Pasco-Hernando State College President Jesse Pisors resigned ahead of a special board of trustees meeting about enrollment data set for Friday morning It has only been a little over a year since Pisors formally assumed the role as the former vice president of Texas A&M University-San Antonio and the University of Houston-Victoria took office in January 2024 The meeting was called by board chair Marilyn Pearson-Adams According to a letter she wrote to her fellow board members Ron DeSantis' Department of Government Efficiency found that the school was second to last in the State College System for student retention that the board had been requesting from Pisors for the past year “Something was not quite right as it had been quite some time since we had received reports with our own internal data,” Pearson-Adams wrote “I found this very alarming for our institution especially with our campuses situated in two of the fastest-growing counties in the state.” There are only two other schools among the state's 28 public colleges that do not have a positive retention rate The report says that over 10,000 students did not stay at the college since the 2023 fall term which resulted in up to $10 million of revenue loss from us going from college-wide to now individual campuses and two hurricanes… this year for student life has been very intense,” student speaker Emmalise Feliciano said at the meeting “I can trust in our team and everyone here that the students are going to come back That our retention is going to come up," Feliciano added the college's Vice President of Government Relations and General Counsel “My suggestion would be...until our next meeting for Andrea to fill that role until our very next meeting,” trustee John Allocco Jr Despite the audience cutting him off with a loud chorus of “no’s,” trustees unanimously approved his appointment “We have upcoming graduation ceremonies that need to be addressed,” Allocco said “We just have daily business that he's very capable of managing until we get to that point where we have that discussion.” An emergency meeting to discuss a possible interim president and determine the best course of action will take place on Tuesday at the school's West Campus in New Port Richey PASCO, Wash. – The City of Pasco plans to address a noticeable rise in roadside sales of food and merchandise Pasco Municipal Code allows people to sell fruits eggs and other farm produce without a license as long as these items are raised or manufactured by the seller this exemption does not cover other types of food or merchandise in collaboration with the Pasco Police Department and the Code Enforcement Division plans to explore potential enforcement options According to the city council’s agenda report the focus will be on ensuring compliance with the municipal code particularly concerning unauthorized sales and sidewalk vending regulations The issue will be up for discussion during the city council’s May 5 meeting FOX41 Yakima©FOX11 TriCities© © 2020 FOX11 FOX41.com All rights reserved KFFX Public FCC File KCYU 1205 W Lincoln Ave Yakima WA 98902 • 509-574-4141 FCC Applications KFFX FCC Applications KCYU Client Payment Portal Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — A Pasco County first-responder is being honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend Jason Tucker was a firefighter and EMT with Pasco County Fire Rescue He was with the department for 19 years when he died from brain cancer in 2023 Tucker is one of 140 fallen firefighters being honored nationally in Maryland Career-long colleague and friend Chris Kempton said Tucker loved his job and had a love for the job that had made me "Because I looked at him and tried to emulate things that he said and did throughout his entire career.” Kempton said he and others will watch at the fire station as Tucker is honored “He lived in the moment and that’s just how he was," Kempton said Public tributes including a candlelight service Saturday and a memorial service Sunday will be streamed If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below) so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue His resignation came the day before the school’s board of trustees had planned a special meeting In a letter to her fellow board members last week Chairperson Marilyn Pearson-Adams wrote that the Gov Ron DeSantis’ Department of Government Efficiency found that PHSC was second to last in student retention among the state’s 28 public colleges especially with our campuses situated in two of the fastest growing counties in the state,” Pearson-Adams wrote she directed criticism toward Pisors for not disclosing the declining enrollment “especially considering our continued requests over the past 12 months regarding this type of information and data.” According to analysis provided to the school by the state DOGE team nearly 60% of students enrolled last fall did not return in this spring The low retention resulted in a revenue loss of up to $10 million The DOGE report also indicates that more than 10% of students were denied a diploma for failing to meet graduation requirements in the past three semesters In a February executive order on efficiency DeSantis said he expected state colleges and universities to help “identify and eliminate unnecessary spending “In terms of the bureaucracies and administrative are we a well-oiled machine or is there room for improvement?” DeSantis said at a March meeting of state university leaders Last month, the governor’s office asked all colleges and universities to hand over a detailed list of grants and research conducted by faculty over the past six years. Andrea Brvenik, the college’s general counsel and vice president of government relations, will act as interim president until a permanent replacement is chosen. Ian Hodgson is an education reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, working in partnership with Open Campus. Ian Hodgson is the higher education reporter. Reach him at ihodgson@tampabay.com. PASCO – Runs were hard to come by Sunday afternoon at Gesa Stadium where the Spokane Indians (13-14) manufactured a late marker to take a 1-0 series finale win over the Tri-City Dust Devils (14-13) and split the Inland Northwest rivals’ six-game set Jorge Marcheco for Viñeros de Tri-City and Albert Pacheco of Spokane threw six-inning scoreless gems with identical final lines (6 IP Marcheco retired the first eight Indians he faced only facing one batter with a runner in scoring position on the day allowed a runner to reach in four of his six scoreless frames but did not face a runner at second base or closer to home with scoreless 7th innings from the Viñeros’ Dylan Phillips (1-1) and the Indians’ Hunter Omlid (3-0) taking it to the 8th inning without a run getting a leadoff single from C Jesus Ordoñez advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt from late sub RF E.J the lineup turned over to leadoff man CF Jared Thomas so far the most potent offensive threat for the Indians He sent a Phillips pitch through the left side with Tucker scoring the lone run of the game Tri-City got runners on in the 8th and 9th but could not get either home with Spokane closer Welinton Herrera getting the final three outs for his sixth save -Marcheco ended up making a strong case for Northwest League Pitcher of the Week honors throwing 12 scoreless frames in his two outings The righty combined to strike out 14 Indians walk just one hitter and allow only five hits confounding Lilac City batters with his control and changing of speeds -The game took place in two hours and three minutes the shortest game by time of the season for the Dust Devils The game time matched Spokane’s second shortest game of 2025 with manager Robinson Cancel’s team playing their third game of the year in two hours one each from the fifth through nine spots of the order another indicator of how closely Sunday’s game was played The Dust Devils hit the road Monday to prepare for a six-game series with the Everett AquaSox making their first 2025 visit to Funko Field late Sunday afternoon game closing out the series available at dustdevilsbaseball.com and the MiLB app begins with the Dust Devils Pregame Show 20 minutes before first pitch Tuesday’s broadcast will begin at 6:45 p.m Tri-City then returns home to host the Hillsboro Hops for a six-game series beginning at 6:30 p.m where it will be Mental Health Awareness Night presented by Coordinated Care as well as another Coca-Cola Tuesday For tickets to the upcoming Hillsboro homestand and for all 2025 Dust Devils home games, visit the official ticket site, dustdevilsbaseball.com – Pasco City Councilwoman Melissa Blasdel has announced her intent to seek election for District 6 Currently serving in the position since her appointment in 2023 Blasdel emphasized the need for leaders who understand local needs “I’m running to be that voice for District 6—one that puts safety and quality of life at the forefront,” Blasdel said in a release Blasdel said her campaign priorities include advocating for fully staffed police and fire departments fostering small business growth and promoting smart revitalization of downtown Pasco and talent to be a destination—not just for travelers With over two decades in tourism and hospitality Blasdel was appointed to the District 6 seat that was vacated when Councilmember Craig Maloney resigned on October 2 Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application at Cedar Creek of High Plains Assisted Living in Lincoln Nebraska to Howard and Bessie (Parker) Moore and her country and raised her children to love and respect those same things Carol attended Sunflower K-8 School on the banks of the Missouri River and went on to graduate from Auburn High School She received her two-year and four-year teaching certificates from Peru State College Carol was a country schoolteacher in several one and two room schools in Southeast Nebraska and was very proud of her students who stopped by to share a story and pay their respects Carol believed a person should contribute to their community and modeled that for all of us when she sold poppies at the cemetery for the American Legion Auxiliary and made casseroles and hundreds of cookies to support activities at her Auburn Christian Church She is preceded in death by the love of her life and husband of 43 years her sister-in-law Beverly Bunn (Hersch) and her granddaughter She is survived by her three children Rebecca Pasco (Mary) and her Darlings and her very special cousin/BFF/soulmate with whom she spoke daily for many years Pat Bantz (Kim Essington and Kris Gomez) of Kansas City The family will have a private graveside committal service at Sheridan Cemetery near Auburn A reception in memory of Carol will be Tuesday Carol’s family asks that you honor Carol’s wishes and send donations to the Auburn American Legion Auxiliary of which Carol was a member for many years Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management it's essential for residents to know if they live in an evacuation zone This is because these areas and buildings are the most likely to be evacuated If an evacuation order is not issued for your area and your house is not part of an evacuation zone with A being the most vulnerable and would be evacuated first You can type your address on the map below to find your zone. You can also click here to find the county's map. officials will be announcing if any shelters are opened and where they are located Not every shelter is open for every incident Officials encourage you to verify that there is space at a shelter before arriving If you or a family member has disabilities or health troubles, you'll want to plan ahead and register with the county's emergency management team. Click here to learn more information if this applies to you You can sign up for the county's emergency notification system to ensure you're getting the latest information by clicking here You can also get the latest information on the county's website and social media The county also has a disaster preparedness guide that includes important numbers to know — Neighbors in Pasco County continue to have concerns about plans to extend Rangeland Boulevard in Odessa The proposal is to extend Rangeland Boulevard from Starkey Ranch over the Suncoast Parkway and into the Bexley community The county is considering the project to help with the congestion on State Road 54 Starkey Ranch resident Alina Boian worries how that could change the neighborhood So I am concerned and worried,” Boian said She also has a concerns about a wooden bridge on Rangeland Boulevard that she wonders why was put there in the first place “Especially here in Florida where the sun is constantly beating down on it the bridge has held up with community traffic But she worries about how it would hold up if the road is extended by the county Pasco County officials say the county would take over the bridge over as part of the expansion project there is a catch: Pasco County wants Starkey Ranch to pay to replace it with a concrete bridge first before they take it over There is an upcoming meeting for neighbors on this project May 1 at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural center in Odessa from 5 p.m If you'd like to suggest a Traffic Inbox story, click here and fill out the form Fla. — Drivers can expect delays for the next several weeks on a busy stretch of State Road 54 in Pasco County The Florida Department of Transportation started a project this week on State Road 54 eastbound just after U.S Drivers can expect up to two lane closures there during the day FDOT officials say this work needs to be done during the day While crews were recently resurfacing the pavement they found voids under the road — basically empty spaces — that need to be fixed to keep the road in good shape FDOT spokesman John McShaffrey says the voids are filled by injecting grout into them and that process needs to be done during the day.   “They can’t deliver that kind of material with reliability in the overnight hours,” McShaffrey said we just have to keep going as soon as we start the process.”  Officials say they have the daily closures scheduled up to Memorial Day weekend Crews will then re-assess if any further closures are needed FDOT is reminding drivers to expect delays on eastbound State Road 54 and for drivers turning east on 54 from U.S PASCO COUNTY — Pasco County officials are holding a series of meetings to get community input regarding a $585 million federal grant recently awarded to the county The money was issued through the Department of Housing and Urban Development because of damage caused by Hurricanes Dalia The grant is being issued through HUD’s Community Development Disaster Recovery Program It’s the first time the federal grant has been issued directly to a county or municipality the senior program administrator for the Pasco County office of Disaster Recovery Resources “It the past they would have awarded it to the state and then we would’ve had to apply to the state,” said Espberg Now that the county has been awarded the $585 million grant directly they have much more oversight over how it can be spent these meetings will begin on April 14 and they are to get public input for the $585 million grant that we received from HUD on how to spend the money,” said Espberg said there are more than five eligible ‘buckets’ that the funding can be used for We can build it for single family or multi-family housing.” Then there is infrastructure and economic revitalization “We want to know how our businesses impacted by the storms and what kind of loans or grants or programs can we do to help revitalize the business community,” she said $76 million must be put aside strictly for mitigation purposes to ensure a safer Pasco County in the future “Then last but not least there is money that can be put toward public services like services for the homeless work employment like job placement skills,” she said Moore-Mickens Education Center, 38301 Martin Luther King Blvd Zephyrhills Train Depot, 39110 South Ave Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, 3021 Sports Coast Wy West Pasco Government Center, 8731 Citizens Dr — Deputies arrested two suspects in connection with an ongoing investigation into the discovery of human remains in Pasco County The Pasco County Sheriff's Office said the apparent remains were found in Trilby The remains were later identified as 33-year-old Diego Farias deputies announced that they had made two arrests was arrested for failure to report a death and tampering with evidence There are no other details available at this time and I feel like that's part of where the system failed" Henry Betsey Jr. is facing charges for marrying three Florida women in three different counties at the same time. Now saying the system that handles marriage licenses kept them in the dark Latest Pasco County News from ABC Action News Report a typo — The US Coast Guard said a man who went missing while kayaking near Anclote Park was found safe on Tuesday reportedly told officials that he dropped his phone in the water and didn't have a way to contact friends or family The Pasco County Sheriff's Office said Bungartz went missing around 4 p.m on Monday in the Gulfview Drive area of New Port Richey He was last seen launching his kayak from the clubhouse just north of Anclote Park before he was found safe Take the mixed number four and five-ninths and convert it into a single fraction the children scribbled ideas on the table in erasable marker A few wrote “1/9″ repeatedly in an effort to figure out how many ninths were needed “Take the four times nine,” he blurted out “then add the answer to the five and it’s the top.” teaches a lesson on fractions to a group of Rodney B Cox Elementary School students in her third-grade math class April 3 in Dade City CLIFFORD | Times ]McConnell grinned and told him to do the calculation on the table to check his work Cox Elementary needs its students to make lots of these connections Pasco County’s oldest elementary school faces a challenge: Get students to improve their performance on state exams or expect to lose local control of the school Cox has earned a D grade from the state each year since 2019 Schools in Florida that don’t improve can be converted to charter schools or handed over to education management firms Nine more were reviewed by the board in November The Cox community simply wants the school to remain a locally run institution as it celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026 faces the threat of a state takeover if student performance does not improve The school’s turnaround plan was approved earlier this year and classroom changes were swiftly implemented CLIFFORD | Times ]“It’s a different community here We are an extended family to all the students here,” said Annette Natal an instructional assistant whose niece and granddaughter attend Cox Though the culture is strong — Cox had a waitlist to get in despite its D’s — only 5% of students were proficient in math on the second monitoring round That’s well below district and state levels “Schools are more than a letter grade,” Pasco schools superintendent John Legg said Cox Elementary made its debut after the 1926-27 winter break it opened after residents petitioned the county for a school it provided first through eighth grades for white children in a building designed to evoke an Italian square with a courtyard and it has held up serving an ever-changing population when Dade City was even smaller than it is now it became a community hub where everyone knew everyone Cox Elementary School student Daniel Perez-Velasquez takes a water break between lessons on April 3 in Dade City CLIFFORD | Times ]Amid desegregation the school was seen as a safe haven for all children Cox — for whom the school was renamed after his 1973 death — provided what many viewed as a calming influence The school grew to serve an increasingly diverse and poor population nearly all students attending Cox are listed as economically disadvantaged About 85% of the student population is Hispanic or Black More than a quarter are classified as learning English But Cox educators have likened their efforts to whack-a-mole — hit at reading to make a difference, but at the expense of math. Focus on writing, only to see science dip. One thing has remained constant: The community has stayed true to their school. “It’s a very tight community,” said principal Wendy Lane, who grew up blocks away, attended Cox and sent her children there before taking over a year ago. “Parents, if they know you, that’s it. They’ve bought in.” Days after a January hearing in which the State Board of Education granted Cox one more year to reach its goal, the team tried something different. They placed every child in tiered support groups based on their academic needs, scheduled data reviews every two weeks to assess progress student by student, and brought in outside consultants to look for ways to do even better. One key has been to improve student discipline. The school of just under 400 children at one point would generate as many as 50 classroom behavior calls daily, behavior assistant Evangelina Guerra said. That’s dwindled to “maybe four calls per day,” Guerra said. “This year has been way better than the past few.” Lane focused the faculty and staff on positive reinforcement, emphasizing student strengths while encouraging them to address weaknesses, including attendance. She and others hope that more interested children will attend more often. At a recent advisory council meeting, assistant principal Bailey Morris said the staff had created a committee to monitor chronically absent students and work with their families to get them to class. “We can’t teach them if they’re not here,” Morris told the group. “We are going to do whatever it takes to motivate them.” The effort includes plenty of celebrations, recognitions and incentives. Wendy Lane, principal of Rodney B. Cox Elementary School, shows different "brag tags" that students and staff can receive for their positive efforts. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]Students know they can get “brag tags” that might lead to prizes if they exemplify the school’s PRIDE characteristics — Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Display of control and Empathy. “They want to get awards like this,” said fourth grade teacher Jennifer Cass, as she watched some of her students called to the stage at an honors ceremony in February. “Some of them are going to be very upset that they didn’t. But it’s a reminder to them.” Laporsha Robinson, who enrolled her two children at Cox this year after moving from Clearwater, said she appreciated this approach. Her third-grader, Ja’niyah Davis, got three recognitions, including student of the month. “It does engage the kids,” Robinson said. “It shows they’re able to celebrate for even small achievements they’ve made in school.” Cox Elementary School third grader Ja'niyah Davis shows her mom, Laporsha Robinson, the Citizen of the Month certificate and medal she received during the school's second quarter awards ceremony on Feb. 7. [ JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK | Times ]Ja’niyah, 8, said the awards made her happy, “because I feel like I did a good job in school.” After noting that few students got the A/B certificate, Lane reminded the others to keep up with their lessons. “Every one of you can do it,” Lane told the children. “But you have to work hard.” The faculty and staff said they see Cox making strides. The atmosphere is one, assistant principal Morris said, where people can share constructive criticism. A growing number of community groups and businesses are chipping in with volunteer time, donations and other services. The district has assigned a team that’s on call to assist teachers, bringing in perspectives and ideas from other schools. A sign encourages students in a hall at Rodney B. Cox Elementary School April 3 in Dade City. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]“It’s a culture of coaching,” assistant superintendent Kim Poe said. “It’s a culture of, everyone has something to work on. Everyone is hands-on with kids.” Data shows student achievement is rising, particularly in reading. Some noted that while the adults work as hard as they can, kids often face situations at home that make learning difficult. Some lost their homes when a housing complex nearby was taken over. Immigration enforcement in the neighborhood sent some into hiding. Others have no food or air conditioning. One boy arrived about 45 minutes late for the February award ceremony. He had missed getting recognized for four or five times. When his friends asked him where he had been, the boy said he would have been on time — but his mom couldn’t find her keys. ESE Support Facilitator Gabrielle Mitchell, 30, shares her journey to becoming an educator on April 3 at Rodney B. Cox Elementary School in Dade City. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]“It’s hard because I understand where the state is coming from,” said Gabrielle Mitchell, a special education support facilitator. “I want us to show that we are capable of reaching the same level as other schools.” But sometimes, she continued, it seems like the school’s needs — and its starting point — have been overlooked. “Sometimes I feel like we haven’t been given the supports to reach that level,” Mitchell said. “I just want to see Cox grow as its own entity.” Like many other staff members, Mitchell grew up in the community. She attended Cox and knew she had to come back upon becoming a teacher. Her aunt, mother, sister and brother have worked at Cox, and five nieces and nephews attend. “I love learning because of the teachers I had here,” Mitchell said. “As a teacher, I want to do those same things for my students.” Back in math class, students suggested the effort is working. “They teach us a lot,” third grader Violeta Valla said, showing off a brag tag she earned for passing a recent test. “We get to do a bunch of activities. ... It’s fun.” They’ll get a sense of how well it’s all coming together in the next few weeks. The state spring testing window opens Thursday and runs through May 29. State grades come out later this summer. Only then will Cox learn whether it’s off the watch list. Jeffrey S. Solochek is an education reporter covering K-12 education policy and schools. Reach him at jsolochek@tampabay.com. Chris Maher, whose candidacy was supported by Mayor John Eric Hoover, was sworn into his first City Council term prior to the council’s regular meeting April 22. Port Richey currently has a city manager form of government. This means that the City Council, which includes the mayor as an equal member, sets policy and passes legislation. It also hires the city manager, who functions basically as does a CEO of a private organization, executing policy and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the city. Department heads report to the city manager. Under a strong-mayor system, the elected mayor acts as the city’s CEO and has the authority to oversee day-to-day operations, and they usually have the authority to overrule City Council actions, and to control the city’s budget and personnel. That is the system Maher, who was elected to the council on April 8, asked the governing body to consider. Coppler resigned April 17, with his resignation effective 45 days from that date. At its April 22 regular meeting, the council discussed the potential costs of hiring a search firm to find both an interim and a permanent replacement for him. They also expressed concerns about the length of time required for hiring a permanent replacement, which would take much longer than the 45 days that Port Richey would need a new city manager. The position had not been advertised at the time of the meeting, but at the meeting, Hoover said interested people — including a police chief and a former mayor — had reached out to him personally about the position. At the meeting, he proposed advertising for an interim city manager who could take the position while Coppler was still around, making for a smooth transition. The city could then take more time looking for a permanent city manager. Or maybe not, Maher suggested, asking, “Have we thought about a different form of government for our city?” He said that while he thought Coppler had done a good job, that would not necessarily be the case with another city manager, and the city could consider a strong-mayor government. That, he read, “‘is a municipal government structure where the mayor holds significant executive power. So that person would be somebody who has the ability to conduct business and includes the authority to appoint and remove department heads, draft proposals for the budget and exercise veto power over council actions.’” The City Council would be a defense against a rogue mayor, he said. It would eliminate the city manager position completely. Port Richey, he said, “is a real small city. I think we should look at alternative ways to manage our city versus just the way we’ve been doing it forever.” Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. Hoover noted there are other forms of city government such as by commission (with each commissioner in charge of a certain area) and even within the strong-mayor model there are different systems such as having or not having a city administrator but the city right now needs to get an interim city manager Council member Dave Mueller said that given a mayor would have to live in the city Port Richey would be drawing from a smaller pool to find someone to run it; Maher countered that a city resident would be more committed to the city than someone who would “hightail it to California” for another position Coppler pointed out that the city could have a new mayor every three years I want a new operations director.’ … So potentially there could be a total change in departments every election cycle Obviously I’m very biased about this,” he said “when you’re a growing community that has a lot of dreams and desires to be bigger The reason he is moving (back to his former position in Enfield Connecticut) is because that city is consistent and that plan is coming to fruition right now.” He also noted that city managers typically have experience and expertise in government that an elected official may not they hire their friends.” Avoiding that type of patronage was the idea behind the creation of city managers in the first place If the council did decide it wants to switch to a strong-mayor form of government it would need to approve a charter amendment that would then be voted upon in a public referendum Port Richey City Council meetings are available on YouTube. To see the April 22 meeting, visit tinyurl.com/PRCityCouncil. We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at news@applevalleynewsnow.com or call us at 509-735-8369 — Doug and Gay Van Fleet have been going nonstop since Hurricane Helene flooded their Hudson neighborhood They showed us pictures from inside their house as water tossed their furniture around and lifted the kitchen island WATCH Feedback wanted before Pasco County spends $585 million in disaster relief grant is working on redoing their entire home himself "Our neighborhood is an area where we all help each other I think the most difficult thing was that it was such an emergency that we had to focus on our own before we could help anybody else While people affected by the storm still work to recover Pasco County is getting a federal grant for disaster recovery totaling $585.7 million Officials say the money will be divided into six buckets: housing initiatives and repairs and economic revitalization to help businesses $76 million will go to mitigation to make the county safer and stronger going forward There are also funds for planning and public services we have over 200 projects that people have told us about and it well exceeds the $585 million dollars It will be difficult deciding on priorities and it will be difficult deciding on transformational projects that are going to make a difference Pasco County's Disaster Recovery Manager and Senior Program Administrator There are several public workshops planned where people can give feedback the county commission will decide how the money is spent The Van Fleets aren't done fixing their home and they hope to raise it up like their neighbor down the street — Crews continue to monitor a brushfire near Key Vista Park in Pasco County.  Key Vista Park is closed due to the fire and portions of Anclote Gulf Park are also closed covers about 40 acres off Baillies Bluff Road Officials said one injury was reported but did not release any details pic.twitter.com/92w1C5xXuG Pasco County Fire Rescue is monitoring the area and Florida Forestry Service firefighters will be back at the scene on Friday to mop up hot spots The Pasco County Sheriff''s Office helicopter provided more than 100 water bucket drops on Thursday.  and that smoke was generally heading towards the Gulf Florida Forestry Service says it took water from a nearby retention pond to put on the brush fire Thursday’s wildfire comes as a number of Bay area counties are under burn bans The Florida House on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill allowing Marcus Button and his family to settle a longstanding legal claim with the Pasco County school district The district agreed to settle the claim for $1.2 million a year ago, but lawmakers did not approve that offer. The same deal remains in place this session, with different results. The bill won unanimous support in the Senate earlier this month. In committee, Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, opposed the measure, saying he believed the state should change sovereign immunity laws. Before the House vote, Rep. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, reminded her colleagues they had moved a bill earlier this session (HB 301) that would allow governments to settle cases above the sovereignty immunity cap. That bill has not gained any traction in the Senate. This innovative treatment provides hope for patients with high blood pressure who have not found relief through lifestyle changes or medication The procedure, known as Symplicity from Medtronic targets overactive nerves near the kidneys Symplicity is set to transform care for patients struggling with uncontrolled blood pressure ultimately improving their quality of life Since the technology arrived at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel interventional cardiologists Hadi Mahmaljy "Hypertension continues to be a major health challenge globally impacting millions of lives daily," said Dr "Hypertension may not necessarily present with symptoms but does have serious long-term implications The Symplicity procedure offers an innovative always-active solution without the need for a permanent implant helping patients lower their blood pressure keep their heart healthy and reclaim peace of mind." 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Please review our privacy policy to find out more about the cookies we use Browsing our website means you accept these terms the Dade City faithful will have to wait a little bit before they see Miller make his on-field debut as the Pirates head coach High School On SI exclusively obtained information from the FHSAA regarding Florida's governing body handing down a $5,000 fine and 6-game ban to Miller stemming from illegal communication with a student-athlete via social media Pasco itself has been placed on administrative probation along with being levied a $2,500 fine "Greg Miller received his first offense resulting in a $5,000 forfeiture of pay and a 6-week suspension," FHSAA Administrator of Public Relations' Kelvin J Richardson said in a email response to High School On SI "He will serve the suspension during the spring football game and the first five (5) games of the 2025-26 season." Miller had reached out to a student-athlete from Zephyrhills regarding playing football at Pasco which was in violation of FHSAA Policy 37.1.2.1 The FHSAA also found the school to be in violation of Bylaw 6.3.2 (Definition of Recruiting) Policy 37.1.1 and Policy 37.1.2 (Specific Prohibitions) Here are the aforementioned FHSAA bylaws/polices in their entirety: Recruiting is the use of undue influence or special inducement by anyone associated with the school in an attempt to encourage a prospective student to attend or remain at that school for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics representative of the school’s athletic interests or third parties either in person or through any form of written or electronic communication or through any third party urge or entice the student to attend a different school for the purpose of participating in interscholastic athletics Specifically prohibited contact by school employees representatives of the school’s athletic interests or third parties with a student includes any form of written or electronic communication to the student or any member of his/her family urge or entice the student to attend a different school to participate in interscholastic athletics it included the text chain between Miller and the student-athlete Below is the transcript of a text conversation reached out to a student-athlete via social media stating “Good morning (Name redacted) This is Coach Miller There will be a meeting next Tuesday to introduce me to the community I know you are a Pasco kid and I have seen film on you I have some great things I am putting together for the program and would love to get to talk to you Let me know.” (Name redacted) attended Pasco during the fall of the 2024-25 school year and transferred to Zephyrhills during the second semester of the school year.' Miller is no stranger to Pasco County as he guided the River Ridge football team for one season back in 2022 going 6-5 and leading the Royal Knights to a district crown and postseason After one season at River Ridge, Miller accepted a defensive assistant position at South Gwinnett (Georgia) for the 2023 campaign before taking the Pine Ridge (Florida) head coaching job The King's College graduate is tabbed to take over a Pasco program that went 0-10 in 2024 the second winless season in the last four years Pasco has gone 2-18 between the 2023 and 2024 seasons Miller's suspension comes on the heels of spring football slated to start on April 28th and the Pirates are scheduled to face Sunlake on May 23rd in a spring game at Pasco's W.F The Pirates are the only football program in Pasco County to win a state championship, defeating Jesuit back in 1992 for the Class 3A crown Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App -- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi ANDY VILLAMARZOAndy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007 writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings Washington blessed by Pope Francis in November 2024 Courtesy of Alexia Estrada and Alberto “Beto” Anguiano Alberto “Beto” Anguiano and Alexia Estrada Their marriage was blessed by Pope Francis last November while Estrada grew up very Protestant — but they both remember the late pope’s kindness Pope Francis’ funeral is expected to be on Saturday Here’s Anguiano and Estrada’s conversation with NWPB’s Senior Correspondent Anna King The following transcript has been edited for clarity and length 00:00 / Alexia Estrada holds rosaries blessed by Pope Francis Alberto Anguiano: I’m Alberto Anguiano and I’m 28 years old we had enough time to get ready and also to get to the Vatican and wait in line because we have to wait Estrada: I knew I was seeing a global leader and someone who was really important I think I envisioned things a certain way because of how religious I had grown up and in a different denomination And when I was with Beto sitting next to him I just felt so lucky to have been exposed to the Catholic faith and to have met the pope he’d bless certain couples and he’d stop at others and he’d bless some you should come up with a question to ask him like “What advice do you have for us?” You know I don’t know what I was expecting actually And then you just hear everyone next to me and Beto and I just start laughing ‘cause it was not what we expected but always make sure to make peace at the end of the night because a cold war in the morning is never good for anyone.” But you could just like tell he was so warm Alexia Estrada and Alberto “Beto” Anguiano celebrate being in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City just before meeting the pope I realized that the pope brought me and Beto closer together and felt like home for me And sometimes I can get caught up in the differences of how I grew up and the faith that my husband shares in the family that we’re a part of And I think everything that the pope spoke about and shared really feels like home and really resonates with me And side note: Beto was wearing his charro suit And all the older ladies were obsessed with him And it was the funniest little after moments that made it also very special Anguiano: I think the thing that I’ll miss the most is his kindness Estrada: I didn’t grow up with the pope in my life the way that Beto did but I really think we will miss someone who just really shared God’s love with like the most humble people I feel like he centered me when it came to Christ’s teachings on loving the least of these and really what’s important And you don’t really get leaders like that these days that are selfless and really centering those on the margins And I think he’s one of the leaders that we could look up to and say this really is why we’re here.” We’re here to love each other We’ll miss someone who can guide people in that way with humor and with love Anna King is a reporter with Northwest Public Broadcasting This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page Tags: Washington, Religion Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now as well as Plant City in Hillsborough County there were two elections: a four-person race for city council in New Port Richey as well as a three-person race for a city council seat in Port Richey Three charter amendments also were on the ballot the Group 2 city commission seat election was held.  You can find all the election results on baynews9.com the Pirates are once again in search for a new varsity head football coach According to Pirates' athletic director Jim Ward by phone Tuesday evening, the Pasco AD confirmed that Miller has stepped down as the program's football coach and the school has officially posted the job via the Pasco County District School Board website The posting said that the job was placed on the website as of April 14th and the estimated deadline is May 30th Miller's resignation comes on the heels of the former Pasco head coach being handed down a $5,000 fine and 6-game ban by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) stemming from illegal communication with a student-athlete via social media Pasco itself was handed down a $2,500 fine in addition to the aforementioned penalties from the FHSAA furnished by the FHSAA to High School On SI Let me know.” (Name redacted) attended Pasco during the fall of the 2024-25 school year and transferred to Zephyrhills during the second semester of the school year.' Miller was no stranger to Pasco County as he guided the River Ridge High School football team for one season back in 2022 After one season at River Ridge, Miller accepted a defensive assistant position at South Gwinnett (Georgia) for the 2023 campaign before taking the Pine Ridge (Florida) head coaching job Pasco County's lone football program to win a state championship (1992 Class 3A) is now left to search for a head coach which would be their 27th in school history who was dismissed after the 2018 season after leading Pasco since 2007 have gone through four different head coaches since 2019 (Miller Jason Stokes) after having only four varsity HCs from 1989-2018 (McHugh © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.