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LAND O’ LAKES/LUTZ EDITION
OCTOBER 7, 2015
Task forces tackle congestion issues By Kathy Steele
dirt is turning in a lot of areas. We all see that.” Unprecedented growth along this corriThere is trouble on State Road 54 and dor is turning pastures and open fields into State Road 56. brick-and-mortar shops, offices, business Everyone can see the snarled traffic and parks and houses. congestion on a daily basis, and it is clear More is on the drawing board, or in the that it will only get worse with time. minds, of developers who see fiscal oppor“We’re obviously in a growing communi- tunities just over the horizon. ty in Tampa Bay,” said Jim Edwards, On Sept. 24, the MPO kicked off a series transportation manager for Pasco’s of public workshops with two separate volMetropolitan Planning Organization. “The unteer task forces that will serve as advisory
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
boards to the MPO. The focus is on improvements on State Road 54 and State Road 56 corridor from U.S. 19 to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. The recommendations from these groups will be the basis for updating the Mobility 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan. Each task force is assigned to examine the corridor in segments, with the East Task See CONGESTION, page13A
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Walk-Ins Welcome PHOTOS COURTESY OF MONICA QUIMBY
After her skiing accident, Monica Quimby got a bachelor’s in biology, a master’s in teaching, and now teaches an online course for Southern Maine Community College.
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Disabled, but not discouraged
Community College. Those things, in themselves, make for an impressive resume. But, there’s much more to Quimby’s story. She competed in her home state’s wheelchair pageant and became Ms. Wheelchair Maine in 2011. She went on to finish third runner-up for Ms.Wheelchair USA. Still, something was missing. By Michael Murillo mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com A natural athlete, she didn’t want her disability to prevent her from playing sports. She tried kayaking and cycling (using hand When Monica Quimby was in college in pedals), but eventually found sledge hockey. 2006, she wanted to get a degree in molecuSledge hockey — also known as sled lar biology and to become a successful hockey — is hockey played on a sled, and athlete. requires incredible balance and upper body Then a skiing accident left her paralyzed strength. She tried it, and fell. And fell again, from the waist down. She was in the hospimore than a dozen times in all. But, she tal for nearly five months as she recovered loved it. Soon, Quimby became a talented and tried to adjust to a newer, more difficult defender. way of life. And the former Ms. Wheelchair Maine, Many people would have adjusted their who once wore a tiara and a sash, discovgoals lower. Some might have given up altoered that she really liked hitting people gether. Instead, Quimby got a degree in while defending the ice. molecular biology and became a successful Quimby is an adjunct professor, an athlete “It feels so awesome. It’s incredible,” she athlete. for the USA Women’s Sledge Hockey Team said. “I’m the one that’s smiling after I hit “I think the biggest thing is that even and was Ms. Wheelchair Maine in 2011. you.” though my physical form changed, my perIn just 18 months, Quimby has immersed sonality didn’t,” said Quimby, now 29. The degree came first. Science in Molecular, Cellular and herself in the game. She plays in local recreAfter the accident, she missed only one Developmental Biology and a Master’s ational leagues, as well as the Florida Sled Bandits, the state’s elite sledge hockey team. semester at the University of New Degree in Higher Education. And if that was the extent of her athletic Hampshire, and she was published for disNow, she lives in Wesley Chapel, and covering maternal ancestors of the she teaches an online Anatomy and strawberry. Quimby received a Bachelor’s of Physiology course for Southern Maine See DISABLED, page13A
Speakers present their wish list to lawmakers
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Speaker after speaker stepped up to the podium to present their request to Pasco County’s state lawmakers. They wanted funding to help a nonprofit. They wanted lawmakers to put in a good word with state highway officials. Or, they wanted their backing for a special cause. About 100 people gathered on Sept. 29 in the gymnasium of Sunlake High School in Land O’ Lakes for a public forum, hosted by Pasco’s legislative delegation. State Representatives Amanda Murphy, Richard Corcoran and Danny Burgess, and State Senators John Legg and Wilton Simpson listened for nearly three hours, as about 60 representatives of nonprofits, counties and municipalities, civic groups and individual citizens talked about the needs in their communities. The forum is an annual tradition held prior to the annual legislative session, which is scheduled to convene on Jan. 12, 2016. Corcoran, a Republican from Land O’ Lakes, will hold the powerful position of Speaker of the House. Nearly all of the speakers gave lawmak-
KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTO
Sunlake High Band members played the National Anthem at the public forum hosted by Pasco County’s legislative delegation in the high school gymnasium.
ers packets of information detailing specific funding needs or particular policies they want the delegation members to support or reject. Requests covered a broad range of topics from public safety and school construction, to voter registration and smoke-free beaches and parks. Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco advocated for tougher laws to help clamp down on illegal sales of synthetic marijuana. Current law makes no distinction be-
tween the sale of one packet of the illegal substance or 1,000 packets, he said. “We’re not trying to go after the person with a substance problem,” the sheriff said. “What we’re trying to do is go after the dealer.” Nocco also urged lawmakers to address the growing problem of terrorist threats made via social media including threats to “shoot up”
a school or church. “There is no law in effect where we can go after them,” Nocco said. But he added, “People make statements and words have meanings.” Sunlake High School student Mykenzie Robertson lobbied for a state law to ban smoking at public beaches and parks. Robertson is active with Tobacco Free Partnership of Pasco County and the See LAWMAKERS, page13A