The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Main Street Zephyrhills garners statewide recognition

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Main Street Zephyrhills annually puts on some of the city’s largest and most popular downtown events, such as the Festival of Lights, the Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival, Music & Motorcycles, and others.

The 501c3 nonprofit, too, has been a crucial component in several large public projects of late — cultivating interactive art murals and mounting wireless electronic speakers downtown to serve up daily music for pedestrians, for example. It also works with city leadership on other initiatives, such as installing public Wi-Fi downtown and more public park benches.

Main Street Zephyrhills was designated the March 2020 Florida Main Street Program of the Month. (Courtesy of Main Street Zephyrhills)

The organization’s varied efforts have not gone unnoticed: It recently was designated Florida Main Street Program of the Month by Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee.

The selection was based on its development achievements and participation in the Florida Main Street program.

Since its founding in 1994, Main Street Zephyrhills has reported more than $19.5 million in public and private reinvestment, more than 1,000 new jobs, and 185 new businesses within its district boundaries. It also has accumulated more than 26,000 volunteer hours.

“I am so impressed by Main Street Zephyrhills’ growing success,” Lee said, in a release. “Their district continues to build on the community’s assets to celebrate and recognize their distinctive history and heritage.”

The monthly honor is believed to be the first for Main Street Zephyrhills, according to the organization’s coordinator, Anna Stutzriem.

“I was just floored when they called and told me about it,” she said.

Under Stutzriem’s leadership, Main Street Zephyrhills has seen business and residential membership increase more than 10-fold in the last 2 ½ years, rising from seven members to 82.

Last year, the organization achieved national accreditation by the Main Street America program “for generating impressive economic returns, preserving community character, and celebrating local history.”

Stutzriem began as a Main Street volunteer about five years ago, working her way from board member to coordinator — the organization’s only city-funded employee position.

The majority of the organization’s funding comes from memberships, sponsorships and donations.

Stutzriem, who also co-owns a day care center in Zephyrhills, credited the organization’s string of accomplishments to its collection of “hard-working” and “dedicated” board members and volunteers.

She estimates the organization has roughly 130 volunteers to 150 volunteers throughout the year, ensuring events and programs run smoothly and effectively.

Main Street Zephyrhills was designated the March 2020 Florida Main Street Program of the Month. Programs are selected based on their development achievements and participation in the Florida Main Street program. Since its founding in 1994, Main Street Zephyrhills has reported more than $19.5 million in public and private reinvestment, more than 1,000 new jobs, and 185 new businesses within its district boundaries.

“They’re just people in the community that care about the community, and I think that helps a lot,” she said. “These people come in, they get paid nothing, and they give their blood, sweat and tears, and I’m just so honored to be associated with them.”

The amount of support and collaboration from City Hall has likewise led to more completed initiatives throughout the municipality, Stutzriem said.

“The support we get from the city is just amazing,” she said. “I look at the other Main Street programs, we talk, and I think we have got to be one of the most supported Main Street…and I’m just honored to be a part of it.”

Main Street Zephyrhills facilitates new business to the historic downtown district, offering commercial property listings on its website, and a resource guide for entrepreneurs to get in contact with the proper city officials, such as the planning department and CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency).

Within the last couple months, the organization helped welcome a new hair salon and a CBD store to Fifth Avenue in downtown Zephyrhills, Stutzriem said.

Stutzriem explained the organization’s role like this: “Our mission and our goal is to promote not only the downtown, but our local businesses, our mom and pops. We want to make our downtown a destination, and a safe, fun place for our families and our communities to come to…”

While generating more downtown business is important, Stutzriem emphasized it’s important for Zephyrhills “to keep that small town charm.”

“We’re growing leap and bounds, we’re just exploding over here in Zephyrhills with growth, but I still think it’s important to have the small town, know your neighbors, and gather with them,” she said.

The organization’s event hosting has been “improving greatly” in recent years, she also noted.

For instance, December’s Festival of Lights drew somewhere between 13,000 to 15,000 attendees. She characterized that turnout as “quite extraordinary for a small town event.”

The organization, too, has gone about drawing bigger acts to events — such as booking the Greg Billings Band for September’s Music & Motorcycles.

Event partnerships with nonprofits have expanded, Stutzriem said. Those partnerships include Gulfside Hospice on Paulie Palooza; Zephyrhills/Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association on the Harvest Festival; and Zephyrhills Pregnancy Care Center on the Founder’s Day 5K race, among others.

To find out more about Mainstreet Zephyrhills, visit MainStreetZephyrhills.org, or email .

Published March 18, 2020

Project aims to improve emergency access

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Construction is underway to make it easier for emergency services to get between New Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

The connection of Mansfield Boulevard and Kinnan Street will be barricaded as construction is set to begin in March. The corridor will be an easy access point for first responders traveling between Pasco and Hillsborough counties. (Brian Fernandes)

Mansfield Boulevard is in Wesley Chapel.

Kinnan Street is in New Tampa.

An improvement will connect the streets, but will be accessible only to first responders.

The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board approved the connection last June.

It was one of three corridor projects – all interlocking Wesley Chapel and Tampa, that the MPO passed.

The Mansfield-Kinnan connection was initially proposed as a public road for motorists.

The AECOM consulting firm took surveys in 2017 and 2018 to get public feedback about each project. Findings showed that the Mansfield-Kinnan connection was not popular among those responding to the survey.

This was due in part to concerns that an influx of traffic along Mansfield Boulevard could be hazardous to students.

Wiregrass Ranch High School, Dr. John Long Middle School and Wiregrass Elementary School are all located either on or just off that roadway.

As a result, the Mansfield-Kinnan connection proposal was changed to operate as an emergency-vehicle-only corridor.

Pasco County, Hillsborough County and the city of Tampa are all involved in the construction of the connection.

Mansfield Boulevard, in Wesley Chapel, has residencies and schools along its stretch. The roadway soon will become a corridor for emergency vehicles traveling to and from Tampa

The developer of Tampa’s K-Bar Ranch will initiate the paving of the connection, scheduled to begin mid-March.

Hillsborough County will then help with construction, such as striping the road and the installation of an emergency gate.

The gate will only grant cross-county access to emergency vehicles.

Only first responder equipment will open the gateway and Pasco County will oversee its operation.

The Pasco County Commission is expected to approve an agreement for the gate to be used only for emergency vehicles.

Bicyclists and pedestrians will have access, too.

The project calls for the sidewalks on both streets to connect.

Barricades will enclose the construction site.

Completion is expected in the summer.

Published March 18, 2020

Pasco wants crash debris off the street

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When tow-truck crews clean up after a crash, it should be a thorough job.

At least that’s how the Pasco County Commission sees it.

The county board soon will be considering a provision that will require the people who remove damaged or wrecked vehicles from roadways to be sure to clear the roadway of glass and injurious debris.

“This is sort of a local version of a state law that is basically aimed at tow-truck drivers,” said Kristi Sims, senior assistant county attorney. “They’re operating on rotation and remove vehicles after accidents from our roadway.”

The aim is to hold them to the standard that the state law requires, which is clean up all of the debris that results from the incident.

“By codifying it in our local ordinances, we have a local chance to use code enforcement to enforce it. At the state law, it’s only enforceable through issuance of a uniform traffic citation.

“At our level, it will be enforceable obviously through issuance of a county court citation, which is punishable up to $500 per day.

“The local amendment that we’re proposing also will have a provision that requires the person removing the debris to lawfully dispose of it,” Sims said.

Commission Chairman Mike Moore said he wants to make sure that this ordinance doesn’t require towing companies to remove biological hazards, in the event that someone is hurt or killed in an accident.

“This is aimed at all of the glass, hardened plastic, that is getting pushed and accumulated into sort of the center of every intersection in Pasco County,” Sims said.

It requires “tow truck drivers on the rotations to do a good job, it’s part of their contract to pick up that debris, that causes flat tires, that flies up and scratches other people’s paint, etc.,” she said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said: “I thought it was required already.”

Sims responded: “It is under state law, we just haven’t duplicated it on a local level.”

Commissioner Mike Wells said: “I don’t think it’s every hauler, but again, we need to hold them accountable.”

Wells added: “There’s no excuse for them not cleaning it up.”

Sims said coordination will be needed between the county and law enforcement agencies to determine whom should be cited when crash scenes are not cleaned up.

Board members voted to set a public hearing date on the new requirements for April 7 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing will be in the boardroom, on the second floor of the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

Published March 18, 2020

Scout project creates fun options for dogs at park

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When Sean Monahan brainstormed ideas to gain the rank of Eagle Scout, he finally settled on a way to help man’s best friend.

The scout decided to incorporate new accessories for dogs at the Carolyn Meeker Dog Park in Lutz.

The member of Boy Scout Troop 12 – also in Lutz – had to tackle a project that betters his community as one of his requirements to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 12, in Lutz, rallied around Scout Sean Monahan to help build new equipment at the Carolyn Meeker Dog Park. The project was done as part of Monahan’s quest to advance to the rank of Eagle Scout, while providing more fun options for dogs at the park. (Courtesy of Todd Pratt, Hillsborough County Media Relations Strategist)

Monahan said that his adoration for dogs sparked the idea to create a more fun and energetic environment for them.

“I thought adding agility equipment in both the big and small dog areas would kind of give them a little something more to do,” the 16-year-old said.

Joe Monroe is the recreation program supervisor for Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation.

The scout approached Monroe and explained the upgrade he wanted for the dog park.

“Before that, there were actually zero obstacle course pieces there,” the supervisor said.

Monahan unveiled several schematic drawings of what he had in mind.

He took a survey and found that visitors wanted new amenities for their dogs, too.

With the help of his fellow scouts, Monahan raised $3,100, pushing his agenda forward.

The team also worked together to install the equipment.

The bigger park area now has two loops for dogs to jump through, as well as an accessory to jump over. The smaller area has a tunnel for dogs to run through and a platform where dogs can learn commands from their owners.

The four new pieces of equipment were placed in the park during a span of three days.

Monahan did not take full credit for the project.

“I led it, but I did have a lot of help from a lot of other people, the Scout said.

Monroe admired the Scouts’ ability to wrap up the effort in less than a week.

“We were impressed by the timeline,” he said. “The planning took a lot longer than the actual installation of the project.”

It was a win for Hillsborough County, the Scouts and the community, Monroe added.

In his six years in Troop 12, Monahan has helped his community in other ways, too.

He has handed out cool drinks at the Lutz Fourth of July Parade, and he has picked up trash on U.S. 41.

Monahan has earned numerous merit badges. He and his fellow Scouts also have gone on camping expeditions, including out of state.

Eventually, he wants to become a Sea Scout, advancing his boating skills.

He thinks other youths should be afforded these same opportunities, and find ways to better their environment.

He believes this recent accomplishment, at the dog park, has helped to build his character.

“I feel like finishing the project really helped me more clearly define my definition of leadership,” the Scout said. “It taught me that if you’re doing something, you’ve got to be prepared for every single thing.”

Published March 18, 2020

Dade City flood relief in final stages

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Construction is nearing completion on a project in downtown Dade City — which aims to address flooding that plagued the area for years.

The project involves installing new underground stormwater piping.

The concrete pipeline has been lengthened longer than its initial 2,400-linear-foot projections, said Abu Nazmurreza, Dade City’s public works director. New curb drains also have been incorporated.

Behind Dade City’s City Hall, a portion of Pasco Avenue is being unearthed to facilitate new piping. This is one of several routes to see pipe placement that will help diminish flooding in the downtown region. (File)

These improvements will ease the flow of rainwater as it goes down the piping system, passing U.S. 98 and the CSX railway, to the east. The water is then stored in Irvin Pond.

The new system runs from Seventh Street’s intersections with Church Avenue and Pasco Avenue. Then it heads east on Pasco Avenue to Third Street, before heading north up to Meridian Avenue.

Although the majority of construction has been completed, work on Pasco Avenue still needs to be done, Nazmurreza said.

“We are installing a new 6-inch water main through Pasco [Avenue] between Eighth Street and Fifth Street,” he added.

Currently, there are sections of Pasco Avenue that are still unearthed and await repaving.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has to certify the completion of the project by analyzing water pressure, and checking for any bacterial content.

At that point, the existing pipeline will connect with the new one, and Pasco Avenue will be resurfaced.

Modifications also have been made to Irvin Pond to better accommodate the additional stormwater.

The body of water has been expanded by 50% from its original width, according to Nazmurreza.

“The pond on Canal Street was not sufficient enough for taking all the water from the downtown area,” he explained.

The wider area also will extend the time period for the wastewater to be treated.

And Canal Street, east of the pond, has had its culvert pipe reconfigured, as well.

The metal pipe has been replaced with concrete piping, due to rusting.

The street will have to undergo repaving now that the new culvert pipe has been installed.

The road has been temporarily laid with gravel for motorists.

The $1.8 million project is scheduled to wrap up in the coming weeks, Nazmurreza said.

Currently, a detour has to be made on Pasco Avenue. Shop owners, however, are not currently affected by construction.

Published March 18, 2020

Aldi opens Odessa store

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Customers were ready when the Aldi in Odessa had its grand opening celebration on March 12.

The Aldi store is one of the grocery chain’s new locations in Pasco County, and new stores are planned off State Road 56, near Wesley Chapel Boulevard, and another off U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

Customers were lined up on March 12, waiting for the new Aldi in Odessa to celebrate its grand opening. The store is one of Aldi’s new locations in Pasco County. (Brian Fernandes)

Patrons were lined up awaiting the store to open in Odessa.

Store Manager Katherine Garner oversees the Aldi store. She held the scissors for the ceremonial ribbon cutting outside.

Matt Thon, Aldi division vice president, helped officiate at the grand opening.

“We’re really excited to open the Odessa, Florida store,” he said. “It’s our 93rd store in our division here [and] about the 150th in Florida.”

It also is now among 1,900 Aldi grocers in the U.S.

Thon also noted that Pasco County’s growing population is what appealed the grocery chain to build a number of its stores within the region.

The newest Pasco store adopts the same interior design found in many of those in the country.

The aisles are filled with various food items – some commercial brands, but mostly Aldi brands.

The store also offers healthy food alternatives, such as vegan and organic products.

Many of these foods can be found in the new refrigerated section, which provides additional space to stock.

New and already-existing stores will follow this model, as well.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are some of the more popular items, Thon said.

“From the consumer feedback that we’ve received, and what our customers tell us each and every day, is produce drives their shopping decisions,” he said.

The key is to put fresh food with high quality on the line within a timely manner, Thon said.

Shopper Cynthia Cameron, of Hudson, came to the store to support the opening of the Odessa branch.

Aldi’s Matt Thon, Haines City division vice president, is joined by Store Manager Katherine Garner and District Manager Sopheap Bednarski. The trio took a moment to pose for a photo during the store’s March 12 grand opening.

Cameron noted that even when she’s in another county, she’ll shop at the nearest branch.

“I do like Aldi, and I think they’re a great store to shop at,” she said.

She enjoys Aldi’s chicken and its produce. She’s impressed by the store’s prices.

Thon noted that the store’s Keto bread is a popular item.

It sells quickly, he said, noting the Keto diet — which avoids carbohydrates — has helped popularize the bread, Thon said.

One aisle alone is stocked with various Aldi name-brand wines.

Also, items like Barissimo coffee and Elevation energy bars are placed at the front end of aisles as stand-out products.

This includes the gluten-free LiveGFree products.

“What I hear from customers is they come in for our gluten-free line and they’re shocked at the price points,” Thon said.

Cost-efficient items are what keeps loyal shoppers, he added.

The store also stocks appliances and décor items.

Items include bedroom accessories, shelves, chairs, ovens and handicap equipment.

Those who enjoy gardening also can select from a variety of flowers and plants.

The carts used at the store are interesting, too.

Each can be pulled from its space when a quarter is inserted in a slot, located on the bar handle. Customers get the quarter back once they return the cart.

Thon noted that he wants customers to have that same comfort level when they walk into the new Odessa store.

The upcoming Lutz-Wesley Chapel branch is scheduled to open in the summer.

Published March 18, 2020

Zephyrhills Founder’s Day heads back to The Roaring ‘20s

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Thousands made their way to downtown Zephyrhills to honor the city during the 110th Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival on March 7.

The Zephyrhills High School Marching Band was the first marching band featured in the 110th Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival. Other marching bands included Land O’ Lakes High School and Stewart Middle School. (Christine Holtzman)

This year’s theme was “The Roaring ‘20s: Glitz, Glam and Tin Cans” – which celebrated the wild decade of gangsters, the Charleston and flappers.

The 1920s also marked the start of the tin can tourist trend in Zephyrhills.

People from all over would come to the area for the warm weather, in their homemade camping trailers.

One could say this was the early beginnings of the modern day ‘snowbird.’

The parade, which featured floats, marching bands, dignitaries and various vintage vehicles, kicked off the event at 10 a.m.

Riding in a red jeep, Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield and his wife, Ernestine, tossed candy into the crowd along the parade route.

Many riding on floats tossed out beads and candy to the crowds that lined up along the parade route.

One of the parade highlights was when Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield, who along with his wife, Ernestine, tossed candy from atop the red jeep they were riding in.

Over 80 vendors and food trucks lined Fifth Avenue and some side streets, offering an array of dining and shopping options.

Throughout the day, live music was performed on the Eiland Clock Stage. A storytelling series, called ‘Tales of the Hills,’ also entertained audiences from the Hopkins Family Porch, at the Jeffries House.

Rounding out the event – there was a kid zone, with a bounce house and inflatable slide. The Zephyrhills Police Department had a K-9 demonstration, and there was an old-fashion corn grinding presentation at the Woman’s Club.

The event was hosted by Main Street Zephyrhills, 38537 Fifth Ave.

After enjoying the parade, Payton Adams of Wesley Chapel, and her sibling, Declan Sanders, both 5, enjoy an ice treat, while seated on the sidewalk along Fifth Avenue. Payton enjoyed a rainbow flavored ice treat, while Declan dug into strawberry.
On the sidewalk near the Eiland Clock Stage, Michael Thomas Jr., of Zephyrhills, performs with his ‘juggle sticks,’ to the live music entertainment of Rusty Trumpet & The Music Makers. Thomas is a medically retired U.S. Army veteran who, during his military career, completed two tours of Afghanistan.
Mitchell Shirley, SSG, Retired, of Lakeland, right, takes a turn tossing a bean bag while playing the game of cornhole with his 16-year-old son, Sean. The pair was at the Founder’s Day Parade & Heritage Festival with Mitchell’s girlfriend, Ruth Larrett, of Zephyrhills.
Jacob Ozar, aka Captain America, bends down to pet Gizmo, an 8-year-old chocolate labrador retriever, owned by Jacqui Strickland, of Ontario, center, and her husband, Cliff.

 

 

 

 

Commissioners act on rezoning requests

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Pasco County Commissioners approved a rezoning that will allow a 1.95-acre lot to be split, to allow two single-family homes — despite strenuous objections by neighbors.

The property is on the north side of Country Club Road, about 550 feet west of Old Pasco Road, in Wesley Chapel.

Attorney Barbara Wilhite, representing the applicant, told board members that her client merely wants to allow two dwellings, instead of one, on the property.

Her client has agreed to a deed restriction that would limit the use of the property to two dwellings and also would prohibit access through the property, to Sienna Cove, the development behind it.

Carl Stone, who lives on Country Club Road, asked the board to reject the request, noting that the subdivision’s zoning was set in 1986 by the County Commission.

He also noted that some of the lots didn’t comply with the area’s zoning at the time and were grandfathered in. And, he said a similar request was rejected by the board in 2005.

Other area residents raised concerns about drainage, and the potential precedent the rezoning could set.

Cynthia Lunghofer put it like this: “We want to make sure that there isn’t a precedent being set that could lead to larger parcels being broken up, and potential for townhome or multifamily development.

Neighbors also noted the character of the area, which they described as peaceful and beautiful, and urged commissioners to protect it.

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

And, despite neighbors’ objections, the county board approved the request, pending the filing of the deed restrictions regarding the maximum number of dwellings and prohibiting access through the site.

In other action, commissioners approved:

  • A rezoning to allow 415 single-family detached and/or attached townhome units on approximately 69.18 acres in the Mango Hills master-planned unit development southwest of the State Road 52 and Old Pasco Road intersection. The rezoning was approved on the board’s consent agenda, with no public comment from the audience.
  • A rezoning to allow boat and RV storage on a 4.9-acre site on the east side of Kittyhawk Drive, about 700 feet north of Freefall Avenue, near Zephyrhills. The rezoning was needed to bring the use into zoning compliance. The request was approved on consent, without public comment.

In other action, commissioners directed the county attorney to work with the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking to ensure a bathhouse ordinance is in place when the Super Bowl comes to Tampa in Feb. 7, 2021.

The ordinance would ban illegal massage parlors, which serve as fronts for prostitution and human trafficking, said Commissioner Ron Oakley, who raised the issue and asked for board members to approve, making the issue a priority for the county attorney’s office.

Finally, a request for a conditional use permit to allow a residential treatment center in Wesley Chapel has been dropped.

The request would have allowed a facility for up to 30 residents on Pomello Trace in Wesley Chapel.

The applicant, Jordanes Hippolite, wanted to create an elderly care center, on a site at 29436 Pomella Trace, that’s smaller than a half-acre.

Neighbors had objected strenuously and the Pasco County Planning Commission recommended denial.

Neighbors said the facility would threaten their way of life — in a community where residents frequently take walks with their pets, and their children ride bicycles up and down the street.

County planners had recommended approval with a number of conditions, but their recommendation became moot, when the applicant withdrew the request.

Published March 18, 2020

This entrepreneur is bullish on Pasco

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When Thomas Giella Jr., launched his business, he was a one-man operation — and he wasn’t sure how to get it where he wanted it to go.

So, he took advantage of various programs offered through the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., and began learning more about the ins and outs of being an entrepreneur.

That helped get his business rolling, and now, six years later, he still uses what he has learned through those programs.

When Thomas Giella Jr., launched his business, he was a one-man operation. Now, his business has three divisions — with five employees — and plans to add two more within the foreseeable future. He is optimistic about Pasco County’s potential. (B.C. Manion)

Now, he has five employees, and he expects to add at least two more in the foreseeable future. He also expects to be required to move from his current location, on Wesley Chapel Boulevard in Lutz, as the business outgrows its space.

Giella thinks the future is bright for entrepreneurs who want to launch businesses in Pasco County.

“Pasco is hot,” the Dade City native said. “Pasco is growing.”

Entrepreneurs and manufacturers should realize the county has much to offer, Giella said.

If they can’t find what they’re looking for in Pasco, he said, “they should start it themselves.”

He added: “Who knows what’s going to happen in the next decade?”

His interest in technology dates back to his teenage years, when he built his own computer.

When he started his business, called Gear Spinners, he offered website design aimed at the small to mid-sized business market.

Over time, his business pursuits have evolved and grown.

Now, he is chief executive officer of Complete I.T. Corp, which  owns and operates three different brand divisions, including Complete I.T. Computer Repair and Network Solutions, Tampa Bay Installs and Diverge Laser Systems.

Complete I.T. provides computer repair and computer/network solutions. It also designs, repairs and replaces business network of all sizes.

“We started off as a website company. We have added so many services. We started doing IT — helping companies set up networks,” Giella said.

Giella estimates he has roughly 800 clients on the IT side – residential, commercial and enterprise.

“Our primary market for the computers and networks is Tampa Bay and Florida,” Giella said.

But, it has expanded its reach, he said. “Sometimes, we’ll do work for a local franchise that’s starting up or something, or a business — and word will get to one of their other offices, what we did, so they’ll say, ‘Can you put in a bid for us over here?’”

Tampa Bay Installs provides a variety of services. It installs and services access control gates and security cameras for homeowner associations and community development districts, Giella said.

For instance, at a clubhouse, company services include installing speakers and Wi-Fi, inside and out, cameras by the pool, in the clubhouse and in the parking lot, televisions and access control systems.

His primary market for gate access systems stretches from Brooksville to Riverview and from Kissimmee to the Gulf of Mexico, Giella said.

Most recently, his company branched into lasers.

Giella co-owns Diverge Laser Systems with Charles Bourne.

The company provides support and sales for Universal Laser Systems.

It sells and services equipment for a vast array of clients in the fields of manufacturing, education, education, military and government.

He believes lasers will help the county attract more manufacturers.

“Pasco’s mission right now is to bring manufacturing jobs back to Pasco County. We can now provide equipment to companies, who will then be able to create the manufacturing jobs using the equipment,” he said.

To find out more about Giella’s companies and services, call (813) 235-0554, ext. 103.

Want to know more about running a business?
Pasco Hernando SCORE offers numerous free workshops and seminars at various locations around Pasco County. The Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., also offers free and low-cost programs. To find out more, visit these websites: PascoHernandoScore.org or PascoEDC.com.

Published March 18, 2020

East Pasco land donated for fire station

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The Pasco County Commission passed a resolution at its March 10 meeting recognizing Schikedanz Bros.-Hammock Pines Ltd., for its donation of 3.8 acres for a fire station to improve fire rescue services in East Pasco County.

Scott Cassin, fire chief for Pasco County Fire Rescue, expressed appreciation for the gift.

The site is just east of Fox Ridge Boulevard, on the south side of State Road 54, in Wesley Chapel.

Construction is tentatively set for 2023, and when it opens it will be known as Station 4.

The station will enhance services to Watergrass, Meadow Pointe and Zephyrhills, Cassin said.

“This is a great location, it’s going to serve so many people,” the fire chief added, noting that the station will be constructed using funding provided through general obligation bonds approved by county voters.

Gunther Flaig, who spoke on behalf of the land donor, said, “As a father of a current EMS student, trying to become an EMS worker, I know a little bit about the difficulty that you’re facing.”

He said the company was happy to “do a little bit” for the county.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey also expressed gratitude for the donation, noting that she and Flaig have been friends for a long time.

Commission Chairman Mike Moore said, “We very much appreciate your donation.”

As the county continues to grow, Moore said, so will its need for more fire stations.

Published March 18, 2020