The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

West Nile Virus case confirmed in Hillsborough County

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The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County (DOH-Hillsborough) has confirmed a human case of the West Nile Virus, according to a health department news release.

The health department also reported an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity, and has announced a heightened concern that additional residents may become ill.

The Hillsborough County department of Mosquito Control and Hillsborough’s health department are continuing surveillance and prevention efforts.

A human case of West Nile Virus has been confirmed in Hillsborough County. Health officials urge residents to take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites. (File)

The health department is reminding residents and visitors to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and to take basic precautions to help limit exposure.

Remember the key words, drain and cover, when taking action to protect yourself.

Be sure to drain standing water to prevent mosquitoes from multiplying.

Items that should be drained include: Garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flowerpots or any other containers where sprinkler or rainwater has collected.

Other steps that should be taken:

  • Discard old tires, drums, bottles, cans, pots and pans, broken appliances and other items that aren’t being used.
  • Empty and clean birdbaths and pet’s water bowls at least once or twice a week.
  • Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that don’t accumulate water.
  • Keep pools in good condition, and be sure they are appropriately chlorinated.
  • Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use.

Also, protect yourself by covering your skin with clothing, or a repellent.

When in an area where mosquitoes are present, be sure to wear shoes, socks, and long pants and long sleeves.

Also, be sure to apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing.

Use mosquito netting to protect children younger than 2 months old.

Always be sure to read the label directions on the repellent to be sure you are applying a proper amount, to people in the appropriate age group, to the right places.

Keep mosquitoes out of your house by repairing broken screens on doors or windows.

For more information on what repellent is right for you, consider using the Environmental Protection Agency’s search tool to help you choose skin-applied repellent products.

The Florida Department of Health is continuing to conduct statewide surveillance for mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile virus infections, Eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, chikungunya and dengue.

Residents of Florida are encouraged to report dead birds, via the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s site.

West Nile Virus, symptoms and treatments

  • Eight out of 10 people infected with West Nile virus do not develop symptoms.
  • About one in five of those who are infected develop a fever with some other symptoms, such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
    • Most people with West Nile virus disease recover completely, but some can experience fatigue and weakness that can last for weeks or months.
  • About one in 150 people who are infected develop a severe illness affecting the central nervous system such as encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain, or meningitis, which is inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

In cases of severe illness, symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis.

Severe illness can occur in people of any age, but those over age 60 are at a greater risk.

Also, people with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants, also are at greater risk.

Recovery from severe illness might take several weeks or months. Some effects to the central nervous system might be permanent.

About one out of 10 people who develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system die.

See your health care provider if you develop symptoms described above. Your health care provider can order tests to look for West Nile virus infection.

There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatments for West Nile virus infection.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can be used to reduce fever and relieve some symptoms.

In severe cases, patients often need to be hospitalized to receive supportive treatment, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, and nursing care.

If you think you or a family member might have West Nile virus disease, talk with your health care provider.

To learn more about treatment, visit our Healthcare Providers page.

Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Published November 18, 2020

COVID-19 numbers continue to rise, caution urged

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Positive cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, both globally and locally.

The World Health Organization, as of the morning of Nov. 16, reported 53.8 million positive cases and 1.3 million deaths.

Cases were approaching the 11 million-mark in the United States, with about 245,000 deaths, according to a report the same day by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Florida, the Department of Health reported a total of 885,201 cases, including 872,810 residents. The state has charted 13,518 resident deaths and 216 non-residents.

Hillsborough County totals were 52,572 positive cases of residents and 335 non-residents. The county reported 857 deaths.

Pasco County’s figures stood at 12,425 positive cases among residents, and 122 in non-residents. It also has recorded 259 deaths.

Hillsborough County Schools reported 791 students had tested positive for the virus, while the figure stood at 559 for employees — bringing the district’s total to 1,350.

In Pasco County Schools, as of Nov. 16, there had been 391 student cases and 144 staff cases. A total of 7,053 students were impacted by those testing positive, as were 633 staff members.

The district reports the number of positive cases, and the numbers of staff and students who are required to quarantine because of exposure.

The Pasco County School Board and the Florida Department of Health-Pasco County were set to discuss the school district’s COVID-19 response during a board workshop set for the afternoon of Nov. 17. The workshop will occur after The Laker/Lutz News press deadline.

The school board also is scheduled to consider a change to district policy to continue the current mask mandate until the end of the 2020-2021 school year.

The proposed rule “is required to protect the health, safety and welfare of students and staff,” according to background materials contained in the school board’s agenda.

The rule “mandates and requires that all employees, contractors, visitors, and students wear a mask or other face covering while on school property and/or engaged in school activities.”

The mandate also “requires that proper social distancing must always be observed to the maximum extent possible.”

The rule also requires that “whenever feasible and possible, students, staff, and visitors must remain six (6) feet away from persons that are not members of their household.”

Published November 18, 2020

Tropical Storm Eta caused disruptions, some damage

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By the time it hit the Tampa Bay area, Hurricane Eta had been downgraded to Tropical Storm Eta — but the storm still caused disruptions and left some damage in its wake.

Pasco County Schools closed early on Nov. 11 due to the potential for high winds, and the district remained closed on Nov. 12. All events also were canceled that day.

But, the district reopened on Nov. 13, as expected, because there were no reports of significant damage.

“The school district sent students and staff home early on Wednesday while the unpredictable storm made its way toward the Tampa Bay area,” a district news release said.

“The district is closed today (Thursday), as staff members take stock of all schools and district offices. It became clear early Thursday morning that, despite heavy winds and significant rainfall, schools and district offices were largely unscathed,” the release said.

Some coastal and low-lying areas were flooded, but those were primarily outside The Laker/Lutz New coverage area.

Tambrey Laine, communications manager for Pasco County, said there were no reports of significant damage in Pasco County, no rescues and no road closures.

She also noted that any minor street flooding that did occur, had subsided.

Hillsborough County Emergency Management also reported minimal damage, according to Jose Patino, on the county’s communications staff. The county did open five shelters, which were used by 29 people, he said.

As the storm was heading toward the region, Pasco County emergency officials urged residents to be prepared for tropical force storm winds and heavy rain.

The county also opened additional sandbag stations in San Antonio, Hudson, New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Dade City and Land O’ Lakes, to help prevent flooding.

Pasco County did not issue any evacuation orders, but encouraged those living in low-lying or coastal areas to consider staying with family, friends, or at a local hotel further inland.

The tropical storm did disrupt serves from Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, which suspended all bus routes temporarily in preparation of sustained storm winds as high as 70 mph. Those services were restore on Nov. 12.

Hillsborough County conservation parks and most nature preserves, including hiking trails, were closed on Nov. 13, for damage assessment after Tropical Storm Eta, but reopened on Nov. 14.

Some parks and preserves that will reopen, however, might have some areas or amenities that are closed for several days due to flooding. Non-paved trails are expected to remain wetter than normal for the next several days.

For more information, visit HCFLGov.net/Conservation.

Published November 18, 2020

Florida’s outlook bullish despite pandemic, legislators say

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Florida’s 2021 budget is expected to be lower than it was in 2020 — due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, but incoming Senate President Wilton Simpson remains optimistic about the state’s prospects.

Those were two takeaways from Simpson’s remarks at the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit held on Oct. 12, and organized by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Simpson, a Republican from Trilby, predicted that 2021 will be “a very challenging budget year.”

He estimated that the state budget will be between $2 billion and $5 billion less in 2021 than its $93 billion budget last year.

Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson, a Republican from Trilby, offered an overview of Florida business and the state’s pandemic response, during the Zephyrhills summit. (File)

“We have a lot of work do this year,” said Simpson, who was first elected in 2012 and represents Florida’s 10th district, which includes Citrus, Hernando and a portion of Pasco County.

He told those attending the summit that this will be the first time since he became a state lawmaker that the state’s budget will be lower in the coming year than in the previous year.

Despite the economic setback, Florida is well-positioned for the long-term because, for the past decade, it has been investing in infrastructure and cultivating a business-friendly environment, Simpson said.

For instance, the state has not skimped on investing in deepwater ports, and other transportation and roadway improvements. It also has slashed sales taxes on manufacturing equipment — to attract large firms and higher-wage jobs.

The state has paid off about $10 billion in debt during the last decade, bringing total debt to around $20 billion. And, it has reduced taxes by a corresponding amount, he said.

Moreover, the state boasts a AAA credit rating from all three credit reporting agencies – TransUnion, Equifax and Experian, he said.

To put it into perspective, Simpson noted a similarly populated state like New York is “eight, nine notches down from a AAA credit rating.

“When you think about Florida, we’re one of the lowest tax states in the union, and there’s certain states we could probably never win because we don’t have an oil reserve here to where we can give dollars away, but other than that, we have no state income tax. From a regulatory structure, we have one of the best states to do business in,” explained Simpson.

New York, which has a population of about 19.5 million, has a budget of about $200 billion, Simpson said. By comparison, Florida’s population is about 22 million, and its budget is less than $100 billion.

“We extract half of the taxes that they extract from their system to run their government, versus our government,” Simpson said.

On a related note, Simpson said about 1,000 people move into the Sunshine State every day. The state’s population is predicted to reach about 27 million by 2035.

Taxes and regulations are two of the reasons people are moving here, Simpson said.

He observed: “What’s happening is all of your high-tax states, all of your overregulated states, those folks are voting with their feet. They’re moving to Florida.”

But, Florida has issues it must address, including the funding of the Florida Retirement System, he said. That system’s unfunded liability now stands at about $25 billion.

That situation “will keep the state of Florida restricted on how much dollars we can spend in the future,” Simpson said.

On the topic of COVID-19, Simpson praised the country’s ever-improving therapeutic medicines and pharmaceutical industry for advancing with vaccine options and trials. The lawmaker hopes an approved vaccine is produced by the beginning of 2021, then widely available by the middle of the year.

With health and safety guidelines now widely known and followed, Simpson said Florida “should not be in a situation where we have to re-shut down. The more serious we take it, the more our economy will flourish.”

Meantime, Simpson said the state’s economy “is picking up,” and showing signs of recovery since about 30% of it was shut down for two-plus months in the wake of COVID-19.

It could’ve been an even larger hit, Simpson said, if not for the state’s robust agriculture industry and other central businesses, including first responders, health care providers, education, and truck drivers and delivery services.

Simpson, himself an owner of a regional egg farm operation, put it like this: “You don’t have farmers taking any days off. You have a farmer take a day off, grocery stores are gonna run out of groceries.”

State Rep. Randy Maggard weighs in on Florida’s future
State Rep. Randy Maggard, a Republican from Dade City, another speaker at the summit, echoed much of Simpson’s sentiments on Florida’s outlook in 2021 and beyond.

State Rep. Randy Maggard, a Republican from Dade City, discussed some Florida legislative priorities for 2021.

The lawmaker said he’s looking forward to the coming legislative session, but cautioned tough decisions lie ahead, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Going forward, it will be a little bit challenging on appropriations and money,” said Maggard, who’s district 38 covers most of Pasco County east of U.S. 41. “You heard the senator (Wilton Simpson). We’re gonna be down. When you have that much of your businesses not producing revenue, something’s gotta give, but I think we can do it,” he said.

“At the end of the day, Florida will come out of this extremely well, just because of how it’s been ran. The legislators before me were always planning for the ‘what if,’ whether it’s a hurricane, a pandemic, but we were able to absorb a lot of that,” he said.

Maggard also addressed the state’s failures in providing timely unemployment benefits through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO).

In defense of the program, Maggard pointed out the DEO system was never designed to handle the influx of financial assistance requests brought about by the coronavirus, particularly between March and May.

Maggard made an analogy of the state’s unemployment system with his own career, where for 30 years he’s been vice president of Sonny’s Discount Appliances in Dade City.

“I can deliver 20 items a day, I’m set up for that. But, if I have to deliver 1,000 the next day, I got a problem. Well, we had a problem, because it was millions (of people), not thousands that we were dealing with,” he explained.

Maggard added he and his colleagues have “learned a lot” from the DEO malfunctions, noting the faults should be addressed in upcoming sessions.

“The pandemic really caught all of us a little off-guard,” said Maggard, who won a special election in 2019 to finish out the seat vacated by former Rep. Danny Burgess.

“If you were not an essential (worker), it was really rough. Our office held many, many phone calls and emails trying to help individuals who lost their job, to get state funding; and, it was overwhelming. It was very humbling to see what happens to your neighbors and friends here, and we all know the system didn’t work exactly like it’s supposed to,” he said.

Published November 11, 2020

How Pasco Schools is navigating through COVID-19

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Heading up one of Florida’s largest school districts is certainly a tall task on its own merit — let alone when a world-altering pandemic shocks the system from March onward.

So, it’s understandable if Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning tries to bring some levity to the whole situation.

His humor showed through at a speaking engagement before the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce Oct. 20 breakfast meeting.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning was guest speaker at the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting last month at Scotland Yards Golf Club. (File)

“I always look for positive things. I think, ‘You know, I could be the supervisor of elections…’,” quipped Browning, before a crowd of dozens at the Scotland Yards Golf Club in Dade City.

Booming laughter, of course, ensued.

Browning held the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections position for 26 years, from 1980 to 2006.

He later joked and shared an anecdote how he once heard current Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley discuss his various responsibilities and lengthy work schedule.

Browning retorted to Corley: “I don’t ever want to you hear you talk about how hard you work, until you run a school district. You don’t know what hard work is, until you run a school system.”

More seriously, though, Browning told the crowd that the past six months or so have unquestionably been a stressful period for administrators, teachers, parents and students alike. “We have had a rough go,” he said.

The superintendent shared his personal experience of contracting the coronavirus in June.
The moment he received word of his positive COVID-19 test, Browning said, “it was all downhill from there.
“Probably the sickest I’ve ever been, sickest I’ve ever been in my life,” said Browning, noting he still feels some lingering fatigue even today.

“It was bad. It was bad, bad, bad. …I was too sick to even worry about what was going on in the office,” the superintendent said.

He discussed the hurdles that the district overcame to get teachers and students either back in the classroom or learning virtually.

The district gave families three learning options for the 2020-2021 school year:

  • Traditional brick-and-mortar campuses
  • Pasco eSchool virtual education program
  • mySchool Online, a hybrid virtual learning model where students follow a standard school schedule and bell times

One of the most challenging aspects of the first quarter has been the continuous indecisiveness by parents on which learning model to use for their child, he said.

Parents initially choosing a virtual model would flip back to traditional, and vice versa, mainly based on the latest news reports of whether COVID-19 cases were spiking or slowing.

“As we got closer to school, I mean people were just ping-ponging back and forth,” Browning said.

He said he had to plead with parents: “Don’t do that. Just pick a model and stick with it, because it’s not good for your student to keep going back and forth, because they’re going to lose instruction.”

Parent indecisiveness has “settled down a little bit,” but some parents are still “ping-ponging.”

The superintendent also noted that parents who intend to send kids back to brick-and-mortar campuses next semester need to inform his office soon, as preparations are already underway. A hard date for those second semester decisions will be set relatively soon.

“Keep in mind, it’s not as simple as moving kids into a classroom,” said Browning, the changes affect teachers and scheduling, too.

Other school district challenges amid COVID-19
Browning also touched on other challenges brought about by the start the pandemic, such as creating drive-thru sites to provide free meals for needy families.

The district served over 1 million meals, from March through the beginning of the school year in August.

Pasco Schools distributed over 1 million meals to needy families from March through the beginning of the school year in August, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of families who needed help increased drastically, Browning said, particularly among the district’s 36 Title 1 schools — campuses with large concentrations of low-income students.

Many of those students rely on school-provided breakfast and lunch, as oftentimes it’s their only meals of the day, “so it’s important we get the food to them,” Browning said.

The superintendent added the 1 million-plus meal figure is “much higher than we’ve ever served meals before, and I think a lot of that was due to folks having lost jobs, not being able to provide food for their kids.”

And, as students moved to remote learning, technology became a big challenge.

The district issued about 20,000 laptops and iPads to students for virtual learning purposes.

The school district primarily uses Apple equipment, but district leadership decided to distribute Dell laptops — in order to distribute more laptops. The district could buy three Dell laptops for the cost of one Apple laptop, Browning explained.

“We learned very quickly, if we’re going to get where we need to be with devices for our kids, we’re kind of switching over to Dell devices,” Browning said. “They’re not as sturdy as an Apple, but if a kid drops a Dell and breaks it, throw it in the garbage and buy another one. With an Apple, you have to fix it, and the investment’s too great to do that with.”

Getting remote internet access to students was another necessity and challenge — particularly at the end of last school year.

“You know how many kids in 2020 do not have internet service? A lot,” Browning said.

To solve the problem, the district equipped school buses with hotspots and set them up in school parking lots in remote areas with no internet service, such as Crystal Springs, Lacoochee and Shady Hills.

The concept allowed families to park their cars into school lots for several hours and have children complete necessary schoolwork from there.

“We bought hotspots by the hundreds,” Browning said.

New technical high school underway
Browning went on to discuss the district’s forthcoming technical high school — Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, being built at 9100 Curley Road in Wesley Chapel.

The Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation is being built at 9100 Curley Road in Wesley Chapel. The 184,000-square-foot technical school is expected to serve 1,000 students and is scheduled to open for the 2022-2023 school year. The school will prepare students for high-salary, high-skill careers in high-demand areas, such as digital multimedia, engineering and robotics, biomedical sciences, building construction, and cyber security, according to district officials.

The 184,000-square-foot technical school is expected to serve 1,000 students and is scheduled to open for the 2022-2023 school year.

The school will prepare students for high-salary, high-skill careers in high-demand areas, such as digital multimedia, engineering and robotics, biomedical sciences, building construction, and cyber security, according to district officials.

A groundbreaking ceremony was celebrated in early September.

Browning believes it’ll be a win for the school district, underscoring the importance of technical and vocational training programs, as well as dual-enrollment opportunities.

“We want our kids to have options, we want our kids to be successful,” said Browning. “We want them to be exposed to diesel mechanics. You know what a good diesel mechanic is paid? You know what a great welder gets paid? Sometimes six figures.”

The school, Browning said, is being constructed “with a lot of non-fixed walls” to allow for ever-changing learning programs that may require more or less space in the future.

“It’s going to be a very functional facility for our kids, and I believe East Pasco deserves that and needs that for our kids,” Browning said.

Kirkland Ranch will primarily pull students from Pasco, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools, but also will be available to “any other kid” from the county that wants to take advantage, Browning said.

Published November 11, 2020

USF urged to continue preparing teachers

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The Pasco County School Board has adopted a resolution urging the University of South Florida to continue teacher preparation programs at all of the university’s campuses.

Board members adopted the resolution at their Nov. 3 meeting, after they and Superintendent Kurt Browning weighed in on the issue.

“We think that it would just be devastating to our programs across the Tampa Bay area for them to close that program down,” Browning said, noting he had joined superintendents from Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee and Sarasota for a community conversation to discuss USF’s proposal to end the program.

“I don’t think people on the outside of education fully understand the impact that this is going to have on our district,” Browning said. “We are direct recipients of great teachers who come out of USF.”

School board member Alison Crumbley characterized USF’s decision as “short-sighted.”

Like Browning, she said the district relies on USF’s program.

“Thirty percent of our teachers come from USF,” she said. “It’s just a huge disappointment to me, and letdown for the school districts and taxpayers in the Tampa Bay area that this is the situation,” Crumbley said.

Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin, who herself is a teacher, added: “It’s unfortunate that there’s been a decline nationally, in the number of people pursuing degrees in education. That is the root of the problem.

“What we’re discussing here could be a result of the excessive state mandates, testing, evaluation system and lack of respect teachers are given,” she said.

She added those factors could be deterring people from pursuing a career in education, which Beaudoin described as “a noble profession” that creates “lifelong learners and productive citizens.

“Being a teacher is rewarding and fulfilling. I’ll support anything that provides a pathway for students to enter the career,” she said.

School board member Megan Harding, a graduate from the USF College of Education, said she hopes the college will reconsider.

“Not only does this affect teachers, but it’s also going to affect the children,” her Facebook page says. “We already have a teacher shortage.”

Harding read the resolution, which the board adopted.

The resolution notes that Pasco County Schools hires approximately 525 teachers annually, and the USF undergraduate teacher preparation program contributes more than 30% of those teachers. The resolution also points to the existing statewide teacher shortage.

The resolution asserts “USF’s action will harm not only the school districts in the Tampa Bay region, but also the larger communities they serve, including families sending children to our schools and the business communities served by the graduates of our schools.”

The resolution concludes by pledging the Pasco school board’s support for any and all efforts to maintain USF’s undergraduate teacher preparation programs at all of its campuses, and encourages the college to work closely with Pasco County Schools, and other stakeholders and partners to find an alternative to closing the programs.

Browning said the resolution will be forwarded to the president of USF, the provost and acting dean.

Published November 11, 2020

Summit speaker shares optimism about Pasco’s prospects

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From manufacturing hubs and roadway improvements, to myriad residential developments on tap — Pasco County has much to be thankful for during these unique and challenging times.

That was the overarching message put forth by Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley at the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit, held in October at Zephyrhills City Hall.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley was a guest speaker at the annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit last month. (File)

The county commissioner was among featured speakers during the event organized by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Oakley exuded optimism about Pasco’s future, from the moment he stepped up to the microphone: “Goodness gracious, you couldn’t ask for a busier county, and a busier East Pasco county,” he said.

He’s particularly bullish on an influx of manufacturing opportunities throughout East Pasco.

One case in point: A new industrial park in Lacoochee, headlined by a 25-acre precast concrete plant, with room for additional tenants.

The little town just north of Dade City has struggled to find development for decades — since Cummer’s lumber mill closed back in 1959.

Upgrades to Cummer Road and Bower Road in the area, plus workforce housing opportunities, provide “improvements we need for that manufacturing going there,” Oakley said.

There’s other potential boons, too, such as the 99-acre wastewater spray field on Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel that’s being developed as a commercial park by the Atlanta-based Rooker Company.

Oakley also mentioned two warehouses that, taken together, total more than 900,000 square feet, and are set to be developed along State Road 52 and Interstate 75.

“Most people haven’t heard about them, but they’re coming. I’ve been told by the developer that they’re coming. They’re going to provide 600 to 800 jobs,” Oakley said.

People moving to the area for work are going to need places to live, of course.

That’s no problem, as the area continues to add to its residential options.

Oakley pointed to thousands of new homes that are underway, or will be, in large subdivisions in Zephyrhills, and in master-planned developments, including Mirada in San Antonio, and Connected City and WaterGrass in Wesley Chapel.

Oakley also highlighted some major transportation improvements.

Those projects include:

  • Widening County Road 54
  • Improving the intersection at State Road 54 and Eiland Boulevard/Morris Bridge Road
  • Creating the diverging diamond at Interstate 75 and State Road 56
  • Building a new interchange at I-75 and Overpass Road
  • Realigning the intersection at U.S. 301/U.S. 98/Clinton Avenue
  • Widening State Road 50, from North Pasco across the Hernando County line
  • Paving projects on Eighth Avenue and on Jerome Road

Oakley underscored the significance of improving the roadways and transportation connections — in the quest to boost the region’s economy.

Pasco County is poised to be home to some manufacturing hubs, major roadway improvements and a slew of large-scale residential developments.

“You connect all these roads, and you look at the transportation value you have in the roads, and moving of people and products across our county, and with manufacturing and being able to move out from this area to other parts, and come into this area.

“Think about all the road projects, and if they get done. What a change that’ll be to our county and the way we move traffic,” the commissioner said.

In summation, the area’s complementary blend of infrastructure, industrial jobs and housing opportunities signal more positive economic times ahead for the region, Oakley reasoned.

“You’ve got everything that’s going to make this economy boom. You’re talking about a stimulus where, ‘You build and they’ll come.’ People are coming. People are coming from the north, from other areas into this area.

“It’s just amazing what’s going to happen in our area, and it’s a change. Think about three or four years down the road, how these things come about, so it’s great things to look forward to,” Oakley said.

He also pointed to the county’s efforts to reduce bureaucratic red tape that can hamper progress.

Besides being a commissioner, Oakley’s experience includes working in his family’s citrus and agriculture business with his brother and father, and serving as vice president of the family’s transportation company, Oakley Transport, which hauls liquid food commodities in stainless steel tanks.

He understands the need for government efficiency.

“I’ve had my hand in a lot of different businesses and all. I know what we don’t want to see when we go to get a permit, and what we do want to see is a happy face and, ‘Here’s how you get through the process.’ We try to streamline things and make things better for everyone,” Oakley said.

Published November 11, 2020

Changes are coming to Pasco’s land development code

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One of the biggest changes in a batch of proposed amendments to Pasco County’s land development code involves the way requests for package sales and on-premises consumption of alcohol are approved.

Previously, the Pasco County Commission has considered these requests.

Under the proposed change, the requests would be handled administratively, unless a waiver is requested — which would be considered by the Pasco County Planning Commission.

The shift is highly likely to be approved by the county board, since they requested it.

The update to the land development code creates a new section where package sales and on-premises consumption of alcoholic beverages are approved administratively.

That section also adds the Planning Commission as the decision-making body, when specific distance waivers are requested from places of religious worship, schools and parks.

Another change in update clarifies that single-family detached homes on individual lots are only permitted on parcels zoned R-MH Mobile Home District prior to Dec. 8, 2020.

Other proposed changes:

  • Allows the side setback to be reduced to no less than 5 feet for R-4 subdivisions developed after Dec. 8, 2020, as long as they meet drainage requirements and do not allow side entry
  • In neighborhood commercial districts: Adds fitness centers as a permitted principal use; adds sale of alcoholic beverages as permitted principal use, subject to administrative approval
  • In general commercial district: Adds sale of alcoholic beverages as permitted principal use, subject to administrative approval
  • In section regulating fraternal lodges and social and recreational clubs: Clarifies that lot area and setbacks for fraternal lodges and social and recreational clubs do not apply in such clubs proposed in certain locations and zoning categories. Also clarifies buffering and landscaping requirements
  • Amends a section regarding the County Commission’s jurisdiction to indicate that the board reserves the jurisdiction and authority to review and revoke Special Exception, and

Conditional Use, and Administrative Use Permit for the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages approvals.

  • In the section relating to mobile food operations, the requirement for a county permit is deleted; and, the section specifies that such mobile food operations are allowed at construction sites, as long as they are intended to serve patrons working at the site.

In other action, the planning commission recommended approval of a rezoning request by Charles Gilbert Tucker to change the designation on his 5.46-acre property to allow an agricultural designation that qualifies for an agricultural tax break. Tucker told planning commissioners that he just wants to have a pine tree farm, as well as some orange trees for personal use. He intends to sell some of the pine trees, but does not envision a large-scale operation.

The property is on the east side of Conner Drive, about 1,750 feet south of the intersection of Cypress Lane and Dupree Drive, in Land O’ Lakes.

The planning commission recommended approval, despite concerns about potential impacts raised in an email from a neighbor.

The Pasco County Commission will determine the final outcome of both the proposed land development code amendments, and of Tucker’s request.

Published November 11, 2020

Local event overrun with ‘Bugs’

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The 32nd annual Florida Bug Jam lived up to its name, attracting Volkswagen enthusiasts eager to show off their Bugs, to swap parts and to enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded people.

This beautiful 1962 Volkswagen Bug — complete with matching luggage — belongs to Jose m.Reyes Nieve. It was among the pristine, interesting and unusual VWs on display at the 32nd annual Florida Bug Jam, held Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, at the Pasco County Fairgrounds in Dade City. (Randy Underhill)

The partly sunny, breezy weekend made the weather ideal for huge crowds on both days of the event.

The Jam is a magnet for people across the country to converge on the Pasco County Fairgrounds, in Dade City, to show off their vintage Volkswagen Bugs and VW vans of yesteryear.

Besides the classic Bugs and vans, there were VW dune buggies, Baja Bugs, and the “Thing” on display at the car show on Nov. 8.

Randy Yoho, of Kry Inc., was the show’s promoter.

On Nov. 7, the first day of the two-day event, there was a poker run, a parade to downtown Dade City, an off-road course, a pre-jam party and a concert.

The next day’s events included a car show and swap meet.

Campsites were available, and event-goers could grab a bite to eat and do some shopping, too.

By Randy Underhill

Published November 11, 2020

Alice Encio, of Tampa, adjusts her props that are part of her Alice in Wonderland theme in her 1967 Volkswagen at the Florida Bug Jam car show on Nov. 8, at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, at 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City.
Owner Jack Cook, of Brooksville, proudly sits near his 1972 Ford Grabber blue-colored VW Karmann Ghia at the 32nd annual Florida Bug Jam, on Nov. 7, inside the Pasco County Fairgrounds. It took Cook a year to build the car, which placed third for two years in a row in the competition.
Dave MacDougall, of Fort Lauderdale, sits near his sage green 1976 Volkswagen van, with its matching trailer. He and his son, who did not make it to the Bug Jam, have traveled to all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums in four seasons starting in 2015.
Fifteen-year-old Conner Sorenson, left, of Stuart, stands with his dad, Justin Sorenson, in front of the family’s 1967 Volkswagen bug on Nov. 7 at the Bug Jam.
The 32nd annual Bug Jam enjoyed good weather and attracted a big crowd of Volkswagen enthusiasts during the two-day event at the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

Pasco school choice expos going virtual

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Pasco County Schools is showcasing the district’s choice programs in two virtual events this year.

The goal is the same as it has been in years past — to inform families about the upcoming school choice application window and to highlight the innovative program options.

The Nov. 16 Virtual Pasco Pathways Expo, presented at 5 p.m., will be the east side program.

The Nov. 19 Virtual Pathways Expo, presented at 5 p.m., will be the west side program.

The events will feature informational sessions that cover the general application process.

In addition, many of Pasco County’s schools will showcase unique educational options like STEM and STEAM magnets, the Cambridge International Education Programme, International Baccalaureate, Career Pathways, and more.

Those in attendance will have the chance to learn about Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Pasco eSchool, and the soon-to-be open Starkey Ranch K-8.

The school choice application window will run from Jan. 7 to Jan. 21, for all schools and grade levels.

For information and to register to attend a virtual expo, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/expo.

Published November 11, 2020