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Lawsuit challenges road extension
By Brian Fernandes bfernandes@lakerlutznews.com
The Sierra Club Florida Conservation has filed a lawsuit against the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers for issuing a permit to Pasco County, to allow the construction of an extension of Ridge Road. The legal action aims to halt the project, which is a 9-mile corridor that would add
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an additional transportation link in the county. The extension would give another option to motorists who now travel east-west across the county, using State Road 54 and State Road 52. The new link will reduce traffic on those other corridors, and it provides another evacuation route in the event of an emergency, according to Pasco County officials.
Plans call for the corridor to be lengthened from New Port Richey to the Suncoast Parkway, then further east to U.S. 41. Ridge Road also would extend through the Serenova Tract of the Starkey Wilderness Preserve. Currently, land is being cleared to establish what will be the new roadway, heading See LAWSUIT, page 11A
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Nearly every seat was taken when the Trilacoochee Church of Christ, 20300 U.S. 301 in Dade City, had its annual Gospel singing event on the evening of Jan. 31. Church members and visitors alike sang along to classic hymns that were chosen by each of the five song leaders of the evening. Each song leader led three to five songs during the 1 ½ hour event. Minister Paul Blake said that his church hosts this popular gathering on the last Friday of each January – a tradition that began around a decade ago. The program gives the church the opportunity to reach out and connect with the people, all while spending time with each other, the minister said. Church member Steve Melton, of Dade City, said the event draws a crowd because ‘we just love to sing and enjoy worshipping God.’ Above, Joe Brown, the first song leader of the evening, leads the audience in one of the three hymns he chose to sing. He is holding three fingers up, to signal that they are singing the third verse of the song. Brown, a member of the Lakeland Hills Church of Christ, traveled to the Trilacoochee Church of Christ to participate in the annual event.
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Saint Leo to get $20 million wellness center
Above, Trilacoochee Church of Christ’s annual gospel singing event took place on the evening of Jan. 31, to a packed house. Above, at left, Jim Cooper, of Dade City, reads along in the ‘Hymns for Worship’ book during the annual Gospel singing event at the Trilacoochee Church of Christ. Cooper, a member of the congregation, attended the evening event with his daughter-in-law, Sue Cooper.
By Kevin Weiss
At left, after leading the participants in song as one of the five song leaders, Scott Hartsell, of Land O’ Lakes, left, takes a seat to sing hymns next to Brother Apollo Rodriguez, who is a Benedictine Monk at the Saint Leo Abbey.
kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Saint Leo University will soon be home to a sprawling $20 million wellness center —integrating student recreation, fitness, health services, counseling services and campus ministry. A groundbreaking ceremony earlier this month celebrated the forthcoming 59,000-square-foot wellness center, to be situated on the west end of the campus by Lake Jovita. Construction tentatively will begin in April, and university officials hope to open the wellness center in fall 2021. The new facility will provide space for group exercise, spinning and yoga classes, and a large community fitness center. There also will be two indoor basketball courts, an indoor walking track, a healthy See WELLNESS, page 11A
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Edward Scissorhands’ screening coming soon By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
If you’re a local and a fan of the movie, “Edward Scissorhands,” you may already know that much of the movie was filmed in the Carpenters Run neighborhood of Lutz. Of course, Carpenters Run no longer boasts the bright pastel-colored homes or topiaries featured in the film, but Kenny Caperton, of On Set Cinema, plans to bring elements of the movie to life in a special event planned for the evening of April 25. Caperton, who created On Set Cinema, describes himself as a “cinema dork.” He’s been visiting filming locations for about 20 years, and a couple of years ago, he said:“I got this fun, crazy idea:Wouldn’t it be cool to show movies where they were actually filmed?“ He knows that’s not an original idea, but he said,“as far as I know, there’s never been a film series that exclusively does this.” So, over the past two years, he’s arranged a couple of dozen screening events at filming locations for movies. “I’ve had the opportunity to do some absolutely incredible screenings,” Caperton
said, noting he’s had events for “The Shining,”“Halloween,”“Beetlejuice” and others. To hold a screening, Caperton must secure rights to screen the film, make arrangements with the property owners and organize the event. Most of the movies he’s screened are from the horror genre, and they attract fans from all over, he said. “I’m used to getting a lot of out-of-towners and not so many locals. “I do about one a month, and I do them in different states.” “I did “Twilight” in Oregon, and I had people that came from five different countries,” he said. “The Shining — that one made national news,” he added. Some screenings take on a life of their own, he said. For instance, at the screening of the remake of “The Blob,” in Abbeville, Louisiana, people approached him and said, “Oh, I have pieces of the Blob.” “When that movie came in there and See EDWARD, page 11A
COURTESY OF KENNY CAPERTON
Kenny Caperton stands in front of his home in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The house is a life-size replica of the house used in the movie, ‘Halloween.’ He’s the guy in the T-shirt and the other guy is a friend of his who dressed up as Michael Myers, the star of ‘Halloween.’