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East Pasco

East Pasco to receive new, upgraded veterans clinic

October 2, 2019 By Brian Fernandes

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is in the midst of building a new outpatient clinic in Zephyrhills.

As a branch of Tampa’s James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, the facility will be an upgraded replacement to the current Zephyrhills Community Based Outpatient Clinic. It will serve former members of the military.

“I’d say accessibility is probably our biggest reason for building a new clinic,” said Shayna Rodriguez, public affairs specialist at James A. Haley. “It will be easier for veterans to use, and we’ll have more capability and accessibility for them.”

This rendering offers an idea of what the appearance will be of the exterior for the new Zephyrhills VA outpatient clinic. The facility, set to open in mid-2021, will replace the existing facility and will have more rooms.
(Courtesy of Shayna Rodriguez/James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital)

Danny Burgess is the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

The Zephyrhills native said he’s anticipating the added amenities this new facility will offer service men and women.

Burgess stated that, “The new VA clinic in Zephyrhills will be a game changer for veterans in East Pasco. The expansion will provide increased access to quality healthcare. We are so excited for this commitment to our community by USDVA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs); and FDVA (Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs) looks forward to growing our strong relationship with our federal partners.”

The 14,000-square-foot facility will offer more space, housing both primary care and mental health services within the same building.

Ten rooms will be devoted to primary care, while six rooms will be used for treating mental health.

The expansion of rooms indicates the VA’s efforts to provide more access to psychiatric care, Rodriguez noted.

The clinic will be designed to accommodate the handicapped, and will offer new services such as podiatry and physical therapy.

It also will include anticoagulation pharmacy services and a lab. Telehealth – services provided remotely over the phone — also will be available.

Each patient will have an assigned “patient-aligned care team,” Rodriguez said. The team will consist of a physician, nurse, social worker and a mental health provider.

Patients will be referred to and treated at the James A. Haley hospital for surgeries and extensive therapy.

Those without their own transportation will be able to take advantage of a pick-up service to receive free rides to their doctor’s appointments.

“When we do these studies,” said Rodriguez, “we take a very close look at where is going to be most convenient for them, where the bulk of veterans live.”

Based on travel time, veterans may be eligible for reimbursement when commuting to the clinic in their own vehicle.

Veteran women’s health has been ongoing, but additional services will be provided  at the new clinic – especially for those with infants.

“We’ll also be adding a lactation room because women veterans are one of our fastest-growing demographics,” Rodriguez said.

The increase in the number of veterans living in Tampa Bay has led to a need for more clinics.

The James A. Haley hospital is not exclusive to just its VA clinics in Zephyrhills and New Port Richey, but branches out cross-county.

These counties include Hillsborough, Hernando and Polk, with Citrus County expected to join the list.

In September of last year, alone, there were over 6,000 visits to the current Zephyrhills clinic, Rodriguez said.

She also noted there’s typically an increase of veterans needing services, as snowbirds flock to Florida near the end of the year.

The U.S. Congress approved more than $12 million to fund the new complex, back in April. Construction on the Eiland Boulevard facility started in June.

Construction is expected to be completed by late 2020 and to open by mid-2021. Once operational, the current Zephyrhills clinic will be closed down.

Published October 2, 2019

Filed Under: Government, Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: 2020, 2021, Citrus County, Danny Burgess, Department of Veterans Affairs, East Pasco, Eiland Boulevard, Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, Hernando, Hillsborough, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, New Port Richey, Polk, September, Shayna Rodriguez, Tampa, U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills Community Based Outpatient Clinic

Economic summit to focus on industrial hub

October 2, 2019 By Kevin Weiss

Local business and government leaders in Zephyrhills will join together for an event that will spotlight the city’s industrial corridor and ongoing efforts to cultivate high-wage manufacturing jobs.

The third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit is scheduled for Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Zephyrhills City Hall, 5335 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills.

The summit primarily will focus on the city’s forthcoming industrial corridor master plan and Zephyrhills Municipal Airport runway extension, according to a press release from the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce executive director Melonie Monson is organizing the third annual Zephyrhills Economic Summit.

Other topics will broach infrastructure and the East Pasco roadway network, plus updates on various state and county intergovernmental collaboration projects in the region.

The event is presented by the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition (ZEDC) in partnership with the City of Zephyrhills and the Zephyrhills chamber.

Registration is $10 and will include lunch and continental breakfast.

The summit will feature interactive discussions and presentations from the following speakers:

  • Billy Poe, Zephyrhills city manager Billy Poe
  • Dr. Randy Stovall, Zephyrhills chamber president
  • Todd Vande Berg, city planning director
  • Mohsen Mohammadi, chief operations officer for American Infrastructure Development
  • David Gwynn, District 7 secretary for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
  • Randy Maggard, State Rep. District 38
  • Ron Oakley, chairman of the Pasco County Commission
  • Tom Ryan, economic development manager for Pasco Economic Development Council, Inc.
  • Danielle Ruiz, economic development manager for Duke Energy

Zephyrhills’ proposed industrial development hub focuses on a large grouping of industrial properties and adjacent areas within the Chancey Road corridor and municipal airport.

The planning area is generally bound by Melrose Avenue to the north, the CSX Transportation railroad and U.S. 301 to the west, Pattie Road to the south, and Barry Road and the Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area to the east. That encompasses approximately 9.76 square miles (6,248 acres), including 33% within Zephyrhills and the remainder in unincorporated Pasco County — representing the largest aggregation of industrial lands in Pasco.

Zephyrhills chamber executive director Melonie Monson, who’s organizing the summit, underscored the need to build out the industrial corridor, to recruit employment-generating manufacturing companies and to develop a middle-class workforce in Zephyrhills.

The city is pining for a “medium-sized industrial manufacturer,” Monson said, to give local high school graduates a place to work, so they can remain in the community.

The chamber director believes that Zephyrhills could attract such a company soon. She cited the city’s recent efforts to partner with Pasco County to spend millions of dollars to extend water and sewer to the industrial site.

“It’s just ready for industry, it just is,” she said.

Monson put it this way: “We’re excited the city’s being proactive instead of reactive, so when that big person hits and says, ‘I want to come here,’ we’ll be ready for that and say, ‘Here’s your spot, this is what we have, these are the incentives, this is your workforce.’

“That’s what we’re working toward, to put all those pieces together to make sure that we get what we want here,” Monson said.

She said the industrial corridor also could pave the way for other companies in distribution, light manufacturing, aviation and so on.

“I believe it’s going to have a lot of different textures to it,” the chamber executive said.

She is encouraged by the city’s direction in recent years of attracting younger families and groups to live, work and play.

She mentioned the downtown area alone has added a brewery, a billiards hall and axe-throwing venue, and other things to do.

Zephyrhills also is in the midst of getting a state-of-the-art tennis center and thousands of new homes and apartments.

The city recently landed its first Starbucks and Wawa. A Chick-Fil-A in the works.

Other notable businesses set to come online include Aldi Supermarket, PetSmart, Marriott Fairfield Hotel and Dollar General.

“We’re getting there. In the last three or four years you’ve just seen this huge spur of development,” Monson said.

Previous Zephyrhills economic summits focused on the medical community and education. Monson said next year’s will likely be geared around workforce development.

The summits encourage stakeholders to collaborate to help move Zephyrhills forward as a viable community.

“We’re the only community in Pasco County that’s doing something like this — where we have a coalition that really focuses on pro-business, pro-education, trying to make our community stand out in the midst of all of the other communities.

“We just every year want to make sure that we let people know what we really have here and what we’re doing and why you might want to come and be a part of the Zephyrhills community,” Monson said.

For information and to register for the summit, contact Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce director Melonie Monson at (813) 782-1913 or

Published October 2, 2019

 

 

Filed Under: Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: Aldi Supermarket, American Infrastructure Development, Barry Road, Billy Poe, Chancey Road, Chick-fil-A, City of Zephyrhills, CSX Transportation, Danielle Ruiz, David Gwynn, Dollar General, Dr. Randy Stovall, Duke Energy, East Pasco, Eighth Street, Florida Department of Transportation, Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Marriott Fairfield Hotel, Melonie Monson, Melrose Avenue, Mohsen Mohammadi, Pasco County, Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley, Pasco Economic Development Council, Pattie Road, PetSmart, Starbucks, State Rep. Randy Maggard, Todd Vande Berg, Tom Ryan, U.S. 301, Upper Hillsborough Wildlife Management Area, Wawa, Zephyrhills, Zephyrhills City Hall, Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition, Zephyrhills Economic Summit, Zephyrhills Municipal Airport

Savor a slice of ‘Old Florida’ beauty

October 2, 2019 By Christine Holtzman

Residents who live on the eastern side of Pasco County don’t have to travel far to get an idea of what “Old Florida” was like.

They can find evidence of that loveliness all around the locale’s corners and bends.

Perhaps that’s why those with deep ties to this part of the county fight so fiercely to protect their piece of paradise, and why the area attracts newcomers who want to put their stakes down to partake in the beauty, too.

With its lush landscapes, rolling hills, fertile farmland, historic places and outdoor spaces — the area offers much to enjoy and admire.

The incredible view of the setting sun over Lake Pasadena, as seen from the Dade City home of Derek Thomas. Thomas lives on Fort King Road, near the top of Leheup Hill, which is one of the area’s highest elevations at 240 feet above sea level. This ‘mountain’ is part of a series of rolling hills in the area. (Christine Holtzman)

 

Nature’s beauty can be found at the Withlacoochee River Park, in Dade City. The Withlacoochee River cuts through the 406 acres of forested land, brimming with an abundance of wildlife. Park amenities include fishing piers, boardwalks, canoe/kayak access, picnic and camping areas, shelters/pavilions, trails, playgrounds, and an observation tower.
Tucked away in an area across State Road 52 from Saint Leo University, (next to the golf course), there are two historic grottos.
The Gethsemane Grotto, was built by local men from San Antonio in 1933, to depict Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The construction contains natural stones, such as Florida coral, limestone and flint.

 

 

 

The Lady of Lourdes Grotto was built in 1916, and is the final resting place of the Saint Leo Abbey’s first Abbot, Charles Mohr, OSB.
The historic Capt. H.B. Jeffries House, 38537 5th Avenue in Zephyrhills, was built in 1911, for city founder and Civil War veteran Capt. Harold B. Jeffries. Today, the building is used by the non-profit Main Street Zephyrhills, Inc., a group dedicated to the preservation, revitalization and the economic vitality of the downtown business district.
Many farms dot the East Pasco landscape, an area that is rich in agriculture. These silos on a farm at the corner of St. Joe Road and Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, peak above the lush pasture.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: 1911, 1916, 1933, Abbot Charles Mohr, Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, Capt. H. B. Jeffries House, Capt. Harold B. Jeffries, Civil War, Dade City, Derek Thomas, East Pasco, Fifth Avenue, Florida, Fort King Road, Garden of Gethsemane, Gethsemane Grotto, Jesus, Lady of Lourdes Grotto, Lake Pasadena, LeHeup Hill, Main Street Zephyrhills Inc., Pasco County, Saint Leo Abbey, Saint Leo University, San Antonio, St. Joe Road, State Road 52, Withlacoochee River Park, Zephyrhills

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Avalon Applauds… Norah Catlin

February 23, 2021 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

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03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will offer “Foodie Feast: Apple Pie Bombs” on March 5. Participants can learn how to make tasty, apple pie bombs. Watch the prerecorded video between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., online at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email Danielle Lee at . … [Read More...] about 03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

03/06/2021 – Pancakes and trains

The Grand Concourse Railroad, 11919 Alric Pottberg Road in Shady Hills, will offer a Pancake Breakfast and Unlimited Train Rides event on March 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for kids. For information, visit Grand Concourse Railroad on Facebook. … [Read More...] about 03/06/2021 – Pancakes and trains

03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to grow a tomato garden. Those interested can view the video at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary, all day, on March 8. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email . … [Read More...] about 03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to make green grilled cheese on March 9 at 4:30 p.m., for grades four to seven. To view the video, visit the Library Cooperative on Facebook or Instagram. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will host a virtual poetry discussion group on “Female Power!” on March 9 at 6:30 p.m., for ages 16 and older, via Zoom. Participants can share a favorite poem or take part in discussions on poems about women or written by women poets. Themed poems will be sent out to help with the session. Registration is required. For information, contact Amaris Papadopoulos at 727-861-3020 or . … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will offer a Technology Tuesday: Robots & Machines on March 9, through a curbside pickup activity. The kit will help kids learn more about technology, from robots to coding, through online and hands-on activities. The pickup is limited to 35 participants and must be reserved ahead of time. A book bundle can be included. Kits must be picked up between March 9 at 10 a.m., and March 13 at 5 p.m. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

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No plans to shutter Zephyrhills police department

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