The LAKER
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EAST PASCO EDITION
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
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. To schedule your appointment, call 352-567-6763.
13933 17th Street, Suite 101 Dade City, FL 33525
SEPTEMBER 16, 2015
‘Topping out’ at Dade City Hall By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
Construction on the new government complex in Dade City is more than halfway complete. To celebrate, workers took a short breather for a traditional “topping out” ceremony for the modern day replacement of the historic City Hall. On Sept. 3, dozens of city employees, community leaders, architects from Wannemacher Jensen Architects and the construction team from Ajax Building Corp. celebrated the milestone. Afterward, they enjoyed a luncheon at the site. Usually such ceremonies happen when the last steel beam is hoisted into place at the tallest point in the building. But “topping out” the new one-story City Hall called for something a bit different. People were invited to sign their names on the unfinished lobby wall. Those signatures will vanish under the finishing touches to the interior walls.
COURTESY OF WANNEMACHER JENSEN ARCHITECTS
Rendering of the new Dade City government complex.
“It’s like a time capsule element,” said Michael Wilson, operations project manager for Ajax Building Corp. With the exterior work all but complete, the next phase of construction on the approximately 22,000-square-foot structure will be to install the mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. Paint and interior trims will follow. The project is slated for completion in early 2016. The busier than usual rainy sea-
son hasn’t been an issue in keeping to the schedule, Wilson said. The design by Wannemacher Jensen Architects has two separate buildings linked by an entryway canopy and courtyard. One building will house government offices in City Hall; the other will be headquarters for Dade City police. Funding for the estimated $5.9 million See COMPLEX, page13A
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.
See page 10A for details
STEVE HOLLINGSHEAD/PHOTOS
Greg Lasher of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, left, and Lenny Carver of Sidney, Montana, inspect the radial engine of a vintage PT-17 Stearman.
Fate of flight festival remains up in the air
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INSIDE, PAGE 1B
Two-year-old Jackson Wolfe, of St. Petersburg, tests the propeller of an L-19 Bird dog aircraft.
Traffic jams caused tempers to flare and poor weather kept balloons from launching during the third annual Festival of Flight at the Tampa North Flight Center. Scores of motorists complained via the festival’s Facebook page about being stuck in traffic for hours. Some said they were turned away from the venue because there was no place to park. Others said they gave up and voiced irritation for being inconvenienced. Numerous posts criticized event organizers for failing to secure enough parking, for not having law enforcement to direct traffic and for not letting people know early enough when events were cancelled. The Friday Night Balloon Glow was held,
but balloon launches scheduled on Saturday and Sunday mornings were cancelled because of the weather. Some activities also were able to go on, but much of the event was a washout. Jessica Warren, festival director for Festival of Flight, said “We are reconsidering all of our options.” That includes, whether to stage the event again. “Everybody says it was disorganized,” Warren said, but months of hard work and planning went into the event. Parking was arranged for 20 acres on Compark 75, which is next to Tampa North Flight Center. Warren and her husband mowed the field to prepare it for parking. Fifty-six volunteers were also secured to help with parking, she said. See FLIGHT, page13A
Suicide prevention can begin with small gestures By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Betsey Westuba delivered a powerful message about suicide prevention last week at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch. To help illustrate the impact of suicide, she brought along a banner covered with 2,892 yellow ribbons. Each ribbon represented an individual who died by suicide in Florida during 2013. The ribbons reflect only the people who died — not the scores of people left behind to cope with the aftermath. Westuba’s talk touched on the warning signs of suicide and the difficulty people B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO often have in grappling with a loss caused by the suicide of a loved one. She provided The yellow ribbons on this banner, next to Betsey Westuba, represent lives lost to suicide. information about where to turn for help.
Westuba knows firsthand how it feels to have a loved one die by suicide because that’s how her brother died. It is common for survivors to experience guilt and to question why the death occurred, she said. Survivors may find it helpful to seek professional counseling or join a survivors’ support group, she added. There are actions that people can take to help prevent suicide, said Westuba, who is region six director for the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition. People may feel helpless, but small gestures often can help someone who is considering suicide to choose a different path, she said. Westuba addressed steps people can See SUICIDE, page13A