Dade City News

05/30/2024

The intersection of CR 52, Pompanic Street,
and College Avenue is scheduled to close beginning Wednesday, June 5. This is an around-the-clock closure for all CR 52 thru-traffic. CR 52 is expected to reopen in approximately mid-to-late August, weather permitting. The closure is needed for continued construction of a new roundabout at the intersection.

DETOUR: Motorists will detour around the closed area of CR 52 using State Road 52 between Curley Road and Prospect Road. There are also local detours in place for Pompanic Street and College Avenue, as these roads currently do not have access to CR 52. To access downtown San Antonio from CR 52, drivers can use Curley Street or Joe Herrmann Drive.

04/09/2024

Bruce Jones

Bruce Jones (Spyider), 75 of Dade City passed away March 28. He is survived by his daughters Wendy (Jimmy) Williams and Cindy (Gary)
Riesenbeck, 4 granddaughters, 2 grandsons & many great grand babies.

He was preceded in death by his wife Jacalyn (Geri Dietz), father and mother (Alva & Louise) Jones, son Bennie Jones, sisters Joyce Deniker & Sandra Hitchcock . He was well known in the community.

01/12/2024

For those that don't know, we are devastated to say one of our softball families has lost their beautiful daughter/sister. And to us, family is everything. Our Florida Misfits Fastpitch Softball team is trying to help out this family out. Kayla passed away on 12/30/23. She left behind 3 children 10, 6 and 5. So we have teamed up with ABC Pizza in Dade City to help raise funds to help out this family. We are selling spaghetti dinner tickets between now and Feb 1, 2024. If you buy a ticket you will get to not only help out this family but you will get a great spaghetti dinner, salad and a roll all for just $20. Pickup date for the dinners will be from 5-7 on Wednesday Feb 7th. If you can not make it pick up the dinner and would just like to donate, that would be amazing as well. If you have any questions, or would like to buy tickets, please see any Florida Misfits Fastpitch Softball player or message Lesa at 813-428-1869.

01/06/2024

Kumquat Festival sent for Jan. 27

The 27th Annual Kumquat Festival is set for Saturday Jan. 27, in Downtown Dade City, centered around Pasco County’s iconic historic courthouse and brought to you by AdventHealth Dade City, the City of Dade City, and dozens of other valued sponsors.

According to the Dade City Chamber of Commerce, over 20,000 attendees including Florida residents from Tampa Bay and surrounding counties, winter residents, tourists and “day trippers” will enjoy a day of fun, shopping, and entertainment. Admission is free, parking is available in the downtown area, and entertainment is provided by food and beverage venue partners.

The festival celebrates the “little gold gem of the citrus industry” and, in partnership with Kumquat Growers Inc, showcases all the wonderful advantages of this versatile, tasty, and healthy fruit.
Historic Downtown Dade City will be transformed into a gigantic arts and crafts mecca focused on local businesses, specialty vendors, dozens of partner sponsors, and the friendly, down home, unique old Florida experience that the Annual Kumquat Festival has delivered for over 26 years.

Festival attendees will have the opportunity to try all the items available including kumquat pie, kumquat salsa, and numerous kumquat recipe specialties. Patrons can shop for crafts, enjoy the art displays, and visit the “Health and Wellness” section. There will be a children’s activity area, a classic car show, craft Kumquat beer and wine.

12/26/2023

11/20/2023

A 53-year-old Dade City man was killed this morning when his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck at the intersection of Wire Road and US 301, Florida Highway Patrol reported.

According to FHP, a Chevy Silverado, driven by an 82-year-old Michigan man was traveling westbound on Wire Road and was stopped at the stop sign. The motorcyclist was traveling north on US 301. At the intersection, the driver of the pickup truck failed to yield and entered the path of the motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene.

11/17/2023

Dade City Receives 1.75 million in Federal Funding from Bilirakis
Community Budget Request

Earlier today, the city of Dade City received $1,750,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help fund the relocation and upgrade of its current wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).

The current WWTP was built within the historically black community of Mickens-Harper in the 1950s and is nearing capacity. These federal funds were secured by Congressman Gus Bilirakis as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022. In total, the Act funded 483 water infrastructure projects in communities across the country.

“While I am no proponent of big government spending, and I am
actively working to rein in Washington’s reckless behavior, I do
have a duty to ensure my community receives its fair share of allocated federal resources," said Congressman Gus Bilirakis. “It is important for me to be transparent about my efforts to prioritize important community needs and provide targeted support. I am proud to have secured this funding for a project Dade City and the residents of Mickens-Harper have hoped for since 2011, and I’ll keep working to address water quality issues throughout Florida’s 12th Congressional District.

This relocation project will provide significant environmental benefits to the area, given that the current site is adjacent to the Green Swamp, where the Withlacoochee River meets the Hillsborough River Watersheds. Relocating the WWTP will provide better protection for adjacent waterways due to the use of a 3-stage biological nutrient removal process. Relocation of the WWTP will also improve conditions for the Mickens-Harper neighborhood.

Added benefits include reduced noise, traffic and odors, while creating more open space and improving aesthetics. Additionally, the city asserts that the project will provide economic benefits and create 150 new jobs during the construction process.

The City of Dade City is grateful for our partnership with
Congressman Bilirakis and his advocacy in securing funding to upgrade and relocate the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant,” said City Manager Leslie Porter. “The funding makes it possible to fast-track this important project. The current plant, constructed in the 1950’s, was built in the Historic Mickens-Harper neighborhood. As Dade City continues moving in a forward direction, relocating the plant will address that environmental injustice. The City is committed to providing our residents in this community a better quality of life. As our existing plant nears capacity, the new facility will accommodate growth while protecting our watershed and waterbodies. This benefits us all.”

11/05/2023

Martha Wilson Laine, 89, of Hampstead, North Carolina passed away on October 27, 2023 in Hampstead, North Carolina.

She was born on March 14, 1934 in Belmont, Ohio to Charles and Cecily Wilson. She was a lifelong member of the church of Christ.

She enjoyed going for walks, doing crossword puzzles, going to the beach, needlework, reading, playing cards, sewing, singing, going to church and most of all spending time with her family.

She is survived by her daughters: Tanis Clark of Sneads Ferry, North Carolina, Shelly Laine of Surf City, North Carolina, and Cecilia Laine of Surf City, North Carolina; grandchildren: Samantha Smith (Shawn), Chase Clark (Julieanne), and Jade Watts (Nolan); great-grandchildren: Logan, Connor, Wyatt, and Esme; and niece: Joyce Grellis of St. Louis, Missouri. She is preceded in death by her husband: John W. Laine; son: John W. Laine, II; siblings: Herb Wilson, Paul Wilson and Ruth Pickenpaugh.

A service will be held Monday, November 6, 2023 at 2 PM (visitation from 1-2 PM) at Purcell Chapel in Bushnell, Florida. Interment will follow at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida.

Condolences may be sent to the family at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.purcellfuneralhome.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7C7654fed2dfdd43d64d1208dbdc9f038b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638346347742196765%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=smZRJUiuL2ve6koLxa9hPGZiw8tXyOcEH3AdQMWvtKU%3D&reserved=0.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Purcell Chapel of Beyers Funeral Home.