The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Kathy Steele

Ballantrae Village is adding more shops

By

Taco Bell is the newest tenant at the Shoppes of Ballantrae Village.

The Mexican fast-food restaurant joins DQ Grill & Chill and Circle K in a retail shopping plaza that is almost fully constructed, off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

Within 30 days, Dunkin’ Donuts is expected to open in a spot between Taco Bell and DQ Grill & Chill.

Taco Bell is open for business at the Shoppes of Ballantrae Village. The fast-food restaurant joins Circle K and DQ Grill & Chill. (Kathy Steele)

In March, more shops, a spa, a dental office and a Japanese restaurant will open, said David McComas, chief executive officer of European Equities Corporation. His firm is handling tenant negotiations for the plaza.

The list of tenants includes Domino’s Pizza, T-Mobile and Hungry Greek.

Dentist Lisa Brooks also will occupy one suite, and Casablanca Spa will be in another.

“It will be nice. It will create some balance,” McComas said. “I think it will have a lot of curb appeal. Everything is coming out tastefully.”

The current list of shops and restaurants aren’t all that will open.

Three additional parcels are currently under negotiations, McComas said. And, another outparcel on the opposite side of Aprile Drive, across from Taco Bell, likely will have a day care center, he said.

One access point into the plaza is at Aprile Drive, a new road that intersects with State Road 54, by the Taco Bell on the eastern boundary. Entry also onto Aprile Drive and the plaza can be made at the entrance into Ballantrae subdivision, farther west at Ballantrae Boulevard, by Circle K.

The area is bustling with new development, spurred in part by about 50,000 vehicles that drive along the state road daily. And, new residential is bringing more customers to the area.

The Ballantrae community is built on about 436 acres, has six villages and about 970 homes.

To the south of Ballantrae, Long Lake Ranch homes are under construction. Northward, Bexley Ranch and Asturia are adding new subdivisions, with single family homes and apartments.

And, Mystic Pointe is a new apartment complex under construction at Meadowbrook Drive.

Published January 10, 2018

Compark 75 sold to Atlanta investors

By

Compark 75, a Class A industrial park off Wesley Chapel Boulevard, is under new ownership, according to a news release from Cushman & Wakefield.

Rick Brugge, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield

The real estate services company negotiated the sale of five buildings at the park to MDH Atlantic Acquisitions LLC. The Atlanta-based real estate investment company has more than 11 million square feet of properties in the southeastern United States.

Rick Brugge, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield; Mike Davis, vice chairman; and Michael Lerner, executive director, negotiated the sale as part of Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets team. They represented HR Pasco LLP, and closed the deal in November.

The sales price was not made available.

According to the news release, Compark 75 is the only Class A facility currently serving the northeast Tampa Bay area, including north Hillsborough and south Pasco counties.

“It tends to attract very good leases and a high quality of tenants,” said Brugge, president of Cushman & Wakefield.

Compark 75 has about 286,000 square feet in five small-bay, light industrial buildings.  The buildings are about 91 percent occupied, with about 26,000 square feet available for lease.

The space could be suitable for two to three new tenants, said Brugge.

Current tenants include the Pasco County Tax Collector, U.S. General Services Administration, Ortho Technology, Morgan Auto Group and Streetside Classics.

The 165-acre site is zoned industrial, and is suitable for warehouse, manufacturing and office uses. About 105 acres is a wetlands and conservation area.

The five buildings were built between 2007 and 2016, using “tilt-wall” construction, where concrete panels are poured on site and later tilted into place. Suites range from 3,300 square feet to more than 41,000 square feet. Features include rear-loading docks, 18-foot to 24-foot clear heights, early suppression fire sprinkler systems and 118-foot truck courts.

Compark 75 recently sold to an Atlanta-based investment company, MDH Atlantic Acquisitions LLC. The park has five industrial buildings that are close to fully occupied. (Courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield)

While the park is largely leased to tenants, two industrial condominiums under private business ownership are located at Compark 75. They weren’t included in the sale.

The Pet Lane mailing address for Compark 75 puts it in Lutz, but the 165-acre site is located off County Road 54 (Wesley Chapel Boulevard), about halfway between the interchanges of State Road 54 and State Road 56, with Interstate 75.

Suncoast Parkway is about 12 miles to the west. And, the Tampa Aero Park is on the park’s northern boundary.

The park provides diversity to the central Pasco area, which is booming with residential and retail development, such as The Shops at Wiregrass, Estancia, Bexley, and Tampa Premium Outlets.

In 2014 owner Larry Morgan launched a $15 million expansion of the privately-developed park. Morgan is the founder of Tires Plus, and his family-owned business has several automobile dealerships. Gov. Rick Scott attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion.

The construction marked the first major investment in commercial office construction in Pasco County since the real estate crash in 2008.

Published January 10, 2018

Business Digest 01/10/2018

By

CORRECTION:
Wesley Chapel chamber gets a new home

The Greater Wesley Chamber of Commerce has moved to a new location.

As of Jan. 2, its new offices are at 1868 Highland Oaks Blvd., Suite A, in Lutz.

The chamber previously had its offices in The Grove at Wesley Chapel.

For additional information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534 or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

Living Food Bakery open house
Living Food Bakery & Café will have an open house Jan. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 38201 10th Ave., in Zephyrhills.

There will be free samples of bakery and cage items throughout the day.

Live music begins at 5 p.m.

The bakery and café is a farm-to-table experience offering breads, pastries, subs and salads. Classes in the healthy benefits of essential oils also are taught free of charge.

For information, call (813) 399-4467, or visit Facebook.com/livingfoodbakery/

Medical center open house
The Medical Center of Trinity will host an open house at its soon-to-open ER 24-7 on Jan. 13 from 9 a.m. to noon, at 1430 Dale Mabry Highway, next to Walmart in Lutz.

The open house will feature tours of the emergency room and an opportunity to speak with the health care staff members.

Children can visit the teddy bear clinic and receive an ER 24-7 teddy bear that will be “examined” by ER nurses, get an X-ray and more.

Refreshments will be served.

ER 24-7 will provide traditional emergency room care, but will also have telemedicine capabilities. It will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for acute care of serious illness or injury. Patients will be accepted by ambulance, and there will be on-site CT scans, ultrasounds, X-rays and laboratory services.

The facility will have national certifications through its affiliation with the Medical Center of Trinity.

For information, call (727) 834-4867.

Coldwell Banker Top Realtors
Coldwell Banker F.I. Grey & Son Residential Inc., announced the following Top Realtors for the month of December.

Top listing agent by units and volume is Randal Jenkins; top selling agent by units and volume is Robert Werner; and, top producing agent by units and volume is Carolyn Hill.

Hispanic leaders lunch
The Hispanic Business Leaders of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will host a luncheon, open to members and guests, Jan. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center (renamed the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park), at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Guest speaker will be Melinda Velez of United Way of Pasco County.

The cost is $20 for chamber members or $18 if preregistered. For non-members, the cost is $25.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or register at PHHchamber.com/prepay-lunch/.

North Tampa luncheon
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will have its January 2018 Momentum Thursday on Jan. 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Joseph’s John Knox Village, at 4100 E. Fletcher Ave., in Tampa.

Guest speaker will be Lee Bolin of the Foundation for the Civilly Disadvantaged.

For early bird registration, RSVP online with credit card or to the chamber office at by 5 p.m., Jan. 10, at the discounted rate of $20 (whether you eat or not).

After that date, the cost is $25 (whether you eat or not), payable at the door by cash, check or credit card.

For information, call the chamber office at (813) 563-0180, or visit NorthTampaChamber.com.

Alliance Property Management ribbon cutting
Alliance Property Management will have a ribbon cutting Jan. 12 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at 5814 Old Pasco Road, in Wesley Chapel.

Refreshments will be served

For information, call The Greater Wesley Chamber of Commerce at (813) 994-8534, or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

Coffee social
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly coffee social Jan. 16 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Buttermilk Provisions, 2653 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite 117, in Wesley Chapel.

Join chamber members in a “no agenda” get-together over a free cup of coffee.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534, or email .

PanasonicCityNOW joins the Pasco EDC
Program Manager Amie Devero, of PanasonicCityNOW, joined the board of directors of the Pasco Economic Development Council.

PanasonicCityNOW joined the Pasco EDC as a corporate council-level investor.

“The innovation and technology PanasonicCityNOW brings to the table is crucial in a time when technology is ever-changing,” said Bill Cronin, president and chief executive officer of the Pasco EDC.

CityNOW is inspired by the Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town, a Panasonic-led development in Japan, about 30 miles outside Tokyo. With a special focus on the United States, the company supports smart and sustainable developments, neighborhoods, campuses, districts and cities.

The Pasco EDC’s board is responsible for governing the organization and guiding its economic strategy. It works in partnership with Pasco County in promoting economic growth in the county.

For information, visit PascoEDC.com.

Shadow Training Center
Representatives of B & W Associates have filed a pre-application and were set to meet with Pasco County planners Dec. 26 to discuss a proposal for a private training facility outside Dade City, with shooting ranges for law enforcement and civilian shooters, according to county records.

The pre-application meeting is only an initial discussion of the proposal.

The facility, at 12955 Bellamy Brothers Blvd., would keep as much as possible of the natural landscape and incorporate shooting ranges surrounding the property.

The project is under contract pending the county’s approval, according to the pre-application submitted by B & W Associates.

Economic development briefing
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its monthly economic briefing for Jan. 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Hunter’s Green Country Club, 18101 Longwater Run Drive in Tampa.

Guest speaker will be Loren Rhodes, of the Rhodes Group. He will talk about the Hyatt Place Hotel and Convention Center.

The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

For information, email the chamber at ., or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

Dispute involves value for Mirada school site

By

Developers for master-planned communities Epperson and Mirada won unanimous approval for updates on their projects in the Connected City.

But, the vote by Pasco County commissioners on Dec. 12 left unresolved a dispute between Metro Development Group and Pasco County Schools over the value of a Mirada school site.

Also unresolved is the timing for construction of the Mirada school, which will have students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Metro Development has agreed to donate a minimum of 44 acres in Mirada for the future school. However, school officials can opt for less acreage.

Developers pledged about 11 acres in Epperson for an elementary school.

But, it is the Mirada school site that is at the center of the differing opinions.

The appraised value of the land affects the calculation of Metro’s impact fees and credits, and the revenues available to the school district to build the school.

The credits will be based on the actual acreage given to the school district and a fair market value appraisal of the site.

School officials want to rely on 115 percent of the Pasco County property appraisal. They say that is a general standard used in other school site negotiations.

Instead, Metro Development will be able to get private appraisals, which generally tend to be higher than county appraisals.

That puts the school district at a disadvantage, said Ray Gadd, the district’s deputy superintendent.

“It’s a big issue when the economy is growing because land is at a premium,” he said.

Metro Development representatives see it differently.

Epperson and Mirada are within the borders of the state-approved Connected City corridor, which encompasses about 7,800 acres in northeast Pasco.

The state authorized, and the Pasco County Commission approved, a land development code for Connected City that includes a package of special conditions and incentives.

The special district is expected to attract commercial and residential projects that foster high-end technologies and innovative jobs.

Metro Development controls about 35 percent of the special district’s land.

Attorney Joel Tew, who represents Metro Development, said both sides can sit down and reach a mutual agreement on land values. Issues of where to build the school and the amount of land needed also are negotiable, he said.

“We’re happy to do that,” Tew said. “We clearly have to provide a school site that works.”

Another issue is the timing on school construction.

Metro Development is eager to get a school as soon as possible.

But, school officials say they can’t simply start building until Mirada is filling up with residents, and students.

“I can’t build schools where I don’t have bodies,” said Gadd.

The question is when will Mirada reach “critical mass” with enough students to justify opening a school, he said.

If Metro Development and school officials can’t reach an agreement on their issues, then the land would revert back to Metro Development.

Tew said developers might then seek out a charter or private school to locate in Mirada. (Charter schools must gain approval by the school board, but are operated privately).

Gadd hopes the negotiations on the school site begin sooner rather than later.

“The longer it goes, the higher the cost (of the land) goes,” Gadd said.

Published January 3, 2018

Epperson and Mirada approved for Connected City

By

Developers of Epperson and Mirada – the first Connected City communities – recently rezoned their master-planned communities.

Pasco County commissioners approved the changes, which consolidated prior approvals under the umbrella of the state-approved Connected City corridor.

The corridor covers about 7,800 acres in northeast Pasco County. Its borders are Interstate 75, State Road 52, and Curley and Overpass roads.

Construction is underway at both developments. Epperson will soon be the first North American community to open a Crystal Lagoon.

The 7.5-acre lagoon, with its crystal blue waters, is a featured amenity offering pristine views, kayaking, swimming, paddle-boarding, cabanas and sandy beaches.

Mirada, with a total of about 1,800 acres, is expected to feature its own 10-acre lagoon.

At build-out, Mirada is expected to have the following:

  • More than 4,000 single-family houses
  • About 1,500 age-restricted single-family houses
  • About 900 apartments
  • About 421,000 square feet of retail
  • Nearly 288,000 square feet of office/medical/hospital/university
  • About 200 hotel rooms

Epperson, with a total of more than 900 acres, is expected to have the following:

  • More than 1,600 single-family houses
  • About 125 age-restricted single-family houses
  • About 550 apartments
  • More than 290,000 square feet of retail
  • More than 577,000 square feet of office/medical/hospital/university
  • About 200 hotel rooms

Published January 3, 2018

Crystal Lagoon ‘clear blue’ star at Epperson

By

The Crystal Lagoon at Epperson will have its grand debut in spring 2018, with Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps headlining the festivities.

Phelps is the global ambassador for Crystal Lagoon Inc., which built its first lagoon in Chile in 2006. The massive swimming pool, with a patented technology to keep its waters crystal clear, was the brainchild of biochemist and real estate developer Fernando Fischmann.

At Epperson, the 7.5-acre lagoon began filling up with approximately 16 million gallons of water, purchased from Pasco County.

An unidentified woman, in red, and an unidentified man look out at the Crystal Lagoon, which is a 7.5-acre manmade amenity at the master-planned community of Epperson. (Stefanie Burlingame)

With that task completed as of Dec. 26, Epperson, and Metro Development Group, soon will have the distinction of hosting its spring grand opening for the first Crystal Lagoon in North America.

A walkway overlooking the lagoon offers sweeping vistas of the blue waters, landscaping and ongoing construction at Epperson. Signage at an overlook tells the story of Connected City, the surrounding community of Epperson and the Crystal Lagoon.

About 70 homes are occupied at Epperson, according to Greg Singleton, president of Metro Development Group.

More homes are under construction, and additional lots are being prepared for even more homes.

When completed, the lagoon will be the featured centerpiece of the community. There will be swimming, kayaking and paddle-boarding activities. Even, small sailboats will skim over the surface. Residents and guests can hang out at Caribbean-style beaches and cabanas, slip down a waterslide, enjoy an entertainment plaza, join a yoga class or gather for special events.

Epperson may be the first — but four more Crystal Lagoons are on their way to Florida. Metro Development will break ground in spring on a second lagoon at its Southshore Bay community in Hillsborough County.

Another Crystal Lagoon also is planned for Mirada, a master-planned community next to Epperson.

Both Epperson and Mirada are part of the Connected City corridor, which encompasses about 7,800 acres in northeast Pasco County.

At build-out, the entire Connected City will have about 37,000 homes and more than 12 million square feet of commercial space. While Metro Development controls a large swath of Connected City, other developers also are expected to bring forth their proposals.

In addition to about 2,000 homes at Epperson, there will be office and retail, as well as education, medical and technology facilities. Saint Leo University and Tampa General Hospital are partners with Metro Development for state-of-the-art hospitals, schools and research centers.

For information, visit MetroDevelopmentGroup.com.

Published January 3, 2018

Business Digest 01/03/2018

By

SMARTstart workshop
The Pasco Economic Development Council will host a 10-week SMARTstart CO.STARTERS workshop for small business owners and entrepreneurs beginning Jan. 16 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the SMARTstart Entrepreneur Center, 37837 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

The sessions will be on Tuesday evenings, including a celebratory meeting in the 10th week.

The program will provide seasoned and aspiring entrepreneurs with insights, relationships and tools needed to turn ideas into action, and passions into sustainable and thriving endeavors.

The cost is $295 for 10 weeks of instruction and materials.

Participants must register online no later than 5 p.m., Jan. 8.

To register, visit SmartstartPasco.com.

Central Pasco general meeting
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have its general membership meeting Jan. 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Suncoast Parkway, at 2155 Northpointe Parkway in Land O’ Lakes.

Guest speaker will be Steven Roberto of TDI.

Members and guests are welcome.

The cost for members is $20 if you RSVP by Jan. 4, and $25 at the door for members and non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or email .

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet Jan. 9 at 7:30 a.m., at the IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Guest speaker will be Steve Spina, the Zephyrhills’ city manager.

For information, contact Chairman Nils Lenz at or (813) 782-9491; or Vice Chairwoman Vicky Jones at or (813) 431-1149.

Hispanic leaders lunch
The Hispanic Business Leaders of the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will host a luncheon, open to members and guests, Jan. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center (renamed the Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park), at 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

Guest speaker will be Melinda Velez of United Way of Pasco County.

The cost is $20 for chamber members or $18 if preregistered. For non-members, the cost is $25.

For information, contact the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or register at PHHchamber.com/prepay-lunch/.

Heart of Pasco award

The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will present its “Heart of Pasco” award Jan. 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., at Architectural Signage & Printing, at 6812 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

The award recognizes businesses that exemplify the chamber’s mission of aggressively advocating for the interests of our diverse business community by promoting business advancement, economic growth and jobs.

The event is free.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 909-2722, or email .

Membership lunch
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly membership lunch Jan. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Fox Hollow Golf Club, 10050 Robert Trent Jones Parkway in Trinity.

The cost is $20 in advance for members who register online by 3 p.m. Jan. 5. Thereafter, the cost is $25 at the door for members and non-members.

For information, call the chamber at (813) 994-8534, email , or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

SCORE seminar
SCORE will have a free seminar, “How to Use the Internet to Market Your Business,” Jan. 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Hugh Embry Branch Library, at 14215 Fourth Ave., in Dade City.

The seminar will focus on Internet marketing technologies, such as emails, newsletters, and social media.

To register, visit PascoHernando.score.org.

North Tampa luncheon
The North Tampa Chamber of Commerce will have its January 2018 Momentum Thursday on Jan. 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Joseph’s John Knox Village, at 4100 E. Fletcher Ave., in Tampa.

Guest speaker will be Lee Bolin of the Foundation for the Civilly Disadvantaged.

For early bird registration, RSVP online with credit card or to the chamber office at by 5 p.m., Jan. 10, at the discounted rate of $20 (whether you eat or not).

After that date, the cost is $25 (whether you eat or not), payable at the door by cash, check or credit card.

For information, call the chamber office at (813) 563-0180, or visit NorthTampaChamber.com.

PanasonicCityNOW joins the Pasco EDC
Program Manager Amie Devero, of PanasonicCityNOW, joined the board of directors of the Pasco Economic Development Council.

PanasonicCityNOW joined the Pasco EDC as a corporate council-level investor.

“The innovation and technology PanasonicCityNOW brings to the table is crucial in a time when technology is ever-changing,” said Bill Cronin, president and chief executive officer of the Pasco EDC.

CityNOW is inspired by the Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town, a Panasonic-led development in Japan, about 30 miles outside Tokyo. With a special focus on the United States, the company supports smart and sustainable developments, neighborhoods, campuses, districts and cities.

The Pasco EDC’s board is responsible for governing the organization and guiding its economic strategy. It works in partnership with Pasco County in promoting economic growth in the county.

For information, visit PascoEDC.com.

Shadow Training Center
Representatives of B & W Associates filed a pre-application and scheduled a Dec. 26 meeting with Pasco County planners to discuss a proposal for a private training facility outside Dade City, with shooting ranges for law enforcement and civilian shooters, according to county records.

The pre-application meeting is only an initial discussion of the proposal.

The facility, at 12955 Bellamy Brothers Blvd., would keep as much as possible of the natural landscape and incorporate shooting ranges surrounding the property.

The project is under contract pending the county’s approval, according to the pre-application submitted by B & W Associates.

Economic development briefing
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly economic briefing on Jan. 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Hunter’s Green Country Club, 18101 Longwater Run Drive in Tampa.

Guest speaker will be Loren Rhodes, of the Rhodes Group. He will talk about the Hyatt Place Hotel and Convention Center.

The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

For information, email the chamber at ., or visit WesleyChapelChamber.com.

Pasco reviewing lawsuit proposal linked to opioid epidemic

By

More than 15 years ago, a landmark settlement against tobacco companies netted billions of dollars for plaintiffs who sued over smoking-related illnesses.

The nation’s opioid epidemic may be headed in that same direction.

And, the Pasco County Commission is mulling a proposal to join a growing number of governments that are seeking to recoup public dollars spent battling opioid addictions.

At a Dec. 5 workshop in New Port Richey, Pensacola-based attorney Jeff Gaddy laid out a case for why Pasco should join the legal fray.

County commissioners made no commitment, but accepted a proposal for review.

“We’ll make a decision down the road,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Wells. “We know it’s an epidemic.”

If approved, legal action would be taken on a contingency basis, with Pasco paying no upfront costs and only paying attorneys in the event of a settlement.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, who attended the workshop, favors the lawsuit.

“This is a pill epidemic that didn’t have to happen,” he said.

Every deputy now carries a supply of Narcan, the brand name for naloxone. The medication can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Nocco said 40 people “have been brought back” by deputies and first responders administering Narcan.

Gaddy’s firm is among seven law firms litigating the issue in states including West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

The group has about 120 clients in more than 10 states, and to date has filed more than 80 lawsuits. Some lawsuits could eventually be consolidated into a single lawsuit.

“We are without a doubt the national leader in this litigation,” Gaddy said.

The lawsuits are filed against drug distributors and manufacturers. They allege false claims about the safety of opioids and a massive pill distribution that created a “public nuisance,” he said. “They should be held accountable for it.”

Distributors are required by law to report suspicious orders to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. But, Gaddy said those rules have been violated.

He cited reports from West Virginia that 780 million pills were distributed over six years in a state with about 1.8 million people.

“It was off the chart by any stretch of the imagination,” Gaddy said.

There are about 800 drug distributors, but Gaddy said three major distributors typically have been named as defendants in lawsuits. They are Cardinal Health, McKesson Corp., and Amerisource-Bergen.

The goal is to force plaintiffs to establish abatement funds that would pay for the drug damages to communities through education programs in schools, costs to law enforcement, and funds to support drug prevention and addiction recovery programs.

Gaddy said, “There is no county in the nation with enough beds to handle the flood of victims of their pills.”

Published December 27, 2017

Frontage roads in Pasco?

By

A citizen’s task force looking for traffic remedies for congested intersections of State Road 54 and State Road 56 has put together a mix of options, including a bypass consisting of parallel frontage roads.

The recommendations are focused primarily on two intersections on State Road 54 at Little Road, and at U.S. 41.

A bypass with a network of parallel frontage roads is one option selected by a task force to improve traffic flow at State Road 54 and U.S. 41. (File)

However, the 17-member volunteer task force also looked more broadly at major intersections along the entire corridor from U.S. 19 on the west to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east.

The parallel frontage roads are part of a proposal put forth by Jacksonville engineer Greg Parsons. It was a privately presented option at a task force meeting, and not part of the task force’s initial list of 11 highway and transit alternatives and a no-build option.

Task force members whittled down the list at a meeting on Nov. 30 in Land O’ Lakes. During the year, the task force had three public meetings, and a workshop.

The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization will meet Jan. 11 to consider the recommendations.

“The MPO will have to look at these and give the final say,” said Ali Atefi, transportation engineer with the MPO.

Once the MPO’s board determines a course of action, additional study on a road design will move forward in 2018. The focus will be only on the U.S. 41 and State Road 54 intersection.

The Florida Department of Transportation has money for additional study on that intersection, but no funding is available for the Little Road intersection, Atefi said.

Other task force recommendations included:

  • Elevated express lanes at major intersections, with express lanes at-grade elsewhere, and bus service in the express lanes.
  • No-build

At the U.S. 41 intersection, the task force also recommended an elevated lane combined with dedicated lanes for bus or rail and a continuous flow intersection.

The continuous flow intersection relies on turn lanes to keep traffic flowing.

Also, for major intersections along the entire corridor, the task force recommended elevated express lanes, with at-grade express lanes elsewhere, as well as dedicated bus or rail lanes and continuous flow.

These recommendations are intended to provide a permanent fix for traffic jams. But, in the interim, the state transportation department is preparing a temporary fix for U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

The intersection is one of the busiest in Pasco County, with about 100,000 vehicles passing through daily.

More than $752,000 is budgeted in 2018 for design work on a project to lengthen some turn lanes at the intersection for a better traffic flow. Construction is expected in 2019.

The state transportation department also has budgeted about $32 million to purchase right-of-way for whichever alternative project is selected for the major re-do of the intersection.

The task force could be asked to meet again in 2018 for additional discussions.

Published December 27, 2017

Monday hours at Land O’ Lakes library a hit

By

Residents are counting the ways that make Monday visits to the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library special.

They are using computers and taking wood shop lessons; reducing stress with tai chi and yoga; learning techniques for light painting photography; clicking needles in knitting classes; and just using the extra time to browse the bookshelves for a favorite read.

Gail Fowler is just one of the library patrons who is enjoying the restored Monday hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Volunteer Tom Cassidy, left, helps Gene McDaniel learn the woodworking techniques of making a bowl. (Kathy Steele)

She’s a fan of the library’s Internet access. She said she and her family use library computers for “just about everything,” including emails and searching the Web.

Before the hours were recently restored, library hours had fallen victim to the 2008 economic crash, and the ensuing shrinking budgets in the county.

Now, over the next three years as budgets allow, the goal is to restore library hours countywide to the 2008 standard of 40 hours a week per library.

It has taken a decade to begin reversing previous cuts.

The fiscal year 2018 budget, which began on Oct. 1, restored Monday hours for the Land O’ Lakes library and the Regency Park Branch Library in New Port Richey.

As word spreads, “we’re starting to increase the number of people that are coming,” said Kathleen Rothstein, Land O’ Lakes branch manager. “It’s great to offer additional night hours and a day.”

The library also is open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

On a recent Monday, teenagers did homework or got tutoring in the three study rooms at the library.

A teen photography class on how to do painting with light launched on Monday, and quickly filled up.

Ash Paudel, 13, works on a Christmas-themed sketch at a painting class for children taught by his mother, Anjana Thapa Paudel. About a half-dozen children came to the class, held on a Monday evening at Land O’ Lakes Branch Library.

“We’re hoping to turn it into a club, where they can acquire some fun skills,” said Danielle Cram, teen services librarian.

Artist Anjana Thapa Paudel volunteers to teach painting and drawing skills to children.

About a half-dozen students worked on a Monday night on a Christmas-based theme sketch.

Thapa Paudel also teaches knitting at the library’s Foundry.

“We made Santa pants this month,” she said.

Volunteer Tom Cassidy helped library patron, Gene McDaniel, make a bowl, on a Monday morning in the library’s makerspace, in the Foundry room.

It can get tricky to get the finer points right, Cassidy said. Sometimes, bowls end up with holes in the bottom and become funnels, he added.

McDaniel is a “snow bird” from Ohio, but when he’s in Pasco County, he likes to hang out at the Land O’ Lakes library and make things.

The library’s Monday hours means that he can do that more often.

“Now, I just come here and have fun,” McDaniel said.

His wife comes sometimes, too. McDaniel said she’d probably like to make a fancy French rolling pin.

Ray Penn worked on a couple of wood toys he planned to give as Christmas presents.

“I did this in high school,” said the retired truck driver. “It works out. I come here and kill three or four days.”

For information on dates and times for scheduled library events at Land O’ Lakes and other branch libraries, visit PascoCountyLibraries.org.

Published December 27, 2017