The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Massive Two Rivers development gets OK

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A huge swath of land now occupied primarily by pastures and trees is expected to become home to Two Rivers, off State Road 56, between Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301.

The Pasco County Commission voted 5-0 to approve a master-planned unit development (MPUD) zoning that will allow 6,400 residences, more than 2.6 million square feet of office and industrial, and 630,000 square feet of commercial uses.

The 3,405-acre property’s southern boundary is on the north side of County Line Road, and its northern boundary is on the north side of State Road 56.

The Two Rivers development also includes a site for an elementary school, middle school and high school, an 80-acre district park and a public safety site.

The development also will feature a connectivity plan, with trails and pedestrian paths — aimed at making it easier for people to get around the community — without relying on vehicles.

The Eisenhower Property Group will be building the majority of residential uses within the project, said Clarke Hobby, an attorney representing the applicants. “The Thomas family is retaining substantially of the all non-residential uses within the MPUD,” he said.

The Thomas family also owns the adjacent property, directly south of the Two Rivers site, in Hillsborough County, and part of the approval for the Two Rivers project requires a connection between the two developments to give the Two Rivers project access to U.S. 301, on a planned extension of County Line Road through the Hillsborough tract.

If that connection isn’t made on the Hillsborough side, then Two Rivers will be required to make the connection on the Pasco side, as one of the conditions for approval.

The schools and district park are expected to be co-located, so they can share land and other amenities, according to Joel Tew, who is co-counsel with Hobby, for the applicants.

The exact access to the school isn’t shown on the map because the school district and county must work out their plans to ensure access and safety for different uses, Tew said.

The shared uses could be similar to the arrangement the county and school district have at the Starkey Ranch K-8 and district park site in Odessa.

The Two Rivers project has been in planning stages for decades, Hobby said, noting that “Bob Sierra had this site under contract back as far as 2008.”

The Thomas family played an instrumental role in helping to secure the funding for the first two lanes of the State Road 56 extension to U.S. 301, and then for lanes three and four of the extension, Hobby said.

“Two Rivers was the largest part of the additional surcharges that are imposed on developments in this area to pay for lanes three and four of that extension. Of the $26 million that the county has to pay back to the state infrastructure bank, $15 million of that comes solely from surcharges on development on Two Rivers,” he said.

“What we’re bringing to you today reflects a lot of thought and effort by a lot of parts of your staff, the school board, particularly your natural resources (department) and the county attorney’s office.

“We believe this project has been done the right way,” he said.

“One of the biggest things you have to remember about Two Rivers is that it truly is a mixed-use project,” Hobby said, with 2.6 million square feet of employment-generating uses.

“So, this project has been set up correctly, from the get-go. We’re not shortchanging it. And, we’re going to create a lot of jobs along the way, in addition to creating an overall great community,” Hobby said.

Some residents objected to aspects of the request, including potential traffic congestion, concerns about potential flooding, and a lack of specificity regarding access points and other details, but the county board was not swayed by the testimony.

Published September 22, 2021

Worker shortage takes a toll on Pasco schools

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Pasco County Schools has been struggling to fill bus driver, custodial, food service and instructional vacancies — prompting school board member Colleen Beaudoin to seek relief for overburdened workers.

Although the numbers fluctuate from day to day, a recent report showed that the district had roughly 155 instructional vacancies and 348 non-instructional vacancies, according to Steve Hegarty, the district’s public information officer. The non-instructional vacancies include 100 bus driver openings.

“Our folks are really under a lot of stress,” Beaudoin said, during the school board’s Sept. 14 meeting. “We must do something. Our folks need help”

Pasco County school board member Colleen Beaudoin is seeking relief for district employees who are feeling the stress of worker shortages. (File)

The district has added positions, but is having trouble filling them, she said.

“Grants that were supposed to provide for more nurses to help with contact tracing — people are not taking these jobs. It is stretching our folks too thin.

“On top of that, people are calling our schools and berating whoever answers the phone because they are upset that buses are late.

“Bus drivers have been yelled at. Please consider that you are yelling at the people who are showing up for our kids.

“This problem is not unique to schools, nor is it unique to Pasco County.

“I’ve been to restaurants where there are only two servers at work, and they’re understaffed too.

“We need to be thanking and supporting the people who are showing up,” Beaudoin said.

“Superintendent (Kurt) Browning, I know that you are aware of the stress on our employees.

“Please continue to brainstorm ways to take some things off their plates, prioritize, and let’s try to get them some relief.

“There’s a lot of smart people in this room. I’m just asking you to revisit and remove any unnecessary paperwork, or anything else you can do, to provide some relief,” Beaudoin said.

Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco(USEP), told school board members that he’s been hearing mixed reviews about how the school year is going so far, from school district employees.

“Some who were teaching MSOL (My School Online) last year are glad to be back with students; some teachers are scared to death to be in a classroom with unmasked students, but have no other prudent option.

“We all expected better for this year, but that hasn’t happened. Judgment and emotions have eroded to all-time lows in many cases, and people are at political war with each other.

“Some teachers have expressed that with quarantined students, political disarray and mental frustration running wild, delivering instruction is taking a severe hit in the classroom.

“There’s so much confusion about COVID and so much changing information, it is near impossible to make an informed decision on anything.

“I think it would behoove us all, superintendent, board members, staff, USEP and district employees, alike, to take a step back and see just exactly where we’re at.

“There are many states where schools have not been open for some time, and student learning has been halted. That is not so in Florida.

“We seem to have a balance of keeping our schools and businesses open, and moving our economy forward.

“Are things perfect? No, not at all. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely.

“And, much of that improvement can start with us.

“Instead of hollering at the bus driver for being an hour late, how about if we thanked them for being willing to go the extra mile to see that our kiddos get to school and home safely.

“Some of them are running three and four runs.

“Instead of railing at the teacher for not getting right back to the student on quarantine, why not exercise some compassion and restraint, and try to understand that providing makeup instruction for students has now become a full-time job.

“Maybe a thank you to the teacher or bus driver would be more appropriate,” Peace said.

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services, has been keeping board members informed about the district’s efforts to fill bus driver, custodial and food service vacancies.

And, she repeatedly expressed her gratitude for employees working in departments with significant staffing shortages.

“We’ve had a lot patience and partnerships at schools, as we work through all of this,” Kuhn said.

“We do have some silver linings. HR (Human Resources) has been a wonderful partner in helping us to recruit, and some new ideas, to help as much as possible. And our schools are stepping in,” Kuhn said, during a recent meeting.

“We also have a mini call center. We have started a mini one that involves district secretaries that are answering the phones for the garages because we have anyone who can drive a bus, driving a bus right now. It’s all hands on deck for the transportation department.

Kuhn said her own assistant, “has taken the brunt of those calls.”

Published September 22, 2021

Pushing to expand early childhood offerings

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Pasco County School board member Colleen Beaudoin made an impassioned plea during the board’s Sept. 14 meeting to increase the district’s early childhood learning opportunities.

She observed that she’d recently attended a Head Start meeting, and she noted that as of August, Head Start’s enrollment was 530, and Early Head Start’s enrollment was 107.

She praised the efforts of district staff in the early childhood programs but, she said, there are 299 children on the Head Start waiting list and 132 on the Early Head Start waiting list.

Beaudoin noted that the district has made great strides, overall, in expanding its programs and offerings.

“We have more students taking advanced academics, and career and technical courses, and they aren’t just taking these courses. Our students are excelling, when given this opportunity,” she said.

But Beaudoin emphasized that all district students should have these opportunities.

“This includes students who are living in poverty and students whose parents don’t know the options that are offered. This includes kids whose parents, grandparents, guardians and other caregivers are working at night and can’t sit at the kitchen table every night helping their kids,” Beaudoin said.

It includes students with disabilities, she said.

“I read somewhere once that when children are young, their intelligence can mask their disability. And when they are older, their disability can mask the intelligence. I know this is true.

“I’m including the kids with limited English proficiency.

“This is about all our kids. We cannot let these students slip through the cracks.

If the district wants to expand educational opportunities for all students, it needs to start when they are young, she said.

“We have students in this county who begin kindergarten already at a disadvantage compared to some of their peers,” Beaudoin said.

“The further a student falls behind, the harder it is for them to catch up. The gap continues to widen, if not addressed.

“It’s much easier and less costly to provide supports and interventions to 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds than it is to a high school student sitting in an algebra class, who’s lacking good number sense,” said Beaudoin.

“I know we are working on expanding early childhood programs,” she said, and she urged the district to invest more in those efforts.

“Four-hundred-and-thirty-one students on waiting lists for Head Start and Early Head Start is sad and unacceptable. We’ve got to find a way to reach these students, and that’s where I’d like us to focus our time and more of our funding,” Beaudoin said.

Published September 22, 2021

We pause, and remember (Part One)

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Sept. 11, 2001, was a day that began for most of us, like any other — but the events that transpired that day forever changed America.

On that morning, 19 terrorists from al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes and deliberately crashed two of them into the North Tower and the South Tower of the World Trade Center. They smashed a third plane into the Pentagon. Passengers on the fourth plane overtook the hijackers and forced that plane to slam into an empty field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The attacks claimed the lives of 2,977, as well as the 19 hijackers.

In recognition of the 20th anniversary of that fateful day, we asked our readers to tell us where they were when they heard the news and how that day has affected them.

We share their compelling stories here in The Laker/Lutz News’ special 20th anniversary tribute, “Sept. 11, 2001: Remember & Reflect.”

–B.C. Manion, Editor of The Laker/Lutz News

First, helping others; then, overcome by dust and debris
On Sept. 11, 2001, I was caught beneath Ground Zero on my way to work, on a subway train in a smoke- and debris-filled tunnel.

This rush hour train was full of passengers. We had no idea what was occurring above us. After about a half-hour of being stuck in the tunnel between stations, the train began filling with smoke.

The passengers began ripping pieces of cloth from their clothing to protect their noses, in an attempt to filter out the smoke.

Former U.S. Army JAG Corps Captain Edward Rademaker (Courtesy of Edward Rademaker)

Some passengers began crying.

The train motorman hurriedly passed through my train car.

I asked the motorman what was happening, he replied, “I don’t know.”

The motorman then headed toward the last car and left the train.

The passengers, not knowing what was occurring, started to panic.

The passengers began to rush toward the last car.

One passenger fell to the floor, gasping for air with an asthma pump in his hand.

At this point, a retired detective and I took control of the situation.

We had the passengers line up in an orderly fashion and head toward the last car of the train, where the conductor had opened the last door of the last car.

We also picked up the asthmatic man and led him out of the train to an emergency exit of the train tunnel.

After the last passenger left the train, I walked through the smoke-filled train to make sure all of the passengers had been evacuated.

I then left the train, walked the live tracks and climbed up an emergency exit ladder to the street.

Once at street level, I saw the aftermath of the first collapsed tower. I saw several police officers assisting pedestrians. I advised the police officers that I was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve and asked if I could help.

The officers asked me to direct people in the street toward the Brooklyn Bridge, as lower Manhattan was being evacuated.

A short time later, as I was directing pedestrians toward the bridge, the second tower began collapsing.

I ran, but not fast enough.

The dust and debris blinded and covered me, and I could no longer breathe.

Fortunately, I was pulled from the debris and into a nearby building and resuscitated by an EMS worker.

After coming to, I went out of the building for medical assistance.

Several loud explosions were then heard and we all evacuated that building and ran toward the Brooklyn Bridge.

After walking across the bridge, I walked for several hours toward my home, as public transportation was unavailable.

I later caught a taxi home.

I had respiratory problems for several weeks from the dust that I inhaled.

Edward Rademaker originally wrote this for an U.S. Army newsletter in April 2002. (It has been slightly edited). He is a former U.S. Army JAG Corps Captain. 

-Edward Rademaker, Wesley Chapel

The morning of Sept. 11, 2001, began as a normal school day for then Denham Oaks art teacher Cindy Smith. (Courtesy of Cindy Smith)

On morning duty at Denham Oaks
As I was standing on morning duty outside the front office of Denham Oaks Elementary School, happy children passed by, waving and saying “Good Morning, Ms. C, see you in art class.”

The children were laughing and smiling on their way into school, with not a care in the world.

Glancing over, I noticed a gathering group of staff in the office staring at the overhead TV.

Moving closer, I began looking at the screen and saw in disbelief and shock the North Tower being engulfed with flames and smoke.

How is this happening and why?

I was witnessing people hanging desperately from the tower, and even jumping.

It was unbelievable and horrifying.

The thoughts of the potential loss of human life began to break my heart.

The near impossible challenges of rescuing those lives had me thinking about those who are brave and dedicated enough to be there to help.

My thoughts turned to the students who were too young to grasp the enormity of what was happening.

Tears filled my eyes as I thought of the families that would be broken apart.

As the day unfolded, a deep sadness settled in my soul.

I found myself praying for everyone who was affected and for rescuers to have strength.

I knew then, it would be a day and event we would always remember together — united as a nation, and we do.

-Cindy Smith, Land O’ Lakes

An air traffic controller heads into work
I was driving to work for the early shift at Phoenix TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control) when my wife, also on her way to work, called me and said that a local radio station had reported that an airplane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

As a pilot and air traffic controller, I told her that the pilot had probably encountered bad weather and crashed into the tower.

I arrived at work and my manager informed me that an air carrier had crashed into one of the towers.

A view of the radar tower at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. (Courtesy of Steve Hadley)

This was unbelievable.

I thought it had to be a hijack or suicide, as it was a clear, cloudless day in New York City.

As you can imagine, our facility was buzzing.

I told my boss that I would stay in the breakroom and monitor the television to see what I could learn. A few minutes later I watched the second plane slam into the South Tower.

I ran into the TRACON and yelled that the South Tower had just been hit.

One of our controllers, a former New York TRACON controller, let loose with a swear word, followed by, “It’s a terrorist attack.”

Everyone was so upset that the manager yelled “calm down and pay attention to your traffic,” as we were in the early stages of a big arrival push from the East Coast.

As that horrible day progressed, the FAA shut down the U.S. airspace and we were tasked with informing the pilots that they had to land at the closest airport that would accommodate their aircraft.

Within just a few hours, all aircraft were on the ground without incident.

Phoenix airspace, which was always very busy, had no air traffic except law enforcement.

Not long after, I was working with an FBI agent by my side running intercepts with F16s on small aircraft that were observed in our airspace and apparently were unaware that U.S. airspace was shut down.

U.S. and Canadian airspace under heavy restrictions reopened on Sept. 13, but it was weeks before there was anything approaching normal air traffic.

Everything changed for us.

Our facility was now under heavy security— no visitors, no leaving for lunch.

We were later surprised to learn that one of the hijackers may have toured our facility from a local flight school where several of the hijackers trained.

-Steve Hadley, Land O’ Lakes

Flight attendant at home, awaiting shift that day
On Sept. 11, 2001, I was at home in Centreville, Virginia.

I was a flight attendant scheduled to fly a three-day trip out of Washington Dulles Airport at 4 p.m.

I first heard about the terrorist attacks when I turned on The Today Show, on TV.

The broadcaster was reporting that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center.

He gave no other information at that time.

Tammy Hansen, a flight attendant for American Airline, was scheduled to work a later shift on Sept. 11, 2001. She knew some crew members who died and attended a funeral for two flight attendants, who were married, who were working on the airplane that crashed into the Pentagon. (Courtesy of Tammy Hansen)

I was in disbelief as to how an airplane could be in that airspace and crash into the tower.

As more information came in, I found myself glued to the TV. I witnessed the second airplane crashing into the World Trade Center on TV.

I couldn’t figure out what was happening. I was horrified!

I took a break from the TV news to walk my dogs.

We lived under one of the landing paths to Washington Dulles Airport.

I remember hearing airplanes overhead.

The airplanes were approaching and flying overhead two by two.

There were two parallel landing runways at the airport.

I had never seen so many airplanes landing all at once at Dulles Airport before.

I just couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

I returned home to learn a third airplane had crashed into the Pentagon.

A fourth airplane was heading back to Washington. This was the airplane that eventually crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

I just couldn’t believe that four airplanes could be hijacked all at once!

I never thought skyscrapers would be a target and eventually collapse to the ground.

The horror of all the innocent people, firemen, policemen who passed that day. Unbelievable!

I didn’t fly my trip that day. All airplanes had been grounded indefinitely.

I still couldn’t comprehend it all.

Later, I found out that I knew some of the flight crew members on two of the airplanes.

I attended a funeral for two of them in Culpepper, Virginia.

There we all were, airline employees, proudly wearing our uniforms in support, standing with family and friends.

Such a sad, sad day!

When the airlines were allowed to fly passengers again, I was assigned a two-day trip out of Washington National Airport.

I was a bit apprehensive to fly so soon.

I completed that trip and many thereafter, before retiring from a 40-year career with American Airlines.

I will never forget that day and all the lives lost to terrorists.

I still can’t believe how vulnerable we Americans were that day.

Never forget!

-Tammy Hansen, Land O’ Lakes

New homeowners in Oak Grove
On Sept. 8, 2001, which was a Saturday, my husband, Peter, and I moved into our new house in the Oak Grove community in Lutz.

We were very excited to be moving from an apartment in Tampa to our new home.

On Sept. 11, just three days later, Peter went to work in South Tampa, not far from MacDill Airforce Base.

This photo was taken of Kelley and Peter Caporice shortly before they moved into their new home in Lutz, in 2001. (Courtesy of Kelley Caporice)

He called me to tell me to turn on the TV, to see the news.

I asked, “What channel?”

He said: “It doesn’t matter.”

I turned the TV on just after the second plane hit.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

There was no doubt, at all, as to what was happening.

We soon heard of the plane hitting the Pentagon, along with scary stories of other possible attacks and of our military bases being targets.

Our families and friends began calling. Parents, aunts, cousins — the calls were local and from different states, as we all checked on each other.

We kept saying that we could not believe what we were seeing.

I anxiously waited for Peter to come home, but it would be a while before his company closed for the employees to go home.

I was on the phone with my brother when the first tower collapsed.

I did, too. I just sank to the floor, my heart breaking for those still in or around the building and their families.

It was incomprehensible.

It still is.

I didn’t know anyone in New York or D.C., or that was near any of the attack or crash sites, but I believe we all were impacted by what happened that day.

For me, I knew that going forward, I would be sure to tell my family and friends, with words, how much I loved them, in case…well, you know.

Now, 20 years later, I continue to pray and ask God for comfort and peace for those who lost loved ones on 9/11/01, for the first responders and for their families, and for those who continue to suffer with health or emotional issues from that day.

I ask God to carry them through the hills and valleys, just as He has carried me.

-Kelley Caporice, Lutz

Watching the TODAY show, drinking coffee
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, I was having coffee, while watching the TODAY show at home in Lutz.

Breaking news interrupted the programming, with video of a plane crashing into the first of the Twin Towers.

I still recall the bright, beautiful blue cloudless sky in New York City and the horror of an assumed airline mishap hitting the building, but at the same time knowing that weather could not have been a factor.

This photo was taken in 2018, when members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, and some others, stood out in front of the Old Lutz School, waving American flags in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The women gather each year to pay their respects. (Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Shortly thereafter, when a second plane tore into the second tower, I realized immediately that it was not a mistake or accident, but an actual attack — but from whom and why?

As details emerged, it became increasingly horrifying to realize the numbers of office workers, firefighters, police and bystanders who could not escape as both towers collapsed.

This catastrophic attack left an indelible imprint on my psyche, as an American and as a recently transplanted (upstate) New Yorker.

We all immediately became New Yorkers, and Pennsylvanians and D.C. citizens after the full impact of this terrorist attack was realized at all those locations.

Like with the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK, I will always remember where I was, that moment and the profound shock, sadness and anger that ensued.

Much like our parents’ generation experiencing the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and forever changing our lives and our history, we will never forget!

The following year on 9/11/02, as a member of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club, we waved flags in commemoration of the first anniversary of the event.

Each subsequent year — up to and including this year’s 20th anniversary — our women have stood tall, waving flags along U.S. 41, in Lutz.

The event is typically accompanied by cars, trucks and 18-wheelers honking their horns, and bicyclists waving, as they pass by.

This flag-filled club event always brings tears to my eyes.

Let us never forget.

-Patricia Serio, Lutz

NOTE: Please see Part Two of reader responses in the story below.

Crews getting back at it, on Diverging Diamond interchange

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Work on the diverging diamond project at State Road 56 and Interstate 75 in Wesley Chapel was set to resume on Sept. 13, according to officials from the Florida Department of Transportation.

That news was part of an update released by Kris Carson, department spokeswoman for FDOT’S District 7 office.

Work was halted in June, when D.A.B. Constructors notified FDOT that it was demobilizing from the project. The state transportation department then defaulted D.A.B., on July 1.

D.A.B. Contractors had seven projects in FDOT District 7, including three in Pasco County. After D.A.B. was defaulted on the diverging diamond project, it self-defaulted on the other Pasco projects, which are on State Road 52 and State Road 54.

The surety company must now complete those projects.

Carson provided a Sept. 10 update regarding the status of the projects.

Diverging Diamond
The completion contract has been executed by Superior Construction and is with the surety for final signatures.

Superior Construction has been given a Notice to Proceed from the surety, and contract work is expected to recommence on Sept. 13.

Surveyors have been onsite gathering survey information to support the proposed Sept. 13 start date.

The interim maintenance contractor (DBI) performed mowing in the two ponds on the south side of State Road 56. Slope mowing was completed on the northeast quadrant adjacent to the northbound Interstate 75 on-ramp.

Slope mowing is currently underway on the interior slopes of the southbound on- and off-ramps.

A project-wide litter pickup cycle was completed.

State Road 52, from Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41
The surety received bids from prospective completion contractors on Sept. 9, and the bids are being evaluated.

The FDOT performed pothole and silt fence repairs, to address urgent needs.

An upcoming mowing cycle is planned to start in two weeks.

State Road 54, from Curley Road to Morris Bridge Road
The surety put out an advertisement for bids on Sept. 9, with bids expected to be received the week of Sept. 23.

The FDOT’s maintenance crews have repaired potholes throughout the project and at the following side streets and driveways: McDonald’s driveway, Lado Drive, Loury Drive, Ashton Oaks Boulevard and Foxwood Boulevard.

Drop-offs have been addressed project-wide by inspection staff and maintenance crews.

The FDOT’s asphalt maintenance contractor is schedule to pave the previously listed side streets and driveways beginning Sept. 16.

Traffic markings maintenance has been completed at Meadow Pointe Boulevard and State Road 54.

Concrete barriers were adjusted at New River Road and State Road 54 and the Morris Bridge Road intersection, in front of CVS.

Emerald Striping is being scheduled to install flashing beacon ‘school ahead’ signs at New River Academy.

While the FDOT continues to address the state road projects that are behind schedule, State Sen. Danny Burgess told members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce that the state is seeing what it can do to streamline, in some way, the process of road contracting.

That way, if something like this happens again, the DOT would have additional options, such as going to with Bidder No. 2 on a project, he said.

“We’re going to look at some outside-the-box opportunities,” Burgess said.

Published September 15, 2021

Busy intersection subject of public meeting

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Those interested in the future of the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54 are invited to attend a public meeting this week to discuss possible options for improvement.

The Florida Department of Transportation’s District Seven is hosting the meeting, which is set for Sept. 16 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Keystone Community Church, 21010 State Road 54, in Lutz.

Virtual attendance also is available, but registration is required to participate online.

To register, visit the project’s website: https://active.fdotd7studies.com/sr54/us41-at-sr54/.

This aerial view shows the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54. During morning and afternoon rush hours, there are significant backups at the busy intersection in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

The FDOT is holding the workshop to give people who are interested the opportunity to provide comments concerning the traffic patterns, design, and social, economic and environmental effects of the proposed improvements.

In addition to the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41, the project study will include areas adjacent to the intersection along the two major roads, according to FDOT materials.

State Road 54 is one of two existing major east-west arterials connecting eastern Pasco County to western Pasco County.

The need for this project has been established based on future traffic demands, future population and employment growth in the area, according to FDOT materials.

Improvements at the U.S. 41/State Road 54 intersection are included in the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) 2035 Cost Affordable Long Range Transportation Plan, as well as the 2035 Regional Long Range Transportation Plan Needs Assessment, which was developed by the West Central Florida MPO’s Chairs Coordinating Committee.

The purpose of this study is to identify and evaluate various alternatives for the U.S. 41/State Road 54 intersection, which will improve the flow of people and goods through the project area by increasing roadway capacity and reducing traffic congestion.

The study will compare the effects each alternative may have on the environment and the surrounding communities, as well as the traveling public, according to FDOT materials.

Across Pasco County, State Road 54 provides connections to several regional north-south routes including U.S. 19, the Suncoast Parkway, U.S. 41, Interstate 75, U.S. 301 and U.S. 98, the FDOT materials note.

“The proposed improvements at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54 will enhance the overall transportation network linking Pasco County with the Tampa Bay region,” according to FDOT materials.

The options being considered are:

  • Alternative 1: A single-point urban intersection (SPUI), providing an interchange with State Road 54, elevated over U.S. 41.
  • Alternative 2: A parallel flow intersection (PFI), providing displaced left-turns, in all four approaches at grade.
  • Alternative 3: A continuous flow intersection (CFI), with elevated lanes of State Road 54 over U.S. 41, providing displaced left-turns in all four approaches.

There also is a no-build alternative.

Department representatives will be available at the in-person public workshop beginning at 5:30 p.m., to answer questions and discuss the project informally.

Draft project documents and other project-related materials also will be displayed, and a PowerPoint video presentation will run continuously during the workshop.

State Road 54 runs east-west, and had an average daily traffic count of 63,000 in 2019, according to FDOT figures; U.S. 41 runs north-south, and had average daily traffic counts of 69,000 in 2019.

In addition to existing traffic, there’s significant growth underway in Central Pasco, with more on the way. Plus, State Road 54 is an evacuation route when hurricanes threaten.

In evaluating alternatives, the state looks at the improvements based on such issues as traffic operations, safety, right of way needs and environmental impacts, among others.

Once a build alternative is selected, the next phase is the Project Design & Environmental (PD&E) Study phase, and then the design phase.

The PD&E would be conducted in 2021 to 2022; design, from 2022 to 2024; right of way acquisition from 2025 to 2026.

Construction of this project is not yet funded, according to the project web page.

For more information or to comment, please contact Kirk Bogen, an environmental management engineer for FDOT, at 813-975-6448, 800-226-7220 or .

Published September 15, 2021

Pandemic puts us in ‘strange time,’ State Sen. Danny Burgess says

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With chairs socially distanced at tables, breakfast guests masked up, and servers dishing up food at the breakfast buffet — the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce resumed in-person business breakfast meetings in September.

State Sen. Danny Burgess, a Republican from Zephyrhills, was the featured speaker.

“It’s good to be here,” Burgess told the crowd. “Obviously, this is your first time back in a long time.”

It’s no secret that the impacts of COVID-19 have rippled throughout society, and Burgess addressed them head-on.

State Sen. Danny Burgess talked about COVID-19’s myriad impacts and applauded the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce for finding a safe way to hold its in-person breakfast meeting. (B.C. Manion)

“We all have felt that separation, that isolation,” Burgess said.

“I think we’ve all realized just how significant the second- and third-order effects of COVID-19 can be, not just from the physical virus itself and its manifestations, but what it’s like to not be able to interact,” he said.

“It’s in our nature to want to get out and interact and socialize.

“So I think this has taken a huge toll on us,” the state lawmaker added.

The pandemic affects everyone, he said, “whether you’re a parent, or whether you’re taking care of your parents, as they get older.”

For employers, the question is: How do I keep my employees safe?

“We’re kind of in a strange time where some people are policing other people. We’re policing each other: ‘Oh, that guy just sneezed.’

“These are weird times. I think it’s just good to take a step back and kind of have a breath of humility, and understand that we’re all, literally in this, together. We’re all trying to figure this out the best way possible.

“Think of some of the most contentious things that are out there, right now.

“Masks in schools.

“That’s probably about as controversial as it gets right now. That’s got to be No. 1 on the list.

“I’m not here to talk about my position on it.

“I’m just saying, no matter where you fall on that issue, I firmly believe, at the end of the day, we’re all just trying to navigate this the best way possible.

“And, if you believe that masks are detrimental to students in school, I think that’s coming from a pure place.

“If you think that masks should be in school, I think that’s coming from a pure place.

“We can have those disagreements.

“Again, there is no playbook for this.

“So, at the end of the day, we have to get back to that humanity. We all know that we’re trying to find the right answer. We’re all trying to get through this together, we just may have different ways of doing it,” Burgess said.

He said he’s glad that groups like the North Tampa Bay Chamber are taking precautions and meeting in person again.

“It’s good to be back out in public because these are the kinds of messages that I don’t think we get enough of — it’s the kind of messaging that I want to put out there.

“I don’t know what one state senator can do, you know, but I think if we all started to speak a little bit more in that tone and a little less of the rhetoric you see on whatever your preferred television station is, you know, maybe we could really start to come together and find some of these mutual solutions, to just getting over the hump here.”

“This is likely an endemic virus. We get the flu shot every year. It didn’t eradicate the flu. It just helps us to deal with the flu.

“I think more and more, as time goes on, thank God for the vaccine,” Burgess said.

“I think the reality is, it helps keep us healthy and safe,” he said.

“But at the end of the day, this could be something that we live with for the rest of our lives,” Burgess said.

So, in addition to being grateful for vaccinations, he’s also grateful for monoclonal antibodies that can help people who have become infected to avoid serious illness and hospitalization.

And, he expressed gratitude for those working in the trenches, in the battle against COVID-19.

“Thank God for our health care workers and everybody that’s on the front lines, doing so much every day. They didn’t have yesterday (Labor Day) off,” he said.

Navigating the pandemic requires flexibility
“I think we’ve come to that realization that this is a new normal, and that we can live with this. “We just have to do the right things and take the right steps.

“We’ve got to balance the safety and the need to make a living.”

One way the Florida Legislature has stepped in to support that was through legislation involving COVID liability.

“In order for you all to get your business doors back open, you needed to know that you didn’t have to be looking over your shoulder, every single day, and wondering when that litigation might start,” Burgess said.

He said Florida’s approach to reopening received rave reviews from people around the country that he and his family met, while vacationing over the summer at national parks.

Burgess said they told him they wished they lived in Florida.

He attributed their attitude to the way Florida has responded to the pandemic.

“We are open for business,” Burgess said. “In a lot of ways, we’ve trusted Floridians to make the right decisions.”

Florida also has led the way in making monoclonal antibodies available, Burgess said.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has done something that no other state has done, by creating mobile labs, where people can get the treatments.

“It’s something that we need to make readily available to the public,” he said, but like many issues, it has become hyper-political.

“They’re actually wonderful. Nobody is promoting them as an alternative to vaccination. That’s the spin. The monoclonal antibodies are almost like miracle treatments. We’re promoting tools in the toolbelt and we want people to have access to a lot of things,” Burgess said.

He also addressed some big issues that will be addressed in the 2022 legislative session, including redistricting, which he described as a once-in-a-decade process.

“I got the opportunity to chair the legislative portion of that for the Senate and House maps.

“We will have a constitutional map. No question about it. We’re going to do this above-board and absolutely right,” Burgess said.

“As you can imagine, it’s going to be very controversial, no matter what we do,” he said.

But he pledged: “We are going to follow the letter of the law in doing so.

“If there is spin out there, just trust me, we’re going to do this right,” Burgess said.

Published September 15, 2021

Pasco County is adding two new elementary magnets

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During the past few years, Pasco County Schools has been adding to its slate of educational choices for parents and students, and two new options will become available in the 2022-2023 school year.

Centennial Elementary in Dade City and James M. Marlowe Elementary in New Port Richey are slated to become STEAM magnet schools.

The acronym STEAM means the schools will have an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

As magnet schools, Centennial and Marlowe will not have traditional boundaries.

The school district will use its school choice program, known as Pasco Pathways, to assign students to the schools.

Parent meetings will be held in October, to provide additional information.

Centennial’s meeting is set for Oct. 12 and Marlowe’s is set for Oct. 5. (Check with schools for additional details.)

As a result of dropping their traditional boundaries, the geographic areas currently zoned to the schools must be absorbed by other schools.

The Pasco County School Board will have public hearings on the proposed boundary changes for the schools on Nov. 16 and on Dec. 14.

Centennial and Marlowe will pattern themselves after Sanders Memorial Elementary, at 5126 School Road, in Land O’ Lakes.

Sanders Elementary recently was named a nationally certified magnet school by Magnet Schools of America. The distinction signifies that Sanders meets rigorous standards that define high-quality schools, according to a school district news release.

Centennial Middle and Bayonet Point Middle, which are middle magnet schools focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, also were named nationally certified magnet schools by the same organization.

In general, magnet schools feature themes and courses that are designed to attract students from outside traditional school boundaries.

Sanders Elementary became the district’s first magnet school in 2015, when it reopened, following a massive renovation. Most of the students attending Sanders live in the central part of Pasco County.

Centennial Elementary will provide a convenient option for students and families in East Pasco, to explore the same educational opportunities as those offered at Sanders. Marlowe will do the same in West Pasco.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning briefed the school board members at their Sept. 7 morning meeting, on the process the district will use, leading up to the switch. He said communications would be sent to families later in the day.

Centennial Elementary Principal Gretchen Rudolph-Fladd explained how the transition will work in a letter to parents, posted on the school’s website.

In part, she told parents: “Making a transition like this requires several steps. Some are significant, while others are formalities that have no impact on students.”

She posted some frequently asked questions and answers to those queries, too.

Here’s an excerpt of those FAQs. (To see the FAQs in their entirety, visit the school’s website at https://cenes.pasco.k12.fl.us).

Will our school have to close?
Technically, it will, but it will not impact students because it will close at the end of the 2021-2022 school year and will reopen at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.

Will parents have to apply to have their student remain at the school?
Yes, parents will need to make that desire known by applying via School Choice. Children currently attending the school will have “preferred” status and there is every expectation they will be able to remain at the school.

Why is a rezoning necessary?
Magnet schools do not have traditional zones, so nearby attendance zones will expand to include Centennial’s current attendance zone.

Will the current teachers lose their jobs?
No one will lose their job as a result of the transition to a STEAM magnet. However, staff changes will result. The expectation is that most teachers will remain, but others have opted to pursue a teaching position at a different school. Teachers wishing to transfer to a more traditional position will be able to do so.

Published September 15, 2021

Zaxby’s opens at Cypress Creek Town Center

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A look at the new Zaxby’s that opened, initially only for drive-thru customers, on Aug. 30, at 2153 Sun Vista Drive in Lutz. (Courtesy of Zaxby’s)

Zaxby’s has opened its newest restaurant at 2153 Sun Vista Drive in Lutz, near Costco.

The new Zaxby’s is owned and operated by Brad Harper, owner of Swamp Dawg LLC, and began operation on Aug. 30, initially for drive-thru customers only, according to a news release.

“Our team is thrilled to offer the Lutz community a new restaurant experience with delicious hand-breaded chicken and more,” Harper said, in the release. “We are tremendously excited to begin working with the community and to partner with local schools in the area.”

The 3,715-square-foot restaurant, located off Interstate 75 and the State Road 54/State Road 56 corridor, will have indoor seating available for 70 guests.

Third-party delivery will be offered at a later date.

Zephyrhills awards banquet postponed

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The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has postponed its “Award Winning Z’Hills” event that had been slated for Sept. 16. Details are being finalized regarding a new date and event particulars, and once they are known, they will be shared by the chamber. The banquet is held to show appreciation for members and the community, and to bestow awards.