The LAKER
ee r F
EAST PASCO EDITION
LAKERLUTZNEWS.COM
DECEMBER 30, 2015
Pasco expands magnet program By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Discover an ER designed with seniors in mind. Introducing the Senior-Friendly ER at Bayfront Health Dade City. Learn more at
BayfrontDadeCity.com/SeniorER.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. 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.
Pasco County Schools is expanding its magnet school options beginning next school year, and is holding a series of community meetings to explain the additional options. The district is converting Centennial Middle School, in Dade City, into a STEM Magnet School. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. A series of community meetings, with each beginning at 6 p.m., will give parents a chance to learn more about the new middle school magnet program. • Jan. 11 in the cafeteria at Raymond B. Stewart Middle School, 38505 10th Ave., in Zephyrhills • Jan. 12 in the auditorium at Pasco Middle School at 13925 14th St., in Dade City • Jan. 13 in the cafeteria at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School, at 30649 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel • Jan. 19 in the cafeteria at Dr. John Long Middle School cafeteria, 2025 Mansfield Blvd.,Wesley Chapel • Jan. 20 in the cafeteria at Centennial Middle School, at 38505 Centennial Road in
B Auto Accident? Slip and Fall? FREE CONSULTATION
No Fees Or Costs Unless You Win HOLLIDAY KARATINOS LAW FIRM, PLLC HelpingInjuredPeople.com Call Attorney
JIM HOLLIDAY “I Will Aggressively Fight To Protect Your Legal Rights”
813-868-1887 OR
352-597-0009
FILE PHOTO
Sanders Memorial Elementary School is Pasco County’s first magnet school. It offers a curriculum that focuses on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
Dade City • Jan. 21 in the cafeteria at Chester W. Taylor Elementary School, at 3638 Morris Bridge Road in Zephyrhills Parents of sixth- and seventh-graders at the host schools, as well as parents of current fifth-graders that feed into those schools, are encouraged to attend. Elementary schools feeding into
Centennial Middle School are Centennial, Cox, Double Branch, Lacoochee, New River, Pasco, Quail Hollow, San Antonio, Seven Oaks, Veterans, Watergrass, Wesley Chapel, West Zephyrhills and Woodland. At each meeting, Superintendent Kurt Browning, the magnet school principal and See MAGNET, page 11A
2015 IN PHOTOS INSIDE, PAGE 1B
FRED BELLET/PHOTO
VFW Post 8154 Honor Guard bugler Jerry Morel, 82, sounds taps during Zephyrhills’ ‘We Remember: 9/11 Memorial Service.’
2015 marked by growth, loss, compassion By B.C. Manion
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
New construction captured many headlines during the year 2015 in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. But, so did traffic issues and changes happening in area schools. Other news chronicled setbacks and tragic losses. But, there were inspiring stories, too. Tampa Premium Outlets, a 441,000square-foot mall with 100-plus designer brand shops, opened in October off State Road 56, near the Interstate 75 interchange. Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel embarked upon a $78 million expansion project – 2 ½ years ahead of schedule — to add 112,000 square feet and renovate 11,000. Florida Hospital Center Ice, a new 150,000-square-foot sports facility, broke ground on Feb. 24. It will have an Olympicsized hockey rink, four other rinks and the ability to accommodate other sports.
Lutz and Land O’ Lakes also saw their share of growth. New homes and apartments are popping up along the State Road 54 corridor and along portions of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard. A Lowe’s home improvement store opened on State Road 54, the Land O’ Lakes Community Park underwent a $2.3 million upgrade, and a new Pasco County Utilities Administration building opened off Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41. Just outside Dade City, an aerial adventure park, known as Tree Hoppers, began operation, and a number of new businesses have settled into the downtown historic district. Of course, the new development has added to the area’s traffic jams, which won’t be resolved in the short term. But, there are efforts being made to address the issue. The Florida Department of Transportation is exploring solutions to adSee 2015, page 11A
FILE PHOTOS
The 152,000-square-foot Lowe’s home improvement store, at 21500 State Road 54, held a number of events to mark its grand opening.
Tampa Premium Outlets, a 441,000-squarefoot mall with 100-plus designer brand shops, opened in October off State Road 56, near the Interstate 75 interchange.
Superintendent calls social media appeals ‘problematic’ By B.C. Manion
Go Fund Me site was seeking funds to purchase materials for students at Denham Oaks Concerns raised about a Go Fund Me site Elementary. during a recent Pasco County School Board The posting said that 42 permeeting prompted Superintendent Kurt cent of the students in the Browning to voice concerns over how ap- school’s first-grade have reading peals for help are posted by teachers on deficiencies and need additional social media sites. materials. The issue came up when Amy Bracewell, Bracewell lives in Northwood, a parent who lives in Northwood, told a community in Wesley Chapel, Superintendent school board members that a posting on a which has been reassigned to at- Kurt Browning
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
tend Denham Oaks Elementary, in Lutz, next school year. She and other parents objected to their children being moved from their Wesley Chapel community to attend a school in Lutz. “Considering that I have a kindergartner starting in the fall, I find it extremely disturbing to find a Go Fund Me page set up for the first-graders of Denham Oaks Elementary School,” she told
board members. Browning said he became aware of the Go Fund Me site the evening before the Dec. 15 school board meeting. The superintendent said the post “was somewhat troubling to me, because it made it sound that we, as a district, were not providing the level of materials to those schools. That is just not the case. “We provide the materials at every one of See APPEALS, page 11A