The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
Proud to be independently owned.

Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

Dade City approves modified CRA plan

By

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 modified CRA plan — which looks to address conditions of blight in the core of the city and, according to the new 118-page document, “seeks to position the city for renewed economic success in the 21st century without compromising on the city’s character by leveraging existing physical, cultural and natural resources to encourage private sector investment.”

Dade City’s 137-acre CRA (Community Redevelopment Area) district primarily encompasses the city’s downtown corridor east of the U.S. 301/U.S. 98 bypass, stretching south from Coleman Avenue to north of Whitehouse Avenue. (Courtesy of City of Dade City)

Work to revise the original CRA plan began in late 2016, with the help of North Carolina-based consulting firm S&ME Inc.

Though a modified plan was completed in 2018, the commission tabled approval until a new city manager was hired, which occurred in April 2019.

Since then, the plan has further been updated to encompass the latest available socioeconomic demographic information, which revealed an even younger profile compared to just two years ago, officials say.

Dade City’s 137-acre CRA district primarily encompasses its downtown corridor between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the U.S. 301/U.S. 98 bypass, stretching south from Coleman Avenue and north of Whitehouse Avenue.

The five-year plan encompasses a wide range of background information on the city, plus community surveys, and various goals and objectives to focus on in the near future.

The following four strategic goals for the CRA were established out of the new plan:

  • Increase awareness of Dade City and its amenities
  • Establish Dade City as a leisure, cultural and ecotourism hub
  • Improve quality of life for current and future residents, and visitors
  • Establish Dade City as an entrepreneurial destination for those seeking access and opportunity for new businesses

The plan also summarized various viewpoints on wants and needs within the CRA limits, based on a series of stakeholder interviews conducted by local officials and input collected from the city’s Resident Advisory Committee, Downtown Merchants Association and Dade City Chamber of Commerce, among other groups.

Some of the outlined priorities and other thoughts from stakeholders include:

Emphasize bricks and mortar

  • The CRA could benefit from a renewed focus on pedestrian improvements: increasing mid-block crossings, repairing sidewalks and alleyways
  • Focus on increasing trail connections and expanding infrastructure surrounding the Hardy Trail
  • Increase accessibility of downtown buildings through ADA improvements

Grants (proposed new grants topics)

  • Provide grants for ADA improvements
  • Provide residential painting grants
  • Rental subsidies program
  • Historic structure plaque grant

Opportunities for Dade City

  • Increase coordination with advertisement for events
  • Catering to cyclists with targeted businesses in downtown
  • CRA frontage on U.S. 301 to signal presence of downtown (gateway)
  • Expand CRA boundaries to include more residential and commercial areas
  • Moving the farmer’s market downtown
  • Proximity to Saint Leo, and ability to attract and retain millennials
  • Cultivating a relationship with local hospital system and Pasco-Hernando State College

Threats to Dade City

  • Attorney general opinions regarding use of agency funds for contracted services
  • Grant program criteria: project and applicant eligibility, performance criteria and measurement
  • High downtown rents
  • Downtown flooding
  • Not enough family friendly activities
  • Downtown businesses not staying open past 5 p.m.
  • Matching requirement on grants makes them unattainable for businesses with fewer resources
  • Pass-by traffic along U.S. 301/U.S. 98

Commissioner/CRA wish list

  • Gateway signage
  • Splash pad for kids
  • Bring back a movie theater
  • Get a community/youth center
  • Create a business incubator
  • Consistent streetscapes
  • Clean up entryways to downtown
  • Highlight areas of historical interest
  • More duplex housing
  • Grocery store
  • Evening programming

The comprehensive plan also included details on the city’s ever-changing demographic profile, which reads:

The Dade City CRA strives to address blighted conditions generally in the downtown corridor, through a combination of reinvestment, grants and other programs.

“While Florida is historically known as a state comprised of a primarily older demographic, the median ages for the top five tapestry segments (traditional living, hardscrabble road, social security, down the road, old and newcomers) present in Dade City are below 44.2 years of age. Albeit lower income, the tapestry segments reveal a younger, family oriented demographics than traditionally present within Florida. …More than half of the city’s population is white (67.3 percent) with an almost equal share of Black and Hispanic residents, 20.4% and 20.6%, respectively.”

  • Current population just over 7,500
  • Approximately 2,600 households
  • Median household income is $31,497 (compared to Pasco County’s $45,064)
  • Nearly 7% of Dade City households make more than $100,000

The CRA plan is a living document of sorts, meaning it can be adjusted as needed depending on the city leader’s objectives, said Melanie Romagnoli, the city’s community and economic development director.

With that, she recommended the city — given the CRA has two newly elected board members in Knute Nathe and Normita Woodard — do another check-up on the plan in a year “to see if anything needs to be modified, or it’s still the same path that this existing commission wants to go on.”

“We can modify this as many times as we’d like, we just have to provide notice to the county and the state of any modifications that we make,” explained Romagnoli.

Estimated budgets for the CRA across the next five years are as follows: $246,361 (2021), $253,752 (2022), $261,365 (2023), $269,206 (2024) and $277,281 (2025).

Romagnoli indicated at least one issue that needs to be addressed is revisiting some arbitrary timelines for getting certain action-level steps and projects accomplished in the next handful of years.

“Some of them are very unrealistic with current staffing conditions and financial constraints,” said Romagnoli.

“The current CRA does not gather as much money as what’s required for all these things to get accomplished, so we definitely need to revisit it and make sure it’s realistic for us to be able to implement and prioritize and figure out what this commission and CRA board wants to do in the next five years.”

There’s also been discussion about possibly expanding the CRA district beyond its current boundaries, she said, which likely will require many in-depth workshops.

Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez agreed that additional workshops are needed to perhaps further refine the plan and gather input from Nathe and Woodard, first-term commissioners and board members elected back in July.

“I know it’s important to all of us,” Hernandez said of the CRA plan. “It has been a long time in the making and processing. Hopefully we can move forward with the next steps.”

Published January 06, 2021

Dade City moves ahead on priority projects

By

Dade City is moving ahead on some city priority projects.

The city’s commissioners have authorized staff to enter into a design-build contract with Borregard Construction Inc., for a design-build of a visitor’s information welcome center, to be located on the south side of Church Avenue near the Hardy Trail multi-use trailhead.

Preliminary plans call for a building of 1,100 square feet to 1,500 square feet, with two family bathrooms that meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

The center will feature an open floor plan — allowing for vendor operations, area attractions, museums and art exhibits to host mobile displays.

Officials said the visitor’s center will not exceed $250,000, which is funded through a grant from the Pasco County Tourist Development Council.

The facility will be part of a larger exterior space concept that will feature a bike-share hub with stations for parking, minor repairs, and public resting areas for cyclists and exercising pedestrians.

The public will be invited to provide input on the design of the building, in the coming months. The general idea is for the visitor’s center to help promote some of the city’s attraction to locals and out-of-town visitors, said Melanie Romagnoli, the city’s community and economic development director.

For example, Pioneer Florida Museum would be able to display items to help promote that attraction.

“We want to make sure that the building will fit into the context of the neighborhood, with a contemporary interior that will allow for modern amenities, such as digital display ads and a place for our nonprofit partners and our community partners to have mobile exhibits,” Romagnoli said.

The project passed by a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Nicole Deese Newlon dissenting.

Also, commissioners approved a motion allowing City Manager Leslie Porter to negotiate a contract with Wesley Chapel-based Magic Bubbles, to pressure wash sidewalks in the downtown area.

The company’s quote came in at $3,050 to pressure wash sidewalks from Church Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and Meridian Avenue from Eighth Street to Third Street. However, the commission also agreed to have the company clean other surrounding areas heavily trafficked downtown, including the sidewalks by Nancy’s Natural Foods, Lori Anne’s, Green Door on 8th, Magnolia Title Agency, and The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, among other businesses.

The request for additional cleaning services came from Commissioner Jim Shive. Given the added work will be at relatively minimal cost, commissioners directed the city manager to proceed without having to return for funding approval. The motion passed 4-1, with Newlon dissenting.

Published June 17, 2020

Dade City considering sidewalk cleanup program

By

The Dade City Commission is considering a sidewalk pressure washing program to address the downtown’s main corridors — as part of a concentrated effort to provide a cleaner community appearance to attract visitors to the town.

The city already has strived to beautify the downtown of late, with recent improvements to the public parking areas on Eighth Street, including tree trimming, mulching of planted areas, and debris removal.

Now, city leaders are looking to pressure wash sidewalk areas on both sides of Seventh Street, between Church Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and Meridian Avenue, between Eighth Street and Third Street. Work would encompass concrete curbs, driveways, and both public and private sidewalk areas.

Commissioners on May 26 provided general consensus to review three third-party quotes for pressure washing services at a future meeting. Received bids ranging from $2,800 to $6,000 to $7,290 for a one-time deep cleaning. Commissioners also are requesting additional information from the companies, such as signing off on hold harmless insurance requirements.

If approved, a sidewalk cleaning project would be funded out of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA ).

Dade City Manager Leslie Porter explained the program would be similar to that of New Port Richey, which has a regular sidewalk cleaning maintenance program as part of a downtown revitalization initiative.

Commissioners agreed some type of downtown sidewalk cleaning is long overdue, and perhaps should be done as regularly as annually or biannually.

Commissioner Jim Shive couldn’t recall the last time the sidewalks had been pressure washed, or if ever.

Some type of cleaning program would be “a small investment that will definitely make the downtown shine,” he said.

“It would definitely make the walking and pedestrian areas downtown pop and make it look a lot cleaner,” Shive said, adding it makes sense to contract for such services. The city’s public works crew doesn’t have the equipment needed to perform efficiently, he explained.

Shive also observed that it’s an opportune time to undertake such a project because of lower foot traffic downtown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s time to do some things that we normally couldn’t get done in the downtown area,” Shive said.

Mayor Camille Hernandez said a sidewalk cleaning would “just give our city a refresh” and “make people feel good about their city and have some pride.

“I think this is a small investment that can make a huge difference as we continue to clean up our town,” the mayor said. She favors pressure washing sidewalks at least once a year, if done at “a reasonable cost.”

The city’s practice in the past has been to expect property owners to clean and maintain private property, including sidewalks, curbs and drives, unless part of a code enforcement action. If a property owner has not maintained their property according to city code, and the city remedies any violations, a lien is placed on the property to recoup the costs associated with the cleaning of the property.

Other updates from Dade City Manager Leslie Porter:

  • Staff is in the process of ranking bid responses for the construction of a new concession stand and public restroom building at Moore-Mickens Field, 14318 Canal St. The city has budgeted $150,000 for the project. The old structure was demolished on May 22 by city public works.
  • Staff is applying for a technical planning grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), to help fund an update to the city’s comprehensive plan.
  • Staff is developing a budget workshop calendar for fiscal year 2020-21, with an expectation that several workshops will be required once new city commissioners come aboard following the June 30 municipal election. “We’ll really need to hit the ground running when we have our new commission installed, so I anticipate there’ll be quite a few budget workshops as we work through the process this year,” Porter said.
  • Bidding is expected to open July 9 for the multimillion dollar Tank Hill wastewater improvement project. The scheduled on-site pre-bidding meeting had previously been delayed, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Published June 03, 2020

Diverging diamond work moves forward

By

Work is approaching the halfway mark on the diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 75 and State Road 56.

The project is expected to be completed in summer 2022, according to Florida Department of Transportation officials.

“We’ve got quite a way to go,” said John McShaffrey, FDOT communications outreach manager in District 7. “Until we get to the point we can convert to the diverging diamond, we really won’t see any benefit to the traffic or to pedestrians.”

Work on a diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 75 and State Road 56 is expected to be completed by 2022. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

Construction to retrofit the interchange began in 2019 on the project, which has an estimated cost of $33.2 million.

Diverging diamond interchanges rely on multiple lanes of traffic in a crisscross pattern, with a limited number of traffic signals.

Periodic lane closures and traffic shifts will be required, though most of the work is within the ramp areas. Activities are concentrated at the interchange between Wesley Chapel Boulevard and Cypress Ridge Boulevard.

Once the new design is road ready, the interchange is expected to ease traffic gridlock at one of the county’s busiest intersections, where I-75, State Road 56, State Road 54 and Wesley Chapel Boulevard converge.

Tampa Premium Outlets, the Cypress Creek Town Center, AdventHealth Center Ice and Brightwater Crossings apartment complex are driving growth in retail and residential development.

They also are drawing long lines of motorists moving onto and off the busy roadways.

The project originally slated to begin in 2024 got moved ahead of schedule by about two years.

Just two weeks ago, the DOT announced that the project’s completion date was accelerated by two weeks under a directive by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The governor is taking advantage of reduced traffic volumes at this time to get road work completed more quickly.

This project is the first diverging diamond in District 7 of the FDOT.

Other similar designs are planned in Hillsborough County for State Road 54 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, at I-75; and at Gibsonton Drive, at I-75.

Florida’s first diverging diamond opened at University Parkway at I-75, in Sarasota, in 2017.

Published May 20, 2020

Activists bring new life to Moore-Mickens

By

The Pasco County School District handed over the keys to the new tenants of the Moore-Mickens Education Center effective July 1.

The lease is for 30 years at $10 a year.

Volunteers and board members of the nonprofit Moore-Mickens Education Center and Vocational Center Inc., are working to reopen the historical school in Dade City. From left, Rev. Jesse McClendon Sr., Saundra Coward, Londa Edwards, Levater Holt, Marilyn Hunter and Margarita Romo. (Kathy Steele)

So, now the school’s future is in the hands of a coalition of community activists who founded the nonprofit Moore-Mickens Education Center and Vocational Center Inc.

Its legacy already is in place.

Moore-Mickens is rooted in Pasco’s history as the first public school for blacks. It began as Moore Academy and later operated under the Moore and Mickens’ names as elementary, middle and high schools, and finally, as the education center.

The school’s name honors the accomplishments of two Pasco educators, Rev. Junias D. Moore and Odell Kingston Mickens.

Though the nonprofit plans to be patient and move ahead one program at a time, there are ambitious plans in store for Moore-Mickens, which sprawls across a campus of 14 buildings at the end of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Dade City.

Empowering children is a priority.

The first goal is to open a volunteer prekindergarten school that will give children a foundation for educational success.

“I want to see kids open doors for themselves,” said Marilyn Hunter, president of the nonprofit.

Margarita Romo echoes those thoughts.

A monument sign for Moore-Mickens Education Center sits behind a fence at the entrance to the campus, off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Dade City.

“It can be the lighthouse for people who need to believe in themselves, said Romo, founder of Farmworkers Self-Help.

There are challenges ahead.

The first step is to organize a volunteer cleanup to get buildings ready to open. Plans are to use the administrative building, the building that housed the Cyesis teen parent program, and a building where the Dade City City Commission once held meetings.

In April, vandals broke about 100 windows and several doors in several buildings. The school district boarded up the windows and doors.

Repair costs are left for the nonprofit.

Romo can tick off a laundry list of items the school needs.

A church donated about 100 chairs, but more are needed, she said. Tables, commercial kitchen equipment, books and lawn mowers for the sprawling campus make up a short list.

“It’s a hard task just getting started,” Romo said. “We’ll open a little bit at a time, so we don’t go in debt.”

A local Episcopal church is making a donation to aid the school.

Hunter said the nonprofit plans to apply for a state historical grant, but additional cash donations and in-kind support are needed.

Termites are an issue in at least one building.

“It’s been sitting for three years without any care at all,” she said.

Prior to its closing in 2015, Moore-Mickens offered classes for adults, teen parents and special-needs children.

In April, vandals busted out 100 windows and broke several doors at the Moore-Mickens Education Center in Dade City.

Hunter taught in Pasco schools, including adult education classes at Moore-Mickens. And, she is a high school graduate of the class of 1970, the last one before desegregation.

“I’m proud of that,” she said.

School officials threatened to close Moore-Mickens in 2014, but backed off when area residents rallied to keep it open. They cited costly repairs as the reason for finally closing the campus a year later.

Community activists immediately began lobbying to save the school. Many had ties as former students or teachers at the school.

Rev. Jesse McClendon Sr., took the lead early on. A core group of 15 or so came together, eventually founding the nonprofit.

Few would have given them much chance for success.

But, Moore-Mickens stirs passions among people who revere the school as a community treasure.

“My heart has always been here at this school and this community,” said Saundra Coward, the nonprofit’s vice president and a former student. “I have a hurt for east Pasco because there’s so much taken away from us. This center here is the heart of many of us. The closing of it was a hurting thing.”

The passion caught even McClendon by surprise.

He had expected the outcry from the black community, but everyone who had ties with Moore-Mickens wanted to save it, he said.

McClendon went to Moore Elementary, and later worked as plant manager at Moore-Mickens. His mother, Joanna McClendon, was a teacher.

Levater Holt is an officer with the nonprofit as well as former student and teacher at the school. “This school for me is where I came up,” she said. “We’re reaching out to the whole community.”

In addition to VPK classes, the nonprofit wants to offer General Equivalency Diploma instruction and vocational skills classes. Other social agencies also could become partners, including food banks, and other children’s programs. There could be a charter school, afterschool programs, and a community garden.

Hunter would like to see sports activities, possibly basketball and badminton, and maybe a splash pad.

Romo sees the Moore-Mickens campus as a hub for social agencies in the area. A “one-stop” community center already is planned for the former Stallings Building on 14th Street in Dade City.

In the future, there could be links between that site and Moore-Mickens, which Romo said has space to accommodate several programs.

Londa Edwards, Romo’s granddaughter, has a mentoring program in the Tommytown neighborhood. She would like to also bring it to Moore-Mickens.

Coward, and her sister, Dometa Mitchell, are founders of Hebron Refuge Outreach, which offers youth programs that could fit in at Moore-Mickens as well.

This is a grassroots effort, Romo said.

“It’s kind of exciting, because here is a community that gathered together to try to say ‘yes we can’.” And, now she added, “We’re going to make this happen.”

For information, call Hunter at (352) 807-5691 or email .

Published July 5, 2017

Pasco prepping to ring in a new school year

By

Teachers headed back to Pasco County Schools this week to prepare for the first day of school on Aug. 15.

Opening day is a big deal on every campus every year, but it will be especially meaningful at Wiregrass Elementary School, at 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel because that school is having its “first” first day.

Technology teacher Dalton Smith and Assistant Principal Josh Borders are busy moving boxes — getting ready for the first day of classes at Centennial Middle School in Dade City. (Courtesy of Centennial Middle School)
Technology teacher Dalton Smith and Assistant Principal Josh Borders are busy moving boxes — getting ready for the first day of classes at Centennial Middle School in Dade City.
(Courtesy of Centennial Middle School)

The mood across campus during a teacher move-in day last week offered a glimpse into the significance. People were focused on getting things ready — but there was an obvious excitement, too.

Like many schools, Wiregrass been counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until school starts.

This label is above the ticking clock on its website: “Countdown until Wiregrass Elementary changes the world forever.”

The opening of Wiregrass Elementary, of course, caused a shifting of school boundaries. That means some Wesley Chapel children will be experiencing their first day of school this year at at Denham Oaks Elementary, at 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz.

The 2016-2017 school year also marks the beginning of a new S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Magnet program at Centennial Middle School at 38505 Centennial Road in Dade City.

The school will be using the Learning Active Technology Infused Classroom model, said Principal Rick Saylor. That instructional approach centers around rigor, student engagement and student responsibility.

Centennial Middle also has been equipped with new technology, offering new opportunities for students. For instance, it now has flight simulators that it will be using in its technology education class.

And now, because it’s a magnet school, it will be drawing students from outside its traditional boundaries, as well.

Pasco Elementary School, at 37350 Florida Ave., in Dade City, will be adding 50 minutes of daily instructional time for students in grades four and five, to comply with a state requirement.

In a July 18 letter posted in English and Spanish on the school’s website, Principal Nena Green tells parents: “We see this as a great opportunity for us to provide students with the additional support that they need to be successful.”

As a result of the additional instructional time, the school day for Pasco Elementary students in grades four and five will be from 8:40 a.m. to 3:40 p.m., while student in prekindergarten through third grade will remain on the school’s 8:40 a.m. to 2:50 p.m., schedule.

Students stream out of the portable classrooms at Wiregrass Ranch High School during a class change last school year. The school will again have a 10-period day, to relieve crowding on campus by staggering the time that students arrive and leave the campus. (Fred Bellet/Photo)
Students stream out of the portable classrooms at Wiregrass Ranch High School during a class change last school year. The school will again have a 10-period day, to relieve crowding on campus by staggering the time that students arrive and leave the campus.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

This will be a special year at Rodney B. Cox Elementary, at 37615 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Dade City, as the school celebrates its 90th anniversary — with festivities planned throughout the year.

While some schools are launching new initiatives, others are continuing on paths they began last year.

For instance, Wiregrass Ranch High, at 2909 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will stick with a 10-period school day for the 2016-2017 school year. Next year, a new high school, now being built on Old Pasco Road, will open to relieve overcrowding.

By having a 10-period day, the school can provide a less crowded campus for most of the school day, according to Principal Robyn White

There will be some changes, though, White said. For instance, it will go back to having pep rallies during the day, instead of after school, because it found it had a higher participation rate.

It also has changed its schedule to close down one of its buildings later in the day because it found that most of the discipline issues it dealt with last year happened in that building later in the day, when there were fewer classes there.

“Typically, during passing, the teachers are standing outside the door,” White explained.  When there are just a couple of classes in a building, there are fewer teachers to supervise the area, she explained.

The school will be keeping the fifth lunch period it added last year because it helped make the lunch periods more manageable, White added.

At Pine View Middle, 5334 Parkway Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, the school will be entering its second year as an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Candidate School. The program aims to expand learning opportunities for all children, and to broaden connections by providing instruction that’s deeper and wider.

Some schools will stick with tried-and-true traditions.

Wesley Chapel Elementary School, at 30243 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel, for example, will have its annual Boohoo Breakfast.

“Whether you are saddened or excited, we would love to see you in the cafeteria on the first day of school, beginning at 9:30 a.m.” the school’s website proclaims, referring to  the breakfast.

When children arrive on campus at Wesley Chapel Elementary, they’ll be greeted by Stan Mykita, the school’s new principal.

Parents who want to know more about their child’s school, how to get involved, how to help their child and details about such things as bus stops, school lunch prices and supplies, can find much of the information they need on their individual school’s website. Some information is also available on the district’s website, at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Registration requirements
Students entering a Florida school for the first time at any grade level, will be asked to present the following items upon registration:

  • Current immunization records (vaccination requirements vary by grade level)
  • Proof of a physical examination dated and signed by a licensed health professional within the last 12 months
  • Proof of age, through a birth certificate or other acceptable documents
  • Social Security number, if one is available.
  • Proof of Florida residency, such as water, gas, electric or other utility bill; a properly executed lease agreement; or some other evidence
  • Copy of the student’s last report card, if applicable
  • Legal guardianship records, if applicable

Students entering kindergarten for the first time must be 5 years old before Sept. 1. Pre-kindergarten and Head Start/Early Start programs are available to students who are younger.

Help for parents
Useful information often can be found on the websites maintained by Pasco County Schools and Hillsborough County Schools. Local schools also often provide practical tips to help parents help their children succeed in school.

For instance, Connerton Elementary School, in Land O’ Lakes, offered these pointers for parents to help foster school success:

  • Ensure that your child is at school on time each day.
  • Attend parent/teacher conferences and school events.
  • Monitor your child’s homework daily.
  • Expect and support positive behavior at school.
  • Read with your child or encourage your child to read daily.

 

Getting ready for Day 1

  • Before doing your back-to-school shopping, check your school’s website to find out out what supplies are needed.
  • Also, check the website to find out what time school begins and ends, the code of conduct and dress code for the school, and applications for free or reduced-price lunch.
  • Information also is available through individual and district websites regarding child care, the school year calendar and transportation.

Published August 10, 2016

Summer programs feed kids

By

Children who normally eat lunch at school when classes are in session have a free alternative during the summer months.

Both Hillsborough and Pasco counties are participating in a summer food service program that provide free lunches and afternoon snacks at numerous sites around each county.

The program begins on June 13 and concludes on Aug. 3.

The sites are situated in areas where at least half of the children qualify for free or reduced price meals during the school year. The meals and snacks will be offered at local parks and other community locations to all children under 18 in the area.

No applications are required and summer camp registration is not required.

The Summer Food Service program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Here are some sites that are providing free lunches and snacks. Check with the sites to find out hours of operation.

Hillsborough County (partial listing):

  • Northdale Recreation, 15550 Spring Pine Drive
  • North Tampa Boys and Girls Club, 2313 Yukon St.
  • North Tampa Recreation Center, 8608 12th St.

(For more Hillsborough sites, go to HillsboroughCounty.org/SummerFood)

Pasco County (partial listing):

  • Arbours Mobile, 12861 Stately Oak St., Dade City
  • Centennial Middle, 38505 Centennial Road, Dade City
  • Cypress Farms Mobile, 38727 Patti Lane, Dade City
  • Farm Workers Self-Help, 37124 Lock St., Dade City
  • James Irvin Civic Center, 38122 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dade City
  • Lacoochee Elementary, 38815 Cummer Road, Dade City
  • Lake George Mobile, 15246 Davis Loop, Dade City
  • Lewis Abraham Lacoochee Unit, 38274 Mudcat Grant Blvd., Dade City
  • Pasco Elementary, 37350 Florida Ave., Dade City
  • Pasco High, 36850 State Road 52, Dade City
  • New River Elementary, 4710 River Glen Blvd., Wesley Chapel
  • Quail Hollow Elementary, 7050 Quail Hollow Blvd., Wesley Chapel
  • Thomas Weightman Middle School, 30649 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel
  • Watergrass Elementary, 32750 Overpass Road, Wesley Chapel
  • Wesley Chapel High, 30651 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel
  • Chester W. Taylor, 3628 Morris Bridge Road, Zephyrhills
  • Crystal Springs Mobile, 1655 Partridge Blvd., Zephyrhills
  • East Pasco YMCA, 37301 Chapel Hill Loop, Zephyrhills
  • R.B. Stewart Middle, 38505 10th Ave., Zephyrhills
  • Thomas Promise, 6851 Wire Road, Zephyrhills
  • West Zephyrhills Elementary, 37900 14th Ave., Zephyrhills
  • Zephyrhills High, 6335 12th St., Zephyrhills
  • Land O’ Lakes Recreational Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes
  • Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
  • Odessa Park Community Center, 1627 Chesapeake Drive, Odessa

For additional information, check the Pasco County Schools website at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Published June 15, 2016

 

See the Bucs, save a lot of bucks

By

Football season is starting. That means a fresh start, new players and optimism for the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It also means your wallet might get sacked if you want to see the team live. The very cheapest game tickets are $30 — and at that price, you’d better have great eyesight or a good pair of binoculars. For a better view, you could easily pay twice that much, or more. The best sideline seats are nearly $120 each. And it’s the same price for preseason games, which don’t even count.

On select days in August, you can see the Buccaneers practice and not pay a penny. (Courtesy of Buccaneers.com)
On select days in August, you can see the Buccaneers practice and not pay a penny.
(Courtesy of Buccaneers.com)

But your money will be intercepted before you even get to the gate. If you’re lucky, you might find a parking space for $10, assuming you like long walks on Sunday mornings. More likely, it will be $15 or $25 just to leave your car in the sun for several hours.

And are you the type of person who gets hungry and thirsty?

That’s going to hurt, too. It’s great to have a National Football League team to cheer for and support, but there’s nothing cheap about seeing them.

Or is there?

Beginning Aug. 1, the Buccaneers will have 11 open practices during training camp on select dates through Aug. 19. Admission is free, and parking is free. It’s the best way to see the team in action without breaking the bank.

Before the games, and before the preseason, the team goes through challenging workouts on a daily basis in training camp.

The practice field is where the young players get in their reps, the veterans shake off the rust, and utility players fight hard to make the team. It’s where the coaches work on their game plans, and the offensive and defensive schemes that best fit their players.

While it’s not a game situation, it can be fun and educational for football fans.

After all, you’re seeing the team develop its identity before the season starts. You’ll see players earn spots on the roster, and you might see a few wrinkles that get used during the regular season.

And, if you really want to see how the team is progressing, the best way is to see them for yourself.

Best of all, you’ll see the money in your purse stay there. You can go to a practice or two (or all 11, if you want) and not spend a penny. Just find a date and time that works for you, show up and spend a couple of hours watching the team, and enjoy the start of a new football season.

And if you have young fans in the family, the experience is even better. Children under 12 can go on the field and get autographs from players after practice. The Buccaneers also have a special Kids Zone during the open practices, which includes football skills stations, a dunk tank and face painting. You might even see the team’s cheerleaders and mascot, Captain Fear, too.

There’s also discounted concessions, so you can afford to eat or drink something. And you’ll even find the latest merchandise in case you catch a little team spirit and want to spend some of that money you saved watching the team for free.

Unless you know a player or have a rich uncle — or you have a rich uncle who’s also a player — this is the best way to see the team on a budget.

Practice doesn’t count, but it definitely matters. It’s the next best thing to going to a game. And for children, who have a Kids Zone and autographs to enjoy, it might be even better than going to a game.

Plus, it’s free. You can’t get more “On the Cheap” than that. Enjoy.

Practices are at One Buccaneer Place (which is also the address), just off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, near Raymond James Stadium.

For more information, call (813) 870-2700, or visit Buccaneers.com.

What: See the Bucs in action for free during the team’s open practices
Where: One Buccaneer Place, off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, near Raymond James Stadium.
When: The free training camps are scheduled for:

• Aug. 1: 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.

• Aug. 2: 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

• Aug. 3: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 4: 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

• Aug. 6: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 8: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 11: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 12: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 17: 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Aug. 18: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 19: 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call (813) 870-2700, or visit Buccaneers.com.

Published July 29, 2015

Extended school days lead to parent information nights

By

Pasco County Schools will host information nights for parents at Lacoochee, Cox and Gulfside elementary schools over the next few days, to share details on how the extended school day is going to work.

The sessions are scheduled for Aug. 7 at 6 p.m. at Lacoochee Elementary School, 38815 Cummer Road, in Dade City, and at Cox Elementary School Aug. 11 at 6 p.m., at 37615 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Dade City.

The Gulfside Elementary School session is scheduled for Aug. 7 and Aug. 7 at 6 p.m., first at the school at 2329 Anclote Blvd., in Holiday, and then at Weston Oaks Apartments the second night at 1251 Weston Oaks Drive in Holiday.

The schools are required by the state to add an hour of reading instruction to their school day for fourth- and fifth-graders after it finished among the lowest 300 performing schools in the state when it comes to reading. Among those students, only those who scored lower than Level 5 on the FCAT reading exam will need to stay later.

Students in kindergarten through third grade already exceed the required 900 hours of instruction per year, so they will not need to be extended. However, the reaming students require a minimum of 1,080 hours of instruction annually.

All students will start at the time they started school last year, and most of the school will end at the same time as last year. However, those affected by the changes will see their school day extend by approximately 50 minutes.