School to raise money to support the team’s trip to the World Games. No tickets are available for this week’s fundraiser breakfast, but efforts are ongoing to raise the $35,000 the team needs to make the trip to Los Angeles, King said.

Anyone who has any questions can email King at .

Anyone who wishes to contribute can send a check payable to Special Olympics Pasco, attention Vicky King, Land O’ Lakes High School, 20325 Gator Lane, Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638.

Published November 5, 2014

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Land O’ Lakes holding IB informational sessions

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Land O’ Lakes High School is hosting three family information nights for prospective applicants seeking ninth-grade admission into the school’s International Baccalaureate program for the 2015-16 year.

Parents and guardians of students currently in the eighth grade at public, charter and private schools are invited to attend, as well as families of students in other grades.

The first meeting is Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the high school’s mini theater, 20325 Gator Lane in Land O’ Lakes. The second meeting is Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Long Middle School’s cafeteria at 2025 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. The final meeting is Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Weightman Middle School’s cafeteria, 30649 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

Those attending can learn about the IB program, as well as the application process.

For more information and for access to the 2015-16 online application, click here, or contact Jeff Morgenstein at (813) 794-9429, or (352) 524-9429. Or he can be emailed at .

Forever the Keppel Way at Land O’ Lakes High

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The crowd was there to watch the football teams from Land O’ Lakes and Sunlake high schools take the field. But for several minutes before kickoff, they were all chanting something much different: “We love Keppel!”

Kris Keppel, who spent more than two decades as the coach of the Land O’ Lakes cross-country team, and even longer as a teacher, was given that ovation during last Friday’s game. Keppel, never one who likes to draw attention to himself, knew something was up when he was invited to the game. But he still showed up, because he knew his courage facing pancreatic cancer would continue to inspire the students and athletes at the school.

Kris Keppel along with daughters Meredith and Morgan, and wife Dar, proudly show the new sign students and visitors will see leading the way to the athletic fields of Land O’ Lakes High School. Principal Ric Mellin says this will remind everyone to take the ‘Keppel way.’ (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)
Kris Keppel along with daughters Meredith and Morgan, and wife Dar, proudly show the new sign students and visitors will see leading the way to the athletic fields of Land O’ Lakes High School. Principal Ric Mellin says this will remind everyone to take the ‘Keppel way.’ (Michael Hinman/Staff Photo)

“It’s pretty easy to inspire,” Keppel told the crowd. “Inspiration is a two-way street. You all can inspire each other on a daily basis.”

School officials and his team wanted to honor Keppel for being a finalist in the Brooks Inspiring Coach of the Year contest. Although Keppel received the most votes in the nationwide competition, he was able to applaud as Renee Williams-Smith of Manhattan Beach, California, received this year’s award during a ceremony last summer in Seattle.

The initial idea was to give Keppel a large trophy, girls’ cross-country coach and close friend Karen DeHaas said. But then an idea surfaced that would allow Keppel’s work to be honored year after year, naming a new school inspirational award after him and a fellow teacher, the late Marilyn Ling, who also battled cancer.

“We have always had inspirational people that helped our students and helped our faculty,” school assistant principal Rich Batchelor said. “We would like to start a new award, the Ling Inspiring Individual Award. But we decided to rename it for the first recipient of the award. So it will now be known as the Ling Keppel Inspiring Individual Award.”

But the school wasn’t done. A small crowd walked to a spot just outside the Land O’ Lakes football stadium so a new street sign could be unveiled — renaming that stretch of Gator Lane to Keppel Way.

“What better way to have students in the future know how much he inspired us to do things the Keppel way than to actually rename the roadway that leads into the athletic facility here,” school principal Ric Mellin said. “From this point forward, every time our athletes come down the road from the parking lot into the stadiums in the back here, they are going to be doing it the Keppel Way.”

Keppel was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer more than a year ago. Despite his grueling treatment for the disease, Keppel continued to attend as many practices and meets as he could. That continued until this past school year when he was forced to retire to focus more on fighting the cancer. It meant stepping down from his longtime role as cross-country coach, too.

“He’s retired, yet he comes to all the practices, except when he has chemo on Mondays,” DeHaas said. “He’s not able to bike with the runners anymore, but having him out there has really motivated all of our runners, and they want to win for him.”

Those trips to practices and meets have become their own inspiration to Keppel.

“We’re a team, we are a partnership,” Keppel said. “They keep plugging away, and I keep plugging away.”

A recent change in his chemotherapy treatment has allowed Keppel to grow back his hair, his eyebrows, and even his trademark moustache. He has lost weight, but being able to recognize his reflection in the mirror has helped him continue to fight the cancer.

“I have good days and bad days, but today was a good day,” Keppel said, looking toward his wife Dar, standing nearby. “The last few days were good, but the beginning of the week wasn’t so hot. It is what it is, and you just take it one day at a time.”

And that couldn’t be any other way, because it is indeed the Keppel way.

Published October 22, 2014

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School district to meet with families about Sanders magnet school

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Pasco County Schools will host a community meeting on the new Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet Elementary School Sept. 23 at 6 p.m., in the Land O’ Lakes High School gymnasium, 20325 Gator Lane in Land O’ Lakes.

STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Scheduled to attend are school superintendent Kurt Browning, members of the school board, architects from Williamson Dacar Associates, and contractors from Ajax Building Corp. All are expected to share preliminary information with parents about the school, as well as the timelines and requirements for hiring the principal, teachers and staff members. There also will be discussion about magnet school application timelines, and options for transportation.

Sanders has been closed since 2010, and reconstruction began last month on the new school buildings at 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes. They will include what the district describes as state-of-the-art architecture and furnishings, labs, collaboration areas, traditional classrooms, and outdoor classrooms.

Sanders will be the district’s first magnet school, and will not have an attendance boundary.

For more information, call (813) 794-2717, or (813) 361-8349.