Following Summer Soaking, Swiftmud Softens Water Restrictions

By Matt Wiley

The heat of summer is upon the New Tampa area, but with it has come the usual pattern of oppressive heat throughout the day, followed by thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening. For this reason, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (aka “Swiftmud”) has allowed the stricter watering restrictions implemented earlier in the year to expire.

According to a July 30 release from Swiftmud, the District’s Governing Board voted to let all Phase III water shortage orders — which limited lawn watering to once per week on specific days, determined by address, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. — expire on July 31, allowing residents to return to twice-per-week watering.Continue reading

North Tampa Behavioral Health To Open To Patients In October

By Matt Wiley

North Tampa Behavioral Health (NTBH) is slated to open its doors on S.R. 56 in early October about one year after the opening of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC). However, instead of a facility devoted to physical wellness, NTBH will focus on the well-being of the mind for its patients. There will be an added benefit of increased prosperity for the local community, eventually creating more than 200 jobs.

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North Tampa Behavioral Health, a psychiatric health facility, located on S.R. 56 east of the Shops at Wiregrass, will open to patients in October.

This summer NTBH bought the facility (located just east of Mansfield Blvd. on the south side of S.R. 56 in the Wiregrass Ranch Development of Regional Impact, or DRI) from United Medical Corp. NTBH was impressively constructed, in form and function, by DeAngelis Diamond Healthcare Group, LLC, to withstand Category 5 storms. DeAngelis is a Naples-based, nationally reputed construction company that specializes in building medical facilities.

NTBH will be both the newest and one of the most secure psychiatric hospitals in the Tampa Bay area when it opens in early October, says NTBH chief executive officer Jim Harris, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked in the mental health field since 1990. Surrounded by 14-foot-tall fences, the 53,000-sq.-ft., 75-bed facility sits on 16.46 acres of land on an outparcel of the Wiregrass Ranch DRI, but is surrounded almost entirely by conservation land. Construction began last November. The center is centrally located to serve several hospitals without psychiatric units, including FHWC, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills and Bayfront Dade City (Pasco Regional).

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New Tampa I-75 Widening Way Ahead Of Schedule

By Matt Wiley

Although it may be holding up the completion of the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. widening from Pebble Creek Blvd. in New Tampa south to Palm Springs Blvd. in Tampa Palms, the I-75 widening project between Fowler Ave. and S.R. 56 actually is ahead of schedule — unlike the widening of I-75 between S.R. 54 & S.R. 56.

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7 spokesman John McShaffrey says that the $95-million project, which Prince Contracting, LLC, began in October 2011 to widen the 11.4-mile section of the interstate from four lanes to six lanes — and eight lanes near the interchanges — is cruising right along.

“The whole project is well ahead of schedule,” McShaffrey explains. “If you go by (Prince’s) schedule, they’re more than 500 days ahead. It looks very likely that they are going to finish that job early, depending on how much rain we get.”

And, part of that project includes the new, widened overpasses above BBD, which could now be open to traffic in both directions in late November to early December, McShaffrey says.

“After that happens, (Prince) will take the temporary bridge out and do all of the BBD widening underneath,” McShaffrey explains. “There’s a lot that can’t be done (for the widening of BBD) right now because of the location of the support structures for the existing temporary bridge.”

Michele Baker Accepts County Administrator Job

Michele Baker has officially become the first new Pasco County administrator in more than 30 years, succeeding her previous boss, long-time administrator John Gallagher.

The Pasco Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 on July 9 to approve a two-year contract for Baker that would pay her $170,000 per year with the option for a raise, pending an evaluation after one year. The job was originally offered to current Irving, TX, city manager Tommy Gonzalez on May 28, who turned down the county’s offer on June 22.

The BOCC then voted to offer the job to Baker on June 25.

“Michele has been an outstanding assistant and will do a great job as administrator,” Gallagher told the Wesley Chapel Rotary club on July 24.

FHP Seeks Witnesses In July 4 Crash

A fatal traffic crash early on July 4 has left one Wesley Chapel man dead and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) searching for witnesses.

According to FHP, at 12:20 a.m. on July 4, Terry A. Carver, 53, of Wesley Chapel, was parked at the Cumberland Farms gas station at Morris Bridge Rd and S.R. 54, when he shifted his Ford F-150 into reverse and slammed into a Dodge Durango being driven by Kyle Thompson, 28, of Zephyrhills. Following the collision, Carver fled the scene.

The report states that a short time later, Carver was stopped by a PCSO deputy on S.R. 56, west of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. Carver was discovered to be suffering from an undisclosed emergency medical condition and was transported to nearby Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC), where he later died.

An alcohol test was pending at our press time and the case is still under investigation. FHP is seeking anyone who may have witnessed the accident. If you, or anyone you know, have information about the case, please contact FHP by calling 631-4020.