The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Zephyrhills/East Pasco News

Dade City’s Splashpad is now open

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A ribbon-cutting and grand opening were held on May 23 for the long-awaited Splashpad in Dade City.

And the more than 50 youngsters who were able to use it for the first time seemed like they couldn’t have been happier.

The Splashpad and accompanying community playground are on approximately 2.23 acres at the intersection of Church Avenue and 10th Street near downtown Dade City.

The Rev. Brian Butler, pastor of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, offered a prayer at the beginning of the ceremony. He thanked the Lord for the Splashpad and asked that angels be dispatched “so this will become a special place to be enjoyed for generations to come.”

Dignitaries participating in the May 23 ribbon-cutting ceremony at Dade City’s new Splashpad, from left: City Commissioner Ann Cosentino, Mayor Pro Tem Normita “Angel” Woodard, Mayor Scott Black, City Commissioners James Shive and Kristin Church, and Chairman of the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners Ron Oakley. (Joe Potter)

“It is my honor to welcome each and every one of you to our new Splashpad and community playground! Our City Commission has been committed to making this a reality, and we are so excited to open these new features in time for summer

vacation,” City Manager Leslie Porter said enthusiastically prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“I would like to thank our honorable guests here with us today. From the City of Dade City Commission, we have Mayor Scott Black, Mayor Pro Tem Normita Woodard, Commissioner Kristin Church, Commissioner Ann Cosentino and Commissioner James Shive.

“We also have several honorable guests joining us today including Chairman Ron Oakley from the County Commission and Andy Taylor with TECO. We are so

grateful for your participation and support of Dade City each and every day,” Porter said.

Dade City is within County Commission District 1, which Oakley represents.

“I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who has made today possible — city staff has worked hard to ensure all aspects of the Splashpad and playground are ready for you and your families to enjoy. Borregard Construction and Gulf American have worked hard to construct the new amenities for us. Thank you to Kevin Taggerty for providing sound this morning, and Joy Lynn for opening the Welcome Center and sharing all that Dade City has to offer,” Porter said.

“This is great, isn’t it?” Mayor Black asked before beginning the rest of his remarks about what he said was “a momentous occasion.”

“This is an event we have been looking forward to for many years. It was a while coming, but it was worth the wait,” Black said.

He talked briefly about some of the history of Dade City, particularly in the area where the Splashpad is located. 

The clean, modern facility is directly across Church Avenue from American Legion Post 15 and a couple of blocks east of the Gray Moss Inn.

Legend has it that U.S. President Calvin Coolidge visited the Gray Moss Inn while he was in Florida to attend the opening dedication of Bok Tower in Lake Wales. Black joked that someone might occasionally see Coolidge walking down one of the sidewalks on Church Avenue, jokingly adding, “he was the first president I voted for” — Coolidge died decades before Black was born.

The Splashpad represents an investment of $1,605,000 on Dade City’s part.

A large group of young children are shown enjoying the new Splashpad a few minutes after it opened at the intersection of Church Avenue and 10th Street in Dade City.

Longtime Dade City resident and businessman Otto Weitzenkorn sold the property where the Splashpad is to the city for $800,000. 

Weitzenkorn provided a charitable donation of a portion of the land that was valued at $368,000. Otherwise, the property would have cost Dade City $1,168,000 when the sale closed on Dec. 31, 2019.

The property was purchased through the use of money from the city’s general fund reserves.

Obtaining the property “was a tremendous acquisition for Dade City,” Commissioner Shive said, adding, “I think future generations will enjoy having this facility here.

“I want to give a shout-out to Borregard Construction. They care about this community,” Shive said, adding, “The next phase here will be an amphitheater and then there may be another phase.”

Dade City paid Borregard Construction $805,000 to build the 2,500-square-foot Splashpad, which sits within a 6,500-square-foot fenced-in area.

There are two Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restrooms adjacent to the Splashpad, not included in the price of the Splashpad itself.

Discussions by Dade City’s commissioners and city managers about having a Splashpad began about 10 years ago. 

City water stored in underground tanks is used to provide the water at the Splashpad, according to Ben Borregard of Borregard Construction. The water goes through a system and is sterilized after having been dispensed on the Splashpad, making it possible to use again, according to Borregard.

“I want to give a big thank you to the city,” Borregard said, adding that city officials came together to get the Splashpad project done.

Published June 05, 2024

Zephyrhills fields public input for Parks and Recreation amenities

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Numerous residents and business people made suggestions about adding to and improving the offerings of Zephyrhills’ Parks and Recreation Department while attending a community workshop on May 23 at City Hall.

GAI Consultants oversaw the 90-minute-long event regarding proposed changes to the city’s master plan.

(Lukas/Pexels)

There wasn’t any formal presentation during the open-house style workshop, as its purpose was to receive input from those attending on what the public wants compared to what the city currently has in its Parks and Recreation Department, said Kristin Caborn of GAI Consultants.

Caborn has more than 24 years of parks and recreation management and planning experience, has overseen several multimillion-dollar parks and recreation projects, and provided master plan implementation and phasing plans services for public-sector clients, according to the company’s website.

Various stations were set up in City Council chambers with displays of different programs and events currently not offered by the city.

At the workshop, attendees had the opportunity to make suggestions for changes they would like to see for both adults and children by placing brightly colored dots on the displays. The displays helped gauge interest in what the public might want to see the city offer, according to Caborn.

They also had opportunities to indicate which areas of the department they would like to see more money spent.

Several other members of GAI’s staff were present at the workshop, in addition to some city officials, including City Manager William C. “Billy” Poe Jr., Planning Director Todd Vande Berg and Community Redevelopment Agency Director Gail Hamilton.

GAI has already compiled a complete inventory of the condition of the amenities at the city’s many parks.

The input from the public that was obtained at the workshop will be evaluated by GAI Consultants and presented to the city later this year, according to Caborn.

Published June 05, 2024

City of Zephyrhills starts new recycling pickup schedule

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The City of Zephyrhills is notifying municipal residents of a new recycling pickup schedule due to the increasing population within the city limits. The updated schedule aims to better serve the community’s needs and ensure efficient recycling management, according to a news release.

The new pickup schedule is:

  • June 5: Recycling will be picked up for city residents whose solid waste/trash days are Monday and Thursday. This recycling schedule will then continue every other Wednesday (i.e., June 19, July 3, July 17, July 31 and so on).
  • June 12: Recycling will be picked up for city residents whose solid waste/trash days are Tuesday and Friday. This schedule will then continue every other Wednesday throughout 2024 (i.e., June 16, July 10, July 24, Aug. 7 and so on).

To view the calendar for all recycling dates the remainder of this year, visit https://www.ci.zephyrhills.fl.us/DocumentCenter/View/3976/2024-Weekly-Recycle-Calendar-3.

To confirm if you are a City of Zephyrhills municipal resident, type in your address into the Pasco County property appraiser’s website at https://search.pascopa.com/.

For questions and further assistance, contact the City of Zephyrhills Public Works Department at 813-780-0022.

Pioneer Florida Museum joins Blue Star initiative

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The Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, 15602 Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City, has joined museums nationwide in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program that provides free admission to currently serving U.S. military personnel and their families during the summer.

The program began on Armed Forces Day (May 18) and will end on Labor Day, Sept. 2.

Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across the United States. Blue Star Families is in its 14th year of offering the program.

“We are honored to have the privilege of supporting our military families and taking part in this year’s Blue Star Museums program,” said Stephanie Bracknell Black, executive director of Pioneer Florida Museum, in a news release.

The initiative allows military members and their families, whether they are traveling or getting to know a new duty location by exploring what the community has to offer, added Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, in the release.

In addition to the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, the Blue Star Museums program includes children’s museums, arts, science and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses and more, from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The current list of participating museums will continue to grow over the summer and organizations are welcome to register online to be a Blue Star Museum, at https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/blue-star-museums/2024-registration.

The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy and Space Force, members of the Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and up to five family members.

Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generational Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance to a participating Blue Star Museum.

Published May 29, 2024

County Road 52 to be closed beginning June 5

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Pompanic Street is closed for roundabout construction from south of Pennsylvania Avenue to CR 52. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

The intersection of County Road 52, Pompanic Street and College Avenue in San Antonio is scheduled to close beginning the afternoon of June 5 (NOTE: original date of May 28 had been postponed) around-the-clock, to all CR 52 thru-traffic, according to a Florida Department of Transportation news release. The closure is needed for continued construction of a new roundabout at the intersection.

It is expected to reopen in approximately mid to late August, weather permitting, the release says.

Motorists will detour around the closed area of CR 52 using State Road 52 between Curley Road and Prospect Road.

There also are local detours in place for Pompanic Street and College Avenue, as these road currently do not have access to CR 52.

To access downtown San Antonio from CR 52, drivers can use Curley Street or Joe Hermann Drive.

More project information and map are available online at https://tinyurl.com/32r7pjn7.

Published May 24, 2024

Wireless activity may be improved in Blanton Lake area

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Current and future residents of the Blanton Lake area may be a step closer to experiencing significant wireless network improvements in the future following a recent action by the Pasco County Planning Commission.

(Hassan OUAJBIR/Unsplash)

Planning commissioners approved sending to the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) a request for conditional use submitted by Beverly and Vesta James Elliott/Coral Towers, LLC/Verizon Wireless. The applicants want to be allowed to have a cell tower installed at 17272 Spring Valley Road in Dade City.

If approved by the BOCC at its June 4 meeting in Dade City, a preliminary site plan will have to be submitted for review and approval before the cell tower may be installed. All applicable sections of Pasco County’s Land Development Code (LDC) also must be met prior to the tower’s installation.

The tower, which will be 195 feet high with a 4-foot-tall lightning rod on top of it, is expected to provide more coverage and capacity for the existing service area, the conditional request application said.

Plans call for the tower to be installed within a 1,600-square-foot fenced compound that will be suitable for the co-location of three additional carriers, for a total of four carriers.

The property where the tower will be placed is located on the north side of Spring Valley Road, approximately 870 feet west of Adela Street in County Commission District 1 in North Central Pasco County.

In other business at the May 2 meeting in Dade City, planning commissioners also:

  • Agreed to approve a zoning amendment requested by Trust 12304/Happy Hill for the zoning of approximately 0.66 acres of property located on the southwest corner of Happy Hill Road and Lakeview Drive to be changed from an R-2 Low Density Residential District to a PO-2 Professional Office District. 

There currently is a duplex on this property in County Commission District 1 in East Central Pasco County. The change will allow an office to be built on the property. 

  • Approved a zoning amendment requested by Hudson-based Tochas LLC. The applicant asked for the zoning of an approximately 0.69 acre site on the north side of Breakwater Lane approximately 180 feet west of Shady Hills Road to be changed from a C-2 General Commercial District to an A-R Agricultural-Residential District. The property is in County Commission District 5 in Northwest Pasco County.

The property owner had contacted Pasco County’s Zoning Office in August 2023 after he had listed the property for sale. He was told the property was not permitted for residential use except ancillary to a permitted commercial use on the property. He had purchased the property in December 2022 and told officials he did not intend to sell it for commercial use.

The single-family dwelling on the property had originally been zoned General Commercial for the specific use of a pet shop and kennel for racing, breeding and sales of small animals.  

Both of the above zoning amendment requests will not become effective unless approved by the BOCC at its June meeting. This is because the Planning Commission acts in an advisory capacity to the BOCC.

The Planning Commission also continued until its own June 6 meeting three requests for zoning amendments. They were for:

  • The zoning of approximately 3.22 acres on the southwest corner of State Road 54 and Ryals Road to be changed from an A-R Agricultural-Residential District to a C-2 General Commercial District. Thomas Lee and Kimberly Anne Samone asked for the zoning change on the property in County Commission District 1 in Southeast Pasco County.
  • The zoning of approximately 29.5 acres of property on the east side of Old Lakeland Highway slightly east and north of U.S. Highway 98 to be changed from an A-C Agricultural Zoning District to a MPUD Master Planned Unit Development District
  • Crossways MPUD – Crossways 301 LLC is requesting the zoning change for the property in County Commission District 1. Crossways seeks to be able to develop up to 130 single-family residential units on the property. The applicant said in its request that the proposed development would consist of 130 single-family detached units and associated infrastructure.
  • The rezoning from C-2 General Commercial District to a MPUD Master Planned Unit Development District for approximately 14.55 acres on the northwest corner of the intersection of State Road 54 and Lake Crystal Boulevard in County Commission District 1. The applicant is SR 54 and Lake Crystal MPUD Master Planned Unit Development – Interstate Homes LLC, et al. They are seeking to develop a maximum of 300 multifamily dwelling units, 7,000 square feet of office and 7,000 square feet of retail or 160,000 square feet of commercial on the property.

Published May 22, 2024

Girl Scouts celebrate 112th birthday

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Girl Scouts, alumni and members of the Zephyrhills community joined in the birthday celebration that included games and a market. (Courtesy of Michelle Lucas)

The Zephyrhills community helped to celebrate the Girl Scouts’ 112th birthday and West Wind’s Girl Scouts through the decades with an event at Zephyr Park’s Alice Hall.

Admission was free and the event featured a girl-preneur market, games and guest speakers. Girl Scouts alumni were invited to attend and asked to bring their uniforms.

“This was such a fun day and so fantastic to see so many generations and the community come together, remembering the troop that started in 1957. Girls got to complete a Journey in a Day, learn how to be safe from Zephyrhills local police officers, hear fun and interesting stories from ER nurse Natalie, hear from the YMCA and Code Ninja, as well as be empowered to use their voice by the mayor, and so much more. West Wind sure knew how to end Girl Scout Week with a real GREEN party!” said Courtney Neal, community manager, Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF), in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

Published May 08, 2024

From left, back: Courtney Neal, community manager, GSWCF; Hailey Burgos, membership and wellness director, YMCA; Hailey Davidson, aquatics director; and front, Tricia Smith, manager, West Wind Service Unit.

Enjoy summer camp at a local YMCA

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As the weather turns warm, and the end of the school year gets that much closer, so does the thought of keeping children busy and off their devices. The Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA is here to help with your family’s summer camp plans. We offer campers the opportunity to try something new while they build character through activities based on the Y Core Values: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.

(Photos courtesy Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA)

Our East Pasco Family YMCA in Zephyrhills has so much to offer — from traditional camp activities like outdoor games, art and sports, plus a variety of adventures throughout the week.

Geared for ages 6 to 12, camp participants will experience a memorable and fun summer. The East Pasco Y has a camp stage complete with camp seating where campers start and end their day with an energetic opening and closing ceremony. 

“The East Pasco YMCA offers many wonderful amenities for our camp kiddos to enjoy every day at summer camp! Firstly, right next to our camp stage out in our open field is a GaGa Pit, 9 Square, and a retention pond for all kinds of games, and activities,” explains Alex Delgado, associate executive director, East Pasco & Dade City YMCA. 

“We also have a six-lane, 25-yard-long swimming pool that they get to swim in daily at camp. The pool itself, as well as the deck, were renovated in 2021, so it is still very new. Next, our basketball gym is a great space to play all kinds of sports such as basketball, volleyball, pickleball, indoor soccer and indoor hockey. Campers often play team-building games and partake in fitness classes there as well. Lastly, we have two racquetball courts used for arts & crafts, as well as team-building,” adds Delgado.

Dave Boyle, executive director of Tampa Y’s Camp Cristina, oversees our camps, and shares we are expecting 1,700 campers this year.

“This camp season, while we continue to cherish the timeless traditions that have always defined us, we are excited to introduce a modern twist to these classic elements. Central to our refreshed approach is a renewed emphasis on fostering meaningful connections,” said Boyle.

“We believe that the bonds formed at camp — between peers, with nature and within oneself — are more vital than ever in our increasingly digital world. Our activities are deliberately designed to encourage campers to engage deeply with the world around them, particularly the great outdoors.

“Being outside isn’t just a backdrop for our camp; it’s a canvas for adventure, learning, and discovery. Additionally, we’re reinvigorating our range of age-appropriate games, infusing them with innovative ideas and approaches. These games are not only fun but are carefully crafted to promote developmental skills, teamwork, and healthy competition. By blending the best of traditional camp experiences with a contemporary perspective, we’re creating an environment that is both nostalgically familiar and excitingly new, ensuring that our campers enjoy the most enriching and memorable summer possible.

“Each counselor brings a unique blend of diverse backgrounds and skills, allowing us to offer a personalized experience that caters to the individual needs and interests of every camper. They serve as role models, demonstrating values and attitudes that leave a lasting impact on the campers, shaping not just their summer but their character and life outlook. Importantly, they create a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment where campers feel comfortable to be themselves, fostering respect and appreciation for others,” notes Boyle. 

Here’s what the American Camp Association’s stats on the value of summer camp tell us, direct from campers:

  • Camp helped me make new friends: 96% 
  • Camp helped me to get to know kids who are different from me: 93%
  • The people at camp helped me feel good about myself: 92%
  • At camp, I did things I was afraid to do at first: 74% 

Spots are still available but are filling up fast. The East Pasco Family YMCA is at 37301 Chapel Hill Loop in Zephyrhills. Visit https://www.tampaymca.org/locations/east-pasco-family-ymca for more information or to register.

For additional YMCA locations, visit https://www.tampaymca.org/.

Kiran Malik-Khan is the senior communications director of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA

Published April 24, 2024

Dade City’s ‘crown jewel’ shines brightly

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With hundreds of people involved and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent, a renovated Touchton Park in Dade City officially opened on April 4 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The conclusion of the two-year project was celebrated with remarks from dignitaries and a reception afterwards at the Dade City Garden Club.

This plaque on a wall at the entrance identifies the site as Touchton Park. Some of the work that was done as part of the renovation project is visible in the background. (Joe Potter)

“This is truly a blessing for the City of Dade City,” the Rev. Clyde E. Carter said as he offered a prayer. The park will be there for generations to come because of the renovation, Carter added.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the visionaries, planners and hardworking individuals who turned this dream into a reality. Their dedication, creativity and unwavering commitment . . . transformed an idea into this beautiful park we stand in today. This project is the crowning jewel of Dade City,” Dade City Mayor James “Jim” Shive said.

J. Thomas Touchton of Tampa provided substantial financial support for the park’s renovation between 2023 and 2024. He is a grandson of Ruth Embry “Miss Polly” Touchton. He also established an endowment fund to help pay for the park’s future maintenance.

“This park was named for my grandmother Ruth Embry ‘Miss Polly’ Touchton after her death in 1986 at the age of 99 — and at the end of her 89 years of living in, and contributing to, Dade City,” Touchton said in an interview.

Conversations he had with Pat Carver, who was a member of the Dade City Garden Club for 60 years before she died in 2023, and others, prompted him to ask Dade City’s leadership if he “could renovate the park as a gift to Dade City and rename it simply ‘Touchton Park,’ so I could recognize my grandfather and my parents (and, in the end, also my great-grandparents) with plaques that mention many of their civic, business, personal and political contributions to Dade City over almost nine decades,” Touchton said.

Touchton’s financial contribution for the renovation led to the park being renamed Touchton Park. He also helped to establish an endowment fund to be used for the park’s future upkeep.

J. Thomas “Tom” Touchton, at the podium, left, accepts a plaque from James “Jim” Shive, Mayor of Dade City, during a rededication of Touchton Park. Standing behind the men, from left: Rev. Clyde E. Carter; Scott Black and Ann Cosentino, city commissioners; and Normita “Angel” Woodard, mayor pro tem. (Courtesy of Joe Potter)

The park has two levels for people to visit and enjoy. The upper level is known as The Grove and sits 22 feet higher than the lower level, The Garden. Steps were installed so people could have access to both levels of the park.

A retention wall was placed between the upper and lower levels, and underground infrastructure was installed along Southview Avenue and Fifth Street to help improve stormwater drainage there. 

New parking spaces also were created along Southview Avenue and Fifth Street, and other amenities were provided as part of the city’s investment of $192,000 in the park, according to City Clerk Angelia “Angie” Guy.

In addition, new sidewalks, benches, picnic tables and swings were installed. 

Tampa Electric Company (TECO) contributed $50,000 that was used to buy new trees, plants and shrubs to improve the landscape of the park that’s located adjacent to the Dade City Garden Club on Fifth Street.

Some of the park’s past history was provided as part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

It was noted that longtime Dade City residents Paul and Brenda Rhinesmith donated the nearly 2-acre site where the park is located to Dade City in 1979. They required that the park be named after “Miss Polly” Touchton, who was widely known as a matriarch and civic leader in Dade City for more than 75 years. 

Memorial plaques that tell about the many accomplishments of members of the Touchton family have been installed at the park.

Some family members whose names are listed on the plaques include: Touchton’s great-parents, Wallace Estill Embry (1846-1911) and his wife, Minerva Carolyn “Sallie” Cooper Embry (1857-1950), who brought their seven sons and one daughter, “Polly,” with them when they left Kentucky and arrived in Dade City by train on Jan. 5, 1898. “He came here to grow shade tobacco – which developed a virus in the nineteen teens – which put him out of that business – but he was known as an enthusiastic “booster” for Dade City and Eastern Pasco County,” Touchton said.

His great-grandmother Embry was charter president of the Dade City Woman’s Club and was active in her church. Their home place was where the Dade City Post Office is now located, Touchton said.

From left: Scott Black, Dade City commissioner; Charles Touchton III and his wife, Jan, of Tampa; Judy Touchton, a sister of Silver Spring, Maryland; Susan Touchton and John Touchton of Tampa, who are J. Thomas Touchton’s daughter-in-law and son; J. Thomas “Tom” Touchton of Tampa, who paid to renovate most of the park; James “Jim” Shive, mayor of Dade City; Angelia “Angie” Guy, clerk of Dade City; Normita “Angel” Woodard, mayor pro tem;, Ann Cosentino, Dade City commissioner; and Lisa Simon, former Dade City commissioner.
(Courtesy of Dade City Police Department)

His great-uncle, Hugh Embry, one of the seven Embry sons, started Dade City’s library, which carries his name today, Touchton said. He was one of “Polly” Touchton’s brothers.

Sallie Embry Massey, the daughter of another Embry son, Boone — and the mother of Julia Massey Pittman — married Herbert Massey, one of the founders of Pasco Packing Company (later Lykes Pasco) — at one time the largest citrus processing plant in the world, Touchton said.

His grandfather, Charles F. Touchton Sr., was born on July 7, 1883. He was one of the organizers of the Dade City Board of Trade (now the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce) and later chaired the Board of Trade Committee that brought the first major installation of electric streetlights to Meridian Street in downtown Dade City. He was a charter member of the Dade City Kiwanis Club; chairman of the Board of Deacons of the First Baptist Church; and a pharmacist, rancher and citrus grower. He died on June 8, 1957.

His grandmother, Ruth Embry “Miss Polly” Touchton, who was a church leader and Sunday school teacher, rolled bandages for the Red Cross during World War I. She was the longest serving member — 77 years — of the First Presbyterian Church here and sang in its choir for 55 years. And she was a charter member of the Dade City Woman’s Club and of the Dade City Garden Club. She died on May 1, 1986, at 99 years of age. “Much loved and respected — certainly worthy of having a park named for her,” Touchton said. 

His grandparent’s home was where City Hall is now located, Touchton said.

His parents, Charles F. Touchton Jr., and Thelma Gray Hannon Touchton’s names are also on memorial plaques. 

His father was born in 1911 and became the first Eagle Scout in Pasco County in 1927. He was charter president of the Dade City Rotary Club and a member of the Pasco County School Board. In addition, he was a city commissioner and mayor of Dade City, and chairman of the Jackson Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees. He was known to many in Dade City as both “Mister Insurance” and “Dade City’s official greeter.” He was a fundraiser for the Dade City Armory, the Boy Scouts and the March of Dimes. Some of his father’s other roles were a rancher, citrus grower and salesman. He died on May 26, 1988.

His mother was born on Sept. 24, 1911, and was well-known as a wife, mother and gardener. She was originally from Gainesville and was a smart, independent woman.  An avid reader, she introduced the arts and reading to her children. An organizer of the Dade City Garden Club and its second president, she was also president of the Jackson Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and was a leader of women in two churches — Presbyterian and Methodist — in Dade City. She died on Dec. 9, 1988, Touchton said. 

In his closing remarks, Touchton said he hoped visitors to the park would bring their children and grandchildren so they could read the memorial plaques. He said he also hoped that they, as well others in future generations, would be influenced by what his family had done and would also seek to play major roles in Dade City.

Published April 17, 2024

Public input session seeks feedback

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Pasco County seeks community input on stormwater areas of concern, including flooding and drainage. (File)

Pasco County’s Department of Public Works is launching a major project to update its Stormwater Master Plan, which will identify stormwater areas of concern, as well as strategies and projects to help reduce flooding and improve drainage across unincorporated areas in Pasco County.

An Eastside Public Input Session is scheduled for April 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City, in the second-floor boardroom.

“It’s important we receive thorough feedback from the public on our Stormwater Master Plan,” said Public Works Director Jason Mickel, in a news release.

“We’re working hard to improve stormwater quality and reduce flooding, and these input sessions allow us the opportunity to fulfill that endeavor through community member concerns and suggestions,” said Mickel.

For those on the west side of the county and for those who cannot attend in person, ideas can be submitted online at MyPasco.net/swmp.

Published April 17, 2024