The Laker/Lutz News

Tampa Theatre

The Laker/Lutz News wins best in class in state newspaper contest

By

The Laker/Lutz News received 27 awards in the 2021 Florida Press Association Weekly Newspaper Contest, and won first place, overall, in its division.

The top honor resulted from a team effort — with awards received for news and feature stories, page design and photography.

Diane Kortus, publisher of The Laker/Lutz News, stands alongside Jim Fogler, president and CEO of the Florida Press Association and Intersect Media Solutions. (Courtesy of Florida Press Association)

Newspaper staffers Kevin Weiss, B.C. Manion and Matt Mistretta each played an important role in securing the recognition. But so did special contributors Joey Johnston, Kathy Steele, Christine Holtzman, Fred Bellet, Doug Sanders, Lillian Cucuzza and Steve Vinik.

Behind-the-scenes work by Mary Rathman, editorial assistant, and Stefanie Burlingame, graphic designer, also played critical roles in the newspaper’s success.

Points received from each of the winning entries are tallied to determine which newspaper will be declared the first-place winner. The Laker/Lutz News won that distinction in Division A, for weekly newspapers of 15,000 or more — the largest circulation division in the competition.

Staff writer Kevin Weiss hauled in six awards at the 2021 Florida Press Association Weekly Newspaper Contest, including three first-place honors. (Kelli Carmack)

Entries from The Laker/Lutz News received seven first-place, 12 second-place and eight third-place awards.

The newspaper won top honors for coverage of the impact that a retiring coach had on his players, both on and off the court; the threat posed by a possible ‘twindemic;’ and, the mighty Wurlitzer playing on at Tampa Theatre, despite the pandemic.

Other first-place awards came for stories that detailed a panel discussion on social issues and race relations; a local javelin standout ready for a bigger stage; and, the flurry of construction projects underway in Pasco County Schools.

A shot of the Neowise Comet, when it was closest to earth, won first place in the reader-generated photo category.

The honors were presented during a July 16 luncheon at the Florida Media Conference, held at the Westin Sarasota, in Sarasota.

The contest drew 1,167 entries, from a total of 51 newspapers across Florida. The contest was judged by experienced editors and publishers from Arizona, California, Colorado, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Washington.

The Laker/Lutz News, locally owned by Diane Kortus, covers the communities of Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Lutz, New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills, Dade City, San Antonio and St. Leo.

Here is the complete list of The Laker/Lutz News winning entries:

Front Page Makeup: Matt Mistretta, second place

Page Design: Matt Mistretta, third place

Sports Spot News Story: Kevin Weiss, first place

Sports Feature Story: Kevin Weiss, first place; Joey Johnston, third place

Portfolio Photography: Christine Holtzman, second place

Photo Series in One Issue: Christine Holtzman, second place; Fred Bellet, third place

Reader-Generated Photo: Lillian Cucuzza, first place; Steve Vinik, third place

Feature Photo: Christine Holtzman, second place

Spot News Photo: Christine Holtzman, third place

Community History: Doug Sanders, third place

Outdoor & Recreation: Kevin Weiss, second place

Local Government Reporting: Kevin Weiss, third place

Roads and Transportation: Kathy Steele, second place

Faith and Family: B.C. Manion, second place

Arts Entertainment & Review Reporting: B.C. Manion, first place; Joey Johnston, second place

Health, Medical & Science Reporting: Joey Johnston, first place; Kevin Weiss, second place

Education Feature: Christine Holtzman, second place

Education News: B.C. Manion, first place

Feature Story, Profile: Kathy Steele, second place; Joey Johnston, third place

General News Story: Kevin Weiss, first place

COVID-19: Feature Story: B.C. Manion, second place

Published July 21, 2021

Fred Bellet took this shot as one in a series of photos of Sophia Moon, a girl in Lutz who is wild about goats. Bellet won third place in the category of photo series in a single issue. Kathy Steele won second place for her feature profile about the girl. (File)
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 the story (File)

Sharing the beauty of organ music is this man’s quest

By

He’s 74 now, but Dave Cucuzza recalls a moment from decades ago — as if it was yesterday.

He was 8 years old at the time, living in Bradford, Pennsylvania, and his family was heading out to church.

Their car was buried in snow, though, so they had to dig it out.

Dave Cucuzza fell in love with organ music when he was just a little boy, and then he went on to spend decades playing the music for others to enjoy. (Christine Holtzman)

By the time they arrived at church, it was the High Mass.

“The organist was up in the balcony in the back, and it was a stone church, so the sound really reverberated — with the high ceiling.

“And, at the end of the Mass, he had everything on — on the organ. He did full organ,” Cucuzza recalled.

“That sound roared out there and echoed through that place,” he said. “I’d never heard it full blast.

“That’s when God gave me that little gift box — wrapped up so nicely — of music, that was going to be a big part of my life,” said Cucuzza, who now lives in Land O’ Lakes, is one of the volunteer organists at Tampa Theatre. (See related story.)

Hearing that huge sound set Cucuzza off on a quest.

He just had to learn to play organ.

First though, he took piano lessons.

He played on an upright piano his dad had acquired from a friend.

“It was a great hulking thing. And, it never was in tune much, because it was so old,” Cucuzza said.

He hated playing it. It simply didn’t sound right.

His wish to play the organ was finally granted when he was 13, after his family moved to Florida.

He had talked about playing the organ so much, his dad went out and bought a used one, Cucuzza said.

The young musician took lessons from Frances Slocum.

She was a kind and generous teacher.

“If she didn’t have anybody after me, she would give me extra time.

“She was always positive, and she showed me the basic way that songs were written, and she taught me how to learn a song in the most simplest of ways. And then, in the next month or two, add different things to it so that when you would play it, after a couple of months, it sounded like you really knew your stuff.

“People would think: ‘Wow, how did you learn to play like that? You must have been playing forever.’

“She taught me how to learn,” he said.

Cucuzza practiced constantly.

A little too much, in fact, for his family.

“They would kindly ask me to take a break,” he said.

Cucuzza said he didn’t learn in the classic fashion, but had a solid foundation in music theory.

He learned by listening to great organists, too.

“E. Power Biggs was the organist that made at least 35 albums for Colombia Master Works.

“He was a Bach guy. I would listen to it, because some of his bigger sounds. When he would get a lot of stuff going — using a lot of sets of organ pipes on a piece — it would really sound massive.

“I thought, ‘Wow, listen to that.’”

He also admired Virgil Fox.

Fox took liberties with the pieces, while Biggs was a purist, Cucuzza said.

Listening to them inspired him.

“I loved to hear it, so I was drawn to it, again and again. It would just make me want to do it more,” he said.

Playing in all sorts of venues
Cucuzza sold organs for a living, and performed at restaurants, awards ceremonies, baseball games and other events. He estimates he’s played on at least 50 organs.

At Tropical Acres Steakhouse, in South Florida, one couple, in particular, dropped in frequently.

“I don’t know when they ate because they danced nearly every song,” Cucuzza said.

Stirling’s Country Kitchen, another South Florida restaurant, had lots of regulars.

“I knew all of their songs, and I’d play their songs when they came in. They’d be waiting to get seated, and I would play their song and wave. And then, when they’d get their food, I’d play their song again,” he said.

He played organ for preseason baseball, at what was then Joe Robbie Stadium, before Miami was awarded the Marlins.

When Wade Boggs came up to bat, Cucuzza would play “Wade in the Water.” And, when Cal Ripkin was at the plate, he’d play the movie theme from “Superman.”

Dave Cucuzza is one of several volunteer organists who share their talent at Tampa Theatre. The theater is dark for now, but it will be live-streaming a performance of a guest organist on May 22.

One gig he particularly enjoyed involved playing in a gathering space at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, in Ft. Lauderdale — leading up to numerous performances of a touring group of the Radio City Rockettes.

At Tampa Theatre, he plays a variety of songs hoping to have something for everyone, in the 20-minute pre-show.

He wants the audience to experience the full, rich sounds of organ music.

He hopes to ignite a passion for this music, and perpetuate a need for it.

He put it like this: “I want to have them love this sound — and have to have this sound, in their life.”

No matter where he’s playing, he hopes to pass along the joy he derives from organ music.

“There’s so much connected with music. It does such great things to people, and for people. And, it’s like, you’re happy after. You’re happy that they enjoyed what you did, and you tried to do what they enjoyed.

“You’re trying to make that connection. It’s something they really can’t buy,” he said.

Published May 20, 2020

Mighty Wurlitzer plays on, during pandemic

By

When the iconic Tampa Theatre opened in downtown Tampa in 1926, it was hailed by The Tampa Daily Times as perhaps the finest achievement of its kind, south of the Mason-Dixon line.

John Eberson, who designed the movie palace, was known throughout America, for his atmospheric theaters.

The Tampa Theatre offers theater-goers a chance to enjoy a movie in one of the country’s finest movie palaces. Sometimes, when one of the theater’s volunteer organists is in the house, patrons get an extra treat: a pre-show of organ music. (Christine Holtzman)

Besides laying claim to being Tampa’s first air-conditioned building, the theater, at 711 N. Franklin St., boasted a Mighty Wurlitzer, which, at that time, had 1,400 pipes.

Flash forward to the present — when patrons arriving to the theater often are treated to a pre-show provided by one of the volunteer organists.

“People love it. They absolutely love it,” said Jill Witecki, the theater’s director of marketing and community relations.

“There is something about seeing that organ rise up out of the floor — and to know that 93 years ago, when we opened, that’s what you were hearing,” she said. “It’s magical.”

Like all movie venues across Florida, Tampa Theatre was forced to go dark because of concerns about the potential spread of the deadly coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

So, while its doors are closed, theater staff have turned to virtual offerings to continue providing ways to connect with patrons.

One such event is set for May 22 at 7 at p.m., when the nationally acclaimed organist Steven Ball will accompany the 1926 silent comedy film, “The General,” starring Buster Keaton.

Ball will play his original score to an empty theater auditorium, while the event is livestreamed on the Tampa Theatre Facebook Page.

Ball isn’t the only highly recognized organist to grace the stage at the historic theater.

Rosa Rio, one of the few female organists to play during the silent film era, also has accompanied films there.

Trained in classical music at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, Rio accompanied screenings at venues such as Loew’s Burnside Theatre in New York and Saenger Theatre in New Orleans, according to a story by Sherri Ackerman, published on Aug. 26, 1998 in The Tampa Tribune.

Rio survived the emergence of “talkies,” played live backup to national television soap operas and went on to teach some of the finest musicians in the country, according to Ackerman’s account.

Witecki recalled Rio’s performances at Tampa Theatre.

“Rosa didn’t come to us until much, much later in her life,” Witecki said, noting Rio had retired to Sun City Center and came to the theater to attend a friend’s concert.

“When she saw this place and saw this organ, and saw they were willing to bring in — you know — volunteer organists, she was on board,” Witecki said.

“She played for us for, I think, seven or eight years. She played up until a few months before she died — and, she died at 107,” Witecki said.

The organ feels right at home here
The Tampa Theatre is the perfect place for an instrument like the Mighty Wurlitzer, Witecki said.

“The architects never conceived of amplified sound coming out of speakers when they built this building. It was built for unamplified music. It was built for a 21-piece orchestra or a pipe organ. That’s why the music in here sounds so incredible,” she said.

When the movie palace opened, it featured silent films.

“It was live musicians sitting up there,” Witecki said.

“It wouldn’t be uncommon that the full orchestra would play the weekend shows, the big Friday night shows. But, on a weekday, if you didn’t want to pay 21 musicians to be here, you could bring in one organist instead,” she said.

“With an organ, it’s not just the organ that’s important. You’re also playing the building,” said Dave Cucuzza, a volunteer organist for the theater.

“The building picks up the sound and amplifies it,” he said.

Besides playing traditional rich organ tones, Tampa Theatre’s organ can produce all sorts of special effects, including a train whistle, a horn, a siren and others.

It can produce bright sounds, low sounds, soft sounds and loud sounds, Cucuzza said.

It can set a mood, create an atmosphere.

Cucuzza gets a thrill out of sharing his love for organ music.

“I want people to be able to hear that sound because what they’re hearing is the same exact thing that people heard in 1926, during the silent movie era,” the organist said.

And, while the sounds of the organ can transport people back in time, there was a time when the organ at Tampa Theatre fell silent.

After the talkies came along, the organ fell into disuse and was sold to Bayshore Baptist Church, where it remained for decades.

It was returned to Tampa Theatre in the 1980s, with the help of the Central Florida Theatre Organ Society. Members of that society help to maintain the organ and some of them volunteer to play for film screenings and events.

Witecki said the theater welcomes additional volunteer organists, but noted a vetting process is required.

The more volunteers the theater has, the more it can share a form of music not commonly heard today, she said.

The theater tries to offer organ music as often as it can before screenings.

However, Witecki noted: “We are at the mercy of our organists’ schedules, whether or not they are able to make it.”

During the holidays, for instance, there often are sing-alongs before the classic movies begin. Most of the shows during a recent season had coverage.

However, Witecki noted: “We did have a few shows that didn’t have an organist — and man, did we hear about it.”

You can’t visit the Tampa Theatre now, because like other movie theaters it is closed due to concerns over the potential spread of coronavirus disease-2019. When it reopens, though, it’s worth a visit — and be sure to get there early, in case there’s a volunteer organist offering a pre-show. For updates about the theater, check TampaTheatre.org.

Virtual ‘silent’ movie
What: Acclaimed organist Steven Ball will accompany the classic silent film, “The General,” a 1926 comedy starring Buster Keaton.
Where: The organist will play his original score to an empty auditorium, while the movie is live-streamed on the Tampa Theatre Facebook Page.
When: May 22 at 7 p.m.
Cost: There’s no charge the watch the movie, but donations are welcome.
Details: If you want to buy popcorn, that can be arranged in advance. Visit TampaTheatre.org/popcorn-pickup.

Want to play the Mighty Wurlitzer?
Tampa Theatre is looking to add to its cadre of volunteer organists. If you are interested, contact Jill Witecki at (813) 857-9089 or

Published May 20, 2020

Theater receives state landmark designation

By

The historic Tampa Theatre has been designated a Florida Treasured Landmark through a proclamation by State Rep. Jackie Toledo (R-Tampa).

(File)

Toledo has also contacted the Florida Department of State to have the theater officially recognized with a Florida Historical Marker.

“Since its opening nearly a century ago, the Tampa Theatre has brought people together of all ages and all walks of life to celebrate the arts,” Toledo said, in a release.

“The Tampa Theatre is also an architectural jewel that leaves patrons in awe of its splendor and ornate detail. Truly unique, this Tampa treasure is one of the most beautiful and iconic movie theaters in the world,” she added.

Designed by architect John Eberson, the theater opened on Oct. 15, 1926 to a sold-out audience.

Today, it draws more than 140,000 people annually and is managed by the nonprofit Tampa Theatre Foundation.

The venue hosts more than 600 events every year, and is one of the most heavily used locale of its kind in the United States.

Tampa Theatre is at 711 N. Franklin St., in downtown Tampa.

For more information, visit TampaTheatre.org.

Design work to start on $15.5 million PHSC performing arts center

By

Design work is expected to get underway soon on a Pasco-Hernando State College performing arts center that is planned for the Cypress Creek Middle High School campus, off Old Pasco Road.

The $15.5 million project will be built by the state college, but both the college and Pasco County Schools plan to use the facility for educational programming.

Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, sees enormous potential for a planned $15.5 million performing arts center that will be built on the Cypress Creek Middle High School campus by Pasco-Hernando State College.
(B.C. Manion)

Additionally, Pasco County Schools is planning to begin construction on Pasco County Middle School, which is scheduled to open in August of 2020.

“We’re designing the middle school, with the performing arts in mind,” said Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent of Pasco County Schools.

“We’re going to have some dance rooms at the middle school. We’ll have a black box theater at the middle school. We’ll have a chorus room. We’ll have an orchestra room,” he said.

“Sometimes the college might be in our middle school at night, using the black box theater, and we might be in the new performing arts center, using the stage,” Gadd said.

Harvard Jolly — the architect for the middle school project — also has been selected to do the performing arts center, said Tony Rivas, PHSC’s associate vice president for facilities management and administrative services.

Creative Contractors has been selected as the construction management firm, Gadd said.

Both Creative Contractors and Harvard Jolly have experience with performing arts center projects, Rivas said.

The architect will be holding design charrettes with the users in January and February, to discuss design considerations.

The design must take into account the users’ needs, budget and state regulations for educational facilities, Gadd and Rivas said.

It also must consider how spaces interact with each other, Rivas said.

“You want to get certain things close to certain things, and you want to not necessarily be in proximity for other things because of noise levels or distractions. Those things come into play,” Rivas explained.

The arts center will be a teaching facility, but there’s also a desire to have a facility that can be used as a public venue, too, Gadd said.

Initially, the goal was to secure about $60 million in funding for a performing arts facility that would have accommodated about 3,500 seats, Gadd said. Actual funding came in at $15.5 million, which means the center will be much smaller.

Gadd said he hopes the new center will have a stage large enough to accommodate an orchestra. “If you have a stage that can hold an orchestra, then it can hold anything,” he said.

Construction is not likely to begin for about a year.

The college is in charge of construction, but the school district is providing about 5.5 acres for the site.

Lots of details regarding cost-sharing for operations and shared use of facilities still need to be worked out, Gadd added.

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services, said the school district plans to offer curriculum such as digital design courses, lighting, production, cinematography and traditional arts programs for students who are interested in the performing arts.

Rivas noted that that it’s very early in the process, but as things progress, information about the project will be shared in a number of venues to keep lines of communication open. For instance, the construction manager will have a website that will have progress photos and different milestone events.

“We have to be attuned to the fact that we are in the community. We’re going to keep that awareness and sensitivity, and always try to be a good neighbor,” Rivas said.

Creative Contractors has extensive experience in building performing arts centers — both professional and educational, said Joshua Bomstein, president of the Clearwater-based company.

“We’re finishing the Tampa Theatre renovation right now. We did the complete renovation of the Capitol Theatre in downtown Clearwater. We’ve done all of the work at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater,” he said.

His company also did the Clearwater High School performing arts building, the performing arts building at Manatee High School, and the performing arts auditorium at Generations Christian Church in Trinity.

Bomstein is excited about the new project.

“This is going to be phenomenal facility. I predict and promise that,” he said.

Published December 27, 2017

R.B. Cox Elementary celebrates 90 years

By

A lot of notable things happened during 1926.

Queen Elizabeth was born. A.A. Milne published Winnie-the-Pooh, and Tampa Theatre opened Tampa’s first air-conditioned building, in downtown Tampa.

Calvin Coolidge was in the White House at the time, and people could buy a dozen of eggs for 56 cents, a dozen oranges for 34 cents, or a porterhouse steak for 29 cents a pound.

It’s also the year that Dade City Grammar School opened.

The structure, built in the Collegiate Gothic style of architecture, was later renamed to honor Superintendent R.B. Cox, a former principal, who lost his battle with cancer in 1973.

With its Collegiate Gothic architectural style, R.B. Cox Elementary has offered a dignified presence in Dade City for nine decades.
(B.C. Manion)

The school, at 37615 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Dade City, is hosting a 90th birthday celebration on March 5.

The event features a dinner of baked ziti, salad and dessert, with tickets selling for $7 each.

Besides the meal, there will be music by the Pasco County High School jazz band, and a video of interviews of students and teachers, with connections to the elementary school, said Principal Claudia Steinacker.

Visitors also will be able to walk down memory lane, perusing historic photographs and reading “Did you know?” factoids, gathered from people associated with the school through the years.

The event will serve as a fundraiser to help pay for some projects at the school, which serves 465 children from Early Head Start through fifth grade.

For instance, the school would like to makeover a space between the main building and the media center — converting it into a courtyard where students and families can gather, Steinacker said. Other ideas include purchasing picnic tables, to give visiting parents a place to eat lunch, and buddy benches out near the playground.

The school also would like to turn a space near the primary classrooms into a play area for the children.

“We’ll prioritize what we want to start with, based upon the funds, and then we’ll just continue moving forward as we try to raise those funds,” the principal said.

Besides the dinner, the school will be raising money through a baked goods auction, and it has sold vendor spaces to vendors who will be selling items at the event.

“We chose to do it on a Sunday, so we could make it a little bit special,” Steinacker said, noting she didn’t want people to feel rushed.

The idea is to give people a chance to gather, to reminisce and to recognize the school’s special role in the community — where it has been the focus of education for generations of children, she said.

“Even if they don’t want to come necessarily to eat, even if they just want to come to be able to walk, and see and visit — we just really want everyone to have the opportunity to see our amazing school and learn about the history that this school has,” Steinacker said.

“It’s a great opportunity to say, ‘Come celebrate.’

“If you have time and you want to support us, you want to volunteer, the door is open. We need that.”

“This is a special place. We want people to be able to celebrate what a special place it is,” Steinacker said.

Dade City’s motto is “Proud Heritage, Promising Future,” the principal said.  “We definitely are striving to give our kids that promising future,” she added.

This will be the school’s second celebration to mark its ninth decade of operation. It had a celebration in the beginning of the school year, and it plans to have another one at the end of the school year, when it plans to bury a time capsule.

R.B. Cox Elementary 90th birthday party
Where: 37615 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dade City
When: March 5, 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $7 per plate for lunch of baked ziti, salad and dessert (To-go containers will be available)
Details: R.B. Cox Elementary is hosting a party to celebrate the school’s rich heritage in Dade City. The event includes a luncheon, music, a baked goods auction and a chance to see historic photographs,
More information: Call (352) 524-5100, or visit the school’s website, RBCES.Pasco.k12.Fl.us.

Published March 1, 2017

 

There’s no shortage of holiday cheer here

By

The Thanksgiving turkey and all of the fixins’ — and all of the leftovers — are gone.

The lighted entryway at the Florida Botanical Gardens sums up the sentiment of many holiday events in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area and the Tampa Bay region. (File Photo)
The lighted entryway at the Florida Botanical Gardens sums up the sentiment of many holiday events in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area and the Tampa Bay region.
(File Photo)

Lucky for you, you’ve got a whole month of holiday happenings available for your enjoyment.

Here’s a look at just some of the free and low-cost options being offered in the The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, with a few other regional events tossed in that we thought would give you some holiday pleasure.

 

Lutz

  • 37th annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Show, on Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Keystone Preparatory High School, 18105 Gunn Highway in Odessa. The event is free, but there will be a $5 parking charge to benefit the school. Event organizers expect about 355 vendors, and between 30,000 to 40,000 festival-goers.
  • 20th annual Christmas at the Old Lutz School, on select evenings from Dec. 8 through Dec. 27 at the school, 18819 N. US 41 in Lutz. Hours are 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on Dec. 8, Dec. 10, Dec. 11, Dec. 13, Dec. 15, Dec. 17, Dec. 18, Dec. 20, Dec. 22, Dec. 26 and Dec. 27. Admission is free, but there will be barrels to collect nonperishable food items and toys for families that are less fortunate. The building is decked out for the holidays, and there will be entertainment, too.
  • Breakfast with Santa at the Old Lutz School, on Dec. 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the school, 18819 N. US 41. There is a $4 charge for breakfast, and a visit from Santa Claus.
  • Handbells & Friends, a free holiday concert on Dec. 14 from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m., at First United Methodist of Lutz at 960 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road. The public is welcome to this concert which will feature handbells, vocals and other instruments.
  • Tampa Bay Tour De Clay, a free family friendly, self-guided tour of four local pottery studios, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour includes: Pottery Boys Studio, 30 Bogle Lane in Palm Harbor; Hidden Lake Pottery, 16705 Hutchinson Road in Odessa; Wellman & Welsch Pottery, 17202 Wirley Road in Lutz; and, San Antonio Pottery, 11903 Curley St., in San Antonio. (San Antonio Pottery will be open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 10). For more information, visit TampaTourDeClay.com.

North Tampa

  • CABA tree lighting, Dec. 3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Elmcroft at Carrollwood, 2626 W. Bearss Ave.
  • Build a Toy with Santa at the Museum of Science & Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa. Children will be able to come to the museum’s Idea Zone creativity lab to make a toy to take home. Santa Claus will drop by the workshop to share pointers on holiday cheer. The workshop will be open through Jan. 3. It is included in the normal museum admission charge. For more information, visit MOSI.org.
  • Christmas in Song, free concert on Dec. 18 at 7 p.m., in the sanctuary at Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church, 2902 W. Fletcher Ave., Tampa. This free, family friendly concert features the church’s chancel choir, orchestra and handbells.
  • “Simply Christmas,” Christmas Eve services at Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church, 2902 W. Fletcher Ave. The evening will include a Spontaneous Christmas Pageant at 5 p.m.; a contemporary Christmas service at 6:30 p.m.; lessons and carols at 8 p.m.; and, traditional communion services at 11 p.m.

Land O’ Lakes

  • Christmas Holiday Bazaar at Harvester United Methodist Church, 2432 Collier Parkway, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free to this event, which features a free photo with Santa, a bounce house village, a candy trail, holiday shopping, food trucks, giveaways and games. Those attending also will have a chance to meet the Mascot “Blue” from the Tampa Yankees. Plus, there will be resources for families affected by autism, including sensory-friendly activities for children.
  • Heritage Holiday Card Walk, sponsored by the Wesley Chapel Land O’ Lakes Satellite Rotary, from Dec. 3 to Jan. 7 at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The event will have around 30 full-size cards on display, ranging in size from 6 feet by 4 feet to 8 feet by 4 feet. Cards can be placed on Dec. 3 between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. For information, call (813) 996-3011.

  • 23rd annual Flapjack 5k and 1-mile run, on Dec. 11, at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway. The 5k starts at 8 a.m., and the 1-mile starts at 8:45 a.m. A flapjack breakfast follows the race for each runner; non-runners can donate $5 for breakfast. Santa will be there for photos, too.

Wesley Chapel

  • CalAtlantic Homes presents Symphony in Lights, with shows on the hour between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., through Dec. 31 at The Shops at Wiregrass, at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Wesley Chapel. The show features snow, sparkle and sounds of the season. For more information, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com.
  • Movies under the stars, Holiday Movie Marathon at Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive in Lutz. See TampaPremiumOutlets.com for dates and times. The outlet center also will have community holiday entertainment, on select days and times through Dec. 24, and also will have a Community Gift Wrap through Dec. 24, with local organizations benefiting from donations.

Dade City

  • Country Christmas Open House, at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, on Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event offers free admission to the attraction, with the donation of an unwrapped toy that will be given to a local Dade City charity. The event starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. This is a great opportunity to come out and visit the museum’s charming history, do some holiday shopping with its vendors, listen to some Christmas music and hear the Solid Gold Barbershop Quartet. Bring the kiddos out to see Mr. Tommy Presents. He will have two performances at 11:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. Santa & Mrs. Claus will be here from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and we will offer complimentary photos by photographer Christina Strong. The barrel train also will give rides, and there will be a train show in the Mable Jordan Barn. The museum will serve punch and cookies, and hot dogs and hamburgers will be available at the concession stand. For more information, call (352) 567-0262 or (352) 206-8889, or visit PioneerFloridaMuseum.org.
  • Country Crafters third annual Arts and Crafts Fair, Dec. 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Country Aire Manor Clubhouse, 10249 U.S. 19 in Dade City. This event features a wide assortment of locally produced items, which are available for purchase.
  • The Market Place, on Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Seventh Street and Bougainvillea Avenue in downtown Dade City. The market will feature unique holiday presents, the jazz band from Pasco High School and musician Derrick Tucker. Vendors will be offer homemade cookies, honey, jams, handmade soaps, jewelry, garden accessories, fresh produce, Scentsy, Thirty-One, handmade baskets/gourds, hand-designed coasters, artwork and more. The Market Place is free and pet friendly. It is sponsored by the Dade City Youth Council.

Zephyrhills

•   Festival of Lights on Dec. 3 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., in downtown Zephyrhills. Free photos with Santa will be offered at 38439 Fifth Ave., courtesy of Goin’ Postal. Santa will take a brief break at 6 p.m., to appear in the lighted nighttime parade.

  • Jingle Bell Boutique & Bake Sale, on Dec. 3 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the GFWC Woman’s Club of Zephyrhills Clubhouse, 38545 Fifth Ave., in downtown Zephyrhills. In addition to the customary bake sale, this will be the first year for the Jingle Bell Boutique, which will feature several women’s home-based businesses or showcase their handiwork of hobbies gone wild, and will give shoppers a chance to buy local. Proceeds from the bake sale and vendor fees will support the woman’s club’s projects.
  • Tampa Bay Tour De Clay, a free family friendly, self-guided tour of four local pottery studios, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour includes: Pottery Boys Studio, 30 Bogle Lane in Palm Harbor; Hidden Lake Pottery, 16705 Hutchinson Road in Odessa; Wellman & Welsch Pottery, 17202 Wirley Road in Lutz; and, San Antonio Pottery, 11903 Curley St., in San Antonio. (San Antonio Pottery will be open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 10). For more information, visit TampaTourDeClay.com.

Downtown Tampa

  • Free screening of the movie “Elf” at Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin St., in downtown Tampa on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m., for a cocoa and cookies social in the theater’s lobby. A big announcement will be made at 7 p.m., followed by the movie. Admission is free and open to the public; however, guests are asked to visit TampaTheatre.org/events/Elf and click on the “Buy Tickets” link to print their complimentary Eventbrite ticket for guaranteed entry.

West Pasco

  • River Lights Boat Parade and holiday festival. The West Pasco Business Association is joining New Port Richey Main Street on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 in Sims Park, near downtown New Port Richey, for the free “River Lights Boat Parade” and a holiday festival. The movie “Polar Express” will be screened on Dec. 2 in the park. The boat parade begins at 7 p.m., on Dec. 3.
  • Sixth annual “How the Grinch Saved Christmas” will be on Dec. 9 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., at the Spartan Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey. The West Pasco Business Association is hosting this event, which includes members of the association and the community.

Tickets are available online at WPBA.biz for $45. For more information contact Maria Johnson at (727) 934-0940 or "> .

Largo
More than than 750,000 lights have transformed the Florida Botanical Gardens, at 1250 Ulmerton Road in Largo, into a holiday wonderland. Visitors can stroll through the gardens from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., nightly through Dec. 31. A donation of $4 is suggested for those 13 and older, while children 12 and under, and parking, are free.

For more information, call (727) 582-2117 or visit, FBG.Org.

Published November 30, 2016

The Laker and Lutz News brings home 11 statewide honors

By

The Laker and Lutz News received 11 honors at the Florida Better Weekly Newspaper Awards luncheon in St. Mary on July 24.

The winning entries were selected from a field of 1,600, in a competition judged by newspaper professionals from New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

B.C. Manion, the editor for The Laker/Lutz News, received six awards for her work, including a first place in obituary writing, and a first place in faith and family writing, for work published in The Laker.

1g Best Original Photo - SportsShe also won second place honors for education reporting, and third place for health-medical and science reporting for work published in The Laker.

And, she won third place in the categories of outdoor, and for arts, entertainment and reviewing reporting for work published in The Lutz News.

Photographer Fred Bellet, whose work is frequently featured in The Laker and in The Lutz News, won three first place awards and two-second place honors.

He won first place in the categories of sport picture, feature photo and photo series in one issue, for work published in The Laker. He also won second place in the categories of photo series in one issue and portfolio photography for work published in The Lutz News.

Manion’s winning entry in the faith and family reporting category detailed a church’s efforts to make the word of God accessible to people with hearing disabilities – through the installation of special equipment.

WWII Vet“The is a very informative article about an important subject. This type of journalism is a service to the community,” the judges wrote.

Her winning obituary detailed the life of Don Porter, whose influence played a significant role in shaping the development of Wesley Chapel.

The judges said the piece was “respectfully written — painted a complete picture of the man.”

Bellet’s winning entry in the feature photo category was of a World War II veteran, which the judges called “the standout photo” in its group, and said it “serves as a reminder that our World War II veterans are dwindling in number.”

Bellet also claimed top honors for a photo series featuring the Festival of Flights. The judges said: “A nice mix of shots, especially the little boy’s reaction and the evening shot of the balloons, that really brings the reader to this event.”

FestivalOfFlight8 copyBellet also captured a first place finish in the sports picture category for a photo capturing the precise instant of a skydiver’s landing. “A nice, tightly composed shot of an unusual sporting activity,” the judges said.

Manion’s other winning entries featured two stories from her Worth the Trip series, showcasing The Tampa Theatre and Bok Tower Gardens. She also was honored for an education story on a prize-winning custodian.

Bellet’s other winning entries featured a photo series featuring skydivers and a portfolio of photos.

Published July 29, 2015

Before ‘Edward Scissorhands,’ there was ‘Satan’s Children’

By

Throughout the rich history of the Lutz area, one thing that’s never talked about is the Great Oatmeal Famine of 1974.

Anyone looking to restock their Quaker Oats back then found the shelves mysteriously empty. Was it a strike? A product recall? A sudden desire to change breakfast food?

The quicksand pit for ‘Satan’s Children’ was created on a farm in Lutz. It was only 3 feet deep, and was made entirely of oatmeal. (Courtesy of Something Weird)
The quicksand pit for ‘Satan’s Children’ was created on a farm in Lutz. It was only 3 feet deep, and was made entirely of oatmeal. (Courtesy of Something Weird)

Nope, it was a small independent horror movie filming in Lutz at the time called “Satan’s Children.” And the special effects wizard behind the film, John Mocsary, needed 50 cases of it so that he could create something Lutz has never had before — quicksand.

“We bought up every case of oatmeal we could find in the North Tampa area,” Mocsary said. “And we used every bit of it. I had to make a three-foot pit, and it had to look real.”

Except once the oatmeal was mixed and actors started falling into it, Mocsary realized there were two things he hadn’t anticipated. First, the nearby cattle on the ranch they were using were quite interested in eating the oatmeal up. And second: The Laws of Newton.

“We had a buoyancy problem,” he said. “So what we had to do was put cinder blocks in, so that after people went into it, they would hold on to the blocks to keep them under.”

The magic of movies, taking place right in Lutz, nearly two decades before Tim Burton would bring Johnny Depp and “Edward Scissorhands” to the area. And while the R-rated “Satan’s Children” was never a box office success, it’s being remembered Nov. 15 when many of the former cast and crew, like Mocsary, get together at Tampa Theatre for a special screening.

The event was Andy Lalino’s idea. He wasn’t part of the movie, but he’s a major horror fan, and discovered “Satan’s Children” when it was released as a home video.

“I first got to see it back in 2006, and even then, I noticed that it was made in Tampa,” said Lalino, a producer at WUSF-TV in Tampa, and horror aficionado. “That piqued my interest, since I’m from the Tampa Bay area, and I toyed around with some ideas on what to do about that.”

The event next Saturday will celebrate the early days of film in the area, and feature actors like Stephen White, Rosemary Orlando and John Edwards, who all appeared in the film, while many of them were students at the University of South Florida. None are household names today, but their inclusion in what they hope could become a local cult classic will put them in the spotlight they never got in 1974.

“The film was actually released in 1975, theoretically,” Lalino said. “I talked to a lot of people, and they can’t ever remember seeing ads for it in the newspaper, which was common back then. It might have hit a few theaters in New York City and maybe some other parts of the country, but it was nothing like what happened with ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’”

That film was released in 1974, and was a low-budget horror as well that found its way into the mainstream consciousness. It went on to gross $30 million at the box office, which adjusted for inflation, would be $140 million today.

Lalino suspects “Satan’s Children” cost $100,000 to make — a third of the cost of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” but those who invested money were probably lucky to get any return on their investment, let alone their investment itself.

Joe Wiezycki was a producer at WTVT-Channel 13 for three decades beginning in the 1960s. He and others from WTVT worked on the project in secret — they didn’t want their bosses to know they were doing it — and it took months to complete all the work with mostly nights and weekends.

Wiezycki met Mocsary when the latter was working as a makeup artist — in a funeral home.

“He had called me up and said, ‘I understand you do makeup,’” Mocsary said. “He said, ‘I got this project we’re working on, would you be interested in helping us out?’”

That project was a film called “Willy’s Gone,” and had a limited release in 1968, making no money. But that didn’t stop Wiezycki, who quickly started work on his next project that would end up surviving 40 years — “Satan’s Children.”

“It was a fun job to work on,” Mocsary said. “Working with Joe was always a good thing, and he was a great guy. I’m sorry he’s not with us.”

Wiezycki died in 1994.

But many of the cast and crew still remain, and Lalino hopes to help new audiences discover a film old audiences never did. But it was made as a B-movie, usually a film packaged with a wide-release, and society was much different then. There are major segments of the film that some may regard today as outright homophobic and sexist.

“This screening, I think, will elevate the status of this film,” Lalino said. “It will bring attention to it, not just for new fans, but for those who might have grown up in the ‘70s and ‘80s and never heard of the picture.

“I look forward to being a part of it.”

If you go
WHAT: ‘Satan’s Children’ 40th Anniversary Screening and Reunion
WHEN: Nov. 15, 10 p.m.
WHERE: Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St.
COST: $11
INFO: TampaTheatre.org

Published November 5, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Movies aren’t the only attraction at Tampa Theatre

By

When patrons arrive at Tampa Theatre on March 2 to watch the 86th annual Academy Awards, they’ll receive a red-carpet welcome.

Tampa Theatre offers red carpet treatment for special events, such as its Hollywood Awards Nights, held annually to provide a live telecast of the Academy Awards. (Photo courtesy of Tampa Theatre)
Tampa Theatre offers red carpet treatment for special events, such as its Hollywood Awards Nights, held annually to provide a live telecast of the Academy Awards. (Photo courtesy of Tampa Theatre)

Airing the Oscars on the theater’s big screen has been a tradition for 16 years, generating support for the historic movie palace. But creating a buzz for the movie-going public is nothing new for Tampa Theatre, which has entertained crowds for generations.

There was live radio coverage and spotlights, as people arrived in their elegant attire when Tampa Theatre had its grand opening on Oct. 15, 1926, according to an account published in The Tampa Tribune. Moviegoers couldn’t wait to see the handiwork of John Eberson, a preeminent theater architect in his day.

Eberson was an innovative pioneer who developed a reputation for creating “atmospheric” theaters, which aimed to transport people to another place and time, said Jill Witecki, director of marketing and community relations for Tampa Theatre.

The lobby in the theater, at 711 N. Franklin St., in downtown Tampa, is decorated with what appears to be stone gargoyles, wooden beams and tile.

In reality, those items are made of molded and painted plaster, Witecki said, adding that it probably didn’t hurt that Eberson happened to own a plaster company.

The theater’s auditorium is decked out with a replica of a Spanish villa, and the domed ceiling resembles a night sky, complete with clouds and twinkling stars.

Eberson characterized Tampa Theatre as his “favorite Mediterranean atmospheric (theater), and one of his most intimate,” according to author David Naylor, in his book, “American Picture Palaces.”

When Tampa Theatre opened, it was considered to be so grand that it was hailed by The Tampa Daily Times as perhaps “the finest achievement of its kind south of the Mason-Dixon Line.”

Beyond its beauty, the theater had a practical appeal. It was the city’s first air-conditioned public building — an attractive quality on sweltering summer days. It also had uniformed ushers and a 21-piece band to accompany silent films of the era.

A deck now covers the orchestra pit, but the theater’s mighty Wurlitzer plays on.

When movie patrons arrive early enough, they can generally hear an organist perform some tunes before both he and the organ descend below the stage, just in time for the previews to start.

Over the course of its history, the theater has had its glory days and its dark times.

In the beginning, Witecki said, the sheer novelty lured crowds.

“The fact that you were seeing a moving picture on the screen really kind of trumped what the movie was,” she said. “These movies would play over and over and over again through the day, and it was not uncommon to come in, in the middle of a movie, sit through the end of it and sit through the beginning of it — maybe watch it two or three times, if you wanted.

“In 1929, you got your first talkie, so the movie-going experience started to change. All of a sudden, you didn’t have a need for a 21-piece orchestra,” Witecki added.

Before the arrival of television and more recent forms of entertainment, people were in love with the silver screen. By the end of the 1930s, more than 90 million Americans were heading to motion picture houses each week, Witecki said.

“Going to the movies was the communal experience for entertainment,” she said.

But then, a series of things happened that hurt the film industry.

The advent of television and the flight to the suburbs caused downtown movie theaters to suffer. The Tampa Theatre limped along in the 1950s and 1960s, but then it went dark in the early1970s, Witecki said.

It came back to life when Tampa City Councilman Lee Duncan championed efforts to save the theater. Duncan — who took his wife Anna to Tampa Theatre for Friday night dates during their courtship — told The Tampa Tribune at the time that he wanted not only to save a jewel of a movie palace, but to preserve a part of the city’s collective memory, too.

The theater reopened in January 1977.

Tampa Theatre was lucky because, unlike many movie palaces, it never went through a period of neglect, Witecki said.

“We were only closed for a three-year span. Cities all over the country lost theaters like this,” she said.

Tampa Theatre recently installed a digital projection and audio system, and offers its patrons a mix of movies, including first-run, independent, foreign and silent films.

Over the years, the theater also has been a venue for performers such as Annie Lennox, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Joan Baez and Harry Connick Jr. Comedians who have entertained crowds include Louis C.K., Jimmy Fallon, Roseanne Barr, Carrot Top and Sandra Bernhard.

Nobel Prize-winner Elie Weisel and scientist Jane Goodall also have graced the stage, as have a number of politicians and authors.

Theater staffers and patrons have claimed to be spooked by another famous character — the ghost of a former projectionist, Foster “Fink” Finley, who worked at the theater from 1930 to 1965. Reportedly, he still likes to make his presence known.

Whether or not Finley roams the theater, the movie palace has other verifiable claims to fame.

In 2007, Life magazine called it “One of America’s 21 Wonders,” and three years later, Delta Sky Magazine included it on its list of “Top 10 Iconic Show Palaces in the World.”

Just last year, it added two other impressive accolades. The BBC deemed it among the “Top 10 Most Beautiful Cinemas in the World” and the Motion Picture Association of America named it among the “10 Best Movie Theaters in the World.”

Published Feb. 26, 2014.