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One of Pasco County’s most popular doctors has a new home.
We are proud to announce Joseph Nystrom, M.D., will be joining Bayfront Health Medical Group on August 31.
AUGUST 12, 2015
Road projects focus on growth By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Growth is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to building, widening and re-aligning highways that crisscross Pasco County’s landscape. Most highways in the county move north and south. It is the east to west connections that are often missing or outof-date. KATHY STEELE/STAFF PHOTO The recently approved County officials say traffic improvements are high priority 2015 Priority List of Highway for the busy intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41. A Projects tapped into that sce- study is underway but no construction funds are available.
nario. The Florida Department of Transportation uses the list as a guide for its long-range planning, and in determining when and where to spend its state and federal dollars. Among 15 projects identified by Pasco’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, all but two are in central and east Pasco. The top choices take aim at State Road 52 from its intersection with U.S. 41 in central Pasco to Dade City in east Pasco. “It’s going to rectify a situation of having more direct east-west local connectors,” said James Edwards, Pasco County’s transportation planning manager. “It is going to be a See ROAD, page 11A
To schedule your appointment, call 352-567-6763.
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BayfrontDadeCity.com Member of the Medical Staff at Bayfront Health Dade City. Bayfront Health Dade City is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff.
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INSIDE, PAGE 1B RICHARD RILEY/PHOTOS
Members of the Zephyrhills High School JROTC Color Guard presented the colors during a dedication ceremony for a memorial to honor Purple Heart recipients.
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Above, Dave Walters, left, congratulates Mel Cunningham, one of the Purple Heart recipients honored with a memorial acknowledging the sacrifices made in the name of freedom. At right, Lorraine Paul provided entertainment at a reception following the dedication ceremony.
Savings can add up, during sales tax holiday
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FILE PHOTO
Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said that shop operators were expecting a good back-to-school shopping season. He said the state’s sales tax holiday is a plus.
352-597-0009
Families gearing up for a new school year can get a little help from the state of Florida, during the 2015 Back-to-School Tax Holiday. During the tax holiday, which runs through Aug. 16, shoppers can purchase scores of items without paying state sales tax. For example, no Florida sales tax will be collected on sales of certain clothing, footwear, and certain accessories with a sellSee SALES TAX, page 11A
Residential recycling tosses blue bags By Kathy Steele
The Pasco County Commission is expected to consider eliminating glass from the list of accepted recyclables. That blue bag stuffed with household reCommissioners voted Aug. 4 to shift away cyclables and plopped at the curbside is on from using blue bags to instead use plastic its way out. or aluminum containers. They put off a deciBeginning Oct. 1, residents must set stur- sion on glass while a solid waste master plan dy containers at the curb if they expect is pending. But, county officials say they are haulers to pick up the cans, plastic bottles, facing a new reality in the marketplace. yogurt cups, glass bottles and jars that qualiWith the current contract set to fy for recycling. expire Sept. 30, the county found no takers And more change could be coming among recycling processors when it comes down the road. to the blue bags. Plastic bags can grind ma-
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
chinery to a halt. There were three no-bids, and one bid that was deemed “non-responsive,” according to Jennifer Seney, Pasco’s recycling coordinator. The county is looking at “piggy-backing” on a contract with another jurisdiction, which has not yet been identified. “Nobody wants the bags,” Seney told FILE PHOTO commissioners. “That would be anybody Pasco County plans to stop allowing blue processing the bags.” See BLUE BAGS, page 11A
bags to be used to contain recyclables for residential pickups, effective Oct. 1.