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Budget takes hit from COVID-19
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Florida’s final $92.2 billion budget reflects a billion dollars in projects and programs vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The governor blamed the economic impacts of COVID-19 for forcing the budget cuts — which included numerous initiatives in Pasco County. “As the budget was coming due, we started to see the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, which has changed the trajectory of the nation’s economy and
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obviously the economy here in Florida.And has, of course, affected the budget balances,” DeSantis explained in a televised news conference when he signed the budget on June 29. “As we were looking at the budget, my goal was to try to safeguard the historic achievements that we were able to do, while also realizing historic savings, so that we could put Florida on a more solid fiscal foundation,” the governor said. The budget “provides significant support for education, the environment, infrastructure, child welfare and more,” he said.
He also noted that, in light of Florida’s population growth, per capita spending has declined, as compared to the previous year’s budget. “Everyone understands that circumstances have changed,” DeSantis said. Still, he added,“I don’t think we necessarily forecast the economy simply stopping for a time.” The budget puts a high priority on teacher salaries. “We wanted to take Florida from the bottom half of the country in average minimum See BUDGET, page 9A
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Getting a glimpse of the farming life
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Three generations of Meltons have worked together to build a life around farming, ranching and family time on 1,500 acres in northeast Pasco County. Steve Melton, who has spent his life working the land, is retired now — and enjoys spending his time reciting poetry and doing heritage arts, such as making brooms and grinding sugar cane to make sugar cane syrup. He provides a closer look at the operations on page 1B.
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This award winner is equally Pasco Schools at ease in a barn, or a classroom uncertain about COVID-19 impacts on growth
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The LAKER WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA EDITION
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Auto Accident? Slip and Fall? FREE CONSULTATION
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FEBRUARY 3, 2016
The LAKER
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Auto Accident? Slip and Fall?
By Kathy Steele
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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
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EDITION
JANUARY 27, 2016
Pasco administrator to retire in
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
2017
last day July 9, 2017. the jail and construction of new fire stations By then, Baker will • Relocating have worked 35 years central Pasco more government offices to in public service, 24 Baker also plans to fill vacancies for a of those years with few key leadership positions that remain, Pasco County. cluding an assistant county administrator infor Her to-do list, in public safety and administration. short form, includes: Progress has been made, Baker said, but • Completing mas- government services still could be more ter plans and updates customer-friendly. for storm water, solid A culture that was decades in the waste and tourism making is being changed, she said.“You don’t • Funding and building a diverging get to dia- turn a canoe.You’re turning mond road design to ease traffic congestion a ship.” Public service wasn’t Baker’s first at State Road 56 and Interstate 75 career choice. • Completing the State Road 56 extenOver the years she worked sion as a waitress, • Nurturing SunWest Park, the county’s flight attendant and a theater manager. She also served in the U.S.Air Force Reserve. fledgling aqua park Her undergraduate degree was in • Replacing and repairing aging busiinfra- ness administration. structure and roads damaged by the It wasn’t until she accepted a secretarial summer flooding • Making progress on the expansion of See RETIRE, page 11A Michele Baker
Kumquats reign supreme at area festival By Kathy Steele ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
®
Saturday, January 30, 2016 9 AM - 5 PM Historic Downtown Dade City
FREE ADMISSION KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTOS
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WESLEY CHAPEL/NEW TAMPA
Amici Pizza plans stand-alone location
Mark Pizzurro, Joe Traina and Peter Abreut
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
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KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTO
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Camryn Farquhar, an athlete and a scholar, keeps picking up awards. Recently, she was named Pasco County’s Career Technical Education High School Student of the Year. She also was named Wesley Chapel High School’s Outstanding Senior. And, those are just the latest of her many accolades. She loves the classroom. But, she feels most at home in the barn. She grew up with horses. She used to raise hogs. Now it’s more about showing livestock, connecting with cows and learning all she can about the dairy industry. “But, this is more than just farming,’’ Farquhar said. The agriculture lifestyle, through the Future Farmers of America (FFA), includes training in business, leadership and public speaking. It included a stint as Champion Youth Ambassador for the Florida State Fair. It has propelled her to the University of Florida, where she plans a major in agricultural communications and education. “When you say FFA, people sometimes have a preconceived idea of what it’s all about,’’ said Farquhar, who carried a 4.5 GPA and served in student government.“The truth is, it’s very important that the general public know about this industry.“It’s really important. “It’s always nice to get honors, but I think it’s especially nice to be recognized in a field with so many great kids at our school and so many great kids throughout the county. I was just over the moon to be selected.’’
District is holding off until closer to start of school to decide about requiring face masks By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com COURTESY OF CAMRYN FARQUHAR
Farquhar, who competed in cross-country for Wesley Chapel and remains an active runner, always remembers being surrounded by animals. But, her interest really began when her mother, Erin, became an agriculture teacher. Her mom came to the field by accident. “I didn’t realize there were agriculture teacher jobs,’’ said Farquhar’s mother, a former special education teacher.“I was saying, ‘Why is there a barn at school?’“But, when I stumbled into it and changed jobs, I immediately fell in love with it. It combines teaching with animals and plants. It probably would’ve been my passion earlier had I known it existed,” she said.
Pasco County Schools expects to experience some growth in the coming school year, but the district remains uncertain about just how much. The district has been projecting a growth of slightly more than 1,900 students, districtwide, including charter schools. But, Chris Williams, the district’s director of planning, said he’s not sure whether that projection will hold up. “I’ve been looking at the situation and the housing situation with COVID-19, and the big question is are we going to hit our 1,900 growth? I don’t know if we are, it’s hard to tell,” Williams said, during a Pasco County School Board budget workshop session on July 7. “I do anticipate that we will have growth,”Williams said. “I don’t know that we’ll hit our 1,900.We may. But, with a slowdown in housing, we
See AWARD, page 9A
See COVID-19, page 9A
The barn makes a perfect backdrop, as Camryn Farquhar sports her Future Farmers of America jacket.