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Express route downtown in jeopardy By Michael Hinman mhinman@lakerlutznews.com
The number of people who depend on HART’s Route 51X connecting Pasco County to downtown Tampa is dwindling. And so is the organization’s money. So it’s probably no surprise to some of the remaining riders that officials with Hillsborough Area Regional Transit want to make some significant changes to the route, possibly removing the express route altogether. But at the very least, adding some local stops to finally bring such mass transit service to the New Tampa area. “It is important as an agency that we consider the needs of the current riders,” HART interim chief operating officer Ruthie Reyes Burckard told concerned riders dur-
ing a recent meeting at the New Tampa Library. “There is no transportation along Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. We have been looking at this area, and are trying to get some service into this area, whether it’s local or some kind of hybrid option” of both express and local service. Right now, the express bus takes workers from Pasco County and New Tampa into downtown Tampa early workday mornings, and returns them late in the afternoon. HART is looking at three options to change its service, all of them at least coming with a name change for the route: 51LX. All the new options include local stops along Bruce B. Downs in places like County Line Road,Tampa Palms Boulevard, and even See EXPRESS, page 12
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The cost of maintaining park-andrides at places like CrossRoads Community United Methodist Church in Wesley Chapel costs nearly half the $3 fare riders pay to get an express ride to downtown Tampa.
Coin club offers chance to learn about history, politics, investing By B.C. Manion
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Richard Schmetisch’s fascination with coins began when he was about 8 years old. His dad took him to a flea market, and as they browsed through tools and lawn mowers, Schmetisch spied a coin dealer. And so his passion began. “I just went,‘Wow!’” the now 51-year-old Land O’ Lakes man said.“I think coins interest a lot more kids than adults.” Schmetisch began by collecting wheat pennies, buffalo nickels and Mercury dimes, but has branched into more sophisticated collecting since then. “You could still get buffalo nickels in your change back then, and Mercury dimes in your change,” he said. Schmetisch remembers the weekend ritual he shared with his dad. “Every Saturday when I would go to the flea market, my dad would let me buy one coin,” Schmetisch said. He passed his love for coin collecting along to his son, Kyle, who began coming with him to coin club meetings when he was 7. Now 25, Kyle and his dad were both at a recent meeting of The Tampa Bay Coin See COIN, page 12
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Collectors can purchase coins from other collectors during the Tampa Bay Coin Club meetings, which are on the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m., at Forest Hills Park Community Center.
Richard Schmetisch developed a fascination for coins when he was 8 years old, and he’s been collecting ever since.
Besides collecting currency, some collectors also save commemoratives, which mark various events or special places.
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Land O’ Lakes resident wants return of Flapjack Festival By Michael Murillo mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com
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For nearly 30 years, Mark Ballard had a routine when it came to the Land O’ Lakes Flapjack Festival. “The kids would go to eat the pancakes in the morning, then we would go and spend pretty much all day on the rides,” he said. “Then we could go home and come back again at night.” Ballard lives on what was once the festival’s parade route, and he would take his children — and later his grandchildren — outside with chairs to see it every year. For more than three decades, even be-
The Flapjack Festival was a popular annual event for decades, as long as it stayed in Land O’ Lakes. Once it moved to Dade City, it quickly faded away.
fore Ballard moved to Land O’ Lakes, the Flapjack Festival was a community event that included a parade, pageant and rides. Businesses had booths, food trucks served customers, and children played games. And everyone ate flapjacks. Over the years it became an annual staple in the community and was a popular destination for area residents. In a way, it was too popular: The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce decided to move the festival from the Land O’ Lakes Community Center on U.S. 41 instead to a place that could accommodate its growth See FLAPJACK, page 12