The LAKER
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LAND O’ LAKES/LUTZ EDITION
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
SEPTEMBER 17, 2014
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMERICAN BALLOONS
More than two dozen hot air balloons will take part in the second annual Festival of Flight, with evening balloon glows and sunrise mass ascensions.
Festival of Flight features flying pig and soaring clown By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
The second annual Festival of Flight will offer event-goers the chance to see more than two dozen hot air balloons, to explore all types of aircraft, to grab a bite to eat, and to enjoy live music. Admission is free, and parking is $2. This year, there will even be a flying pig and a giant clown among the hot air balloons, said festival director Jessica Warren of American Balloons. Ham-Let, the flying pig, will be operated by Doug Gantt, who is making a return trip from Taiwan to take part in the festival. “Those are quite a treat to have,” said Warren, who began planning for the festival
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WHAT: Second annual Festival of Flight 2014 WHEN: Sept. 19, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Sept. 20, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sept. 21, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. WHERE: Tampa North Aero Park, 4241 Birdsong Blvd., in Lutz COST: Admission is free, but parking is $2 Tickets for airplane and helicopter rides are available on the day of the event. Balloon rides must be arranged in advance. To book a balloon ride, call American Balloons (813) 243-9507. The cost is $189 per person.
more than a year ago. The idea is to celebrate all things flight, she said, including everything from bubbles and kites, to T-6 warbirds and helicopters. Last year, more than 3,500 people attended the festival. This year, Warren expects See FLIGHT, page 11A
If you’ve ever wanted to see a flying pig, the second annual Festival of Flight will give you a chance to do so. Doug Gantt will operate Ham-Let during the event, which brings together aviation enthusiasts of all types.
Neighbors, power company fight over trees By Michael Hinman mhinman@lakerlutznews.com
Debbie Lane Goodman was a kid in 1986 when her family planted an oak tree sapling near where 20 Mile Level Road and Black Jack Lane meet. Back then, there was no Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex to the west, or even a Plantation Palms community to the north. Just two years before, the 10 acres of land Goodman’s father owned was filled with orange groves, the primary source of income for her family. But a rare snowstorm in 1984 killed those trees, and emptied the land.The state helped by donating some pine trees to plant on the property, but the oak tree would become a symbol of perseverance for the family. Today, Goodman uses the former orange grove land to provide horse-riding lessons, and keep various ranch-style animals.The oak tree is still there, now towering over the rest of the tree line, providing a majestic feel to property that was once part of a 19th century stagecoach route to Tampa. But if Duke Energy gets its way — and it almost certainly will — that tree will become a part of history. “They’ve destroyed my land, and now they’re going to take my trees down,” Goodman said.“They just came out four years ago and shaved the trees, and told us that’s all they were going to do.They said they didn’t need to cut any trees, and that it’s not even on their line. But then they came back and said we’re going to cut them all down.” The property damage, Goodman said, came from heavy trucks that were used to reSee TREES, page 11A
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Neighbors Debbie Lane Goodman and Eddie Midili survey tree trimming work Duke Energy has performed along a line route that crosses 20 Mile Level Road in Land O’ Lakes. The oak tree behind them is slated to come down next, which has riled up Goodman, Midili and other neighbors.
Club Mom offers women, kids chance to relax, socialize By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
When Megan Hendricks moved to Land O’ Lakes from Tampa, she was looking for a place to meet new friends and mingle with other mothers. She decided to check out a meeting of Club Mom of Lutz/Land O’ Lakes.And now, just a few years later, she’s president of the group. “I didn’t know anybody,” Hendricks said. So, she went to a Club Mom meeting and immediately felt at home. “Everybody was super nice and friendly. It’s casual. It’s laid back,” said Hendricks, 39,
who has two daughters, Grace, 5, and Eden, 3. There are lots of things to do, in lots of places, giving members plenty of options, she said. Heather Hemberger, who moved to Land O’ Lakes from South Tampa, also was looking for a way to plug in with other new moms. She heard about the club and decided to check it out. “I joined a year ago, when my son was five weeks old,” Hemberger said, noting she was attracted to the group’s laid-back nature.“I was looking for some friends for my little guy and it seemed like a really neat group of moms.”
Hemberger was a youth director and preschool teacher before she became a stay-at-home mom.And she’s glad she joined Club Mom. “What’s different about our group is that we’re really flexible,” Hemberger said.“A lot of groups have lots of rules.We allow members to say, ‘Hey, I have an idea. Let’s do this.’” There’s no pressure to be at gatherings, either. “If you can come, come,” Hemberger said. The group has 31 members, ranging in See CLUB MOM, page 11A