Lutz News-Lutz/Odessa-June 8, 2016

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JUNE 8, 2016

No progress on reopening Lake Park By Kevin Weiss

kweiss@lakerlutznews.com

A park in Lutz that draws an estimated 300,000 users each year will not be reopening anytime soon. Lake Park, at 17302 N. Dale Mabry Highway, has been closed since Dec. 2 due to a sinkhole that spans 6 feet across and is about 90 feet deep. No progress has been made in repairing the sinkhole because Hillsborough County has not yet negotiated a new lease with the City of St. Petersburg, which owns the park, said Forest Turbiville, Hillsborough County’s director of conservation and environmental lands management. A meeting regarding the lease has been set for June 23.

FILE PHOTO

Lake Park typically draws 300,000 visitors annually. The 589-acre site features an archery range, a BMX bicycle track, two equestrian arenas and a radio-controlled car track.

“During those discussions, we will talk about sinkholes, who’s responsible for paying to remedy that situation, and other issues, too — like the term of the agree-

ment,”Turbiville said. The county prefers a lease that lasts around 30 years,Turbiville said. “If we’re going to be spending several hundred thousands of dollars over the next few years to make various improvements, whether it’s filling in the sinkhole or paving the main road, upgrading facilities — we want to make sure we have a long-term agreement,”Turbiville explained. The existing lease agreement for Lake Park expires on June 3, 2019. Under that deal, Hillsborough County pays just $1 per year to the City of St. Petersburg to operate the park. However, Turbiville said the City of St. Petersburg has proposed a new lease agreeSee PARK, page 11A

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Get all your favorite local news stories online. COURTESY OF FLORIDA CHARTER SCHOOL ALLIANCE

Delivering outstanding results Lutz Preparatory School was among eight outstanding public charter schools honored at a Florida Honor Roll ‘A+’ event held by the Florida Charter School Alliance in Riverview. Shown here are Jenna Hodgens, Hillsborough County Public Schools; Bonnie Guertin, director of schools for Lutz Preparatory School and former State Rep. Ralph Arza, director of governmental affairs for Florida Charter School Alliance. The charter schools that were honored achieved an ‘A’ grade from the state during 2014-2015. Other schools honored were Bell Creek Academy, Riverview; Hillsborough Academy of Math and Science, Tampa; Kid’s Community College Charter School, Riverview; Pinellas Preparatory Academy, Largo; Terrace Community Middle School, Thonotosassa; Valrico Academy, Riverview; and, Winthrop Charter School, Riverview.

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Lutz is gearing up for the Fourth of July

Air Conditioning • Plumbing • Electrical

By B.C. Manion

Way e h t e c i Serv ta Be!

bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

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KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTOS

Cheddars Scratch Kitchen, at right, opened on June 6 in front of Tampa Premium Outlets. Chick-fil-A is under construction in between Cheddar’s and Culver’s, which opened in May.

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen opens, Chick-fil-A comes next CORNERSTONEPROS.COM

813-949-4445 #CFC1428982 #CAC1816647 #EC0001103

SUPER SERVICE AWARD 2012 ,2013, 2014, 2015

B INSIDE, PAGE 1B

By Kathy Steele

ksteele@lakerlutznews.com

Pasco County residents looking to grab a bite to eat will have two new dining options starting this month. One of those options, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, opened on June 6. Chick-fil-A will open June 30. The restaurants are side-by-side on Sun Vista Drive, in front of Tampa Premium Outlets, off State Road 56, in Wesley Chapel. Before opening day at Cheddar’s, about 170 employees received training and worked at an invitation-only dinner session to get ready for customers. “I think we’re excited. It’s a new destination, a new area,” said Mark Garcia, a general manager from Laredo,Texas. He was on temporary assignment to launch Cheddar’s at the Cypress Creek Town Center, a major retail center anchored by the outlet mall. Pasco County resident John Seebach will be the new restaurant’s general manager. Diners weren’t the only ones eager to have Cheddar’s on their radar. Garcia said

about 1,500 people applied for jobs. The restaurant seats nearly 320 people and serves meals made fresh from scratch daily. Menu items include hand-battered onion rings, grilled hand-cut salmon, homemade chicken pot pie and hot fudge cake sundaes. “Everything is made pretty much in house,” Garcia said. This is the first Cheddar’s in Pasco. Next door, construction crews are busy getting Chick-fil-A primed for its opening. Owner Britt Young previously owned a Chick-fil-A in Moultrie, Georgia. “I’ve got family all around here,” said Young, who lives in Lutz.“We love the area.” The chicken chain got its start in 1946 as a diner in Atlanta, opened by Truett Cathy. Cathy opened his first Chick-fil-A brand restaurant in 1967, also in Atlanta. From the beginning, Cathy kept his restaurants closed on Sundays, saying employees needed time to spend with their families. According to the company website, Chick-fil-A has about 1,700 locations in 38 states and Washington D.C.

The Fourth of July is just weeks away, and Lutz is gearing up for its annual festivities. This is a place that enjoys its Independence Day traditions, and it likes the community to join in on the fun. So, if you’re thinking about being in the Fourth of July Parade, it’s a good idea to let Cheryl Benton know. She’s the one that makes sure you get your form filled out, so she can reserve you a spot in the parade lineup. And, if you’re looking to earn some bragging rights for your baking skills, it’s a good time to get in touch with Karin D’Amico to find out about the rules and categories in the Cake Bake competition. If you’re planning to run in the 5K or take part in the 1-mile fun run or family walk, Terry Donovan is the guy who is in charge of those activities. The main thing is, if you want to take part, it’s not too early to begin gearing up for the annual event. One of the highlights each year is the auction that takes place after the parades, where cakes and pies that have been entered into the Cake Bake competition go home with the highest bidder. And, finding out who will win the annual Lutz Guv’na race is always fun, too. This annual competition, which raises money for local organizations, is a good-natured competition where the only qualification that the winner must possess is the ability to raise money. Whoever raises the most money wins. This year, Greg Gilbert and Andre Pamplona are squaring off to see who will See FOURTH, page 11A


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