The Laker-Wesley Chapel/New Tampa-January 5, 2022

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More growth coming to East Pasco

By Kathy Steele Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Zephyrhills is hitting its stride as growth and development gain momentum along the traffic corridors of what is now Pasco County’s largest city. The signs of new growth are everywhere along Zephyrhills’ major corridors including U.S. 301/Gall Boulevard, and State Road 56.

Construction is changing the city’s landscape. New developments include The District at Abbott Square, a master-planned community behind the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Center, and Abbott Park, a residential community off Dean Dairy Road. The Zephyrhills Municipal Airport is expanding and there’s new retail at Zephyr Commons shopping complex.

These signal the city’s increasing population. It grew from more than 13,000 residents in 2010 to more than 17,000 residents in 2020, according to data from the 2020 U.S. Census. In addition to Abbott Square and Abbott Park, Hidden River and the Links at Calusa Springs also are adding rooftops to See GROWTH, page 9A

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The guitar maker looks over the wood he will use to make a guitar in his workshop.

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B FAVORITE WILDLIFE PHOTOS FROM 2021 INSIDE, PAGE 2B

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Portion of Ridge Road now open Chamber executive shares lessons learned from COVID

The Laker/Lutz News Staff Report

A portion of the Ridge Road extension has finally opened up — after some two decades in the making. This new 4.2-mile, uninterrupted section of roadway runs from Moon Lake to the Suncoast Parkway — offering an east-west thoroughfare in the county. Pasco County officials hosted a mediaonly availability and “drive the road” event on Dec. 22 in New Port Richey, for Phase One of the long-awaited roadway project. Two of the four lanes were expected to open in the days following the special media gathering. Various reporters and photographers had a chance to speak with county officials who’ve been instrumental in the road’s construction; news crews were escorted onto the roadway in county vehicles, as the location remains an active construction zone. Pasco County Commission Vice Chair Jack Mariano touted the road’s first phase, and eventual build out, in an interview with The Laker/Lutz News. “I am so delighted to see the Ridge Road See RIDGE ROAD, page 9A

By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

FRED BELLET

Project manager Sam Beneck talked about the roadway and its importance. Eventually the road is planned to stretch as far as U.S. 301. But right now, Beneck hopes to finish the roadway as far as the Suncoast Parkway in the weeks ahead.

Headlines are being dominated by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, and scientists and health experts are working to understand its potential impacts, and how to prevent and treat it. But there already have been many lessons learned by Pasco County’s business community, in terms of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic — which began having widespread disruptions in March 2020, according to Hope Kennedy, president and CEO of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. Kennedy has a broad perspective on the issue because her chamber work involves large business operations, startup entrepreneurs, legislators, local organizations and business leaders. See COVID, page 9A


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