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SEPTEMBER 22, 2021
Diverging Diamond work resumes
By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Superior Construction Company Southeast LLC began working on the completion of the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) last week, at State Road 56 and Interstate 75. Work activities in the first few weeks will involve cleanup, surveying, and other tasks needed to safely resume construction.The project is expected to be completed in summer 2022, according to information on the
Florida Department of Transportation’s website. Activities last week were expected to include mobilization of labor, equipment and materials, erosion control, survey, jobsite cleanup of debris and office setup, according to an update provided by Kris Carson, spokeswoman for the District 7 office of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Minor pothole and erosion control repairs were completed last week by the interim maintenance contractor, the update
adds, with maintenance responsibility expected to be fully transitioned to Superior by Sept. 20. The project will reconfigure the I75/State Road 56 interchange between County Road 54 and Cypress Ridge Boulevard, in Pasco County. The existing diamond interchange will be modified and converted to a DDI. The main change will be to diverge, or cross, State Road 56 traffic to the left side of See DIAMOND, page 9A
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LOC AL W ILDLLIFE IFE CAL WILD
FRED BELLET
MARY RA ATTHMAN/STAFF PHOTO
Pipes await a crew on the south side right of way, along State Road 56. Construction starts up again in the creation of the diverging diamond road design.
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Construction again has started at the State Road 56 and I-75 interchange. This photo was shot from I-75.
Vehicles that exited from the northbound lanes of I-75 to State Road 56 are diverted because of construction work at the interchange.
SEASON 2
Fo o d i e Fr i d ay
Restaurant tabbed for historic buildings in Zephyrhills By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
with ka at tie & kel lli
www.lakerlutznews.c com
B INSIDE, PAGE 1B
A local restaurant and café is being tabbed for two renovated historic buildings in Zephyrhills. Before long, the Captain Jeffries House and Carriage House in Zephyrhills are expected to have new tenants — Tina and Joe Novak, of Tina and Joe’s Café in Dade City. The Novaks have operated the cafe for about seven FILE years, at 14232 Seventh St., in A Dade City-based restaurant called Tina and Joe’s Café is Dade City. The lunch spot served a expected to relocate to the Captain Jeffries House (seen variety of fare, including above) and Carriage House in Zephyrhills. Lease agreement soups, wraps, salads, hand- negotiations are ongoing between the City of Zephyrhills crafted sandwiches, lobster and restaurateurs Tina and Joe Novak. rolls and homemade desserts, including cookies and pie. with the idea of making those historic Over the summer, the City of Zephyrhills spaces a catalyst to inject new life into the opened a request for proposals (RFP) from city’s downtown and attract more foot trafpotential tenants for the adjacent Jeffries fic to the area. House and Carriage House. The Jeffries House and Carriage House The city received three responses — are in the downtown shopping district, Tina and Joe’s Café, Flowers by Annie and which includes City Hall, the City Library, as Shell’s Killer Bakery. well as multiple retail shops and a microAn evaluation team ranked the propos- brewery. als, with Tina and Joe’s Café coming out as The buildings are a short walk to the top-ranked firm by a strong margin. Zephyrhills Brewing Company, Your Turn The evaluation team consisted of Board Game Café, Gentleman’s Quarters Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Barber Shop, and other destinations. Agency director Gail Hamilton, Zephyrhills Extra weight was given to would-be tenbuilding official Bill Burgess, Zephyrhills sen- ants willing to use both the Jeffries House ior planner Rodney Corriveau, and Pasco and Carriage House, Hamilton said, in addiCounty Economic Development Council di- tion to letters of recommendation from rector of stakeholder engagement Mike customers, bank information, business Bishop. See RESTAURANT, page 9A The collaborative exercise was designed
Worker shortage takes a toll on Pasco schools School board member Colleen Beaudoin urges Superintendent Kurt Browning to lighten the load, whatever way he can. By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Pasco County Schools has been struggling to fill bus driver, custodial, food service and instructional vacancies — prompting school board member Colleen Beaudoin to seek relief for overburdened workers. Although the numbers fluctuate from day to day, a recent report showed that the district had roughly 155 instructional vacancies and 348 non-instructional vacancies, according to Steve Hegarty, the district’s public information officer.The non-instructional vacancies include 100 bus driver openings. “Our folks are really under a lot of stress,” Beaudoin said, during the school board’s Sept. 14 meeting.“We must do something. Our folks need help” The district has added positions, but is having trouble filling them, she said. “Grants that were supposed to provide for more nurses to help with contact tracing — people are not taking these jobs. It is stretching our folks too thin. “On top of that, people are calling our schools and berating whoever answers the phone because they are upset that buses are late. See WORKER, page 9A