The Laker-East Pasco-August 19, 2020

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COVID-19 complicates school start

By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

Students in Pasco and Hillsborough counties are set to begin a new school year on Aug. 24, but not all of the students will be headed to campus. In Pasco County, students have three options for learning — amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic. Some students are expected to arrive at Pasco campuses on Aug. 24, while others opt for two versions of online learning. In the mySchool Online version, students are

connected virtually to their assigned schools. With Pasco eSchool, they have more flexibility in the schedule and pace of learning. In Hillsborough County, classes begin on Aug. 24, with all students beginning the school year through online learning only, until campuses open for students on Aug. 31. Like Pasco, Hillsborough is offering three learning options — face-to-face instruction and two virtual approaches. Of course, there’s nearly a week before school begins, so it’s not inconceivable that these plans could change again.

As of press deadline for The Laker/Lutz News, there were two legal actions pending over whether school districts must comply with Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran’s Emergency Order that requires a face-to-face learning option on public school campuses. The school year is already starting later than initially planned, with both Hillsborough and Pasco starting on Aug. 24, rather than Aug. 10. The Hillsborough County School Board See COVID-19, page 7A

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Sienna Gizelbach couldn’t wait to meet some new friends at Bexley Elementary School. The girl’s family had just moved to the area from Virginia last year, and her mom, Verena Gizelbach, said they received a warm reception from the school.

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Silas posed on his first day of second grade last year, while his older brother, Evan, was getting ready for his first day of fourth grade. The Carozza boys were at their home in Heritage Harbor in Lutz.

The first day of school, because of COVID-19, will be anything but routine for the 2020-2021 school year. Some students will be attending classes virtually, while others will be strapping on masks, and heading to school campuses. It’s become a tradition for us to share First Day of School photos with our readers, and we would love to share yours. We don’t care if your child is heading to kindergarten, or heading off to college. We welcome group shots of siblings, but please identify each child in the photo, from left to right. When submitting your photo, please tell us your child’s name and age, what community you live in, what school the student attends (or if the child is homeschooled) and the grade of the student. Please email your photos to news@lakerlutznews.com by Sept. 2.

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Issues arise over contract for Zephyrhills project

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Improvements also include an upgraded air-conditioning, heating and ventilation system. Like just about everything else in life these days, the project has been affected by impacts of COVID-19. “We had some manufacturers that had shut down for a time,” Harrison said. That shutdown caused a delay in getting supplies needed for the library project, Harrison explained. When the library reopens, it will offer much more than books, said Harrison, who is excited about what await patrons when operations resume. Libraries are literacy centers and social hubs, he said. Libraries are places where children come for story time, job seekers come to research new opportunities and entrepreneurs come to learn from experienced business mentors who offer free workshops. Libraries also offer a host of special events, such as arts and crafts, movies and lectures. They’re also a popular gathering spot for community organizations to hold meetings. And, libraries are a common venue, too, See LIBRARY, page 7A

See PROJECT, page 7A

COURTESY OF THE PASCO COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM

Renovations are a work in progress at New River Branch Library, on State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel.

Progress continues on New River Library renovation By B.C. Manion

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Construction on the much-anticipated U.S. 301/Pretty Pond Road intersection project in Zephyrhills is in jeopardy of being delayed. At issue is a contract the city approved for the project, which is considered to be an important improvement to spur commercial development in Zephyrhills. The city chose BRW Contracting Inc., a Land O’ Lakes company that isn’t on the Florida Department of Transportation’s prequalified vendor list. Florida statute requires contractors to be prequalified with FDOT in order to bid for the performance of road, bridge or public transportation construction contracts greater than $250,000. The intersection project is being funded via a $2.3 million appropriation included in this year’s state budget. The Zephyrhills City Council last month unanimously awarded the project bid and construction agreement to BRW Zephyrhills City Contracting, in the Manager Billy Poe amount of $2,161,884.40. The pre-qualification dilemma was brought up by Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe during an Aug. 10 council meeting. He characterized the issue as “a little bit of a hiccup.” Poe told council members he’s heard conflicting reports from state officials on whether or not the requirement can be exempted for this particular project. He is awaiting final word from state transportation officials. Further exacerbating the issue, BRW Contracting has indicated it’s not interested

bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

No specific completion date has been set yet, but Pasco County library officials expect the makeover of the New River Branch Library to be wrapped up by the end of this year. The library, at 34043 State Road 54, sits on the edge of Wesley Chapel — not far from Zephyrhills. Workers are busy on a massive remodeling that began last fall. The total cost for the project, including design, construction, furnishing, technology and other associated expenses is approximately $2.8 million, said Bob Harrison, program manager for the Pasco County Library System. All seven county libraries are slated for substantial improvement, using funds generated from General Obligation bonds approved by voters in November 2018. When the New River renovation is finished, patrons will notice a number of obvious improvements, such as faster Internet speeds, a covered walkway, a makerspace that opens into a shaded “classroom” that opens into a much larger community garden.


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