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Good Morning From Lutz!

It definitely feels like Florida again. After a few chilly weeks and some Friday event cancellations, most things made it through the weekend just fine. I’m more than ready to put the space heater away for good.

Speaking of surviving, the Kumquat Festival is back this weekend after being rescheduled from one of our many freezes earlier this year. The Play, Shop, and Celebrate With Us event that was postponed is now on for this Friday. Between major draws like the Strawberry Festival and smaller nights out like Sip and Shop at the Lutz Whistle Stop Depot, there’s plenty to keep us busy.

Have a great week!

-Mike

In this edition of the North Tampa Buzz:

🏒 Lightning launch youth hockey program
📚 New bookstore opens in NPR
🏚️ Pasco targets blighted buildings
✈️ Zephyrhills airport runway expansion

…and more!

Access local events three different ways:

Community Calendar
Full List of Events w/Links
Join our Facebook Events Group

Feel free to follow us on Instagram for more local updates.

Lightning Launch New Youth Program

Hockey almost feels completely natural for the state of Florida…like it was always meant to be here.

The Tampa Bay Lightning just announced the launch of the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning, a new youth hockey program run directly by the NHL team. It will include a Tier 1 (AAA) boys division and a Tier 2 (AA) girls division, marking the first time the organization has overseen a program like this.

On-ice training will primarily take place at AdventHealth Center Ice. The Tier 1 boys program will field teams from 9U through 16U, with tryouts set for April 6–8. More details on the girls division are expected soon.

The program will follow USA Hockey’s Athlete Development Model and focus on consistent weekday training and player development, with several Lightning alumni and longtime Florida hockey leaders involved.

New Bookstore Opens in NPR

We’ve got a cozy new spot for book lovers just up the road in New Port Richey.

A Novel in the Neighborhood officially opened March 1, and it’s a family-owned, family-run bookstore designed to feel welcoming and community focused. The owners say it’s meant to be a space where you can browse, relax, play a board game, and just enjoy being around books.

County Targeting Run-Down Properties

You’ve probably noticed a few abandoned commercial buildings along U.S. 19 and 41 that haven’t exactly aged well. Pasco County is looking to address that.

Commissioner Mike Moore is proposing a new ordinance that would give property owners 30 days after a citation to clean up blighted properties. If nothing changes by day 61, fines could begin or the building could face possible tear-down.

The idea is to improve the look of major corridors and remove obstacles that could slow future growth in the county.

Pasco County Animal Services Presents: Riggs

Riggs (A039272) is a stunningly handsome 2-year old blue & white neutered mixed breed weighing 67 pounds. Riggs is on a special adoption/rescue plea and needs a hero. Despite his striking looks and friendly demeanor, Riggs has been overlooked for months. He arrived as a stray from Port Richey, and no owner came for him. Shelter life has been tough on Riggs, and we’re concerned about his declining mental health. In his kennel, he displays barking, some lunging, and leash reactivity. He is also starting to show some food aggression – these behaviors all indicate elevated kennel stress, and he needs out of the shelter immediately. If you have a quiet place for him to land, you can help save Riggs from further decline. Adoption or a rescue transfer are both options. Help Riggs today!

Pasco County Animal Services
19640 Dogpatch Lane
Land O Lakes, FL 34638
Tues - Thurs 12-5:30pm
Fri - Sat 12-6:30pm
(813) 929-1212
MyPasco.net/PAS

Also, there’s a big event coming up. Big hearts, mark your calendars. 🐾 Pasco County is coming together for a massive one-day adoption event you won’t want to miss.

Pasco Mega Adoption Event
🗓 Saturday, March 14 | 10 am to 6 pm
📍 Pasco County Fairgrounds, Dade City

• Dozens of adoptable pets from shelters and rescue partners across Pasco
• Vendors and food trucks on site
• Live broadcast from Hits 106 from 1 to 3 pm

If you’ve been thinking about adding a furry friend to your family, this might be the perfect day to do it.

A Huge Thank You to our wonderful local partners!

Zephyrhills Airport Gearing Up

The Zephyrhills airport is keeping up with the growth of Pasco county.

City Council approved a $5.47 million project to extend the runway from 4,694 feet to 6,200 feet, along with expanding Taxiway B and adding an access road. The goal is simple: accommodate larger aircraft and attract more industrial development. The runway extension is expected to be finished by November.

The airport already sees about 50,000 takeoffs and landings each year. Next up: new corporate-style jet hangars, a fuel farm upgrade, road connections to Alston Avenue, and a $3.2 million rehab of Taxiway A with new lighting and signage. Grants from the FAA and FDOT are helping cover much of the cost.

Rays Stadium Meetings Start This Week

Looks like the Rays stadium conversation is officially moving from headlines to public meetings. The team just announced the first three community engagement sessions where residents can hear the plan and weigh in.

All sessions run 6:30–8 p.m.:
• March 3 at Hillsborough Community College – Dale Mabry Campus
• March 10 at Jefferson High School
• March 11 at The Skills Center

Rays leadership and Hillsborough College officials will share updates on the proposed new ballpark and mixed-use district, answer questions, and gather feedback. More dates are expected soon.

New Breeze Flights From TPA

We’ve got an airport-themed edition today, and this one’s for anyone itching to plan a trip.

Starting in July, Breeze Airways is adding new nonstop flights out of Tampa International Airport to Fort Lauderdale and Atlantic City on July 1, and Columbus on July 3. As a bonus, they’re also doubling service to Nassau, Bahamas, bringing it up to four flights per week.

More nonstop options usually mean more flexibility and often better pricing. If one of those cities has been on your radar, you’ve got a few more ways to get there now.

Second Chance After Beach Scare

This one really makes you stop for a minute.

A Zephyrhills man, Bruce Brown, is sharing his survival story after going into cardiac arrest during a beach trip in Palm Beach County last summer. Three strangers, a nurse, a doctor, and a Navy veteran, performed CPR for 45 minutes and used an AED to revive him after his heart stopped four times.

Now eight months into recovery, Brown has a defibrillator implanted and calls it his “second life.” He’s speaking out during American Heart Month to encourage others to learn CPR and pay attention to their heart health.

I hope this answers the question, “What is there to do around town without having to drive down to Tampa?”

If you’re looking for everything happening around town, the full Community Calendar is still the best place to go. Or, you can find the full list here.

We’ll be on Instagram with updates wherever we end up. Feel free to slide into our DM’s.

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