News

A divided Pasco County Commission has continued a request for a conditional use that would allow a maximum of 248 apartments on the west side of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, south of Eagleston Boulevard. Adventist Health Systems Sunbelt Healthcare Corporation ...
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Florida State Sen. Danny Burgess undoubtedly has a full plate of responsibilities as he settles into his new legislative role representing District 20, which spans parts of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties. Most notable for the 34-year-old Republican from Zephyrhills ...
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Complaints about difficulties in registering for COVID-19 vaccine appointments in Pasco and Hillsborough counties have resulted in changes to those systems, but demand for vaccinations continues to outpace the supply of available vaccines. Both Pasco and Hillsborough now are using ...
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Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore failed to find support from his colleagues when he suggested adding a seat on the county’s planning commission for a representative from the sheriff’s office. Moore recommended the expansion of the planning commission during the ...
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The Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is ushering in the new year with a slew of projects and initiatives in the historic downtown district. “There’s a lot going on that you’ll see in January that staff has been working on,” Zephyrhills ...
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The City of Zephyrhills recognized several employees with service awards at a regular city council meeting on Jan. 11. Seventeen employees were presented plaques for achieving benchmarks of five, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years of service, respectively. A service ...
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The Pasco County Commission has approved a task order with CPH Inc., for the design of a new central office and warehouse for its facilities management department. The agreement, which calls for an amount not to exceed $339,920, is being ...
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In the years before COVID-19, both locals and visitors alike could look forward to the end of January for a chance to enjoy the annual Kumquat Festival in downtown Dade City. But, concerns about keeping people safe have prompted organizers ...
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Hillsborough County’s Sunshine Line provides door-to-door transportation and bus passes for elderly, low-income, and people with disabilities who do not have or cannot afford their own transportation, according to the Hillsborough County website. Transportation is provided for medical and social ...
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If you have some sensitive or outdated documents you want to destroy, The Big Shred IV may be just the thing for you. Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles has set two dates to give area residents the opportunity ...
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On the up side, there’s a building boom going on in Pasco County. On the downside, there’s a logjam in processing building permits. County Administrator Dan Biles addressed the issue during the Pasco County Commission meeting on Jan. 12. During ...
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For some, the chance to sample syrup was the big attraction. Others wanted to watch a WW II reenactment. Still others wanted to check out the traditional craft demonstrations, enjoy some food, or take a look at the model trains ...
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The show must go on — but this year it’s a scaled back version. The 38th “Spotlight on Talent” competition will be held on March 6 — to give talented students a chance to show off their talents. But this ...
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The Pasco County Commission has approved reducing the speed limit on a stretch of South County Line Road, between Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Mansfield Drive. Commissioners approved spending $1,000 for new speed limit signs for the road. Currently, the ...
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Two Hillsborough County judges have been selected as leaders in the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, according to a news release. Judge Thomas Palermo will serve as chairman of the Fort Brook District, one of ...
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Editor’s Note: The Laker/Lutz News, normally a strictly local publication with limited political coverage, is presenting this account because of the historic nature of last week’s events. Repercussions continue to play out from the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S ...
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The City of Zephyrhills is experiencing booming growth and development that includes thousands of new homes and myriad commercial projects — and that’s on top of a newfound tourism and visitor rush felt with the opening of the $4.9 million ...
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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a change to the county’s comprehensive plan that would allow consideration of up to 400 apartments to be developed on 28.2 acres, at the intersection of Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Hay ...
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Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s office raised $8,727.38 to support the construction of a permanent law enforcement officers memorial on the grounds of the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, in downtown Dade City. The tax collector’s five offices highlighted the Pasco Fallen ...
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The new Two Rivers community proposed to rise along State Road 56, between Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301, is a step closer to reality. The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended the approval of changes to a highway vision ...
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Like so many other major events throughout the Tampa Bay area, the 11th annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ & Blues Fest will be forced to make many adjustments in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The largest annual event in ...
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As the number of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise, frustration is mounting among people eager to get vaccinated to protect themselves from the deadly virus. So far, demand for vaccines is outpacing supply in both Pasco and ...
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The City of Zephyrhills is pursuing state funding for four projects, although ongoing financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic may hamper some, or all of the requests, from being included in the state’s budget. Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe explained ...
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Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano has named Bridging Freedom, an organization dedicated to ending human trafficking and assisting survivors of that crime, as its charity for the month of January. Bridging Freedom aims to combat sex-trafficking of minors by ...
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The Pasco County Commission has approved an agreement to pay HDR Engineering up to $205,000 during fiscal year 2021, for the company’s assistance on updating the county’s comprehensive plan. Pasco adopted its original comprehensive plan in response to a state ...
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Perhaps someday a future hockey star will be able to say he or she first learned to play hockey on the streets of Wesley Chapel and Holiday. Pasco County has added to its assorted sports and recreational profile with yet ...
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The City of Dade City has finally gotten around to revising its Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) plan —  a document which hadn’t been updated since its original formation back in 1998. The Dade City Commission in December unanimously approved a ...
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In society’s modern parlance, it’s called “food insecurity.’’ In simple terms, it’s hunger. And, it’s a big problem in Pasco County, particularly in the COVID-19 era. Christine Bright, Pasco Unit chair for the League of Women Voters, recently gathered officials ...
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The East Pasco municipalities of Dade City and Zephyrhills are poised for a busy 2021 in terms of infrastructure, development and other community programs. Here’s a closer look at some of the highlights in the new year: Dade City Let’s ...
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The Zephyrhills Police Department has added a new member to its force — recently swearing in 21-year-old Gabriella Slater as a patrol officer. Slater was officially introduced to the East Pasco community and took an oath during a Zephyrhills City ...
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On the whole, this year’s Gallup Survey results in Pasco County Schools are slightly better than they were last year. But, when Dr. Peggy Jones — the school district’s director of the office of accountability, research and measurement — discussed ...
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The Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center has only been open since September, but it has quickly shown to be a hit among Zephyrhills residents and outsiders alike. The $4.9 million complex at 6585 Simons Road has already begun ...
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Sometimes, a picture really is worth a thousand words. Here’s an array of images that help tell the story of the year 2020 in The Laker/Lutz News region. The photos were captured by Fred Bellet, Kelli Carmack, Christine Holtzman, B.C ...
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The Dade City Commission has approved a landscaping contract, after grievances aired in recent months about the upkeep of the Dade City Cemetery. Commissioners have approved a contract with a landscaping company to maintain the grounds of the 17-acre cemetery, ...
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The COVID-19 pandemic aside, the year 2020 brought myriad new developments and occurrences within the cities of Dade City and Zephyrhills. Here’s a look at some of the highlights from the past year: Dade City Medical marijuana dispensaries allowed Medical ...
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One of Dade City’s most popular parks, Price Park, is set to have fence repairs to its two enclosed multi-use outdoor tennis courts, located at 37415 Magnolia Ave. City officials have received several complaints because the courts’ existing fence has ...
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Like every business and organization, the North Tampa Bay Chamber has faced challenges and unpredictability — in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic. A public health crisis, government shutdowns and a flattened economy caused the chamber to pivot, and ...
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If ever there was a time when joy was needed, 2020 was the year. Here’s a look, in condensed form, at some of the stories revealing big moments and happy times in The Laker/Lutz News region, during the year that ...
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Pasco County’s Bell Lake Road Improvement Project in Land O’ Lakes is scheduled to begin on Jan. 4, and run through spring 2022. The year-plus project will consist of extensive infrastructure and safety improvements — including road reconstruction, stormwater modifications, ...
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The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel sponsored a Stuff Your Stocking Drive Thru event on Dec. 20, at Wesley Chapel District Park on Boyette Road. Families were encouraged to wear their pajamas and bring their stockings to drive through a ...
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The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a conditional use permit to allow an apartment development on the west side of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, south of Eagleston Boulevard. The request, submitted by Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare ...
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