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MARCH 7, 2018
Park’s name reflects its historic role By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
A park that has played a historic role in Land O’ Lakes now has a name to reflect that fact. Officials gathered on March 1 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the renaming of the former Land O’ Lakes Community Center.The center and adjacent park is now known as Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. On March 1, elected officials and community leaders gathered at the park for the site’s renaming. A new marquee has been unveiled near U.S. 41, which reflects the new name.
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A new marquee sign with the masthead ‘Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park’ overlooks U.S. 41.
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The U.S. women’s national ice hockey team posed for pictures on Feb. 28 at Florida Hospital Center Ice, in Wesley Chapel. The team spent more than five months training at the facility and lodging at Saddlebrook Resort.
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USA Women’s Hockey, fans celebrate gold in Wesley Chapel By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Just days removed from celebrating a gold medal win in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, the USA women’s ice hockey team returned to where their remarkable journey all began — Wesley Chapel. It’s where the team spent more than five months getting prepared for the Winter Olympics, training at Florida Hospital Center Ice and lodging at Saddlebrook Resort. It’s also where daily practices, off-ice testing and intrasquad scrimmages were used to determine the 23 players selected for the Team USA roster back in May. The team spent the better part of an hour on the afternoon of Feb. 28 greeting fans, posing for pictures and signing autographs at the Center Ice facility. The surprise visit was part of a nationwide media blitz that took them to Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and New York City. A week earlier, the team defeated Canada
in a 3-2 shootout to win gold, ending a 20year drought for the women’s hockey program. Moments since have been nothing short of surreal for Team USA, from celebrating the victory to the fan support. “It’s been overwhelming, exciting, just a whirlwind,” said two-time Olympian and forward Kendall Coyne. “It’s been truly an honor to bring home this gold to the United States, and to see the reaction from everybody and the support.” “It’s been crazy,” added 19-year-old defenseman Cayla Barnes, the youngest member of Team USA.“This has been a goal of ours for so long, and it just proves you can do whatever you set your mind to.” Their time spent in Wesley Chapel won’t soon be forgotten, either, from top-flight training digs and hospitality, to the warm, sunny weather. “These facilities were awesome, the staff here was amazing, and they really helped us with everything we needed,” Barnes said.“It was great to be down here, such nice weather, and really nice to train out here in
Two-time Olympian and forward Kendall Coyne shows off her Olympic gold medal. She is one of 23 players on the U.S. women’s national ice hockey team.
preparation for the games.” “Hockey in Florida was new to a lot of us, but I don’t think it took long for us to realize that hockey is serious in Florida,” said Coyne.“The growth is amazing, and just to see the growth in the short six months we were here just shows how much more there can be.” See HOCKEY, page 15A
Lutz families will have more middle school options By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
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Lutz, Maniscalco and Pizzo elementary schools will begin converting to pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade schools beginning this fall. The change will start with each of the elementary schools adding sixth grade in the fall.The following year, seventh grade will be added, and the following year, eighth grade. The idea is to make the transition gradually. Students living in those attendance zones will have the option of attending their zoned middle school, or staying in their current schools, under the district’s School Choice option. Priority will be given to students who currently reside within the school boundary, followed by students currently attending the school via the choice process, then students who live outside the boundary and are not currently enrolled at the school. Applications are available at each school See SCHOOL, page 15A
B.C. MANION
Lori Branham, Monique Helms, Remi Helms, Riley Silkworth, Bryce Henry, David Henry, Tammy Reale and Joshua Phillips stand in front of a photograph of Mary Maniscalco, for whom Maniscalco Elementary School is named. The Lutz school is transitioning to a prekindergarten through eighth-grade campus. It will begin by adding sixth grade there this fall.