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Lopez-Cantera pulls no punches against Crist By Michael Hinman mhinman@lakerlutznews.com
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. To find an orthopedic surgeon, call 877-DOC-5321 (362-5321) or visit BayfrontDadeCity.com.
MICHAEL HINMAN/STAFF PHOTO
Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera gives a campaign stump speech to members of the Conservative Club of East Pasco during an appearance Sept. 22.
Carlos Lopez-Cantera is Florida’s secondin-command behind Gov. Rick Scott, but there are still pockets of the state he has only heard about. That included Zephyrhills, until he finally found his way to the City of Pure Water last week in a campaign stop in front of the Conservative Club of East Pasco.And while he might talk about how the governor has kept is word to the point that “even Democrats can’t deny it,” Lopez-Cantera had almost nothing good to say about who Scott succeeded and is facing again in the November election: Charlie Crist.
“When Gov. Scott took over, we had lost 830,000 jobs, and had an 11.1 percent unemployment rate,” all from the Crist administration, Lopez-Cantera said. “Since then, we have added 640,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate is 6.3 percent.” Yet while some might point out the entire nation was in an economic crisis during a good part of Crist’s tenure as governor between 2007 and 2011, Lopez-Cantera accused the former governor of continuously abandoning his post when he was needed the most. “He didn’t even want to be governor when he was governor,” Lopez-Cantera said See CRIST, page 6
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.
LEND YOUR
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The new storefront for the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce on Fifth Avenue, has a fresh look, as well as a new sign provided by Skywatch Signs.
MICHAEL HINMAN/STAFF PHOTOS
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Major League Baseball star and Tampa native Gary Sheffield talks to some representatives of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel after a recent meeting with the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.
Melonie Monson works the new front desk at the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce office, part of widespread renovations at the Fifth Avenue office.
Businesses create new beginnings at Zephyrhills chamber By Michael Hinman mhinman@lakerlutznews.com
As she read the long list of businesses and community leaders listed on a plaque in the main lobby of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Vonnie Mikkelsen had to smile. “Many of these people are still around, and they’re still thriving in the community,” said Mikkelsen, the chamber’s executive director. The plaque was erected nearly 15 years ago honoring those who helped move the chamber office from its small location on the railroad tracks on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Seventh Street, to its new home at 38550 Fifth Ave., which the chamber bought for $75,000. “Cliff McDuffie was the director back then, and this was his idea to make it happen,” she said. “He did a capital campaign that involved so many people.And the first individuals who wrote a check were this
Vonnie Mikkelsen, executive director of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, checks out the new entryway into the chamber office on Fifth Avenue that was created by Divine Concrete Coatings.
Ribbon cutting
Making it Happen
The ribbon cutting is scheduled for 5 p.m., on Oct.1 in front of the chamber office, 38550 Fifth Ave.
Businesses providing help — both paid and in-kind — to the building renovation project at the Greater Zephyrhills.
year’s community service award winners, John and Diana MacDiarmid.” Mikkelsen wasn’t here for that dedication back in 2000, but she will be on hand Oct. 1 when more than a month of renovation work is unveiled in the chamber’s grand reopening and ribbon cutting. Just like they did in McDuffie’s time, businesses and community leaders came together to make these much-needed changes happen. Kevin and Kyle Ryman at Ryman Construction oversaw the $50,000 worth of work, with Jodi Wilkeson’s WDA Designs Inc., consulting on how the overall changes would look. K&K Glass stepped in and replaced the dated front door and window, while Pasco Stucco worked with a jackhammer for days to remove the old stone façade, and replace it with stucco. “Many of these guys came in and did it at no personal gain,” Mikkelsen said. “That saved us a lot of money, and allowed us to get a lot of this done that we might not have been able to otherwise.” Instead of a capital campaign, Mikkelsen
Chamber of Commerce included: • CenterState Bank, construction loan • Divine Concrete Coatings, entryway and emblem • Imperial Painting & Wallpapering Contractors, display cabinet refinishing • K&K Glass, front glass and doors • Master Painting and Home Repairs, exterior paint • Northstar Survey & Mapping, surveys • Pasco Stucco, stucco siding and brick • Ryman Construction, project management • Sherwin-Williams, paint • Skywatch Signs, sign design and build • WDA Designs, renderings and design consultation
and the chamber board was able to work out a loan with CenterState Bank, structured in a way that the organization can easily pay it back over time. “Maybe if we do a second phase, or a building expansion in the future, we might consider doing a campaign,” she said.“Our See BUSINESSES, page 6
Sheffield pitching No challenge too tough for this swimmer Pasco County to the Atlanta Braves By Michael Murillo
mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com
By Michael Hinman mhinman@lakerlutznews.com
The Atlanta Braves aren’t making a trip to the postseason this year, but could they instead be planning a trip to Pasco County in a few years? Like for spring training? Gary Sheffield, the retired Major League Baseball star who hit 64 home runs when he played two seasons for the Braves more than a decade ago, believes his old team will come. And if not them, maybe the Houston Astros or Toronto Blue Jays — both which have expressed interest in looking for new spring training homes — instead. Regardless, the former outfielder says the proposed $70 million baseball complex planned on 100 acres in the Wiregrass Ranch area will be so attractive, it would be impossible for any Major League team to turn it down. See SHEFFIELD, page 6
When Taylor Sanders was born, she had a stroke. Diagnosed with monoplegic infantile cerebral palsy, doctors told Taylor’s parents that she couldn’t walk, she couldn’t do things her peers could do and she couldn’t live a normal life. So her parents gave up. Specifically, they gave up on words like “couldn’t.” “We had a No. 1 rule. The ‘C’ word was not allowed in our house, and that’s ‘can’t’ or ‘cannot,’” said Taylor’s mother, Vanessa Sanders. Now, 15 years later, the focus is on all the things Taylor can do. She can walk. She can make friends and fit right in at Zephyrhills High School. And, like many students, she can be an athlete, too. Taylor is in her second season on the school’s swim team. And before anyone even thought about giving her special treatment when she joined, her mother eliminated that possibility on the first day. “I went to coach (Karen Cooley) the very first day of practice, and I told her what she has,” Sanders said.“I said that there isn’t
MICHAEL MURILLO/STAFF PHOTO
Sanders usually chooses the 50-meter freestyle when she competes for the Zephyrhills High School swim team.
anything that she cannot do. Anything that you request the team do, I ask you to request that Taylor do the same.” Cooley accepted those terms happily, and ended up with a productive, contributing team member. “She’s an awesome member of the team,” Cooley said.“She’s a leader. She likes to be involved and she’s very creative.” Taylor is supportive of her teammates, and is good at taking direction and working hard to get better, Cooley said. As a result,
her technique, form and times have improved since she joined the team. Being on the team allows Taylor to challenge herself and others while doing something she enjoys in a supportive group setting. “I’ve always loved swimming since I was little,”Taylor said.“And I have a very competitive attitude, so competing while I’m doing something I love is just amazing.” See SWIMMER, page 6