YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1911 Thursday, July 1, 2021 109th Year - No. 42 thezephyrhillsnewsonline.com 50¢ Main Street new director is A Look Back ... welcomed by local offi cials JULY 1, 2004 Wealth of Health New series harkens back to Here are several ideas on how to safely unwind days gone by. Let’s look without health risks. at the above date ➤ 8 BY STEVE LEE News Reporter This week’s Look Back, the eighth in our series, brings us a bit closer in time than in previous editions. We welcome readers to 2004 when a NASA spacecraft landed on Mars, Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook, former President Ronald Reagan passed away and the Tampa Bay Lightning won its fi rst Stanley Cup. Weather Closer to home, in the little niche of the world called east Pasco, The Zephyrhills News The recent trend of primarily brought plenty of local news to the community wet weather will continue and outlying areas including Dade City, for the most part with Wesley Chapel and San Antonio. scattered showers in the The centerpiece photo on the front page forecast for fi ve of the next featured local fi refi ghters, led by Zephyrhills seven days. Temperatures Captain Kerry Barnett, demonstrating how to are expected to be seasonal put out a car fi re. Deal Auto Salvage provided with mostly 90s in the days the automobile and use of the lot for the and 70s in the evenings. training exercise. ➤ 3 Concerns about increased traffi c led city Faith Wilson, the new director for Main Street Zephyrhills, goes over the new web site with members of city council during Monday night’s council members to make changes for trucks Community Redevlopment Agency meeting. Alongside Wilson is Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield. driving through city limits. A Vietnam Veterans STEVE LEE Memorial was unveiled at the Depot Museum. Community News A stain glass window commemorated the life replaces Paxton McCullough after an abbreviated of Johnny Lewis, a Zephyrhills serviceman Step up for Pasco Students is Faith Wilson displays Main stint, was graciously welcomed by that group. That killed in action in the Vietnam War. a back-to-school fundraiser gathering at city hall came before Monday night’s Additionally, preparations got under way organized by four groups. Street’s new web site, regularly scheduled city council meeting. for a Zephyrhills Harvest Festival slated for Every $10 buys new shoes Wilson, with a strong background in retail and that October at Zephyr Park and sponsored for a child in need with city council tackles rezonings most recently having worked for the Zephyrhills Police by the Zephyrhills Ministerial Association. a goal being 5,000 pairs. Department, has revamped Main Street’s web site. She Plus, atop an index column was the birth Y TEVE EE Students from Zephyrhills B S L displayed it on screens in the council chambers Monday announcement of Dalton Allen King, son of News Reporter and Wesley Chapel graduate and the upgrades were well-received. Nancy King, the newspaper’s graphic artist. and make Dean’s Lists. “I think it looks great,” councilman Lance Smith The city beat on page two diff erentiated ➤ 2 While she actually has been on the job since the said. “I know it takes a lot of hours to do that.” between the city’s police beat and Pasco beginning of June, Faith Wilson utilized the platform Gail Hamilton, the CRA’s director, was among Sheriff ’s crime reports. A lengthy community of a Community Redevelopment Agency meeting to several others who appreciated Wilson’s eff orts to calendar also was on that page. Typical for that formally introduce herself to city council members, the highlight the downtown area and upcoming events. time of year, the next page was highlighted by All-Star play is mayor and some city staff . “She’s having to pull teeth from everybody to get an advance on Sparklebration, the traditional The new director of Main Street Zephyrhills, who under way ®CITY COUNCIL: See Page 16 ®A LOOK BACK: See Page 4 All-Star baseball teams from Zephyrhills, Dade City and Wesley Chapel battle for district championships. ➤ Road projects continue 11 INDEX to move forward Community News 2 Two projects are aimed at making Weather 3 Zephyrhills and Pasco County safer Church Directory 5 places to drive, walk or bike Obituaries 5 Crossword Puzzle 6 & 7 BY ANDY WARRENER News Reporter Wealth of Health 8 Coloring Contest 10 The fi rst project is one that’s fi nally nearing completion and that’s Legals 14 the one known as the Pretty Pond/301 Project. This project is primarily an intersection improvement that entails a bit more than just three Classifieds 14 intersections. It’s a joint eff ort from the City of Zephyrhills, the Florida T.V. Guide 15 Department of Transportation, the contractor and design engineer and it’s faced some challenges. Zephyrhills News “All told there have been about 45 days of delays on the project,” Project Manager and Zephyrhills Public Works Director Shane LeBlanc said. “We’ve had weather delays but other things have factored in. We’ve The soon-to-be signaled intersection at Medical Arts Court, looking west from in front of the Panera Bread restaurant off U.S. 301. ➤ROAD PROJECTS: See Page 9 ANDY WARRENER 2 Thursday, July 1, 2021 | Zephyrhills News Keep Pasco Beautiful World Step up for Pasco Oceans Day Event hailed Students! back-to- a success 38333 5th Ave. Zephyrhills, Florida 33542 (813) 782-1558 The fi rst Keep Pasco Beautiful World Here are some statistics from the successful E-mail: [email protected] Oceans Day cleanup event has been hailed event: school fundraiser a success – with the environment reeling in 1,460 pounds of trash collected The Zephyrhills News, USPS 699-080, is published every Thursday. Periodicals the biggest benefi ts. Volunteers donated their 59 volunteers postage paid at Zephyrhills, Florida and Every $10 buys new shoes for time June 8 at two Pasco County locations: 118 volunteer hours logged additional mailing offi ces. Postmaster: Anclote Gulf Park in Holiday and Cypress $3,368 cost benefi t (Volunteer Time Value) Send address changes to The Zephyrhills a child in need, help us reach our Creek Preserve in Land O’ Lakes. Combing News, 38333 Fifth Avenue, Zephyrhills, the roadways and shoreline, they removed Pasco County has more than 20 miles of Florida 33542. No part of the The Zephyr- goal of 5,000 pairs everything from televisions and sofa cushions coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. In Central hills News may be reproduced or trans- – to car bumpers and tires. and East Pasco, there are several watersheds mitted in any form or by any means, Just $10 can help a child in need put their best “Trash along the roadways ends up in the that lead to Tampa Bay and various rivers. electronic or mechanical, including pho- foot forward for the coming school year. Pasco County stormwater system which ultimately leads to the Keep Pasco Beautiful, along with Pasco County tocopy or recording, of any informa- Property Appraiser Mike Wells and entrepreneur and Gulf,” said Keep Pasco Beautiful Coordinator Public Works, Solid Waste, Parks, Recreation tion storage or retrieval system without philanthropist Jacques Hakim have proudly partnered Kristen King. “We live in an amazing place and and Natural Resources and Covanta Pasco, the expressed written permission of the with Pasco Sheriff ’s Charities and the YMCA of the we all have to do our part to protect it.” organized the event. publisher. Suncoast James P. Gills Family Branch to launch “Step To subscribe call (813) 782-1558 up for Pasco Students!” The back-to-school fundraiser 1-year in Pasco County - $25.00 aims to donate 5,000 pairs of new shoes to Pasco County 2-years in Pasco County - $40.00 Schools this summer. HOMETOWN NEWS 1-year (half in Pasco County and half “This is a great opportunity to support kids in our outside of Pasco County) - $35.00 community following a challenging year,” said Wells. Katherine Serna of Wesley Chapel 1-year outside of “The need for shoes and socks within our schools Arielle Robinson Alaniss Viera of Wesley Chapel continues to outpace the donated supply and we hope Pasco County - $40.00 The University of Tampa is a private, to change that, ensuring no child goes without.” graduates from Valdosta comprehensive university located on 110 acres Offi ce hours: Step up for Pasco Students! makes it easy to on the riverfront in downtown Tampa. Known Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. contribute with secure, online donor portals through State University for academic excellence, personal attention and established nonprofi t partners, eliminating the need Arielle Robinson, of Wesley Chapel, real-world experience in its undergraduate JAN LINVILLE to shop for shoes. The eff ort will supplement existing has earned the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Publisher/Editor and graduate programs, the University serves successful collections, including Pasco County’s annual Communication from Valdosta State Univer- approximately 10,000 students from 50 states ANDY WARRENER Two Good Soles drive in the fall. sity. and most of the world’s 195 countries. News & Sports Reporter “We secured a supplier contract that truly reshapes Robinson is among more than 1,100 our ability to give,” Jacques Hakim said. “Every $10 puts students who completed their degree require- STEVE LEE a pair of quality shoes on a child, tripling or quadrupling ments during Spring Semester 2021. News & Sports Reporter the impact of a donation compared to retail shopping, Established in 1906, Valdosta State Local students named to THERESA LEBLANC even at discounted prices.” University is a premier comprehensive univer- Advertising Sales Manager Your support will help kids in need feel confi dent sity that off ers both the extensive academic, Tallahassee Community and prepared for the start of a new school year.