6 Things You Should Know Today, Dec. 14

1.     It will be mostly sunny today with temperatures reaching a high near 75.

2.     Drive through Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, at 10500 Wilderness Rd, New Port Richey, tonight to see a display of holiday lights, starting at 6 p.m.

3.     Here are some things you missed at the New Port Richey City Council Work Session:  The City Council gave the green light for city staff to request credentials of potential developers of the First Baptist Church site. The city's Strategic Redevelopment Action Plan calls for sale of the property, on which the church stood before it was razed after the city purchased it. The plan recommends residential development there. 

4. After a brief heated discussion, the NPR city council consented to wait as much as 30 days for the Department of the Interior to weigh in on whether a westward expansion of the Hacienda Hotel is acceptable.

5.     City Manager John Schneiger a got a green light to seek a partnership with the administrators of Community Hospital, soon to be known as Medical Center of Trinity, to create a plan for redevelopment of space the hospital leaves behind when it moves most services out of the city. The surrounding neighborhood could also be addressed.  The city is interested in partnering with the hospital and the Pasco County Growth Administration department to pay for the $55,000 plan.

6.      The City Council gave the OK for staff to craft an ordinance that would allow people to bring beer bought at a local bar into a special event and bring it forward for first reading at a future regular council meeting.