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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Nest Hockey Academy approved for up to 150 students

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Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley wasn’t pleased with the way Nest Hockey Academy got its start in the district he oversees, but ultimately he made the motion to support the unique new school at 9175 McKendree Road, in Wesley Chapel.

Oakley complained that the initial approach used by the school to set up operations didn’t have adequate oversight by the county.

“The main issue with this project — is No. 1 — it was put in a residential area,” Oakley said.

The Pasco County Commission voted 4-0 to approve Nest Hockey Academy, at 9175 McKendree Road in Wesley Chapel, for up to 150 students. The approval came despite concerns raised by some area residents over potential impacts the hockey academy will have on their neighborhood. (FIle)

The applicants built the academy, after receiving a special exception for a school. However, the use was restricted to no more than 20 people on the site.

County planners said the applicants, Russ and Leann Henderson, were informed they would need a master-planned unit development rezoning, in order to use the site for 150 students.

The Hendersons then filed an MPUD request.

Planners and the Pasco County Planning Commission recommended approval of the request.

Neighbors, however, raised objections.

John Parlapiano, who lives on McKendree Road, told the county board: “I’m not against them, but I’m for my quality of life.”

He also noted that he’s a retired law enforcement officer and has concerns about the potential impacts of allowing alcohol sales at the site — which could be a possibility in the future.

County planners said the academy is an appropriate use for the site because it’s in the business core of Connected City — an area expected to attract a considerable amount of growth and a mixture of uses.

About a dozen students from the academy, dressed nicely, sat politely in the audience, while the county board deliberated the request.

During the public comment portion, one student told the board that this academy goes beyond teaching math, science, reading and social studies, and helps to shape students into good people.

The student’s mom, speaking on behalf of parents who support the request, said the Hendersons are providing a unique opportunity and she asked for the board’s support.

Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey noted that the area where the academy will operate is in the midst of massive change. 

In approving the request, the board also required the applicant to improve McKendree Road up to county standards, between the school and Tyndall Road.

The applicant also is required to provide right of way for a future vision road, known as Boyette Road.

Published June 14, 2023

What is the best path for the Orange Belt Trail?

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) — Pasco’s lead transportation planning agency — is expected to get an update on planning efforts for the Orange Belt Trail in July.

As envisioned, the 37-mile Orange Belt Trail will stretch from Trinity to Trilby and will provide regional connectivity.

It’s also expected to enhance the existing and planned regional trail network by providing key connections to the Coast-to-Coast Trail, Starkey Trail, Suncoast Trail and Withlacoochee Trail, according to information on the Orange Belt Trail’s website.

As work continues on developing a plan for the Orange Belt Trail, a desire has voiced for amenities such as wayfinding, trail heads including restrooms and water fountains, and paths that are away from busy roads. (File)

The 12- to 14-foot multi-use trail is expected to link communities such as Trinity, Odessa, Land O’Lakes, Wesley Chapel and Dade City to help fuel economic transformation.

It will be open to pedestrians and bicyclists, and possibly for equestrian use in some areas.

Generally, it will follow the path of the Orange Belt Railway, but deviations are expected.

Although planners have not honed in on the exact path yet, there’s been considerable discussion on what should be included and there’s been pushback from some areas that do not want the trail.

Tina Russo, a transportation planner for the Pasco MPO, recently gave that board an overview of some of the thoughts that have been surfacing — including input from public meetings held in December and April. She also shared suggestions from the MPO’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) and its Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC).

The project is being led by Sam Benick, a Pasco County project manager, along with county staff and consultants.

“We had an in-depth conversation with our CAC committee and our BPAC on this alignment,” said Russo, who devotes much of her time to seeking ways to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Russo said she spent more than an hour discussing the issue with BPAC members.

“These guys have waited years to provide these comments,” she said.

She expects Beneck and the consultants to have an informal conversation about the Orange Belt Trail planning efforts during the MPO board’s July meeting.

“That (Orange Belt) rail line is what the Pinellas Trail is on and what the Coast-to-Coast is on,” Russo said. “That line has been on Pasco mapper for quite a few years and, now, we’re finally getting to study it.”

Providing access to natural areas is another thing that trail planners are keeping in mind, as they work on the alignment for the Orange Belt Trail.

During public sessions on the project in April, questions arose about the potential alignment in certain parts of West Pasco, Land O’ Lakes and Dade City, Russo said.

While the trail alignment is not yet clear, there’s obviously considerable interest in the project.

Russo estimated more than 150 people attended public meetings on the project in December and a considerable number of comments have been submitted on the Orange Belt Trail’s website.

Public input is being used to help determine such things as where trailheads should go and the locations of trail crossings, Russo said.

“We got a good idea of what people want and don’t want,” Russo said.

“We found out that people wanted a paved trail and they wanted it kind of in the woods,” she said.

They’d like to keep a separation between the trail and traffic, to help keep trail users safe.

In a perfect world, the trail users would like 100 feet of right of way, consisting of a clear zone and trees, Russo said.

“We can do that in some places,” the transportation planner said.

In some places, though, the right of way will be smaller.

There may be some places, where the trail is on a road, with a separation from cars, Russo said. That may be necessary, in order to make a desired connection, she explained.

For instance, there’s a trail in New York that traverses the entire state, but portions of it are on the road, Russo said.

Members of the public also have weighed in on amenities they’d like to see.

“They wanted trailheads with restrooms. That’s always a big one,” Russo said.

Other requests include water fountains, wayfinding (directional signage) and grade-separated crossings.

Finding ways to connect with existing trails is another element being considered by planners of the Orange Belt Trail, which ultimately is expected to stretch across Pasco County, from Trinity to Trilby.

Planning can make a real difference in creating an effective trail system, Russo said.

“If we build a trail correctly, in a community, you need less trailheads.

“If we build this right, we want you to be able to ride from your house and not have to build trailheads, if possible,” she said.

Proper planning also can reduce the need for overpasses, Russo added.

“Overpasses are expensive. They’re about $15 million. And not everybody uses them.

“We want to try to actually design a trail that we can cross the road safely, without planning to build an overpass that might take 10 or 15 years to build,” Russo said.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley said property owners from Blanton to Trilby don’t want the trail to align with the Orange Belt Trail because portions of the former rail line are now on private land.

Oakley suggested looking at a different route, perhaps further to the east.

Oakley said he would love to see a trail that would accommodate equestrian users.

He also envisions the possibilities of having camp spots for equestrian trail users, on the west side of the county, on the east side and in the Green Swamp.

“We haven’t done much for equestrian, but we do have a lot of people who love horses and love riding horses,” Oakley said.

Orange Belt Trail
The Orange Belt Trail is intended to be a trail that crosses Pasco County, linking Trinity to Trilby and providing connections to the Coast-to-Coast Trail, the Starkey Trail, the Suncoast Trail and the Withlacoochee Trail. It also will link such communities as Trilby, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel and Dade City. For additional details on the Orange Belt Trail project, visit OrangeBeltTrail.com.

Published June 14, 2023

Hillsborough County’s parks and recreation get national attention

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Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation is one of four finalists across the country for the quality of its parks and recreational facilities and programming. (File)

Hillsborough County’s Parks & Recreation has been named one of the top parks and recreation programs in the country, according to a county news release.

The program is one of four national finalists in the Class 1 Category for the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence.

This is the second consecutive year that the program has been singled out for its excellence, by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration.

Class 1 includes the nation’s largest parks and recreation departments, serving populations of more than 400,000.

Only one department will receive the highest award, the Grand Plaque, which will be awarded in September.

Here are some key facts about Hillsborough’s parks and recreation department and its programming:

  • It offers offers more than 1,700 partnered, athletic programs that have 503,000 visits annually.
  • It manages 167 parks, 223 sports fields, 118 playgrounds, 54 recreation centers, 47 athletic complexes, 10 dog parks, six cemeteries, and five splash pads.
  • It is estimated that these facilities result in nearly $50 million in increased property values.
  • Its $9 million Athletic Turf Initiative aims to ensure high-quality playing conditions for 40,000 youth athletes and a $3.5 million Americans with Disabilities Transition Plan assists in removing physical barriers.
  • Lucy Dell Community Pond, once an overgrown, littered water basin dividing two neighborhoods, has been transformed by installing a boardwalk, fitness station and walking trail, creating an urban oasis.
  • A $10 million investment turned a decommissioned wastewater treatment plant into a destination park, which attracts more than 603,000 visits a year.
  • A former landfill site has been converted into the county’s first drone racing park.
  • Hillsborough County Adaptive Sports (HCAS) is the only team representing a government agency in the USA Wheelchair Football League (USAWFL).
  • Hillsborough County Adaptive Sports hosted the USAWFL tournament at the Tampa Convention Center in August 2022.
  • A Wellness Access Pass was created to promote healthy lifestyles. For $10.75 per month, participants receive access to county-owned fitness centers and open gyms.
  • Move Hillsborough activities served more than 78,000 people in 2022.
  • The annual Hillsborough County Hiking Spree encourages residents to “Take a hike!’’ and highlights 22 trails that encompass everything from paved neighborhood trails to primitive treks.

Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal awards program honors park and recreation agencies in the United States and military installations worldwide that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and community engagement. Applicants are placed into six classes, with five based on population and one class for Armed Forces installations. The award is given by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association.

Published June 14, 2023

Prelude to a festive song

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Paul Lewis can’t play the song — but he wrote it.

Such is the life of some composers, including this one.

Lewis is a musician and the owner of Prelude Academy of the Arts, a music school in downtown Dade City.

Paul Lewis, the Dade City native, musician and owner of Prelude Academy of the Arts, had a song he composed featured in the 7th New Music on the Bayou Festival from May 31 to June 3 in Monroe and Ruston, Louisiana. (Mike Camunas)

Over the course of two years, he composed and wrote a beautiful cello/electronic music piece — titled ‘Xenon’ — which was selected to be played in the 7th New Music on the Bayou Festival from May 31 to June 3 in Monroe and Ruston, Louisiana.

Lewis, a talented musician, plays several instruments, including the double bass.

But he can’t play this song he composed.

“It’s a great honor to be chosen for the festival, but, sadly, no, I can’t play it — it’s way above my level,” said the 35-year-old Dade City native, who also plays in the Dade City Orchestra. “I wrote it for a very talented cellist, Eduard Teregulov, who will do a chamber performance in Monroe.

Sheet music composed by Paul Lewis, owner of Prelude Academy of the Arts in downtown Dade City.

“When I was writing this piece, Edward asked me to write him the piece for the cello and had no idea what it would be about. As a composer, I really feel the need to have hooks (in the piece), otherwise, I don’t see the point, and I don’t think anyone is going to remember if it doesn’t have interesting hooks,” the composer said.

He acknowledges as he sat down to write the score, he was still trying to figure out what direction he was going in, the motifs, rhythms and hooks.

But then he stumbled upon inspiration.

“I came across this wonderful Greek proverb,” Lewis said. “‘A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.’ … That’s powerful. I wanted this piece to be about that, and it’s a little political, but I really do believe in that phrase … and the biggest issue I have is the stifling of innovation — that I don’t understand and I think this piece is about not doing that.”

The percussion studio room at Prelude Academy of the Arts in Dade City.

Xenon is a dense, colorless, odorless noble gas found in Earth’s atmosphere in trace amounts. However, xenon can be used to balance out nuclear fission, which inspired the innovation part of Lewis’ piece.

In the end, it was the Greek proverb that moved him.

“I don’t like to be practical with music — I like to hint subtly in it,” he said.

The festival received 337 submissions from 180 different applicants from 34 states and 18 countries. Lewis became one of 50 composers whose work was selected for the weeklong celebration. 

Lewis and his wife, Charlotte, who is co-owner of Prelude Academy, attended the festival so they could “get to see it played and played well by someone who is good and someone we know,” she said. 

It was a musical trip worth the wait.

Charlotte Lewis, owner of Prelude Academy of the Arts in downtown Dade City, works on some guitar lessons with a student.

“I heard it through all its stages of development — from ‘What do you think of this?’ and ‘What do you think of that?’ Every part,” Charlotte said. “I make the noise — I don’t write it, so I only know composing through Paul, but it’s nice to see his project where he has all this creativity pouring into it and I can just look at it from the outside and offer a gentle critique.

“We joke because I tell him, ‘I would tell you if I didn’t like it,’” she continued. “It’s a delicate balance being the married couple and working partners, because if something doesn’t sound good, we want to be supportive, but still give real feedback.

“So, he might pout and then rewrites.” 

The couple opened their flourishing music academy in November 2021, and have seen an influx of local musicians walk through its doors. Those learning music there are both experienced and aspiring, and they use all kinds of instruments to create classical to pop.

Students range from age 80 to 18 months.

The academy’s growth has happened faster than its owners expected — creating the need to hire three more instructors to respond to the demand. Paul teaches percussion and piano, while Charlotte gives guitar lessons. One of their instructors gives lessons on trumpets, bagpipes and other brass instruments.

And the reception from the Dade City community has been music to their ears.

“We love that Dade City is invested in us,” Charlotte said. “And the music.”

‘Xenon’ by Paul Lewis
Details: Paul Lewis’ piece for cello and electronics was featured in the 7th New Music on the Bayou Festival from May 31 to June 3 in Monroe and Ruston, Louisiana. The festival received 337 submissions from 180 different applicants from 34 states and 18 countries. Lewis became one of 50 composers selected for the festival.
To hear the score, visit Soundcloud.com/plewismusic/xenon.
To learn more about the festival, visit NewMusicOnTheBayou.com, and to learn more about Prelude Academy of the Arts, 14249 Seventh St. Dade City, visit PreludeAcademy.com.

Published June 14, 2023

New stamp pane features Florida panther

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America’s natural bounty includes a variety of unique and priceless wildlife. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which marks its 50th anniversary in 2023, more than 1,300 imperiled plant and animal species are safeguarded to increase their chances of survival, according to a news release. The Florida panther is among the endangered species.

The endangered Florida panther will be featured on the U.S. Postal Service’s new stamp pane. (Courtesy of the United States Postal Service)

The First-Day-Of-Issue stamp dedication ceremony for the United State Postal Service’s new collector edition took place on May 19.

The pane, which may be purchased at local post offices, presents a photographic portfolio of 20 endangered animal species, which are found within the 50 states and American territories and possessions or living near U.S. borders.

The endangered species featured include: the Laysan teal, black-footed ferret, Roanoke logperch, thick-billed parrot, candy darter, Florida panther, masked bobwhite quail, Key Largo cotton mouse, Lower Keys marsh rabbit, Wyoming toad, Vancouver Island marmot, golden-cheeked warbler, Guam Micronesian kingfisher, San Francisco garter snake, Mexican gray wolf, Attwater’s prairie chicken, Nashville crayfish, piping plover, desert bighorn sheep and Mississippi sandhill crane.

The endangered creatures on the stamps are selected from among more than 13,000 species featured in Joel Sartore’s National Geographic Photo Ark project, which aims to document every species living in the world’s zoos, aquariums and wildlife sanctuaries; inspire action through education; and help protect wildlife by supporting on-the-ground conservation efforts, the release said.

In the 50 years since President Richard Nixon signed the ESA into law on Dec. 27, 1973, other nations worldwide have emulated the pioneering U.S. initiative. The ESA provides a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species and their habitats both domestically and abroad.

Scientists estimate that hundreds of species have been rescued from the brink of extinction in the United States since the ESA began. A species found to need protection is listed under the ESA as either threatened or endangered, the latter defined as “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range,” the release said.

Published June 14, 2023

Pasco Schools offers free food program

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Pasco County Schools’ Summer Food Service program will provide breakfasts and lunches, Monday through Thursday, to anyone age 18 and younger, now until July 28, according to a news release.

Students attending PLACE or Extended School year programs at the various participating schools will receive their meals on campus while attending the program.

Meals will be available at the following schools:

  • Central Pasco: Crews Lake Middle; Dr. Mary Giella Elementary; Shady Hills Elementary
  • East Pasco: Centennial Elementary; East Pasco Education Academy; New River Elementary; Pasco High; Pasco Middle; Quail Hollow Elementary; R.B. Cox Elementary; R.B. Stewart Middle; San Antonio Elementary; Woodland Elementary; and Zephyrhills High.
  • West Pasco: Anclote Elementary/High; Chasco Elementary; Cotee River Elementary; Dayspring Academy (Harmony location); West Pasco Education Academy; Fivay High; Fox Hollow Elementary; Gulf Highlands Elementary; Gulfside Elementary; Gulf Middle; Hudson Primary Academy; Mittye P. Locke Elementary; Moon Lake Elementary; Richey Elementary; Schrader Elementary; Sunray Elementary; Wendell Krinn Technical High; and West Pasco Education Academy.

Additionally, buses will stop to provide lunch, Monday through Thursday, at these locations:

  • Hilltop Landings Apartments, 37611 Colina Drive, Dade City
  • Resurrection House Park, 37124 Lock St., Dade City
  • Trilby United Methodist Church, 37504 Trilby Road, Dade City
  • Zephyrhills YMCA, 37301 Chapel Hill Loop, Zephyrhills
  • Zephyr Park, 38116 Fifth Ave., Zephyrhills

For information and questions, email .

Published June 14, 2023

Recycling can benefit the environment

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Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

That is the mission of the Pasco County Recycling and Education Department, as it is “committed to reducing the waste stream through recycling, encouraging environmental stewardship, and providing educational resources for residents about the benefits of recycling and waste reduction,” according to its website.

Recycling can reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. It can conserve natural resources such as timber, water and minerals, and can prevent pollution and reduce greenhouse gasses.

In Pasco County, these items can be recycled: aluminum cans, cardboard, metal food cans, paper, plastic bottles and containers.

Items that cannot be recycled include: glass, juice and milk cartons, plastic bags, Styrofoam, tanglers, and anything wet or dirty.

There are size restrictions as well — Pasco County does not recycle items that are larger than a cat litter container or smaller than your fist.

Pasco County Solid Waste and Recycling offers these drop-off locations:

  • East Pasco Recycling Center, 9626 Handcart Road in Dade City. Open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additional materials accepted. Call 352-521-0500.
  • Holiday Area Recycling, Anclote Gulf Park, 2305 Baillies Bluff Road, Holiday. Open Wednesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Land O’ Lakes Area Recycling, Senior Services Center, 6801 Wisteria Loop, Land O’ Lakes. Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
  • West Pasco Recycling Center, 14606 Hays Road in Spring Hill. Open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional materials accepted. Call 727-857-2780.

The county’s Recycling and Education Department also provides free educational presentations for groups and communities.

For more details on acceptable items and to learn more about program presentations, visit Pascocountyfl.net/546/Recycling.

Published June 14, 2023

Local partnership yields regional award

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A collaboration between the Pasco County Cooperative Extension Service and Pasco Economic Development Council’s SMARTstart Entrepreneurship Program has received an award in the 29th annual Future of the Region Awards.

Here’s a look at some of the commercial equipment used at the incubator kitchen, which operates at the Stallings Building, also known as The One Stop Shop, in Dade City. The kitchen resulted from a partnership between The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences-Pasco County Extension, Pasco Economic Development Council’s SMARTstart Entrepreneur Program and Pasco County. (File)

The honor recognizes the partnership for creating an incubator kitchen at the One Stop Shop in Dade City, according to a Pasco County news release.

“It’s an absolute honor to receive this award,” Dr. Whitney Elmore, director of Pasco Extension, said in the release. “Our goal for the kitchen is to help local businesses launch, grow and contribute to our economy.”

The incubator kitchen uses commercial kitchen equipment donated by Welbilt Inc.

Since the kitchen began operation in 2019, it has attracted 17 incubator members, who are now operating successful locations or catering businesses throughout the area, according to the release.

“It has been extremely fulfilling to provide guidance and support to the incubator members and watch as this partnership helped launch 45 new, food-related businesses right here in Pasco County,” Dan Mitchell, SMARTstart program director, said in the release.

To learn more about the Incubator Kitchen, visit MyPas.co/IncubatorKitchen.

The Future of the Region Awards recognize programs and projects that exemplify regionalism and also recognize outstanding achievements and contributions benefiting the Tampa Bay community.

To learn more about the regional awards, visit TBRPC.org/for/.

Published June 14, 2023

Tampa temporarily changes water disinfection process

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The Tampa Water Department is temporarily using a different water disinfection process, which will continue until July 3.

The switch began on June 12 and is part of the city’s routine maintenance to preserve drinking water quality, according to a city news release.

Customers may experience a change in their drinking water’s smell, color, and taste during this time, the release says.

The department is temporarily using chlorine instead of chloramine — which is a mix of ammonia and chlorine—  to disinfect its drinking water.

This is a routine and temporary adjustment to help prevent bacteria from developing in water mains and service lines, according to the city.

Customers who are sensitive to chlorine can take several steps to minimize the effects of the change, the release says.

Those options include:

  • Running the tap for a few minutes before using the water
  • Filling a pitcher of water and letting it sit for several hours to allow any residual chlorine to evaporate
  • Considering the installation of a carbon filter on kitchen/bathroom faucets or shower heads or replacing existing filters with new ones

This routine change was delayed due to seasonal drought conditions. The Hillsborough River Reservoir is now back to normal levels thanks to recent rains.

For more information, contact the City of Tampa Utilities Department at 813-274-8811, or visit Tampa.gov/ChlorineDisinfection.

Published June 14, 2023

Hugh Embry finishes $2-million renovation, reopens to public

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Hugh Embry Branch Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City, reopened to the public on May 30, after a two-year hiatus, for renovations.

Patrons were eager to begin using the updated library, which encountered some delays during its upgrade due to COVID and supply issues.

Hugh Embry Library in Dade City reopened its doors on May 30, following a $2-million renovation that included a complete overhaul and remodel of the branch. (Courtesy of Pasco County Libraries)

The library now features new furnishings, lighting, computer, printers and even faster broadband.

It was cleared of its contents in early to mid-2021, to set the stage for the $2 million renovation.

It was the first time the branch had been renovated since 1991, when it was expanded under a $10 million bond referendum that Pasco County voters passed in 1986 to improve public library services and build new parks countywide.

Founded in 1904, the Hugh Embry Library is the oldest in Pasco County. Its namesake, the then 25-year-old Embry, had exhausted books he could borrow from friends. He raised $50 to start a library and called it the Shakespeare Club. He chose books and ran the library out of his family home until his death from tuberculosis in 1907.

The Pasco Library Association was established to manage the library, and aided by The Dade City Woman’s Club. In 1927, the woman’s club began loaning books to the general population for free, out of a room in the Herbert Massey Building. Within a month of its opening, the library had attracted 440 registered borrowers.

For years, the library was unincorporated, though it continued to grow. It wasn’t until 1952 that Dade City gave property across the street from City Hall for a library building, and in 1953, the City took over responsibility for the library.

It would take another 10 years before the library finally moved to its current location.

After the Pasco County Library Cooperative was founded in 1980, it began operating and maintaining the Hugh Embry Branch under a no-cost lease. In 1988, the Dade City Commission sold the library to Pasco County for $150,000.

Additionally, Pasco County Libraries is reaching out to the public to complete its 2023 Customer Satisfaction Survey. The survey can be taken at any Pasco County branch or online at bit.ly/423cTMH until July 22.

Published June 07, 2022