After a lifetime of preparation, Olivia Jenkins was ready to fly. She boarded a Cessna 172 Skyhawk — and her instructor stayed on the ground. […]
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This Week
Cancer forces retirement of police dog
A cancer diagnosis has forced the retirement of one of the Zephyrhills Police Department’s police dogs. It was a somber moment inside the Zephyrhills City Hall chambers when Zephyrhills Police Chief Derek Brewer on Oct. 12 officially retired 4-year-old K9 Oscar, amid what he called “an aggressive form of cancer, which is quickly spreading.” The […]
Pasco County approves tourism marketing study
The Pasco County Commission has approved spending $48,000 for an economic impact study related to tourism. During the board’s Oct. 6 meeting, commissioners approved a consulting services agreement with Downs & St. Germain Research Inc. (DSG), to perform the analysis. The company, a market research firm based in Tallahassee, specializes in developing marketing and strategic […]
Artists’ handiwork displayed on hay bales
People who enjoy viewing public art might want to check out six hay bales — painted by artists of various ages — that have been stationed around locations in Dade City. The display is the Dade City Center for the Arts’ kick-off project, since being revived in July 2020. Hancock Farm & Feed Co., provided […]
Pasco County’s COVID-19 cases surpass 10,000 mark
As Pasco County’s COVID-19’s positive cases surpassed the 10,000-mark, local officials continue to consider their best responses to the threats. The Pasco County Commission and the Pasco County School Board were both scheduled to take up the issue during their meetings on Oct. 20, which occurred after The Laker/Lutz News’ deadline. Pasco County commissioners were […]
Dining and shopping options expand, near Wesley Chapel
Impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic have forced businesses to shutter, and others to regroup — but activity continues to hum along at the Cypress Creek Town Center, near Wesley Chapel. Located at Wesley Chapel Boulevard and State Road 56, the outdoor mall features a broad array of shops, restaurants, stores and a hotel on the […]
COVID-19 might forever change the way we work
The COVID-19 virus era has changed the American workplace in the short term — and maybe in the long term, too. Safety precautions are paramount. Many employees are working remotely with new equipment, and a different process, overall. The upside, of course, is skipping the commute, but a recent Saint Leo University webinar — “Workplace […]
Improvements slated for County Road 54 in Zephyrhills
A congested roadway in Zephyrhills is set to receive some long-awaited and seemingly much-needed improvements to ease traffic patterns and enhance safety overall. The City of Zephyrhills and Pasco County have come to a cost-sharing agreement for upgrades to a portion of County Road 54 which crosses both city limits and unincorporated county areas. The […]
Christmas parade in Dade City is unlikely
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce recently posted a notice on its website to clarify apparent myths regarding the Christmas Parade held in Dade City. “The chamber has withdrawn the application it submitted in May, to operate, staff and insure the Christmas Parade for 2020,” the notice says. “It takes a lot of time, […]
Zephyrhills renews city attorney’s contract
Matthew Maggard will continue serving as the city attorney for the City of Zephyrhills, for at least three more years. The Zephyrhills City Council unanimously renewed an independent contract agreement with Maggard, which is effective Nov. 1 and runs through the end of October 2023. The contract terms remain the same as the existing city […]
Photo of the Week
Fire Safety Week
The Pasco County Commission honored efforts of the county’s fire rescue workers and recognized Fire Safety Week through a resolution at the board’s Oct. 6 meeting. This year, Fire Safety Week focused on the importance of preventing house fires — with a particular emphasis on staying safe in the kitchen. Many house fires occur because […]
This Week (cont)
Community input sought on strategic plan
Pasco County is embarking on its five-year strategic plan and is seeking feedback from its stakeholders and the public in general to help shape the plan. The county had planned to hold SWOT — Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats — analysis sessions before the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to its plans, and now it […]
Wesley Chapel woman pens children’s book
A conversation Jessica Valentin had with her daughter, Isabella, inspired the Wesley Chapel woman to write her first children’s book. Jessica said they were in the car on the way to an appointment, when she was encouraging her daughter to use her writing and drawing skills. To make the conversation more concrete, she asked her […]
A chance to tell your neighborhood’s story
Hillsborough County’s Office of Neighborhood Relations is now accepting applications for the 2021 Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program. During this application period, the program features new project categories that are aimed at bringing neighbors together and boosting community pride. The program provides up to $5,000 of funding for neighborhood organizations that want to strengthen and engage their […]
Upgrades coming to Zephyrhills CRA area
The Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board has approved a budget of $578,244 for fiscal year 2020-2021 — and identified a number of priority projects. The project is an increase of $91,234 over last year’s $478,010 budget. The increase is primarily due to greater revenues collected from ad valorem taxes from the city and Pasco […]
Contract extended on intersection improvement
The Pasco County Commission has granted an extension of 240 calendar days to D.A.B. Constructors Inc., to complete the construction of intersection improvements at State Road 54 and Morris Bridge Road and Eiland Boulevard. The project had been scheduled to be completed by Nov. 22, but needs to be delayed because of utility coordination and […]
Local Sports
Zephyrhills celebrates tennis center grand opening
The grand opening celebration of the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center was serenaded in maybe the most Zephyrhills way possible — with a slew of skydiving parachute landings on the nearly 10-acre property, at 6585 Simons Road. If the Oct. 17 event is any indication — even amid the COVID-19 pandemic — the […]
Saint Leo Athletics adds to Hall of Fame
While meaningful competition has halted on Saint Leo University athletics fields this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s still some positivity coming out of the athletics department — in its announcing of the 2020 Hall of Fame inductee class. The class features seven individual honorees and one team. The inductees for the Class of […]
Sports – Check This Out
1,000 career digs
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High senior libero Adriana Lopez surpassed the 1,000 mark in career digs, during a Sept. 12 team victory against Central Clearwater Catholic. Lopez, a four-year varsity standout, entered the 2020 season with 944 digs — 309 in 2019; 444 in 2018; and, 191 in 2017. Lopez is a Rollins College verbal commit.
Soccer, lacrosse permitted on Hillsborough County fields
Youth and adult soccer and lacrosse leagues can now apply to Hillsborough County for permission to resume games and tournaments at county parks. Soccer and lacrosse leagues have been allowed to use county fields for practices and conditioning for several weeks, but games and tournaments have not been permitted since late March because of COVID-19 […]
Reasons To Smile
1,000+ crowd at Scarecrow Festival
The Pioneer Florida Museum and Village, in Dade City, held its annual Scarecrow Festival on Oct. 10. With the purchase of a $5 admission ticket, attendees could participate in games, costume contests and petting zoos, as well as enjoy watching performances from soccer-playing dogs and a bubble balloon magician. The most popular activity was “Make […]
