The Weekly roundup

Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Land O Lakes, Zephyrhills

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Fired Up funding expected to help Pasco Fire Station 4 project get started

It took eight years, a whole lot of paperwork, and probably more coffee than we’ll ever know, but Fire Station 4 is finally happening. That’s right, Pasco Fire Rescue is officially breaking ground on a brand-new station off SR-54 near Portico Street. And no, this isn’t just a shiny new garage for fire trucks. It’s a critical piece of infrastructure for a part of Pasco County that’s been growing faster than a middle school group chat.

If you’re near Odessa, Bexley, or Meadow Pointe, you’ve seen the growth firsthand. Calls for help have jumped from 75,000 a year in 2020 to over 100,000 today. Up until now, Odessa has relied on backup from other stations, which can mean longer wait times when seconds matter. Station 4 fixes that by putting help right in the neighborhood.

And this isn’t some outdated building with folding chairs and a coffee pot. It’s got clean zones to keep firefighters safe from dangerous chemicals, hurricane-hardened walls, and room for ambulances, fire engines, and maybe even a ladder truck down the line. It’s built for right now and ready for what’s next.

The state is putting in $3.4 million to help cover the cost, with the full project expected to land somewhere around $10 million. But really, how do you put a price on faster response times and safer neighborhoods?

So the next time you’re driving past Portico and see construction crews at work, give a little nod of appreciation. That building means help is getting closer, and our growing community is getting stronger.

Around The Town

Seniors in Pinellas & Pasco Are Feeling the Heat

Imagine your grandma calling to say her AC’s out and she’s sweating through a Florida summer with a fan from 1993. That’s not just a random “oops” moment, it’s the kind of crisis hundreds of seniors in our area face every year. And the one program that’s been helping them keep the lights on and the air flowing is now at risk of disappearing.

The Area Agency on Aging has been using federal dollars to help low-income seniors pay their utility bills. Last year, they helped more than 500 people. This year, they’re already close to 400. The people getting help aren’t trying to run up the electric bill playing Xbox all night. These are folks using oxygen machines, taking care of grandkids, and choosing between food and power. And now the federal budget for 2026 doesn’t include funding for the program at all.

No funding means more seniors facing shutoffs, more calls for emergency help, and more families scrambling to step in. And while this mostly affects Pasco and Pinellas right now, Wesley Chapel is not immune. If you’ve got aging parents, neighbors, or even customers, this matters.

This isn’t about politics or paperwork. It’s about keeping our most vulnerable neighbors safe and cool when Florida turns into a steam room. So if this hits home for you, or if you just want to be part of the solution, start by spreading the word. Ask your elected officials what they’re doing about it. Let them know it matters.

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