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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Child care center coming to Wiregrass Ranch

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The Wiregrass Ranch community will soon have its own full-fledged child care center.

Kiddie Academy of Wiregrass Ranch is set to open this fall — serving children from 6 weeks to 12 years old.

The 10,000-square-foot facility is being built at 2900 Hueland Pond Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, right across the street from Wiregrass Ranch High School and Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus on Mansfield Boulevard.

It marks the first child care center in Wiregrass Ranch.

Kiddie Academy of Wiregrass Ranch is set to open in the fall. The 10,000-square-foot facility, being built at 2900 Hueland Pond Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will serve children between as young as 6 weeks up to 12 years old. (Courtesy of Javier Rojas)

Educational day care programming will be offered for preschool, voluntary pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, while aftercare programming will be offered for kids ages 6 to 12 years old; various summer camp programs also will be available.

At build out, Kiddie Academy of Wiregrass Ranch will be able to accommodate 167 students and will have upward of 40 staff members, according to its franchisee and owner Javier Rojas, who was present at a Jan. 3 groundbreaking ceremony for the facility.

Kiddie Academy is a franchise with more than 200 locations nationwide, including a location in Carrollwood and another coming in Westchase. The franchise was founded in 1981.

Rojas, who is chief medical officer at AdventHealth Zephyrhills (formerly Florida Hospital Zephyrhills), said he and his wife, Maggie Delgado, had an interest in opening a franchise in the Wesley Chapel area about two years ago.

Realizing a need for child care in the area, Rojas said the couple set their sights on Kiddie Academy “to give back and be part of this community and extend our roots.”

The Wiregrass Ranch location will utilize the Kiddie Academy Life Essentials curriculum, which promotes each child’s intellectual, social, physical and emotional growth.

A groundbreaking ceremony for Kiddie Academy of Wiregrass Ranch took place on Jan. 3. It will be the first child care center in Wiregrass Ranch. Shown are co-owners Javier Rojas and Maggie Delgado. (Kevin Weiss)

In addition to age-based curriculum, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and music classes will be offered for all ages.

The academy, too, will feature family-style dining, whereby kids will all share in eating nutritious meals together at the same table.

Rojas said at Kiddie Academy, students “learn without knowing they’re learning.”

Rojas added: “Our developmentally appropriate curriculum gives your child a full day of learning no matter what he or she is doing. Some of the best learning happens without your child knowing it.

“Respect, friendship, sharing, compassion and manners — those are the life essentials that Kiddie Academy would like to proliferate,” he said.

The aftercare center, meanwhile, will have playrooms with computers for kids to use for homework, and for fun.

Kiddie Academy also will feature a large outdoor recreation area, equipped with a soccer field, splash pad, playground, race track, and a harvesting garden and other amenities.

Also noteworthy: Instead of a drop-off and pickup line, Kiddie Academy parents will be required to sign in and sign out their children each day, via a check-in system requiring a fingerprint ID.

For more information, call (813) 702-5656, or visit KiddieAcademy.com/academies/wiregrass-ranch/.

Published January 9, 2019

Private school, more retail, on planning commission agenda

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The Pasco County Planning Commission will consider requests for a private school, and increased retail development, among items during its Jan. 10 public hearing at 1:30 p.m.

Planning commissioners will consider these requests on their consent agenda.

  • Request from Tracy L. and Raul Rodriguez Jr./Keiro Academy, for a private school on 20.6 acres of land zoned for agricultural and residential use. The parcel is on the east side of Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, about one-half mile north of Darby Road.

According to the applicant’s information, “Our student population will primarily demonstrate anxiety, sadness, defiance and school refusal issues stemming from technology overuse. Our students simply need to reconnect with nature in a screen-free environment, and to develop social and life skills to succeed. We intend to create a program exclusively for boys age (15 to 20) and seek to maintain a daily census of 32 students who will live on the property.

“Keiro Academy will not accept students with histories of violence, crime, drug or alcohol abuse issues.”

County staff has recommended approval of the request, with conditions.

  • Request for a substantial modification to the Cypress Creek Town Center master planned unit development (MPUD) — Pasco 54, Ltd.; Pasco Ranch, Inc.; and JG Cypress Creek LLC.

This request calls for changes that would allow for an increase of retail/commercial square footage from 1,998,400 square feet to 2,399,500 square feet, which is an increase of 401,000 square feet; a decrease in hotel rooms from 350 rooms to 135 rooms; and, an increase of multifamily units from 230 units to 600 units, on approximately 490 acres of land.

County staff has recommended approval of the request, with conditions.

When an item is on the consent agenda, the planning commission won’t discuss it, unless a member of the board has questions, or someone in the audience wishes to speak on the item.

On their regular agenda, planning commissioners are expected to hear from representatives from Duke Energy Florida LLC, regarding a proposed landscaping plan in connection with the company’s request for an electrical substation on the north side of Satinleaf Lane, approximately 650 feet west of Smith Road, in Wesley Chapel.

The Planning Commission previously approved Duke’s request for the special exception, but that was subject to the applicant submitting a landscaping plan for review and approval.

The proposed landscaping plan calls for more extensive screening than previously proposed, including more trees and different varieties of planting materials.

The planning commission meeting will be in the board room on the second floor of the courthouse, at 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

Published January 9, 2019

Zephyrhills to provide new trash bins to residents

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Zephyrhills residents will be issued new trash bins in the middle of February, free of charge from the city.

The Zephyrhills carts, or z-carts, will be a new alternative to residents purchasing their own bins — as they have done in the past.

The project has been four years in the making, as city officials have strategized what’s best for the community.

Bobby Black, sanitation supervisor of Zephyrhills, shows off the new z-cart which will be issued to the city’s residents and businesses in February. (Courtesy of City of Zephyrhills)

The 95-gallon cart will run on two wheels and will have a bar code designated specifically for each address.

Instead of being lifted by garbage removal crews, these garbage carts will be picked up through an automated system, using a side-loader truck.

“The automation is the collection mechanism on the truck instead of manually lifting the cart as we do now,” explained Shane LeBlanc, public works director of Zephyrhills. “You let the truck do all the work.”

While the side-loader will be a new addition, the city did not discount using other trucks as backup plans – such as the front-loader truck.

Rear-loader trucks will accommodate areas with narrow spaces, such as alleys.

Z-carts will be primarily for residential use, although they will be added to some businesses.

The carts will be spacious, but residents are asked not to use them for electronic equipment, chemical products or sharp objects, such as needles or glass.

The new approach, LeBlanc said, is “safer for our employees – less on-the-job injuries. There’s all kinds of hazards involved in collecting trash.”

The new trucks require only a driver, but other trucks meant for alleys will still have two additional garbage men for pickup.

Leaves and brush may be put out beside the trash bin, but must be tied in bundles.

Aside from protection and convenience, the project also addresses sanitation.

Many Zephyrhills residents use trash bins, but some leave tied bags at the curb of the road — leaving garbage vulnerable to rodents and causing messes.

Those issues are expected to decrease, with the 8,000 carts the city has ordered, as well as 500 spares.

Pickups will occur twice weekly, and z-carts should be placed by the curb by 7 a.m. Once everything is finalized with contractors, the city will provide the specifics on pickup days.

Zephyrhills is the only municipality in Pasco County with its own sanitation service.

Funded solely by the city, the z-carts will cost an estimated $350,000, while the first side-loader truck this fiscal year will be $300,000.

Next fiscal year, the city plans to purchase another truck, as well as provide automated service for recyclables.

While public reception has been positive, LeBlanc said that one concern has been workers potentially losing their jobs to automation.

He offered this reassurance: “We’re not going to reduce our workforce because we’ll be doing special pickups, dumpster maintenance [and] truck maintenance.”

He also expects a few hiccups along the way, as the new service gets underway. But, he’s confident that the project will run smoothly in the long run.

For more information on the z-carts call (813) 780-0022, or visit ci.zephyrhills.fl.us.

Published January 9, 2019

Cypress Creek plaza still expanding

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The pace of development at Cypress Creek Town Center is picking up, with new shops and restaurants under construction at two sites within the town center.

Most of the action is taking place along Sierra Center Boulevard, a main artery that cuts through the town center, which is located at State Road 56 and Grand Cypress Drive. Two new shopping strips, each fronting Sierra Center Boulevard, will significantly boost the retail development.

Signs staked amid construction activity herald the coming of HomeGoods, Five Below and Burlington. County records also show additional shops will open, including Hobby Lobby, Sleep Number, Pacific Dental, Verizon Wireless, Dollar Tree and America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses.

Restaurants include Blaze Pizza, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Walk-on’s Bistreaux & Bar. Earth Fare, a specialty grocery store, is coming, too.

The town center is part of a mixed-use project of retail, offices, hotel and residential under development by Sierra Properties Inc.

The new retail at Cypress Creek will add to established shops and restaurants that line the south side of Sierra Center, including Men’s Wearhouse, Great Clips, T-Mobile, Noire Nail Bar, Ford’s Garage, Bahama Breeze Grill and Chuy’s Tex-Mex.

Even here, new retail is coming, including Sweetea Café. The restaurant’s menu will have freshly brewed bubble tea, and homemade Vietnamese food and snacks.

The new 130-room Hyatt Place Hotel & Sierra Conference Center opened recently at the far eastern end of the boulevard.

On the south side of State Road 56, Sierra Properties also will gain an Aldi grocery store, at 2215 Sun Vista Drive, on a parcel fronting the Tampa Premium Outlets.

The bounty of new shops, restaurants and offices at Cypress Creek represents a fraction of the development rush that is remaking Pasco County.

It is all part of the warp and weave of bringing a mix of retail, office, hotel, industrial and retail to a county with a long-held reputation as a bedroom community.

Development is bringing rooftops, retail, offices, manufacturing and jobs to the county.

“That’s refreshing,” said Bill Cronin, president/CEO of Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.

More development brings new residents, more jobs and added amenities, and it all adds up to a county where people “live, work and play,” Cronin said. “They don’t have to get on the road every day. They don’t have to make the commute.”

More development is on the way in the area surrounding Cypress Creek Town Center, too.

One recent arrival is At Home Décor Superstore on an outparcel at Tampa Premium Outlets.

To the immediate west of Cypress Creek, Brightwork Crossing is well under construction of up to 350 apartments. A WaWa gas station and El Dorado Furniture store also are planned.

The Shoppes at Cypress Creek is being proposed for development at the northwest corner of State Road 54 and Old Cypress Creek Road. Site plans filed with the county last summer show two 9,000-square-foot buildings separated by a breezeway. A “quick service” restaurant also is proposed for an outparcel at the site.

The following stores are scheduled to  open in 2019 at Cypress Creek Town Center:

Hobby Lobby
Plans are for a February 2019 opening, according to an email from Hobby Lobby representatives.

Hobby Lobby is primarily an arts and crafts store, but it offers a broad array of merchandise and hobby materials, including picture-framing, jewelry-making, floral and wedding supplies, cards and party favors, and home accessories.

The Oklahoma-based national chain began with a $600 investment in a home-based venture by owners David and Barbara Green. They opened a 300-square-foot store in Oklahoma City in 1972, according to the company’s website. Today, Hobby Lobby has more than 800 stores in 47 states.

Burlington
Burlington traces its roots to 1924 and a wholesale operation selling women’s coats and junior suits.

Its first outlet store opened in 1972 in Burlington, New Jersey, according to the company website.

Today, Burlington sells clothes, shoes and other accessories at discounted prices to women, men and children.

HomeGoods
The Massachusetts-based discount home furnishing store is part of the family of TJX Companies Inc., which includes TJ Maxx.

Five Below
Five Below sells everything from cellphone cases and chargers to yoga pants, footballs, candy and seasonal items for Halloween, Easter and Christmas.

Sleep Number
The Minnesota-based national chain sells mattresses, beds and bedding.

Pacific Dental Services
The California-based chain provides a full-range of dental services. It has more than 630 offices in 20 states.

Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless sells phones and accessories, as well as tablets and “fitbit” products.

America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses
America’s Best offers discounted services, including eye examinations, glasses and contacts.

Dollar Tree
The discount store traces its roots back more than 60 years to the Ben Franklin Variety store, and a concept of selling products for $1. It offers a wide array of products, including drinks, toys, candy, school supplies, home décor, gifts and cards.

Chipotle Mexican Grill
The Denver-based fast-casual restaurant is known for its burritos and tacos, and a philosophy of preparing meals-to-order with fresh ingredients. The company has more than 2,000 restaurants nationwide.

Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar
Walk-on Bistreaux & Bar is a New Orleans-based sports bar that is co-owned by New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees. It was founded by business partners who were walk-ons to the Louisiana State University’s basketball team. They opened their first restaurant near LSU’s Tiger Stadium.

Blaze Pizza
Blaze Pizza is a California-based fast-casual restaurant that serves made-to-order, fresh-from-scratch pizzas.

Earth Fare
The North Carolina-based specialty grocery store stocks its stores with organic, natural and local foods.

By Kathy Steele

Published January 2, 2019

Rebranding effort aims to simplify life for patients

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Florida Hospital’s parent company, Adventist Health System, will change its name and the name of all of its wholly owned entities to AdventHealth, effective Jan. 2.

That means 11,000 new signs are going up across the country to signal the change.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel will have an AdventHealth sign on its main building, and will say AdventHealth at Wesley Chapel on its door.

The system’s hospitals in Dade City and Zephyrhills will also get new names as part of a rebranding effort that aims to make life simpler for the patients under the provider’s care, said Denyse Bales-Chubb, president and CEO at what will become AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.

“This truly just unifies us under the same name.

“We want to create a highly integrated, connected network, that is all branded under the same name, so that people can identify our services and our care, throughout whatever community they may be (in),” the hospital executive said.

“Our plans and our goals are to continually work towards that integrated delivery care network, and to become a national health care system, that is recognized throughout the states that we’re in and to continue to  expand those services.”

Right now, the health care provider operates 48 hospitals in nine states, Bales-Chubb said.

“That’s the smallest part of our operation. In addition to that, then, we have literally hundreds of outpatient services. We have home health. We have long-term care. We have clinics. We have free standing EDs. We have physician offices, and they are all branded under a different name,” she said.

Denyse Bales-Chubb

As part of its rebranding effort, Adventist took all 80,000 employees through a standardized training session, Bales-Chubb said.

“We wanted to have the same service standards across all of our hospitals, because when you change your name, it should mean something,” she said.

“We want to make sure that accessing health care, navigating through our system is easy for our patients and their families,” she said.

The health care provider also wants to deliver a level of care that people seek out wherever they go, Bales-Chubb said, “because they know it’s going to be different, and they know it’s going to be special.

“Our goal is to never discharge a patient,” she said.

So, when a patient is in the hospital, they work with people who are called navigators within the hospital to help the patient get whatever appointments for whatever follow-up services they need, she explained.

That can mean going back to their primary care physician, or receiving services from a variety of providers, she said.

“If they need to go and have physical therapy, then that’s navigating them to that physical therapy.

But then, when patients see the common name across the system, she said, “they know that they are getting that continuum of care,” Bales-Chubb said.

Florida Hospital Center Ice also is being renamed. Its new name will be AdventHealth Center Ice.

Published January 2, 2019

Dade City event offers sweet and spicy treats

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The community is invited to bring an appetite for the annual Raising Cane: A Sweet and Spicy Event, on Jan. 12.

The function will be held at the Pioneer Florida Museum from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A hot Kiwanis pancake breakfast will usher in the event at opening time for $3.

Most folk-oriented events at the Pioneer Florida Museum encourage musical jam sessions. This one, with a variety of strings, performed in the cool weather at last year’s function. (File)

It will also give patrons the opportunity to try free samples for the cane syrup tasting contest.

Throughout the day, vendors will offer arts and crafts, as well as foods consisting of chili dogs, chili nachos and chili cheese fries.

At 11:15 a.m., the venue will be livened with performances from The Sara Rose Band, The Sandy Back Porch and The Barking Dogs.

Attendees will be able to sample various chili from two challenges – one held by city officials and another by local residents.

Ten tickets can be purchased for $5 with a sampling cup – one ticket per sample.

Three free voting tickets will be granted to guests to decide on their favorite chilis.

Cash and trophy prizes will be awarded to those in first, second and third place at 4:30 p.m.

“We’re looking forward to it,” said Stephanie Black, director at the museum. “It’s a great food event.”

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and free entry for those under age 5.

Patrons are asked to only bring service dogs with a vest and proper documentation.

For more information or applications, visit PioneerFloridaMuseum.org, or email .

Raising Cane: A Sweet and Spicy Event
Where: Pioneer Florida Museum, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road, Dade City
When: Jan. 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $10 for adults; $5 for students; free admission for those under age 5.
Details: The event will offer a pancake breakfast, a cane syrup tasting contest, chili tasting contests and numerous vendors.
Info: Visit PioneerFloridaMuseum.org, or email .

Published January 2, 2019

Organization offers hope through jobs for disabled persons

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Cindy Bray believes there’s a job out there for everyone, and everyone should have an opportunity for a job — especially those with disabilities.

As executive director of the Wesley Chapel-based nonprofit Hope Services, Bray’s job is just that: Aiding in finding employment opportunities for youth and adults who have disabilities.

She launched the organization by herself in 2003.

Cindy Bray, Hope Services executive director (Courtesy of Hope Services)

Since then, she and Hope Services staff have helped hundreds, if not thousands of people with disabilities find employment with local businesses, through its array of job search and training programs.

Upwards of 400 people have landed jobs through Hope Services in the last year alone, Bray said. Positions have been secured a variety of fields, including retail, food service, warehouses, the medical field and more, she said.

“We have people doing everything. We have people everywhere,” Bray said. “They’re not limited, and their disability does not limit them, either.”

Hope Services is a vendor for the Florida Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

It works from referrals and the support of families as a provider of vocational rehabilitation.

The organization aids in job coaching, on-the-job training, self-advocacy training, work readiness and more. That encompasses resume-building, learning how to find and apply for jobs online, interview techniques, developing socialization skills, understanding human resources requirements and documents, navigating public transportation and more.

Because its funding comes from the state of Florida, Hope Services programming is free to its clientele.

Hope Services itself has grown to over a dozen employees who service the Gulf Coast (Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties).

“It’s really growing,” Bray said. “Other employers want to be more involved in it because they’re seeing our people can make a difference in their employment.”

Bray said the organization’s staff of employment and vocational training specialists work to accentuate people’s abilities, rather than their disabilities.

In addition to assisting people with physical or learning disabilities, the organization helps find meaningful employment opportunities to those who have suffered life-changing injuries or illnesses, providing them “a second opportunity in life.”

Bray observed: “You find a lot of times, with the disabled population, they’re better employees because they’re serious about their jobs and they want to do their best to succeed with their employer, too.”

Each success story brings a feeling of warmth to Hope Services staffers.

“It’s a very rewarding job. It really is,” said Bray, who estimates over 90 percent of Hope Services clients have found success in employment.

In recent years, the organization has placed more focus on ramping up programs for the teenagers and young adults, those ages 15 to 22 that are still in school

Bray explained there’s a “huge need” for servicing that population, noting many have difficulty with the very basics of finding and keeping employment.

Said Bray: “We’re trying real hard to help those students, once they hit that 16, 17, 18-year-old age, to think ahead of employment, and also give mom and dad a ray of hope.”

To help with that, Hope Services will be offering free support group seminars each month that will bring clients (and prospective clients) and family members together, in a supportive and educational forum. The meetings will be guided by a licensed clinician, who will help participants celebrate successes, encourage each other through ongoing challenges, learn new techniques, and provide and receive feedback on their personal journey through life with disabilities.

Seminar topics will include the following:

  • Mindfulness & Goal Setting
  • Self-Awareness & Emotional Regulation
  • Time Management & Organizational Skills
  • The Challenge of Adjusting Expectations
  • Encouraging Fatigue: When the Helper Needs Help
  • Distorted Thinking: Brains don’t always tell the truth
  • Coping Skills: What helps & what hurts?
  • Communication Skills: The differences of what is said & what is heard

The first seminar will be on Jan. 7 at 7 p.m., at the Hope Services offices, 2406 Cypress Glen Drive, Suite 102, Wesley Chapel. Seminars will be held the first Monday of each month, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. They are free and open to the public.

For information, visit HopeGetsJobs.com, or call (813) 907-1903.

Published January 2, 2019

Staying calm in a crisis

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Crisis situations seem to be growing rapidly in this time of change and uncertainty.

Emotional turmoil and negative behavior seems to be on the rise, spanning from verbal abuse to physical assault.

Schools and agencies are now required to intervene more often for the safety and protection of students, staff and clients, and have a responsibility to train staff to safely and effectively deal with reasonably foreseeable situations.

Handle With Care, a crisis intervention training program, offers the tips below when responding to someone who is becoming out of control.

Be attuned to signals of potential crisis behavior:

There is usually a change of behavior before physical aggression occurs, which can include:

  • Verbal clues: what is being said, such as insults or threats
  • Non-verbal clues: how something is being said, including voice, volume, rate of speech and tone
  • Body language, such as body tenseness, leaning forward, pacing, finger-pointing or hand-clenching

Reduce potential for conflict through these actions or words:

  • Remain calm and in control
  • Only one person should speak at a time
  • Respect personal space
  • Be aware of not only what you say, but how you say it
  • Keep natural eye contact and put in place a direct line of communication
  • In a team intervention, the team member with the best relationship should be the “talker”
  • Set clear, consistent and enforceable limits
  • Take immediate action in dangerous or life-threatening situations

Crisis programs can provide training for agencies, schools, hospitals, organizations and parents who care for children and people who have the potential of being aggressive, violent or out of control toward themselves and other.

Experts also can be available to talk about emotional trauma, feelings of insecurity or fear, and provide information about connecting to community resources.

Published January 2, 2019

Study continues on Wesley Chapel congestion

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The Metropolitan Planning Organization heard a report about the Wesley Chapel Roadway Connection project — along with pros and cons on various aspects of potential roadway connections during the board’s Dec. 13 meeting.

Some residents worry about safety issues near schools because of traffic congestion on Mansfield Boulevard. (File)

The presentation was for information only, with no action taken by the board.

Meghan McKinney, of the AECOM organization, has been collaborating with the MPO to conduct studies on the pros and cons of potential connections.

The project is focused on three potential connections:

  • Mansfield Boulevard and Kinnan Street
  • Meadow Pointe Boulevard and Meadow Pointe Boulevard Extension
  • Wyndfields Boulevard and Wyndfields Boulevard Extension

Public workshops have been held, as part of the study, in both April 2017 and May 2018.

“The reasons we wanted to do this study is we wanted to get public input, to hear if views have changed,” McKinney said.

In general, it’s a consensus in the community that the area’s roads can’t handle the current traffic demands, and there are especially concerns about safety near schools, she said.

Of all three potential connections, the most controversial involves a possible link between Mansfield Boulevard and Kinnan Street.

In a 2017 survey, 36 people said they favored the connection, while 37 people were opposed.

Several alternatives are being considered, McKinney said.

  • No Build Alternative: Would have no connections for public use but only provide a gate for emergency vehicles, and would make accommodations for cyclists and pedestrians
  • Alternative 1: Would focus on connecting Mansfield Boulevard and Kinnan Street
  • Alternative 2: Would focus on the Mansfield Boulevard/Kinnan Street and Meadow Pointe Boulevard Extension
  • Alternative 3: Meadow Pointe Boulevard Extension
  • Alternative 4: Mansfield Boulevard/Kinnan Street, Meadow Pointe Boulevard and Wyndfields Boulevard Extension

McKinney also told board members that regardless of which alternative is selected, the area’s traffic projections for 2040 reveals significant traffic increases.

“Basically you have an area where just by connecting the road, you’re not necessarily adding more people to the area,” she reasoned. “You’re just shifting the routes they may use.”

However, the projection also showed that the No Build Alternative would have its greatest increase near Beardsley Drive and Mansfield Boulevard.

The alternative’s biggest decrease in traffic would occur on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard between County Line Road and Cross Creek Boulevard, she said.

Aside from the road connection proposed, McKinney also addressed several planned improvements, including additional traffic lights and turning lanes.

One plan addresses concerns about traffic near schools on Mansfield Boulevard.

The bus drop-off and pick-up area near Dr. John Long Middle School contributes to the heavy congestion on the road, she said.

She suggested relocating the bus area from Wiregrass School Road onto Mansfield Boulevard, to enable a more steady flow of traffic.

A new crosswalk on the north side of Wiregrass School Road already is funded and underway, she said.

Another proposal calls for adding lanes at all four stops at the intersection of State Road 56 with Mansfield Boulevard, Meadow Pointe Boulevard and Wyndfields Boulevard.

Any road expansions on State Road 56 would be independent projects from the three proposed roadway connections, she said.

Published December 26, 2018

DeSantis wants Burgess to lead state’s veterans affairs

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Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis has announced his recommendation of state Rep. Danny Burgess to serve as the state’s next executive director of Florida’s Department of Veterans Affairs.

If his appointment is confirmed, Burgess will have to resign from his District 38 seat in the Florida House of Representatives.

State Rep. Danny Burgess has been recommended to serve as the state’s next executive director of Florida’s Department of Veterans Affairs. (Courtesy of Florida House of Representatives website)

“It’s bittersweet,” Burgess said, noting the appointment “is completely unexpected and not something I sought out.”

But he added, receiving the call from DeSantis regarding the opportunity to serve in the new capacity was humbling, and exciting.

He said he’s delighted to be the one person, in a state of 21 million, that DeSantis wants for the post.

“I’ve worked hard on veterans issues,” Burgess said. This new position will give him greater opportunities to serve people who have served this country, he said.

DeSantis explained his recommendation, in a written statement, according to the Sunshine State News.

“Danny’s commitment to our nation and especially to Florida’s veteran community make him the perfect fit to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“His relentless advocacy for veterans in the Florida Legislature is proof of his commitment to the well-being of our veterans and addressing the important issues they face. I know he will work tirelessly to continue to improve our ability to serve Florida’s veterans, and I look forward to discussing his exemplary record with members of the Cabinet when we convene,” the Sunshine State News reported.

Burgess recently won a third term for District 38, which covers eastern Pasco County. He also is a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves.

Before serving in the Florida House, Burgess served on the Zephyrhills City Council was mayor of Zephyrhills.

If Burgess vacates his seat, it will trigger a need for a special election.

The timing of that is not yet certain, said Pasco Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley.

First, Burgess must vacate his seat. DeSantis then must be sworn into office, which is slated for Jan. 8, and the cabinet has to confirm Burgess.

Once those things, which are expected to happen, happen, Corley said then the new governor would issue an order for a special election for House District 38.

There are about 115,000 voters in District 38. The special election would work like any other election, including early voting, vote by mail, and voting on election day.

“There could be primaries. It all depends on who decides to run,” Corley said.

It’s not unprecedented in Pasco to have a special election to fill a vacancy, after a governor appointment, Corley said.

Mike Fasano resigned from his House District 36 seat after Gov. Rick Scott appointed him in  2013 to become the Pasco County tax collector, after Mike Olson’s death.

That appointment required a special election to fill the District 36 seat in the Florida House, Corley said.

Burgess said he’s aware that Randy Maggard plans to run for District 38.

“He’s a close family friend,” Burgess said. “He’s got my full support.”

Published December 26, 2018