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Fate of flight festival remains up in the air

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Traffic jams caused tempers to flare and poor weather kept balloons from launching during the third annual Festival of Flight at the Tampa North Flight Center.

Scores of motorists complained via the festival’s Facebook page about being stuck in traffic for hours.

Greg Lasher of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, left, and Lenny Carver of Sidney, Montana inspect the radial engine of a vintage PT-17 Stearman. (Steve Hollingshead/Photos)
Greg Lasher of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, left, and Lenny Carver of Sidney, Montana inspect the radial engine of a vintage PT-17 Stearman.
(Steve Hollingshead/Photos)

Some said they were turned away from the venue because there was no place to park. Others said they gave up and voiced irritation for being inconvenienced.

Numerous posts criticized event organizers for failing to secure enough parking, for not having law enforcement to direct traffic and for not letting people know early enough when events were cancelled.

The Friday Night Balloon Glow was held, but balloon launches scheduled on Saturday and Sunday mornings were cancelled because of the weather.

Some activities also were able to go on, but much of the event was a washout.

Jessica Warren, festival director for Festival of Flight, said “We are reconsidering all of our options.” That includes, whether to stage the event again.

“Everybody says it was disorganized,” Warren said, but months of hard work and planning went into the event.

Parking was arranged for 20 acres on Compark 75, which is next to Tampa North Flight Center. Warren and her husband mowed the field to prepare it for parking.

Fifty-six volunteers were also secured to help with parking, she said.

Tom Huntington of Warbirds America gives passenger, Adam Silva of Tampa, a post flight briefing after experiencing his first AT-6 trainer flight.
Tom Huntington of Warbirds America gives passenger, Adam Silva of Tampa, a post flight briefing after experiencing his first AT-6 trainer flight.

But festivalgoers began showing up four hours before the event on Friday afternoon and volunteers had not arrived to direct parking.

To make matters worse, some people disregarded directions by volunteers and parked in areas and wound up blocking off areas that were intended for additional parking, Warren said.

Some Facebook posts recommended that a remote parking arrangement be made with shuttles to ferry people to the festival for a fee.

Warren said that was done, with five shuttle buses and three golf carts giving people rides from the adjacent Compark 75 parking area to the venue.

She said the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office came to help with parking and officers were hired to help for the rest of the event.

“We knew the popularity had grown,” Warren said. But she said, organizers did not expect so many people to show up at the same time.

Despite the criticism, there were some positive Facebook posts, particularly about the beauty of the balloon glow.

Warren did not see the balloon glow.

“I was directing traffic,” she said.

Published September 16, 2015

 

The Tiki Cove docks on Lake Padgett

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Volleyball, a freshwater beach, and boats add up to a good time at The Tiki Cove on the shoreline of Lake Padgett.

Partners Dave Hipps and Steve Slowey are bringing a new tiki-style bar and restaurant to Land O’ Lakes, on Station Lane, off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. They are kicking off with a series of weekend preview events on Sept. 11, 12 and 13.

Plans are to open The Tiki Cove every other weekend, at least for the next few months. Once permitting is complete, construction can begin on the brick-and-mortar bar and restaurant.

Dave Hipps, owner of Land O’ Lakes Marine, is starting a new venture with The Tiki Cove. He is encouraged by new development in Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel, including Tampa Premium Outlets, and says the timing is right for a new waterfront bar and restaurant on Lake Padgett. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
Dave Hipps, owner of Land O’ Lakes Marine, is starting a new venture with The Tiki Cove. He is encouraged by new development in Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel, including Tampa Premium Outlets, and says the timing is right for a new waterfront bar and restaurant on Lake Padgett.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

On the Mark Catering will provide the food, cocktails and beer, until the doors open on the bar and restaurant.

“We’re looking to slowly evolve it,” said Dave Hipps, who is partnering with restaurateur Steve Slowey on the venture.

Social media channels, primarily through The Tiki Cove Facebook page, are spreading the word. “It’s really letting people know what’s going on, “ Hipps said.

On Sept. 11, the public is invited to a VIP preview from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Sept. 12, a “catch and release” fishing tournament will take place in the morning to benefit the Myocarditis Foundation, and honor the memory of Austin Vonckx. Afterward, The Tiki Cove will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

And on Sept. 13, Sunday Fun Day will be held from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

One rule will be enforced. After 7 p.m., only people age 21 and older can be at The Tiki Cove.

“That’s going to be a strict guideline,” Hipps said.

Looking ahead, Rockstar Promotions will sponsor a volleyball tournament on Sept. 26 and Sept. 27.

Lake Padgett is the setting for The Tiki Cove, a shoreline bar and restaurant concept that will feature beach volleyball, food, drink and entertainment.
Lake Padgett is the setting for The Tiki Cove, a shoreline bar and restaurant concept that will feature beach volleyball, food, drink and entertainment.

Until now, volleyball enthusiasts had to drive to Hogan’s Beach on the Courtney Campbell Causeway or Toasted Monkey in St. Petersburg. But now Hipps said, people can play closer to home.

Aside from volleyball, Hipps said other games including ring toss and Jenga will be available. The catering company will have specialty drinks, such as Blue Heaven and Tiki Breeze, and a menu of fish tacos, mahi-mahi and burgers.

And, there will be a dock and ample shoreline for boaters.

The partners, along with their wives Laura Hipps and Sheri Slowey, believe The Tiki Cove is coming in on a wave of new development in Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel.

“(The area) just really needs more venues like this, so they don’t have to drive half an hour to St. Petersburg,” said Dave Hipps, who owns Land O’ Lakes Marine. “Growth is coming with the (Tampa Premium Outlets) mall. This should be a great success.”

The idea for The Tiki Cove came nearly five years ago, as Hipps and his wife took a boat ride and found themselves at a waterfront seafood restaurant off Gandy Boulevard. The style was Polynesian.

“We really fell in love with the concept,” Hipps said. “It had a great atmosphere. You could enjoy the water and have a drink.”

But, the economy had other plans.

“Obviously, the economy didn’t permit this, and the timing wasn’t right,” Hipps said.

Now, five years later, The Tiki Cove is here.

Temporary tents, and two volleyball courts, are set up at The Tiki Cove. Plans are to build a brick-and-mortar bar and restaurant in the coming months. On the Mark catering company will serve food, beer and specialty drinks in the interim.
Temporary tents, and two volleyball courts, are set up at The Tiki Cove. Plans are to build a brick-and-mortar bar and restaurant in the coming months. On the Mark catering company will serve food, beer and specialty drinks in the interim.

Hipps couldn’t be happier, because the long wait meant his friend, Steve Slowey, was available to become his business partner.

Slowey owns several Beef O’ Brady’s restaurants, and The Brass Tap.

For Hipps, this is his first venture into the restaurant business, but he isn’t worried.

“I’ve owned businesses my whole life since college,” he said. “I’ve never done anything I didn’t own. I believe businesses are businesses. Businesses that are run right work, and Steve is such a great entrepreneur, and a food and drink expert.”

And, volleyball is a natural for Hipps, who played the sport at Ohio State University. His daughter, Brittany Rodrigues, played volleyball on scholarship while at Hillsborough Community College, before graduating from Florida State University.

He’s not sure why, but volleyball is a sport that always seems in style. “Maybe being down here on the beach,” Hipps said. “It’s just kind of making a resurgence.”

Eat Life Fishing Tournament
What: A fundraiser for the nonprofit Myocarditis Foundation in honor of Austin Vonckx
When: Sept. 12 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tournament will end at 10:30 a.m., with prizes awarded at 11 a.m.
Where: The Tiki Cove, located on Station Lane, off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard
Cost: $30 per person; a Florida freshwater fishing license and preregistration is required; a light breakfast will be served
For registration or more information text or call Eric at (813) 838-6868.

Published September 9, 2015

Festival shares joys of flight

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People who are drawn to hot air balloons and aircraft enthusiasts will have plenty to see and do at Festival of Flight 2015.

The event, which will take place from Sept. 11 through Sept. 13 at Tampa North Flight Center, features hot air balloon rides, tethered balloon rides, two balloon glows, two balloon launches, helicopters, planes, live music, a specialty car show and more.

Admission is free and parking is $5.

Inflated hot air balloons create a colorful spectacle during the balloon glow at last year’s Festival of Flight. (File Photos)
Inflated hot air balloons create a colorful spectacle during the balloon glow at last year’s Festival of Flight.
(File Photos)

The festival expects to have 30 balloons coming from Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, said Jessica Warren, the festival director. There may be even a balloon coming in from Colorado, she said.

Warren also expects about 30 other aircraft: biplanes, war birds, a glider, Cessna and others.

“We have a lot of planes coming in from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, New Smyrna Beach,” Warren said. The festival is advertised through airports, to let pilots know what is happening.

“A lot of the Facebook advertising that we do targets aviation enthusiasts. There are different clubs on there that we’ve shared the information with, to let them know that it’s happening,” she said.

The festival also will have kites, radio-controlled aircraft, food vendors and entertainment.

There are some new features at the festival, too.

“We have bounce houses this year, which we didn’t have in years past. We have the balls that walk on water. You get inside of them and you walk,” Warren said. And, she added, “We’re trying to get a gyrosphere.”

A hefty dose of rain last year put a damper on attendance at the second annual Festival of Flight, but Jessica Warren, the festival director, is hoping that won’t be the case this year.
A hefty dose of rain last year put a damper on attendance at the second annual Festival of Flight, but Jessica Warren, the festival director, is hoping that won’t be the case this year.

This year’s food vendors include Happy Hangar Café, Salsa Slow Smoked BBQ, Collins Concessions, Heavenly Snow – New Orleans, The Bacon Boss Food Truck, Jimmy’s Slider Food Truck, Kona Ice of Wesley Chapel and Churroland.

There’s also going to be a car show, featuring BMWs and exotic cars.

Helicopter rides start at $25 and tethered balloon rides are $10. The hot air balloon rides are sold out, but a waiting list is being kept. The hot air balloon rides are $189.

There also will be a Quilt of Valor presentation on Friday night, to honor veterans who served in a war zone.

It’s a special presentation, Warren said. “You have to be nominated, and you only receive one in a lifetime.”

All together there are 56 vendors, 11 bands, 30 balloon pilots and at least 30 airplane pilots.

“We have about 20 volunteers coming from Grow Life Church. We have about 30 volunteers from the Civil Air Patrol,” Warren said.

Parking will be at the Compark 75 property, which is next door to the airport and shuttle service will be provided.

When the event started three years ago, Warren knew it would grow.

And, it is attracting widespread interest.

“We have people flying in just for the festival all of the way from Puerto Rico, Maryland, New York. I have people who have called me from all over the United States. These are people who are just coming to see the balloons,” Warren said.

“We still want to kind of keep it in the small-town feel that Wesley Chapel, is. But just like Wesley Chapel is growing, we are growing, too,” Warren said.

Festival of Flight 2015
What: American Balloons and Tampa North Flight Center host the Festival of Flight 2015
When: Sept. 11 to Sept. 13
Where: At the Tampa North Flight Center, 4241 Birdsong Blvd., in Lutz. The particulars: There will be hot air balloons, planes, kites, helicopters, live music, tethered balloon rides, a specialty car show, vendors and more. On Sept. 11 and Sept. 12, there will be an evening balloon glow. On Sept. 12 at and Sept. 13, there will be a hot air balloon launch. Admission is free. Parking is $5. For information and full schedule of events, visit FestivalOfFlightWesleyChapel.com.

Published September 2, 2015

Partnership aims to counter rumors with facts

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As the 2015-2016 school year begins this week in Pasco County Schools, the school district and Pasco County Sheriff’s Office have formed a new partnership to give parents timely, accurate information when threatening situations occur on or near a school campus.

The partnership aims to give parents a place to turn when they’re hearing reports about potential dangers and they want to find out the facts.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning holds a smartphone and talks about how easy it is for information to spin out of control during a school emergency. To counter the spread of inaccurate information, the school district and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office have set up social media sites to provide timely, factual information to parents and the public during school emergencies, Browning said. Pasco County Sheriff’s Capt. James Mallo, at right, also took part in the news conference.
Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning holds a smartphone and talks about how easy it is for information to spin out of control during a school emergency. To counter the spread of inaccurate information, the school district and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office have set up social media sites to         provide timely, factual information to parents and the public during school emergencies, Browning said.         Pasco County Sheriff’s Capt. James Mallo, at right, also took part in the news conference.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

“Safety of our students is our top priority,” said Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, at a news conference last week to announce the partnership.

Efforts by law enforcement and school personnel can be undermined when inaccurate information begins circulating in social media, Browning said.

“One of the challenges that we face is the instant communications that the students have, and we all have, as a society. It’s a reality and certainly a challenge.

“What we have found is, that when we get into these types of situations, the social media, the texting, the cellphones really wreak havoc,” Browning said.

“It’s important for parents to have accurate information in an emergency or a potential emergency situation,” the superintendent said.

So, the school district and the sheriff’s office have established social media sites where parents can obtain accurate information.

“It’s important for parents join us in this partnership, for the sake of their children’s safety,” Browning said. “We created social media sites that we want parents to turn to first for information during these times of emergencies.

“It’s also important that principals in schools and staff have the ability to concentrate on their school, not answering questions at this time from parents in their community,” he added.

When parents come to campus during an emergency, they can put themselves at risk, Browning said.

The idea is to get a unified message out, said Capt. James Mallo, of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The posted message will be approved by both the sheriff’s office and school district.

Mallo gave an example of an incident that occurred last year, when this kind of system would have been useful.

“We had a bank robber that left the bank and ran across the school property,” he said, but there wasn’t a system to let people know quickly what was happening.

Drew Patel and Maddie Toth, both students at Land O’ Lakes High School, think the social media sites set up by the school district and sheriff’s office will help dispel rumors, and give parents the information they need during a school emergency.
Drew Patel and Maddie Toth, both students at Land O’ Lakes High School, think the social media sites set up by the school district and sheriff’s office will help dispel rumors, and give parents the information they need during a school emergency.

“We want to make sure that the parents and teachers and students and everybody have one place to go to get this message, so that when you do have something like that happen — and a bad guy running around the area of the school — we can put out a single message that’s unified,” he said.

That takes the guesswork out of what’s happening, Mallo said.

The combination of inaccurate information and social media can create significant distractions, as law enforcement and school personnel are trying to handle a potentially dangerous situation, both men said.

“I can’t begin to tell you what a challenge it is as a school community, when we have either a controlled situation on campus or a complete lockdown.

“Everybody that has one of these things,” Browning said, holding up a smartphone. “And students are texting moms and dads.

“You know how the game of Rumor goes. They heard there was a gun on campus. The next thing you know, they’re texting mom or dad that there’s a gun on campus — when there’s not a gun that’s been confirmed on campus,” Browning said.

“We now have the ability to provide that information very quickly and accurately, to keep moms and dads calm, and let them know that first and foremost, their students are safe,” the superintendent added.

Seventeen-year-old Drew Patel, a senior at Land O’ Lakes High School, said he likes the idea of the central clearinghouse for information.

“It provides a direct line of accurate information to the parents. They know what’s going on at the school where their kids are at,” he said.

“I think it’s a great idea,” added Maddie Toth, 17, a junior.

It will help prevent the spread of rumors, she said.

Parents will be able to go to the sites “and see the real information,” she said.

“I think it will work,” Patel said.

Social Media Resources
Here are the places where parents can go to get the latest information about school safety, crime prevention and public awareness information about Pasco County Schools:

What parents can expect in a school crisis
There are different kinds of school emergencies. Here is what parents can expect.

Crisis response: A coordinated response between the first responders and school personnel during an extraordinary event that could significantly impact the safety and welfare of school children and/or school staff. This kind of crisis can include, but not be limited to any overt act or threat of extreme violence, severe weather occurrence or a tragedy.

Controlled campus: This occurs when there is a potential threat or safety concern that requires a greater degree of control.

Lockdown: This occurs when there is a direct threat to the school campus itself, or the student body.

Parents are not allowed on campus and will be provided instruction as to a reunification time and location, if necessary. Parents are advised to use the social media sites to obtain information.

Published August 26, 2015

Hospital expansion ahead of schedule

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Public campaign launched to raise $17 million

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel always knew that it would be expanding, but it didn’t expect to be doing so 2 ½ years ahead of schedule.

This rendering shows what the front of the hospital will look like, after the expansion. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)
This rendering shows what the front of the hospital will look like, after the expansion.
(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)

Hospital officials, local dignitaries and invited guests celebrated the beginning of a $78 million expansion project at a Aug. 12 gathering, that also marked the beginning of a public campaign to raise $17 million to support the project.

Florida Hospital and Adventist Health are committed to $61 million of the project’s cost, but the rest will come from a fundraising effort chaired by Tom Dempsey, owner of Saddlebrook Resort, which helped put Wesley Chapel on the map more than three decades ago.

Speakers praised the hospital for the quality of its care, during the event that included hors d’oeuvres, live music, muffins, parfaits, juice and coffee.

They noted the hospital’s reputation for excellence and said that, along with growth in the surrounding communities, has fueled the need to expand much sooner than initially expected.

When people talk about infrastructure, they’re usually talking about government projects, State Rep. Danny Burgess said. But he added, hospitals are perhaps the most important infrastructure a community can have. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
When people talk about infrastructure, they’re usually talking about government projects, State Rep. Danny Burgess said. But he added, hospitals are perhaps the most important infrastructure a community can have.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“Wesley Chapel and Pasco County are on the rise,” Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore, who lives in Wesley Chapel, told the crowd. “We’re on the rise because community partners like Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel.

“After only 2 ½ years, they’re moving forward with an expansion of this hospital. This was scheduled to be done in five years. That’s incredible.

“These things don’t happen by themselves, ladies and gentlemen. They only happen when you can build the trust and support of the community that surrounds you,” Moore said.

State Rep. Danny Burgess agreed.

“This is no coincidence that this is happening so quickly, only halfway through the projected five-year expansion timeline,” Burgess said.

“What we have here is nothing short of an incredible facility, an incredible hospital, an incredible team doing amazing healing, wellness and preventative work — and the community recognizes that,” he said.

“We talk a lot about infrastructure projects in my line of work, especially at the local level when I used to be mayor. We talk about projects like road expansions. We talk about public works. We talk about public safety. We talk about first responders.

“Those all tend to be government projects, government-related tasks.

Denyse Bales-Chubb, CEO and president of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, outlined the hospital’s expansion plans. (Courtesy of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)
Denyse Bales-Chubb, CEO and president of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, outlined the hospital’s expansion plans.
(Courtesy of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel)

“But I think what gets missed in that conversation is probably the most important infrastructure project a community can have, and that is your hospital. Because you better believe that families are looking for that. They’re looking to see how that hospital ranks in that community, the treatment level, the care that they receive,” Burgess said.

The state lawmaker said he speaks from personal experience about the quality of care the hospital provides because his 19-month-old daughter, Adeline, was delivered there. And, when his son Danny Burgess III arrives — expected any day — the family plans to be back at the hospital for his delivery, too.

Dr. Robert Rosequist, chief medical officer, talked about the area’s long need for a hospital.

“Twenty-eight years ago, when I started to practice out in Land O’ Lakes, there was a lot of cow pastures and vacation homes. A lot of pickup trucks. But even back then, when I was first living here, people would ask me: ‘Doc, when are we going to have a hospital?’

“In 2007, we started a formal planning board, and we started developing the hope for this hospital. And then, on a cold windy day in December, about five years ago, we sat here and dug the first shovel of dirt,” Rosequist said.

“We planted a tree, which unfortunately didn’t make it,” he said, drawing a roar of laughter from the crowd. “But the hospital did.”

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel has fine equipment, including “the best MRI in the whole state,” Rosequist said.

Tom Dempsey, owner of Saddlebrook Resort, is leading the private fundraising campaign to support the hospital’s construction. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Tom Dempsey, owner of Saddlebrook Resort, is leading the private fundraising campaign to support the hospital’s construction.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

But what sets the hospital apart, he said, is “the people and the staff — we really do care about our patients.”

A larger hospital is necessary, he added.

“We need to expand, because we can’t continue to provide that care in the existing bricks-and-mortar hospital we built just 2 ½ years ago,” Rosequist said.

Denyse Bales-Chubb, the hospital’s president and CEO, detailed the expansion plans.

The project involves 112,000 square feet of new space and nearly 11,000 square feet of renovated space. It includes 62 inpatient beds; 18 emergency rooms; five surgical suites and a Heart Catherization Lab. It also adds observation and recovery space, expanded support areas and some shelled space for future growth.

“These additions will allow us to better serve the patients coming to us for care and be prepared for the incredible growth this community is experiencing,” Bales-Chubb said.

The expansion will add three additional floors to the hospital’s center wing, and will add an additional three-story wing that will connect the south and center wings.

Robins & Morton, the construction company that built the hospital from the ground up, will be handling the expansion. Completion is expected by the end of 2016.

Dempsey, who is leading the “We Care” fundraising campaign, reminded the crowd what Wesley Chapel was like when he broke ground for Saddlebrook 35 years ago.

“When that groundbreaking was over, I took a good look around and I said, ‘There’s nothing here.’ You looked down (State Road) 54, there wasn’t a building, there wasn’t even a fruit stand. There was nothing. Absolutely zero,” Dempsey said.

Both Dempsey and Moore praised the vision demonstrated by the Porter family, owners of Wiregrass Ranch, who have sold off large chunks of their land to help shape the community of Wesley Chapel.

Don Porter and his wife, Lajuana, now both deceased, lived with children, J.D. and Quinn, on property now occupied by the hospital.

Quinn Miller said her family is gratified by the hospital’s success.

“We knew when the hospital came on board, it would be something vital to our area,” Miller said. “But, we had no idea that they would be almost three years ahead of schedule for this expansion.

“It’s wonderful to see. The facility is so impressive,” she said, adding it also is an important source of jobs.

Dempsey said he took on the leadership role in the fundraising effort because he believes in the cause.

“In just a short time, approximately three years, Florida Hospital has become an integral part of the community.

“I think they know what they’re doing. They have a great record. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this hospital to anyone,” Dempsey said.

Like Burgess, Dempsey believes that a hospital is a necessary part of a community.

“The community needs a hospital,” Dempsey said.

“I think, we as people, want the peace of mind to know that there’s a top-notch hospital just around the corner, and that that hospital will have great medical services, great doctors, great nurses, great technology and great caregivers. And, we want the place to have an access to fine equipment, technology and great care giving. That’s what we want for our families and our friends,” Dempsey said.

Published August 19, 2015

Priority highway projects focus on growth spots

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Growth is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to building, widening and re-aligning highways that crisscross Pasco County’s landscape.

Most highways in the county move north and south. It is the east to west connections that are often missing or out-of-date.

The recently approved 2015 Priority List of Highway Projects tapped into that scenario. The Florida Department of Transportation uses the list as a guide for its long-range planning, and in determining when and where to spend its state and federal dollars.

County officials say traffic improvements are high priority for the busy intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41. A study is underway but no construction funds are available. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
County officials say traffic improvements are high priority for the busy intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41. A study is underway but no construction funds are available.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Among 15 projects identified by Pasco’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, all but two are in central and east Pasco. The top choices take aim at State Road 52 from its intersection with U.S. 41 in central Pasco to Dade City in east Pasco.

“It’s going to rectify a situation of having more direct east-west local connectors,” said James Edwards, Pasco County’s transportation planning manager. “It is going to be a growth center for the county.”

Also on the list is the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41. The roads bisect Land O’ Lakes and serve as a clearinghouse for a high volume of truck and residential traffic.

The intersection is west of the retail explosion on State Road 54 and State Road 56, where Tampa Premium Outlets is slated to open in October. More shops, restaurants, hotels and rooftops are on their way in the next couple of years.

“What we’re faced with at the outlets (mall) will be congestion and future congestion,” Edwards said.

In September, the county plans to schedule workshops to get public input on the kinds of road projects needed to address traffic near the outlet mall, and between Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

By placing emphasis on State Road 52 now, county officials are hoping to come out ahead of the development curve with road upgrades, before developers start digging dirt for rooftops and retail.

The proposed roadwork is part of ongoing efforts to widen and realign an important regional corridor that could eventually stretch across Florida from west coastal Pasco to the U.S. 98 junction, and on to Palm Beach.

The state roads department is completing a study for a four-year plan to build a new four-lane State Road 52, south of the current highway that passes through San Antonio, Saint Leo and Dade City. This project envisions construction of an approximately 8.5 mile, four-lane extension of Clinton Avenue. Pedestrian and bicycle lanes will be built on either side of the highway. When that project is completed, the old highway would become County Road 52.

The state roads department anticipates that design work and right-of-way purchase will be done over the next two years.

Construction is slated for 2019, according to the department’s records.

In west Pasco, a segment of State Road 52 had a makeover in 2007 when it was widened to six lanes from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway. Going east past the Suncoast, State Road 52 narrows to four then two lanes as it approaches Shady Hills Road.

The Metropolitan Planning Organization proposes construction along a major segment of roadway in central Pasco by widening it from two to four lanes from U.S. 41 to Bellamy Brothers Road.

Along with this, another priority is a north-south segment on U.S. 41, which would be widened to four lanes from Connerton Boulevard and the Ridge Road extension up to the intersection with State Road 52.

However, the caveat with all of the identified projects is that none has construction funds on the immediate horizon. County officials estimate the price tag for these projects is more than $750 million spread out over the next 25 years.

Funding will have to come from a mix of county, state and federal dollars.

These are the projects for central and east Pasco, according to county records:

  • State Road 52 from U.S. 41 to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard will go from two lanes to four lanes. Preliminary engineering is underway.
  • U.S. 41 from Connerton Boulevard/Ridge Road Extension to State Road 52 will go from two lanes to four lanes. Construction is anticipated in 2019-2020.
  • State Road 52 and Clinton Avenue extension adds four lanes from east of Uradco Place to Fort King Road. Construction is anticipated in 2018-2019.
  • State Road 54 at the U.S. 41 interchange is under study.
  • Interstate 75, at Overpass Road/interchange from Old Pasco Road to Boyette Road, is set for construction in 2019-2020, with full funding by Pasco County.
  • U.S. 98 at U.S. 301- Clinton Avenue intersection realignment. This is not funded.
  • U.S. 301- Gall Boulevard redesign at Sixth and Seventh streets, from State Road 39 to County Road 54, is being planned. This construction is unfunded.
  • State Road 56 at Interstate 75 interchange, from west of County Road 54 to west of Cypress Ridge Boulevard. Planning and engineering are scheduled in 2016-2017.
  • U.S. 301 – Gall Boulevard will go from four lanes to six lanes from State Road 56 to State Road 39. Preliminary engineering is underway, but construction is unfunded.
  • U.S. 301- Gall Boulevard from will go from four lanes to six lanes from County Road 54 at Eiland Boulevard to Kossik Road. Design is underway. Right of way and construction are unfunded.
  • State Road 54 at Collier Parkway interchange. Right of way is funded over a 10-year period.
  • State Road 56 will go from two lanes to four lanes from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to U.S. 301, near Zephyrhills. A state infrastructure bank loan is pending.

Published August 12, 2015

Retail jobs on the rise

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But more jobs are needed to diversify Pasco’s economy

Heading south on Interstate 275 into Tampa, and points beyond, cars stack up and slow to a crawl as commuters in the morning rush hour out of Pasco County’s bedroom communities hit the brakes.

Motorists going north, mostly zip along at a steady clip.

In the afternoon the traffic flow reverses.

It’s all about where the jobs are and where they aren’t.

The volume of people who commute daily to jobs outside Pasco is about 46 percent, according to county data.

But flipping that trend is the goal of the county’s Planning and Development Department, and its marketing partner, the Pasco County Economic Development Council.

Holiday Inn Express is one hotel ready for construction with an opening in 2016. The hotel is next to Florida Hospital Center Ice, an ice rink and sports complex that is under construction, off State Road 56. Both will be job producers. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
Holiday Inn Express is one hotel ready for construction with an opening in 2016. The hotel is next to Florida Hospital Center Ice, an ice rink and sports complex that is under construction, off State Road 56. Both will be job producers.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

There are good signs in the job market especially in retail, but county officials say Pasco needs higher paying jobs and a diverse employer-base to shed its bedroom community status.

And that could take years of steady, patient marketing.

For now, dirt is flying especially along the prime corridors of State Road 56 and State Road 54, around the Interstate 75 interchange.

“The retail is following the rooftops,” said Melanie Kendrick, senior planner for economic development in Pasco.

Tampa Premium Outlets, the centerpiece for Cypress Creek Town Center, is sprouting. It is expected to have more than 110 stores and will provide an estimated 800 jobs.

The Shops at Wiregrass is expanding. And, other retail development, including Mercedes Benz, Buffalo Wild Wings and Dairy Queen, is popping up.

Abutting the outlet mall, the town center also will have more retail including Kohl’s, Costco, Culver’s, Cheddar’s Casual Café, and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse. Job numbers for this project aren’t available.

More hotels, shops, restaurants and offices are on a waiting list, marked ‘coming soon’ for a site on the north side of State Road 56, also part of Cypress Creek Town Center.

On Oct. 29, Tampa Premium Outlets will be the first to hit the start button.

“This is like a bonus,” said John Hagen, president of the PEDC. “It will definitely raise the amount of money coming into the community. It makes the economic pie bigger.”

People are put to work, the Penny for Pasco program gets fattened with more pennies and Pasco’s image shines brighter in the marketplace.

“It is a destination… It will help people understand that there is a Pasco County,” Hagen said. “This is a place. It has place-making attributes that are important to us. It’s hard for people to think about (Pasco) in terms of a place.”

Retail already has shown it can spark other development.

Pasco-Hernando State College located its Porter Campus at the mall. It currently has a staff of about 60 employees and 100 adjunct faculty members.

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, near Wiregrass, added 600 jobs to the economy when it opened nearly three years ago. The hospital is investing $78 million in an expansion at the hospital. And Florida Medical Clinic, just north of Wiregrass, also is expanding in Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes.

On State Road 54, a new Lowe’s warehouse store opened in April, bringing with it as many as 160 jobs.

Businessman Gordie Zimmerman is building Florida Hospital Center Ice, a sports complex with four ice rinks and a removable pad that can allow for more sports such as volleyball, soccer, basketball and lacrosse. The 150,000 square foot facility, off State Road 56, can also accommodate non-sports events such as dog shows and graduations.

It is expected to attract national and international sports competitions.

All of these generate more sales tax revenues from people shopping and dining in Pasco.

And, a portion of those Pasco pennies will be dedicated this year to the Jobs and Economic Trust Fund to provide business incentives to locate in Pasco.

County officials have estimated that $45 million to $50 million will flow from the Penny for Pasco program to stimulate economic development.

Hagen recently delivered the PEDC’s third quarter report to the Pasco County Commission. The data showed that to date, 415 jobs had been created through the agency’s efforts in 2015.

On July 24, the PEDC upped that number by 124 jobs with its announcement that Leggett & Platt, a global manufacturing company, plans to open an 80,000-square- foot facility near Spring Hill. The plant will assemble adjustable bed bases. Company officials have pledged to hire locally and contract with suppliers within the Tampa Bay region.

Hagen sees Leggett & Platt taking a position as one of the county’s top employers with room for expansion in future.

On another front, the SMARTstart business incubator program has created 45 jobs. Currently, 13 startup companies are sharing space on-site in Dade City. Another three entrepreneurs are located off-site. “They are all trying to get their businesses off the ground,” Hagen said.

While some of these new businesses may only generate a small number of jobs, there always is potential that one or more could take off with an idea that is “scalable” into a regional or national company, Hagen said.

The county set clear goals in the long-range Economic Development Plan, adopted in 2013.

One target is to add between 160,000 and 185,000 new jobs to the economy over the next decade, said Richard Gehring, the county’s planning and development administrator.

That has to be reached by fostering a business-friendly environment where private companies want to invest in Pasco, Hagen said.

“I kind of like to differentiate between creating a business climate and making business deals,” he said. “I think we’re creating a business climate where things can happen.”

One example of private investment that paid off is Compark 75. The business park, off Wesley Chapel Boulevard, will expand in 2016 with the addition of a 65,000 square foot building. The existing park, with four buildings, is leased nearly to capacity.

Two new tenants, Streetside Classic Cars and an as yet-unidentified orthodontics company will open there in October.

Hagen would like to see 10 more projects similar to Compark 75.

Over the years, Pasco has evolved from a rural community into a service-based economy that catered to senior retirees and then into the bedroom community for counties such as Hillsborough and Pinellas.

The current building boom is picking up where developers left off before the Great Recession. Predictably, the new development began with housing because that offers reasonably quick turnaround on investment, Hagen said.

But many of these projects have also set aside space for retail, offices and in some cases industrial, Hagen said.

“It’s kind of setting the stage for other development,” he said.

But, it is crucial to Pasco’s economic growth to encourage more business parks. That was one issue identified in a study completed recently by Duke Energy of the large acreage in and around the Zephyrhills airport.

“I don’t mean to sound alarmist,” Hagen said. “I think we’re trying to put some thought into that. We probably need to be more active in acquiring and controlling parcels that would make good industrial parks before they get gobbled into retail.”

Still Hagen isn’t what he describes as a “retail snob.”

Jobs of every kind are needed, he said. “If it puts them to work, then it’s a good thing.”

Tampa Premium Outlets hosts center-wide job fair
What: The grand opening of Tampa Premium Outlets is scheduled for October.

Retailers are seeking job applicants for more than 800 open seasonal, part-time, full-time and management positions. The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce is the job fair sponsor.

When: Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Embassy Suites Tampa USF/Busch Gardens,  3705 Spectrum Blvd., Tampa

Cost: Free and open to the community. Dress professionally and bring lots of resumes.

Information: Call (813) 909-8716, or visit PremiumOutlets.com/tampa.

Published August 5, 2015

Soccer team is golden

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With American flags waving, the Land O’ Lakes High School Unified Special Olympics Soccer team boarded a school bus in their first part of their journey to Los Angeles and the 2015 Special Olympics World Games.

Hopes are high for a 12-member team that is the sole representative of the United States in unified soccer.

The Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team pauses for a final group photo before they leave for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)
The Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team pauses for a final group photo before they leave for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

“It will be beautiful if they bring home the gold,” said Marie Lambert. But win or lose, she said, “That whole team, I’m so proud of them.”

Lambert’s 19-year-old grandson, Andrew Ahearn, plays fullback for a team with seven Special Olympics athletes, who are intellectually disabled, and five partner players. He has played on the team since its inception nearly eight years ago.

“Soccer is his love,” said his mother, Adelle Ahearn.

In addition to Ahearn, team members are Christopher Hale, Kyle Lufcy, Hassan Shehab, Ordray Smith, Rufus Smith-Jones, Joseph Tramel III, Samantha Frahm, Thomas Guglielmello, Cameron Hilgenberg, Haley Eckel and Kyle Townsend. Vicky King is head coach. Phyllis Crain and Meghan McLean are assistant coaches.

About 40 friends, family members and school faculty members waved flags and cheered as the Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team headed to the airport on the first leg of their trip to Los Angeles.
About 40 friends, family members and school faculty members waved flags and cheered as the Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team headed to the airport on the first leg of their trip to Los Angeles.

Lambert and Ahearn joined about 40 friends, family members and Land O’ Lakes High School faculty for an impassioned and patriotic send off on July 20. They lined the covered walkway outside the school, cheering and slapping high-fives as the team boarded the bus on their way to the airport and the world stage in Los Angeles.

The Special Olympics event will host more than 6,500 athletes from 165 countries from July 25 through Aug. 2, according to its website.

It is billed as the largest event hosted by Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympics. About 2,000 coaches and 30,000 volunteers will participate.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are among the honorary hosts of the world games. Michelle Obama is expected to attend the Opening Ceremony.

Marie Lambert, left, and her daughter, Adelle Ahearn, will be in Los Angeles to cheer Ahearn’s son, Andrew Ahearn, who is a member of the Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team. With them are 4-year-old Ava Jo Ahearn, and 9-year-old Inez Ahearn.
Marie Lambert, left, and her daughter, Adelle Ahearn, will be in Los Angeles to cheer Ahearn’s son, Andrew Ahearn, who is a member of the Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team. With them are 4-year-old Ava Jo Ahearn, and 9-year-old Inez Ahearn.

About 80,000 spectators are anticipated daily at more than 20 venues in and around Los Angeles, including the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Southern California.

Lambert and Ahearn will be in the stands along with 9-year-old Inez Ahearn. But for those who can’t make the trip, they can stay glued to ESPN for live coverage. Updates and photos also will be shared at Instagram.com/usaunifiedsoccer and at Twitter.com/pascophotos.

Latanja Timmons will be watching her nephew, Rufus Smith-Jones, on all of the above.

He will be a standout, with a blond Mohawk streak through his hair.

“He wanted to be sure we could find him,” said Timmons, who is the athlete’s aunt and legal guardian. “It’s unbelievable. We are so excited for him and the team. This has afforded him opportunities that he would never have had.”

For the 14-year-old soccer player, simply competing on the field with his teammates is what matters.

Team member Samantha Frahm leads the way as the Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team is given a patriotic send-off to the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.
Team member Samantha Frahm leads the way as the Land O’ Lakes High School Special Olympics Unified Soccer team is given a patriotic send-off to the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.

“I don’t just stay home doing nothing,” Smith-Jones said. “Hallelujah!”

Special education teacher Geri Perchard came to the send-off, holding up a sign, reading “Good Luck,” spelled out in red, white, and blue. Many on the team are in her class and serve as peers to other students.

“It’s so exciting,” she said. “They’ve been practicing and sending pictures, and watching themselves on television.”

The team won the honor of representing the United States nearly a year ago after bringing home a gold medal in state competition, and being selected by Special Olympics Florida. Since then fundraising events, including a Breakfast of Champions, has helped collect an estimated $40,000 needed to pay for the trip.

Lambert and Ahearn helped with one event sponsored by the AmVets, Post 4. The Land O’ Lakes Moose Lodge, Pasco County firefighters and others also contributed.

Credit for dedication and hard work goes to the team, said their head coach, Vicky King.

“It’s not me,” she said. “It’s all about them. It’s probably the best thing that will happen in their lives.”

Valerie Lundin, Pasco’s co-director of Special Olympics, offered some parting advice for a team facing a few intense days of practice and hard play.

“Don’t forget the fun part of it.”

Published July 29, 2015

Cindy Oelke feels ‘called’ to help Haitians

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Cindy Oelke’s home in Lutz is comfortable and spacious, but step into a back bedroom and you’ll see piles of clothing and shoes all over the room.

Oelke has been collecting the items to prepare for an upcoming trip to Haiti.

These Haitian children seem to enjoy posing for a picture. (Photos courtesy of Cindy Oelke)
These Haitian children seem to enjoy posing for a picture.
(Photos courtesy of Cindy Oelke)

This will be her third mission trip to the island nation to help provide basic necessities for people who are still recovering from a devastating earthquake there.

“The first year, I took maybe 100 pieces. Last year, I took 1,200 pieces,” she said. This year, she’s expecting to take around 2,000 items.

On previous trips, she also has pitched in on projects organized by her church — Grace Family Church, which is located on Van Dyke Road, not far from her home.

“The first year we went, we painted one of the new churches and schools. Last year, they helped build an addition on to the mountain school. This year, we’re going to be working within all of our orphanages,” she said.

She’ll also take on a new role.

Despite difficult living conditions, it is quite common to see Haiti children, like this one, smiling, says Cindy Oelke, a woman from Lutz who makes mission trips to Haiti. ‘The children are very, very happy.’
Despite difficult living conditions, it is quite common to see Haiti children, like this one, smiling, says Cindy Oelke, a woman from Lutz who makes mission trips to Haiti. ‘The children are very, very happy.’

“They’ve asked me to go and teach the mommas how to sew. So, I’m taking a lot of fabric, so I can teach the moms how to sew for their children,” she said.

She also will be leaving fabric behind that they’ll be able to continue to use.

And, passing along four donated sewing machines to Haiti.

Oelke, who works part-time, believes she’s been called to do God’s work in the impoverished country.

It all began rather simply.

“I said a prayer one day. I prayed for a sewing machine and a bicycle. And, within a week, I received both. I figured, well, I need to listen to the Lord more.

“The second week, I was also given another sewing machine.

“At that point, I really felt like God was talking to me, so, I just asked, ‘What do you want me to do?’ And, he said, ‘Sew for children.’ ”

Cindy Oelke carries containers of food in Haiti. Someday, she’d enjoy seeing Europe. For now, she feels called to do God’s work in Haiti.
Cindy Oelke carries containers of food in Haiti. Someday, she’d enjoy seeing Europe. For now, she feels called to do God’s work in Haiti.

She wasn’t sure what would become of the clothing, because she knows how expensive it is to ship packages overseas.

But one day, as she was getting ready for Bible study, she felt a prompting, she said. “The Holy Spirit sort of said to me, ‘Don’t forget your promise to Haiti.’ ”

Then she recalled how she and her husband had visited Haiti as part of a cruise years ago, after a huge storm had hit the country. They saw the devastation.

“We took a bus trip around. The children, the adults — they were just standing on the road. They were just trying to survive.”

When she got back on the bus, she felt sick.

“I just said a silent prayer, ‘Lord, help these people.’ I told my husband, ‘I will come back here and help the children,’ ” she said.

Years passed and life got busy, and the idea faded.

But after she began sewing the clothing, she began thinking about joining a church trip to take it to Haiti.

Many Haitians live in primitive living conditions, such as this house, says Cindy Oelke, a Lutz woman who is traveling to Haiti in August to help women there learn how to sew.
Many Haitians live in primitive living conditions, such as this house, says Cindy Oelke, a Lutz woman who is traveling to Haiti in August to help women there learn how to sew.

She inquired about going on the next church trip to Haiti, but was told it was already full.

She said her Bible leader mentioned to someone, “You know, Cindy has really sewn her heart out for Haiti.”

And a short while later, someone cancelled, and she was invited to fill the opening.

Still, she wasn’t absolutely certain she should make the trip. So, she prayed for a clear sign.

A really clear sign.

She asked God to put two animals in her backyard, so she’d know she was meant to go.

“The next morning, I got up. I went over to my bay window, and I started screaming for my husband to come. There, right in front of the window, were two doves. Just sitting there,” Oelke said.

That happened in April of 2013. She took her Haiti mission trip that August.

This year, the group will be leaving on Aug. 15 and returning on Aug. 22.

Oelke said her solicitation — in The Laker/Lutz News and elsewhere — has yielded good results, with people donating items to help.

“I had asked for slightly used clothes, for boys and girls, and shoes.

“I got a lot of both, but I also got a lot of winter clothes.”

“I’m thinking, ‘Why are people sending me winter clothes for Haiti? “Haiti is hot year-round,” she said.

As she thought about it, it occurred to her that people often ask her why she doesn’t do more to help local people.

“So, I just know, I’m supposed to help the homeless,” she said.

She plans to store the winter clothes and give them to the homeless when colder weather arrives.

So, instead of being involved in one ministry, it seems that Oelke is involved in two.

You can help
Here is Cindy Oelke’s wish list:

  • New or slightly used spring or summer clothing for boys and girls, from age 2 to 16; new or slightly used shoes for the same ages
  • Fabric, preferably cotton, for making clothes
  • First-aid kit items, such as Wet Ones, bandages and gauze
  • Suitcases to carry donations and to leave them with Haitians, for them to store their clothing

For additional details, call Cindy Oelke at (813) 963-7541.

Published July 22, 2015

Growth spurs school construction

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When Pasco County School Board member Alison Crumbley considers anticipated growth along the State Road 54/56 corridor, she said, she is “taken aback.”

She worries about the school district’s ability to provide schools for all of the students who will be moving into the new communities that are taking shape along that corridor.

Construction continues at Sanders Memorial Elementary School, which is set to focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Construction continues at Sanders Memorial Elementary School, which is set to focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

Superintendent Kurt Browning shares that sentiment.

“That 54 corridor concerns me greatly,” Browning said, during a recent school board workshop on the district’s construction plans.

“Our need certainly outpaces our resources,” the superintendent said. “When you look at the 54 corridor, from really, Little Road to just beyond Wiregrass, that’s Curley Road — there is so much growth and projected growth.

“Even up on Curley, there’s master-planned communities.

“As superintendent, it concerns me, because I know moms and dads don’t want their kids in crowded classrooms. And I don’t want their kids in crowded classrooms.

“Nor, do I want to build new schools and, the next thing you know, you see portables being pulled up on those school campuses,” Browning said.

The lack of revenue has prompted the school district to launch an impact fee study, which could lead to higher school impact fees paid for new construction of residential properties in Pasco County.

Meanwhile, the district is engaged in numerous construction projects and have others planned in the near future.

Chris Williams, director of planning, outlined those projects during the board’s workshop. He also provided additional details during a separate interview.

Crews at Sanders Memorial Elementary School work to ensure that the county’s first magnet school opens on schedule in August.
Crews at Sanders Memorial Elementary School work to ensure that the county’s first magnet school opens on schedule in August.

Sanders Memorial Elementary School is getting a massive makeover — and the Land O’ Lakes Elementary School is getting more than a brand new look. It is also becoming Pasco County’s first magnet school.

When Sanders opens in the fall, it will offer a curriculum that emphasizes science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Quail Hollow Elementary, set to reopen in August, has a new floor plan that established individual classrooms in the formerly “open” school. The school also will have updated building systems, technology on par with any new elementary school in the district and a new cafeteria with a stage.

The school district also is in the process of designing three new schools, Elementary W in Wiregrass Ranch, Elementary B in Bexley Ranch, and High School GGG on Old Pasco Road, which will open as a school for sixth grade through 12th grade.

The district also is planning additional schools in the Wesley Chapel area.

“Elementary W is the first of potentially three or four in Wiregrass,” Williams said during the board workshop.

The district is working on a new design for Elementary B in Bexley Ranch, because it wants the school to accommodate more students than a typical district elementary school, Williams said.

Bexley Ranch will provide substantial relief for Oakstead and Odessa elementary schools, Williams said.

Other future schools are proposed for the Bexley Ranch area, and a future elementary school is planned for Starkey Ranch. A future middle school is also proposed for Starkey Ranch, Williams said.

The district also already has purchased land for a future school on the south side of State Road 54.

The biggest concern about middle school capacity is in the Wesley Chapel area, Williams said.

High School GGG, which will serve grades six through 12, will provide significant relief to Wesley Chapel area middle schools and high schools.

Wiregrass Ranch High has so many students, it is going to a 10-period day for the next two years to manage the number of students on campus at one time.

High School GGG will have a capacity of 1,900 students. It is expected to draw students from areas now assigned to Wiregrass Ranch and Wesley Chapel high schools, and Weightman and Long middle schools.

The district is using this approach because it can’t afford to build both a high school and a middle school. As population grows and demand increases, the district plans to build Middle School HH at the same location.

The boundary process for High School GGG and Elementary School B is expected to begin in about 18 months, the planning director said.

Williams said he is concerned about the ability of Mitchell, Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes high schools to absorb anticipated future enrollment.

“Land O’ Lakes (High), hopefully, when we remodel that school, we can add some capacity. It’s not going to be enough for long-term,” Williams said.

“We do have a high school site promised to us in Bexley Ranch. That potentially is going to have a big impact, especially on Sunlake.

“I continue to look for two additional high school sites, one in the Land O’ Lakes area and one in the (State Road) 54/Suncoast Parkway area,” Williams said.

But he added: “Those are hard to come by.”

“There is a high school site promised in the River Landing area, that could potentially impact Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass and Zephyrhills,” Williams said.

“It would be along the extension of State Road 56. It would be east of Mansfield, but on the west side of Morris Bridge Road. Zephyr Egg Property, if you’d ever heard of that,” he said.

School Board member Allen Altman said he’s worried that the increasing need to spend money on new construction will make it that much harder for the district to maintain the buildings it has.

It’s a known fact that proper maintenance saves taxpayers money in the long term, but the district doesn’t have a choice. It must spend money to provide school capacity, he said.

While the district considers its long-range plans and short-term needs, construction continues.

Elementary W, being built between John Long Middle School and Wiregrass Ranch High, is set to open in 2016.

When it opens, it will be possible for students to attend elementary school through college on the same street, since Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch is just down the road.

Williams expects the school boundary process for Elementary W to begin in October or November.

That school will help relieve crowding at Seven Oaks and Double Branch elementary schools, but the particulars of how that will be achieved have not been determined yet.

“Seven Oaks really popped this year,” Williams said.

Meanwhile, in East Pasco, the school district will be building a new cafeteria, and doing parking and traffic improvements at Cox Elementary.

Pasco Elementary also is getting some improvements, as plans call for remodeling several buildings, Williams said.

Published July 15, 2015