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Hurricane season can be deadly
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Experts are predicting an above-normal Hurricane Season 2021. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center has predicted a 60% chance of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season. NOAA is forecasting a range of 13 to 19 named storms, with winds of 39 mph or
higher. Of those, six to 10 could become hurricanes, with winds of 74 mph or higher, including three to six hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5), with winds of 111 mph or more, according to the predictions. An average hurricane season – which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30 — produces 14 named storms, of which seven become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes, according to NOAA’s updated statistics. The last hurricane to hit Pasco County was Hurricane Irma, in 2017. County offi-
cials have estimated that more than 200 homes were damaged, with 56 homes suffering major damage and four homes destroyed, according to the 2021 Pasco County Disaster Preparedness Guide. Of the 261,000 addresses in Pasco County, approximately 217,000 addresses reportedly were without power, the guide adds. As this issue of The Laker/Lutz News was going to print, experts were keeping an eye See HURRICANE, page 9A
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With Hurricane Irma still fresh on their minds, many Pasco County residents were taking no chances as Hurricane Dorian approached Florida in 2019. Alejandro Meneses, a volunteer with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Jeep Unit, left, assists Wesley Chapel resident Tom Fiksdal by loading sandbags into Fiksdal’s truck. Meneses was volunteering his time at the San Antonio site, helping people with filling bags, as well as loading them in vehicles.
If you’ve captured a photograph of an interesting bird or wild creature, we’d love to share your image with our readers.
Hernandez to represent Dade City at state meeting
sider If you’d like us to consider graph, publishing your photograph, please email it to us att news@lakerlutzne ew ws.c com. Please be sure to include what kind of animal it is, and where you took the picture. Also include your ur contact information, so we can get in touch with you, if we need to.
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
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B INSIDE, PAGE 1B
COURTESY OF CITY OF DADE CITY
This 1.19-mile route with a roundabout is the preferred choice to extend Morningside Drive to connect U.S. 301/98 to Fort King Road in Dade City. The total estimated cost of the roadway project is $12,401,800. Officials have said the Morningside Drive extension project will yield numerous benefits, such as reducing traffic volume on parallel roadways and stimulating economic development.
Alternative route selected for Morningside extension By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
The Dade City Commission has approved an engineer’s recommendation for the Morningside Drive extension route study, but funding for the initiative remains an issue. The extension of Morningside Drive is intended to connect U.S. 301 to Fort King Road. Commissioners on June 8 approved an engineer’s recommendation for the Morningside Drive extension route study, pond siting analysis and report — authorizing work to proceed on subsequent phases of the project, including funding acquisition, design/permitting and right-of-way acquisition. The route study — completed by New Port Richey-based Coastal Design Consultants Inc. — is next slated to be presented sometime in August to the Pasco County Commission. The civil engineering firm’s recommended 1.19-mile route includes a roundabout at the Morningside Drive/Fort King Road west segment, circling AdventHealth Dade City hospital and the Pasco County Schools bus garage. The preferred route — somewhat resembling a Z-shape pattern — veers slightly northeast from Fort King Road, winding south through open water and upland areas within Dade City and unincorporated Pasco County, connecting parallel with the Hardy Trail, then cutting across eastward to the en-
trance of U.S. 301, passing between Walgreen’s, Buddy’s Home Furnishings, Winn-Dixie and other establishments. The roadway calls for two, 12-foot-wide traffic lanes; 5-foot bicycle lanes; curbs and gutters; a sidewalk on the south side; and a multi-use path on the north side connecting with Hardy Trail. The design speed for the Morningside Drive extension is 45 mph with a posted speed of 30 mph. Stormwater management facilities improvements and a flood plain compensation area also are included in the roadway plans. Coastal Design Consultants president/owner Paul Manuel shared a detailed PowerPoint presentation at last month’s in-person meeting at the Dade City Commission Chambers. According to Manuel’s presentation, the winding route “was developed to optimally utilize the available upland area and parcels of property owners who have indicated that they support the proposed extension.” The implementation of a roundabout, Manuel said, requires fewer right-of-way impacts and is more conducive to traffic calming compared to a signalized intersection. It’s also less costly to build and maintain, he said. Other considerations taken into account during the route study were community long-range planning goals, safety, environmental impacts, property impacts and costs. The estimated total capital project cost See MORNINGSIDE, page 9A
The Dade City Commission has unanimously selected Mayor Camille Hernandez to represent Dade City at the Florida League of Cities’ 95th annual conference in August, in Orlando. The meeting, set for Aug. 12 to Aug. 14, will involve the election of leadership and adoption of resolutions, which will set the direction for the organization. The Florida League of Cities represents municipalities across the state. In accordance with the league’s by-laws, each municipality’s vote is determined by population, and the league will use the Estimates of Population from the University of Florida. The conference also provides opportunities for Florida’s municipal officials to learn how to serve their citizens more effectively. See HERNANDEZ, page 9A
Shop a little, give a little back By Mary Rathman mrathman@lakerlutznews.com
While running routine weekly errands, area residents can help to reduce single-use plastic in the environment — while also giving back to the community — by shopping at the Dade City Winn Dixie. Through Winn Dixie’s Reusable Bag Program, with every $2.50 reusable community bag purchase, a $1 donation is made to a nonprofit that is local to the grocery store at which it was bought. The nonprofit Pioneer Florida Museum & Village has been selected by store leadership at Winn Dixie, 12649 U.S. 301 in Dade City, to benefit from the program during the month of July. See SHOP page 9A