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Hooters coming to Land O’ Lakes? No By Michael Hinman mhinman@lakerlutznews.com
Could it be a little wishful thinking? Drivers heading north on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard saw a surprise announcement on the sign that once shared dinner specials at the old Mosquito Grill & Bar: the long-rumored Hooters chain was coming to that location next year. The problem, however, is it’s not true.At least for now. “I’ve called it one of Land O’ Lakes’ biggest urban legends,” said Meredith Kleker, executive director of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce.“All I’ve ever heard about that is rumors, and we’ve been hearing them for years.” In fact, Hooters was rumored to be com-
ing to Land O’ Lakes in 2012 when Rapscallions was still open at 4422 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. The owner of the restaurant, however, told an online publication at the time that it wasn’t true, nor were reports that Rapscallions was closing. Rapscallions did indeed close a short time later, but Hooters didn’t swoop in to take over the lakeside property. Mosquito Grill & Bar opened there instead. That restaurant shut down last spring, once again opening the rumor floodgates that included the Atlanta-based chain. And since Centennial Bank claimed ownership of the 2 acres of land that covers the two lakeside lots along U.S. 41, the sign announcing the new Hooters was even more See HOOTERS, page 7A
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A sign in front for the former Mosquito Grill & Bar on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard touts a new Hooters restaurant taking over the lakeside property.
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Fifteen veterans were honored during a Quilts of Valor ceremony at Harvey’s Hardware on Nov. 8. Rusty Huff, 91, left, of Land O’ Lakes and other Quilts of Valor recipients beam with pride in their new quilts made possible by the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Huff is a World War II veteran and served in the U.S. Navy.
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Before he received one of the Quilts of Valor, Rick McLendon, right, of Land O’ Lakes pinned a 100,000th stitched pin on his wife, Margie McLendon. Rick McLendon served in Vietnam and retired from the U.S. Army. He also was in the Army Reserve for 29 years.
Granville Kinsman, 93, of Land O’ Lakes, a veteran of World War II. He received a quilt from Anne Mixon, the Quilts of Valor Foundation coordinator. The foundation provides the quilts as a means to cover those who served in wartime.
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Pristine Lakes moves planned entrance to Ehren Cutoff By Michael Hinman mhinman@lakerlutznews.com
Homeowners living along Fletch Road may have won a battle to stop their small rural street from becoming the primary entrance of a large new community. Southern Crafted Homes, which had proposed a 120-unit project around Curve Lake just northwest of Ehren Cutoff, has apparently abandoned its plans to use Fletch Road’s indirect access to U.S. 41, and instead looks poised to purchase nearby property to provide direct access to Ehren Cutoff. That’s exactly what one neighbor, Bobbi Smith, hoped she would someday hear.
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Fletch and Barcellona roads are the only way Silver Lakes residents can get out onto Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, a four-lane expressway without a traffic light.
“All we wanted was for the traffic to go a different way,” Smith said.“That’s the answer to everybody’s concern.” Southern Crafted worked to get approvals for its project — now known as Pristine Lakes — last May. At the time, the developers had no options of going to Ehren Cutoff because they couldn’t come to terms with a neighboring landowner to purchase his property. But that changed last month when Southern Crafted asked to meet with Pasco County officials again, this time to talk about amending its plan, cutting through cropland See ENTRANCE, page 7A