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FEBRUARY 8, 2017
Efforts continue to extend Ridge Road By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
It’s been two decades and Pasco County is still waiting on a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to extend Ridge Road — but, a push is on to try to speed things up. U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis is seeking to take advantage of President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to accelerate reviews of “high priority” infrastructure projects. The extension of Ridge Road, which would create another east/west evacuation route, has long been considered essential by
Pasco County government officials. In an effort to help move things along, Bilirakis sent a letter on Jan. 25 asking President Trump and the Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality to grant priority status to the project. The congressman also plans to reach out to Gov. Rick Scott, who has strong ties with Trump. While no formal meeting is scheduled, Bilirakis anticipates a personal appeal, as well, to Trump on Ridge Road. He counts Reince Priebus,Trump’s chief of staff, as another potential contact on the matter. Pasco County commissioners are pressing the issue through Washington
D.C.-based lobbyists.They also sent a letter to the governor requesting his support for the project. “This is a priority for me because it’s a priority for our community,” said Bilirakis. “It’s really a nonpartisan issue.We’re talking about public safety.” In his letter, Bilirakis cited Hurricane Hermine, which damaged 2,672 homes in Pasco County and, in total, caused $89 million in damages to Pasco County. A favorable decision on the permit could come from U.S. Army Corps in mid-March, See RIDGE ROAD, page 11A
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By Kathy Steele
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board attorneys to discuss pending litigation regarding those boundaries. That meeting was set for the morning of Feb. 7, or as soon thereafter as possible. Meanwhile, construction continues at Cypress Creek Middle/High School. The physical setup keeps middle school and high school students in separate areas, Hetzler-Nettles said. There will be separate physical education classes, with separate locker rooms for the age levels and genders. There’s also a screen in the gym that will descend, to separate middle school and high school physical education classes. Students will ride the bus together, but there will be rules, Hetzler-Nettles said. “Middle school students will sit in the front. High school students can sit in the last 10 rows,” she said. That practice is already being used on
The business community is mostly bullish about the Trump administration, and Trump’s plans to cut taxes and roll back regulations, according to Mark Vitner, managing director and senior economic advisor for Wells Fargo. The Pasco Economic Development Council featured Vitner as guest speaker at its annual Economic Forecast Luncheon at the Florida Hospital Center Ice on Feb. 3. President Donald Trump is shaking up the old way of doing business, Vitner said. “It’s a 180 degrees from policies we’ve been following and not what most people expected to be following.” But,Vitner said the business community generally likes Trump’s rapid-fire issuance of executive orders that are delivering on his campaign promises. Bill Cronin, president of the Pasco EDC, agreed. There has been an uncertain climate in past years with road blocks in getting loans to invest, particularly to build on speculation, he said. “The president said a lot of things during the campaign, and now he’s starting to do those things,” Cronin said.“Now it gives predictability and certainty in the market place.Whether you agree with him or not, you want certainty before you invest.” Vitner said tax cuts, fewer regulations and better trade agreements are “very, very good for growth.” He expects the Gross Domestic Product to rise 2.3 percent in 2017. The GDP is based on the total value of goods produced and services provided nationwide in one year. Some cities, such as San Francisco and Houston, are outpacing the nation’s growth, increasing their local GDP faster than the rest of the country. Florida also has a growing economy “from Pensacola to Key West,”Vitner said. He anticipates about 4 percent job growth in Pasco County, up from about 3.6 percent in 2016. But, Vitner also cautioned against expecting too much, too soon. “It takes time to formulate policies,” he said.“It takes time to impact the economy.” One of Trump’s campaign promises was to spend $1 trillion over the next decade on infrastructure. But, Vitner said,“I don’t think dirt will move for two to three years.” He anticipates court challenges that could delay those types of projects. The economy likely will see more immediate results from deregulation, he added. “The thing I’m most positive of is rolling back regulations,”Vitner said.“And, regulations are strangling small businesses.”
See SCHOOL, page 11A
See TRUMP, page 11A
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Carin Hetzler-Nettles, former principal at Wesley Chapel High, will lead Cypress Creek Middle/High School. She has experience at both the middle and high school levels.
Middle/high school offers new possibilities By B.C. Manion
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Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles sees countless possibilities for students who will be taught at Cypress Creek Middle/High School, now under construction off State Road 52. Students aren’t the only ones who will have new opportunities, Hetzler-Nettles said. She believes the experience will be invigorating for her faculty and staff, too. The school is slated to begin operation in the fall, beginning with students in grade six through 11, and adding a senior class the following year. Attendance boundaries for the school were adopted on Jan. 17 by the Pasco County School Board, but the boundaries are being challenged. The Pasco County School Board and Superintendent Kurt Browning were scheduled to meet in a closed session with school
East Pasco Rocks plays hide-and-seek By Kathy Steele
B INSIDE, PAGE 1B
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
East Pasco County residents are having a rockin’ good time – with hide-and-seek painted rocks. On a recent Sunday, members of a new club, East Pasco Rocks, packed a pavilion at Zephyr Park in Zephyrhills for their first group painting party. They brought art supplies, creativity and - rocks. Afterward, children gathered up the pretty stones, hidden for a treasure hunt in the park. “There’s nothing grander than sitting down and watching kids find rocks,” said Renee Crum, founder of East Pasco Rocks.
Her daughter painted a rock with a Pokemon character. Later, a friend’s daughter found the rock. For 15 minutes, Crum said, “All she did was hear this girl squealing (with joy). It’s a giant game of hide-and-seek.” The group has nearly 600 members, brought together largely through Facebook. Members live in Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes, San Antonio and Dade City. A few, who frequently visit east Pasco, live in Lakeland and Plant City. Many have never met their rock-painting buddies in person. East Pasco Rocks plans a second painting party on Feb. 11 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., at See ROCKS, page 11A
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Wesley Chapel resident Marlo Sue Johnson, a member of East Pasco Rocks, painted cartoon-style animal faces onto rocks.