The LAKER
ee r F
WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA EDITION
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
Auto Accident? Slip and Fall? FREE CONSULTATION
No Fees Or Costs Unless You Win HOLLIDAY KARATINOS
F E B RUA RY 1 7 , 2 0 2 1
Pasco tourism decreased in 2020
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Tourism in Pasco County came back to earth in 2020 — following a record year the year before, which saw the area surpass the million-visitor mark for its first time. An informational presentation from Experience Florida’s Sports Coast — the county’s branded tourism arm — reveals
some sobering facts and figures in a fiscal year impacted largely by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Pasco attracted 959,700 visitors in fiscal year 2020, down 7.6% from fiscal year 2019 when it drew 1,038,700 visitors, according to an analysis by Downs & St. Germain Research Inc., consultants to the county. Other tourism economic impact indicators registered noticeable reductions across
the board for the county when compared to the previous year: • Room nights generated — 1,069,849 (12.1% decrease) • Direct expenditures — $391,642,500 (15.3% decrease) • Total economic impact — $552,216,200 (15.3% decrease) See TOURISM, 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
Same-Day Service Free 2nd Opinion* Free Estimates** 24/7 Emergency
RANDY UNDERHILL
Living large — with a big helping of ‘the blues’
**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.
TUNE-UPS FOR AC/HEATING
$19.95
FOR FIRST-TIME CUSTOMERS
Those attending the fifth annual Pasco Blues Festival were an enthusiastic crowd of music lovers, who had the chance to hear from national acts, enjoy a bite to eat and do a little dancing, if the spirit moved them. Above, Lightnin’, left, and Big Red are the stage names of father and son blues artists, who play along with drummer Ephrian Lowell, in the band, Memphis Lightning. They are a touring band and were the first performers of the afternoon at the Pasco Blues Fest on Feb. 6, in Land O’ Lakes. Check out more photos, page 6A.
Valid for new customers only. Not valid on pre-purchased plans. Exp 2/28/21.
MAINTENANCE PLANS BEGINNING AT
$9.95
Valid for new customers only. Not valid on pre-purchased plans. Exp 2/28/21.
813-990-0561 20122019
Efforts continue to speed, simplify vaccine rollout By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
National and local news reports show images of long lines of vehicles waiting to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations, as efforts continue to improve the process for signing up for the shots, and to speed the production and distribution of the vaccines. President Joe Biden last week announced that the United States signed a final contract for 100 million more Moderna and 100 million more Pfizer vaccines.The news came during a Feb. 11 speech at the National Institutes of Health. Biden also said that 100 million doses that were promised by the end of June now will be delivered by the end of May, and that the country is on track to have enough supply for 300 million shots by See VACCINE, page 9A
B INSIDE, PAGE 1B
Sarah Shackett, of Wesley Chapel, stops by Supreme Cuisine Grill for a refreshment. The grill was one of many food trucks on hand at this year’s blues fest.
Erin Healey, of Lakeland, and Paul O’ Byrine, of Thonotosassa, dance to the music at Land O' Lakes Heritage Park.
Two Rivers will offer places to live, work, play By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Two Rivers — a community proposed to rise along State Road 56, between Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301 — is making its way through necessary government approvals, to bring the community closer to reality. The Pasco County Commission voted last week to transmit a request to state officials for their review.The request involves changing the text in the county’s comprehensive plan and amending the county’s highway vision map. The state review is required before the county board can take final action on the request. In addition to gaining approval of those changes, the developer also must secure a rezoning to create the proposed community. The rezoning request is in process and is expected to come before the board within the next few months. Once those regulatory hurdles are cleared, efforts can begin to bring the proposed 3,405-acre community to life. Two Rivers is envisioned as a place that features a mixture of housing types, work opportunities, shopping, recreation and schools. Details of the proposed project were outlined during a previous Pasco County Planning Commission meeting.
B.C. MANION
This land, along State Road 56, east of Morris Bridge Road, is now occupied by trees, ponds and open fields. But it is proposed to become the future community of Two Rivers.
The project has been in planning stages — off and on — for more than 10 years, and there have been a number of ownership changes. The current proposal calls for creating Two Rivers as a master-planned development, on the southern edge of Pasco County. The project would tie into a community that’s under the same ownership, which is just south of the Pasco-Hillsborough line. County documents detail the proposed plan, which includes: • 246 acres of conservation area • 3,875 single-family homes • 1,400 multifamily homes • 1,125 age-restricted homes • 1.3 million square feet for a targeted industry • 630,000 square feet retail Other elements include schools for ele-
mentary, middle and high students, on property that would be next to an 80-acre county park. Two Rivers is expected to be a community that emphasizes walkability and includes an extensive trail system that provides connectivity within the community. Alternate modes of transportation, such as golf carts, also will be encouraged, to help residents get from place to place. The proposed community also calls for numerous recreational amenities, including recreational complexes, multipurpose fields, ball diamonds, an aquatics center, playgrounds, a dog park, tennis and basketball courts, and open spaces. Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore spoke in favor of the proposed project. See RIVERS, page 9A