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More police needed, as city grows
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
Dade City Police Lt. Robert Tungate was a guest speaker at The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce business breakfast meeting, held last month at Golden Corral in Zephyrhills. Among his talking points during the Sept. 21 gathering was how the local law enforcement agency is managing the munic-
ipality’s impending residential and commercial growth and development. About 6,500 new rooftops and several commercial properties have been approved to be built over the next two decades within city limits. Homes soon will be popping up across all parts of the city,Tungate said, pointing to scheduled land clearings along Clinton Avenue and U.S. 301, St. Joe Road, and Roberts Road, among other areas.
With that, the local police official predicted the city’s population of some 7,000 residents will “probably” triple within the next five to eight years, and added, “that’s not counting all the amount of traffic that comes in every day to work, especially if we get all these new developments going on.” “We’re going to swell during the daytime, and then when everybody goes home, See POLICE, page 9A
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In a pregame ceremony on Oct. 1, the Zephyrhills High press box at Tom Fisher Field in Bulldog Stadium was named the G. First & K. Ryman Press Box. Those attending the game heard new voices emanate from the speakers. Zephyrhills High School teacher Justin Santiago did the play-by-play announcement, replacing Greg First, while Zephyrhills High School teacher Will Terranova, took over Kerry Ryman’s scoreboard operating duties. See story, page 10A.
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Zephyrhills City Councilman Ken Burgess comments on Greg First and Kerry Ryman during the press box naming ceremony.
Friends and family watch as Kerry Ryman and Greg First receive plaques and recognition for their 40 years of voluntary service providing play-by-play and scoreboard duties for the Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs football team. Here, principal Dr. Christina Stanley makes the honor official, during a pre-game ceremony.
Proposed transportation plan would accelerate some Pasco projects By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
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It’s a tentative list — but if it gains approval and subsequently secures funding, numerous transportation improvements affecting local motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists could occur faster than previously proposed. The new work program presented during the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting “represents an over $40 million increase from what we are currently enjoying,” Carl Mikyska, executive director, told members of the MPO board during its Oct. 14 meeting. Public comment will be accepted online regarding the tentative work plan, from Oct. 25 through Oct. 29, and at a public open house will be conducted by the District Seven office of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on Oct. 28. All public comment, regardless of how it is provided, must be submitted by Nov. 12. (For more details, visit FDOT.gov/wpph/district7.) Jensen Hackett, of the FDOT’s District Seven office outlined some of the proposed changes to the tentative work program, in an update to the MPO board. The board is made up of the Pasco County Commission and elected officials from the county’s largest municipalities. One project, now included for construc-
tion in fiscal year 2027, is the widening of State Road 52, from Ehren Cutoff to Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, Hackett said. “This is the final project as part of the (State Road) 52 widening, across the northern part of Pasco County,” he said, noting the project had been identified as the Pasco MPO’s No. 1 priority. Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey reacted:“Thank you. I’m happy to see the rest of (State Road) 52 in the work plan.” Another proposed change involves an effort to improve traffic flow heading south at Interstate 75/Interstate 275, in an area between State Road 56 and County Line Road. It would be similar to the collector/distributor system that already exists for northbound motorists on I-75 and I-275 that get off the long exit ramp at State Road 56, Hackett said. “This will be almost identical in the southern direction, to guide you from State Road 56 to southbound 75 or southbound 275 — taking away a lot of those weaving conflicts that occur, heading in that southbound direction. “This construction is being added to fiscal year ’27,” Hackett said. Other projects that have been added, or moved up on the proposed work program, include: See PROJECTS, page 9A
Rural residents applaud northeast zoning change By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Often, during rezoning cases, area residents step up to point out potential problems with traffic, flooding and other negative impacts the new development could bring. But during a recent case involving a property in northeast Pasco County, two residents made it a point to show up to speak in favor of a request. The request, by Floyd Philmon Groves LLC, involves changing the zoning on 38.02 acres from an agricultural district to an estate residential district, which allows two homes per acre.The site is at the northwest corner of the intersection of Platt and Blanton roads. The request had received recommendations for approval from the county’s planning staff and from the Pasco County Planning Commission, and since there was no opposition, was included as part of the Pasco County Commission’s consent agenda. Items on consent are approved in a sinSee ZONING, page 9A