Lutz NEWS
ee r F
SERVING LUTZ/ODESSA
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
Auto Accident? Slip and Fall? FREE CONSULTATION
No Fees Or Costs Unless You Win HOLLIDAY KARATINOS
M AY 5 , 2 0 2 1
Pasco schools seek new ‘near-normal’
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
As the Pasco County public school district wraps up an academic year that was anything but normal, Superintendent Kurt Browning hopes things will be different in the 2021-2022 term. Browning discussed his hopes for the district, along with a full range of other top-
ics, during a webinar hosted last week by the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce, as part of its Business Development Year series. “This year has been incredibly challenging,” Browning told those listening. “Whoever knew … when everything got shut down (in March 2020) that we would literally be shut down for the fourth quarter and that we’d still be dealing with COVID
… more than a year later,” the superintendent said. Browning praised district teachers, administrators and staff for making rapid adaptations to conduct the rest of last school year virtually. Then, he said, the district made more adjustments before the 2020-2021 year began to See SCHOOLS, page 9A
LAW FIRM, P.L. HelpingInjuredPeople.com Call Attorney
JIM HOLLIDAY 813-868-1887 “I Will Aggressively Fight To Protect Your Legal Rights” 18920 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Ste 101 Lutz, FL (Corner of Sunlake & Dale Mabry)
Walk-Ins Welcome WE’rE thE tEAm you CAn Count on
cornerstonepros.com CAC1816647 & CFC1428982 • EC0001103
Event offers a chance to see action, learn history
TUNE-UPS FOR AC/HEATING
$39.95 Valid for new customers only. Not valid on pre-purchased plans. Exp 4/30/21.
Hundreds of people headed to the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, in Dade City, to watch the reenactment of a World War II battle, to listen to living history lessons and to check out World War II artifacts. Above, U.S. Army Infantry make an advance on the ground as they prepare to battle German forces during the Raid on Renault II. For more coverage of this event, see page 1B.
MAINTENANCE PLANS BEGINNING AT
FRED BELLET
$9.95
FOR FIRST-TIME CUSTOMERS
Valid for new customers only. Not valid on pre-purchased plans. Exp 5/31/21.
Same-Day Service Free 2nd Opinion* Free Estimates** 24/7 Emergency **Free estimates for new A/C, water heater, water treatment, whole home generators, whole home repipe and electrical panel upgrade. *Free second opinion with written diagnosis from another company.
813-990-0561 20122020
WELCOMING NEW PA AT TIENTS!* $99 exam & x-rays! *Regular $281.00. New patients onlyy.. Mention code 99 when you book your appointment. D0150, D0210.
• Annual Exams • Cleanings • Dentures D t • IInvisible i ibl Braces B • Mouth Guards
Two-year-old Lilliana Joiner has a remedy for all of the loud gunfire during the World War II re-enactment. The little girl was visiting Dade City with her parents, Daniel and Danielle Joiner. Her 8-year-old sister, Sophia, and 6year-old sister, Michelle, were there, as was her grandmother, Bonnie Lyke.
French Resistance reenactor Richard Reaume, of Brooksville, reports to the American encampment prior to the start of the Raid on Renault II.
One-of-a-kind subdivision in Pasco? Land O’ Lakes could become the first place in the nation with a subdivision devoted exclusively to injured war heroes and first responders, as well as for widows and children of fallen military and law enforcement officers.
Impeccable Dental excellence. Compassionate care.
(813) 365-355 52 4945 V Va an Dyke Road| Lutz, Lutz F FL 33558 www w..impeccablesmiles.com ee Fr
ee Fr
The LAKER WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA EDITION
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
Auto Accident? Slip and Fall? FREE CONSULTATION
No Fees Or Costs Unless You Win HOLLIDAY KARATINOS
FEBRUARY 3, 2016
Amici Pizza plans stand-alone location By Kathy Steele ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
of heading toward a construction start Amici Plaza in spring with an opening likely
by the end of 2016. Pasco County records show a conceptual Owners of Amici Pizza & Deli are planthe plan with about 3,000 square feet for ning to build a new stand-alone restaurant, for restaurant, and about 1,800 square feet with additional retail space, on Wesley retail. Chapel Boulevard. “We’d like to have our own building and The new restaurant is a short distance a bigger kitchen,” said Andrea Mannino. from the existing Amici restaurant in Grand No decisions have been made on the adOaks Square, at Wesley Chapel and Pet Lane. ditional retail space, he said. Andrea and Josephine Mannino, are
The site is located at the corner of Magnolia Boulevard and Wesley Chapel Boulevard, which is also known as County Road 54. Pasco County is moving forward with acquisition of right-of-way along County Road 54 to prepare for the expansion of the twothe lane road into a four-lane road at 54 junction of State Road 56 and State Road See PIZZA, page 13A
LAW FIRM, P.L.
FREE CONSULTATION
No Fees Or Costs Unless You Win HOLLIDAY KARATINOS LAW FIRM, P.L.
Call Attorney
JIM HOLLIDAY
Call Attorney
JIM HOLLIDAY
813-868-1887 “I Will Aggressively Fight To Protect Your Legal Rights”
813-868-1887 “I Will Aggressively Fight To Protect Your Legal Rights”
18920 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Ste 101 Lutz, FL (Corner of Sunlake & Dale Mabry)
Walk-Ins Welcome
Walk-Ins Welcome
FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
EDITION
By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker expects to be very busy over the next year and a half. She’ll be crossing off a to-do list, one by one, before leaving in 2017 to go on a lengthy road trip with her husband. The couple will hit the road with their recreational vehicle and their motorcycles, on a tour of as many baseball parks and national parks as they can squeeze into a year. “That’s been our dream,” Baker said, so letting her contract lapse in July 2017 makes sense. But, don’t expect a lame duck administrator. “There’s no kicking back here,” Baker said.“This isn’t me slowing down. ” Baker has told Pasco County commissioners she won’t seek renewal of her current two-year contract, which makes her
last day July 9, 2017. By then, Baker will have worked 35 years in public service, 24 of those years with Pasco County. Her to-do list, in short form, includes: • Completing masMichele Baker ter plans and updates for storm water, solid waste and tourism • Funding and building a diverging diamond road design to ease traffic congestion at State Road 56 and Interstate 75 • Completing the State Road 56 extension • Nurturing SunWest Park, the county’s fledgling aqua park • Replacing and repairing aging infrastructure and roads damaged by the summer flooding • Making progress on the expansion of
See RETIRE, page 11A
Kumquats reign supreme at area festival
FREE ADMISSION anticipate opening their craft brewery
in Land O’ Lakes in spring.
I th
The first kumquat tree in St. Joseph took root more than 100 years ago, when C.J. Nathe planted it in his backyard. He added a few more, and soon he had small grove on an acre of fertile ground. a The kumquat king, as Nathe was later dubbed, transformed a quiet back road community into the Kumquat Capital of the World. An open house will take place on Jan. and Jan. 29 at the Kumquat Growers 28 packi h d
Margie Neuhofer and her h
b
dJ
See TOUR, page 9A
See SUBDIVISION, page 9A
Leaders tour new research center site By B.C. Manion
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Saturday, January 30, 2016 9 AM - 5 PM Historic Downtown Dade City KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTOS
Mark Pizzurro, Joe Traina and Peter Abreut
community continue to take shape — H. Lee Moffitt, founder of Moffitt Cancer Center; Dr. Patrick Hwu, CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center; John Ryan, CEO of Metro Development Group; and Mark Metheny, division president of Lennar Central Florida toured the property on April 22 — riding in off-road vehicles along trails and dirt roads, according to a news release.
2017
the jail and construction of new fire stations • Relocating more government offices to central Pasco
Baker also plans to fill vacancies for a few key leadership positions that remain, cluding an assistant county administrator infor public safety and administration. Progress has been made, Baker said, but government services still could be more customer-friendly. A culture that was decades in the making is being changed, she said.“You don’t get to turn a canoe.You’re turning a ship. ” Public service wasn’t Baker’s first career choice. Over the years she worked as a waitress, flight attendant and a theater manager. also served in the U.S.Air Force Reserve. She Her undergraduate degree was in business administration. It wasn’t until she accepted a secretarial
KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTO
DON’T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE!
The full version of The Laker is now available online. Visit LakerLutzNews.com and click E-Editions in the top left corner.
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Leaders from Moffitt Cancer Center, Lennar, and Metro Development Group recently toured the Central Pasco site that is planned to become home to a massive research and innovation district — as well as to one of the West Central Florida region’s newest live-work-play communities. As plans for the new Angeline mixed-use
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
The Pasco County Planning Commission this week is expected to continue its consideration of a proposal to create a subdivision for catastrophically injured veterans, and surviving families of fallen first responders and to Gold Star families. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation is seeking permission to build 115 homes on 74 acres, on the south side of Parkway Boulevard, about one-half mile east of Ehren Cutoff. The site is between the Panther Run and Dupree Lakes subdivisions. Matt Mahoney, executive vice president of the foundation, explained the concept of the
JANUARY 27, 2016
Pasco administrator to retire in
By Kathy Steele
®
©
WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA
Auto Accident? Slip and Fall?
HelpingInjuredPeople.com
HelpingInjuredPeople.com
101 18920 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Ste Lutz, FL (Corner of Sunlake & Dale Mabry)
H. Lee Moffitt, left, reviews a map of Angeline with Dr. Patrick Hwu, CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center. At right is Metro Development Group CEO John Ryan.
The LAKER
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
By B.C. Manion COURTESY OF MOFFITT CANCER CENTER