Construction is underway to reconstruct Old Pasco Road’s intersections with Quail Hollow Boulevard, Oakley Boulevard and Boom Boom Drive, in Wesley Chapel. The improvements are in response to a route study that concluded upgrades are needed to improve safety and increase traffic capacity. Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore said he has heard concerns from motorists who travel on … [Read more...]
School boundary workshop set
October 2, 2019 By
Thousands of Pasco County Schools students will be affected by proposed boundary changes for the 2020-2021 school year. Most of the boundary changes are related to the opening of Cypress Creek Middle School, which is scheduled to open next fall. But there are also some changes being proposed that will affect schools in Central Pasco — but would not affect any current students in those … [Read more...]
Prep football midseason review
October 2, 2019 By
The 2019 Florida high school football regular season has reached the midway point. Here’s a closer look at how teams and players are faring from The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. Perfect performers At the midway mark, there are three programs sporting undefeated records — Academy at the Lakes, Gaither and Steinbrenner. What do each have in common? Potent offenses backed by efficient, … [Read more...]
Pasco school year gets off to a smooth start
August 21, 2019 By
Five-year-old Joshua Cortes was eager to begin his first day of kindergarten at Pine View Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes. The youngster was beaming as his parents took his picture near a welcome sign at the school — the perfect prop for a photo op. A little while later, as buses rolled into the bus loop, Pine View staff greeted students as they exited the bus. They saw many … [Read more...]
Local teen’s rare disease sparks legislation
August 21, 2019 By
After more than three years of fighting for their medical coverage for their son’s rare disease, a Land O’ Lakes family has seen some progress in their quest. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Patient Saving Act on June 12, which includes language requiring the state insurance plan to provide enteral formula coverage, regardless of age, condition or intake method. Stephanie Walls, whose … [Read more...]
Growth puts squeeze on schools
July 31, 2019 By
As Pasco County Schools heads into another school year, crowded conditions are expected on several campuses within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. District officials are projecting that Wesley Chapel’s Wiregrass Ranch High School will operate at 141 percent of its capacity, with an estimated 2,310 students in a school designed for 1,633. Connerton Elementary School, in Land O’ Lakes, … [Read more...]
State title winners head off to regionals
July 24, 2019 By
In his 15 years of coaching Land O’ Lakes Little League, Daniel Broderick can’t recall the last time one of its youth baseball teams won a state title. “I’ve been coaching a long time, and I’ve never been a state champion,” Broderick said, during a recent interview. The last time a Land O’ Lakes Little League baseball team won a state championship was in 2002, league officials … [Read more...]
Pasco embarks on new type of high school
July 24, 2019 By
The Pasco County school district is planning a new magnet high school that doesn’t fit the traditional mold. It will combine a rigorous curriculum along with technical skills training — and will seek community partnerships to give students real-world experiences, said Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools. Coming up with a name for the school is a little bit tricky, Gadd … [Read more...]
Pasco County honors its 2019 graduates
June 12, 2019 By
As graduates stepped across the stage at the University of South Florida’s Yuengling Center to accept their diplomas — the crowd erupted with cheers and applause. That’s not an atypical reaction at graduation ceremonies, but this one was particularly special. The Class of 2019 at Cypress Creek Middle High School made history on June 5, by becoming the first crop of graduates from the Wesley … [Read more...]
New Wesley Chapel fire station comes with more offerings
June 5, 2019 By
Wesley Chapel now has Pasco County’s second largest fire station, and the opening of Station 13 was celebrated at a ribbon cutting on May 30. The 9,400-square-foot station, off Old Pasco Road and Dayflower Boulevard, became operational several weeks before the celebration because the original station — which had been next to it — was torn down. Despite the blistering heat, a crowd of … [Read more...]
