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EAST PASCO EDITION
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Orthopedic care that’s close. So you can go far. To help you get back to your active life, we provide services ranging from general orthopedic care and sports medicine to minimally invasive hip, knee and shoulder replacements.
These waters used to be a popular recreational spot with local residents, especially since the water stays a constant 72 degrees. When it closed to the public in the late 1990s, it created an uproar that continued for years.
To find an orthopedic surgeon, call 877-DOC-5321 (362-5321) or visit BayfrontDadeCity.com.
13100 Fort King Road Bayfront Health Dade City is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff.
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813-782-5395 Zephyrhills
www.GardnerAudiology.com
City of Pure Water
MICHAEL HINMAN/STAFF PHOTOS
Kent Koptiuch is one of more than 11 natural resource managers Nestle Waters North America has hired to help maintain good water quality nationwide, while protecting natural resources like Crystal Springs just outside of Zephyrhills.
Water still primary gold standard in Zephyrhills By Michael Hinman mhinman@lakerlutznews.com
Long before there was a Zephyrhills, and even before there was a Pasco County, people would journey through the dense, dangerous Florida forests to find a small oasis near the headwaters of the Hillsborough River. There they could find plenty of fresh, clean water bubbling up from the ground, always at a refreshing 72 degrees. The waters at Crystal Springs may not have had the healing and restorative powers some believed at the time, but it was cer-
tainly quite tasty. And by the time Zephyrhills itself was founded in 1910, the area already had a reputation for some of the best water in the state. So it’s no wonder a businessman named Don Robinson saw the potential of turning that water into more than just a local commodity in the early 1960s, and Zephyrhills bottled water was born. Today, hundreds of thousands of gallons of that commodity is shipped throughout the state. The plant, off 20th Street and Alston Avenue in Zephyrhills owned by Nestle Waters North America, employs 250 people making an annual average wage of
$46,000. Another 900 more people or so have jobs related to the operation around Florida. “It’s a great economic driver, but it’s also a great story for Zephyrhills to tell, and one it has told for decades,” said Vonnie Mikkelsen, executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce. This year, Zephyrhills bottled water celebrates its 50th anniversary, continuing to put this small city of nearly 14,000 people it borrowed its name from on the map. Local historian and retired educator Madonna See WATER, page 6
Pasco builds on challenging 2013 By Michael Murillo mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com
B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO
Alice Jones was recently honored for her volunteer work for the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida.
As new school year begins, be sure kids can hear teachers By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
A child’s hearing difficulties are not always easy to spot. That’s why volunteers like Alice Jones of Zephyrhills can play such an important role in a child’s life. Jones — recently named Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida’s volunteer of the month — has spent the past several years traveling to various Pasco County schools to conduct hearing tests for children. The 76-year-old goes to schools within roughly a 20-mile radius of her home, sitting with children who are wearing earphones, and asking them if they can hear the sounds coming through the wires. When they can’t, Sertoma lets the school know, so they can inform the child’s parent. Most of the time the youngsters can See HEAR, page 6
After three straight undefeated regular seasons, Pasco High School slipped to 7-3 in 2013.They failed to win their district, making the playoffs as a runner-up in Class 5A-District 6. That record would represent a great season for many schools, but expectations run high at Pasco.And it’s a drop in production from what the Pirates have usually accomplished under Tom McHugh. Still, don’t expect the head coach to be disappointed in that outcome. “Last season with the things that happened within the team internally and the players, I think that we actually overachieved,” McHugh said.“I was proud of the way everybody reacted.” The team’s starting quarterback was dismissed from the team early in the year, MICHAEL MURILLO/STAFF PHOTO causing an entire overhaul of the offense. The Pirates hope their hard work at practice will help them contend for a district title this The Pirates had planned to run a read-op- season after finishing runner-up in 2013. tion scheme, where the quarterback reads the movement of the defender shape, with the defensive line mostly inon the edge, and either gives the ball to tact from last season and a strong point 2014 Pirates Schedule the running back or keeps it headed into 2014.The defensive back8/29 — Sunlake 10/10 — Weeki Wachee himself, based on what he sees. But the field also stood out and impressed 9/5 — at Fivay 10/17 — Hernando team had to shift to a more traditional McHugh in seven-on-seven competition 9/12 — at Wesley Chapel 10/24 — at Central offense once the season started. over the summer. 9/26 — at Nature Coast Tech 10/31 — Zephyrhills Abandoning the game plan you had “I was really happy with those guys,” 10/3 — at South Sumter 11/7 — River Ridge all off-season with a full schedule ahead he said.“They worked well together.” of you would be a challenge for any Despite some losses on the offensive team. Add in more dismissals and inline, the coach said they also have some juries, and the Pirates simply weren’t the “Now that we’ve run it, we can put some returning playmakers and expects that part team they thought they had at the start of chrome on it now,” he said. of the team to be in decent shape. the season. Starling believes having the off-season to The Pirates will have some time to get As a result, they went 2-3 to start the work as the starter has already paid divi- things in order before facing their district year, including 0-2 in the district. But as the dends with regard to his confidence and opponents. After a preseason game, which players settled into their new scheme, the effectiveness. McHugh said will be used to evaluate who’s Pirates closed the regular season with five “It really helped a lot,” Starling said.“I feel in shape and how the team reacts to instraight wins and kept their playoff streak a lot more comfortable. The players feel game situations, Pasco starts the season with alive by beating Zephyrhills High School to more comfortable around me. We’ve three non-district contests. claim the runner-up spot in the district. worked together more so we have more But there’s no reason to ask McHugh Now, with a full off-season to prepare chemistry.” about them, because he has no idea who their quarterback Grant Starling for the lead The game, he said, is slowing down for they are. The coach doesn’t look past the role, McHugh feels like they can not only him, and he’s doing a better job of reading first game — figuratively or literally. run their offense more efficiently, but add a defenses than he did last season. See PASCO, page 6 few tweaks to make it more effective. The defense also should be in good