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AUGUST 19, 2015
New Catholic school opens in Lutz By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School had its first day of classes in its new home on Aug. 17. The school is operating in a new structure on the campus of St. Timothy Catholic Church, at 17524 Lakeshore Road in Lutz. Most Holy Redeemer, which was founded in 1954, took on its new name last year, but didn’t move to its new campus until this academic year. The school, for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, has an enrollment of 355 students, said Principal Johnnathan Combs. B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO That’s up from the enrollment at the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School had its first day of classes in its new home on the See SCHOOL, page11A
campus of Saint Timothy Catholic Church on Aug. 17. This photo was taken just days before classes began.
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Champions once more
The Contempo Dance Team, shown here prior to the On Stage America National Championship in Orlando June 28, came home national champs for their winning dance number ‘Corny Collins’ Miss Hairspray Spectacular.’ The senior jazz team won the age 13 and olde r Challenge of Champions for the second year in a row. The dance team is based in Lutz and choreographed by April Dumas.
Park expansion signifies big day for Land O’ Lakes
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By B.C. Manion
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COURTESY OF FLORIDA HOSPITAL WESLEY CHAPEL
When people talk about infrastructure, they’re usually talking about government projects, State Rep. Danny Burgess said. But he added, hospitals are perhaps the most important infrastructure a community can have.
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Public campaign launched to raise $17 million
cluded hors d’oeuvres, live music, muffins, parfaits, juice and coffee. They noted the hospital’s reputation for excellence and said that, along with growth in the surrounding communities, have fueled the need to expand much sooner than By B.C. Manion initially expected. bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com “Wesley Chapel and Pasco County are on the rise,” Pasco County Commissioner Mike Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel always Moore, who lives in Wesley Chapel, told the knew that it would be expanding, but it did- crowd. “We’re on the rise because community n’t expect to be doing so 2 ½ years ahead of partners like Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. schedule. “After only 2 ½ years, they’re moving forHospital officials, local dignitaries and in- ward with an expansion of this hospital. vited guests celebrated the beginning of a This was scheduled to be done in five years. $78 million expansion project at a Aug. 12 That’s incredible. gathering, that also marked the beginning of “These things don’t happen by thema public campaign to raise $17 million to selves, ladies and gentlemen. They only support the project. happen when you can build the trust and Florida Hospital and Adventist Health are support of the community that surrounds committed to $61 million of the project’s you,” Moore said. cost, but the rest will come from a fundraisState Rep. Danny Burgess agreed. ing effort chaired by Tom Dempsey, owner “This is no coincidence that this is hapof Saddlebrook Resort, which helped put pening so quickly, only halfway through the Wesley Chapel on the map more than three projected five-year expansion timeline,” decades ago. Burgess said. Speakers praised the hospital for the See HOSPITAL, page11A quality of its care, during the event that in-
Passersby on U.S. 41 likely didn’t notice the event taking place under a covered pavilion at the Land O’ Lakes Community Park on Aug. 14. After all, there were no marching bands or fireworks. But the ribbon cutting for the Land O’ Lakes Community Park project marked a big day in the community’s history. The $2.3 million park improvement project includes the installation of a Bermuda grass practice field, a Bermuda grass football field and a 300-foot Bermuda grass softball field. It also includes a concession building with restrooms and a meeting room, a maintenance building, open space, two shelters, new parking lots, a new playground and a remodeled patio area. And, there’s also a four-tenths-of-a-mile walking trail. “This is an exciting time for Land O’ Lakes. I know the community is going to enjoy this park for years to come,” said Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, a speaker at the ribbon cutting. “This celebrates progress. Not just the progress of Pasco County, but for Land O’ Lakes and the community that surrounds this park. It’s an effort, in my mind, for the revitalization of this great community,” Moore said. “This isn’t the end of it,” Moore added. “You look around and you say, ‘Wow, what an amazing facility.’ But this isn’t the end. Thanks to the efforts of the Heritage Park Foundation, Sandy Graves and her team, there’s going to be a bandstand here that’s going to have concerts and other performances. That’s going to be another great thing See PARK, page11A