City Council Wants to Move Toward 911 Dispatch Merger

The merger could lead to improved services.

It looks like New Port Richey City Council members like the sound of an idea that would put an end to city-run 911 dispatch services. The majority of council members made it clear during a workshop session with representatives from the Pasco County government and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Tuesday that they want to move toward merging the city’s dispatch services with the county’s. The merger could cost New Port Richey $36,166 in its first year, but the city could realize $90,283 annually in cost savings each subsequent year. The city would lose its ability to perform independent dispatch services under the merger. Pasco would offer the police department’s full-time staff jobs with no loss of salary or seniority. Jody Kenyon, Pasco's …

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Should City Merge 911 Dispatch with Pasco?

A merger with Pasco County could save New Port Richey $90,000 annually.

New Port Richey City Council members are talking tonight May 14, about the idea of doing away with city-run dispatch for emergency services. Assistant Pasco County administrator Michele Baker, Col. Brian Head from the Pasco Sheriffs Office, and Jody Kenyon, Pasco’s emergency 9-1-1 operations manager, are presenting the idea of merging the city’s dispatch services with the county’s at a council work session tonight at 7 p.m.   The merger could cost the city $36,166 in its first year, but the city could realize $90,283 annually in costing savings each subsequent year. The city would lose its ability to perform independent dispatch services under the merger. Pasco would offer the police department’s full-time staff jobs with no loss of salary…

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Alex Tiegen

9:58 am on Wednesday, May 15, 2013

I actually asked the county folks that last night. Part-timers will also be offered jobs   more ›

Man Shot in Rear Twice, Cops Trying to Find Shooter

New Port Richey Police are looking for the person responsible for a May 2 shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call 727-841-4550.

New Port Richey Police are looking for help to identify a man they say entered a home last Friday and shot a man inside twice in the "rear end area." The shooting took place around 1:30 a.m. May 2. Police say a man entered the home, shot a man inside twice and then left.  Detective Sgt. Mike Anderson said it appears the shooter used a 9mm handgun. The victim, whose name isn't being released by authorities, was treated at a local hospital. He was later released. No other details in the case are available at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call 727-841-4550. Stay with New Port Richey Patch for updates.  

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Bus Driver Arrested at School Softball Game

Donna Mae Rogers refused to a sobriety test after people complained about her being impaired and also refused to comply with a police officer.

A bus driver for the Hernando County School system was arrested Tuesday, April 30 at Gulf High School where the Hernando High School softball team faced the Gulf Bucs in the regional semi-finals. A New Port Richey police offer made contact with bus driver Donna Mae Rogers, 58, on Tuesday night after receiving numerous complaints from Hernando students and staff that she was impaired by an unknown drug, according to an arrest report. The officer led Rogers away from public eyes and asked if she would submit to a sobriety test. When he began to explain his reasons for asking, she became “extremely irate,” according to the report.  Rogers tried to walk away form the officer and ignored his commands, the report said. She struggled when the …

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Patient at Medical Center of Trinity West Accused of Rape

Bryan Joachinson snuck into a patient room and violently raped her, according to police

A patient at the Medical Center of Trinity’s West Pasco Campus in New Port Richey stands accused of raping a fellow patient.  A woman with a mental disability told a New Port Richey police officer recently that a patient named Bryan violently raped her in her bathroom at the facility on Tuesday, April 23, according to an arrest report. Medical Center of Trinity’s West Pasco Campus, the former Community Hospital property, houses a mental health ward. The police officer viewed security footage and saw Bryan Joachinson sneak into the door of the unit housing the woman after staff went through a door. He is usually confined in a different area of the facility than her. An examination of the woman revealed signs of rape.  Joachinson, 19, was …

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Girls' Break-In Causes $10,000 Damage

A 13-year-old and another girl broke into a business, and the 13-year-old unleashed water that caused damage inside.

A 13-year-old girl accused of breaking into a New Port Richey business with someone else and doing more than $10,0000 in damage there was arrested Monday, April 22.   The girl broke into Wash Tub Laundry, 6051 Massachussets Ave, on Jan. 29 at around 4 a.m. with another girl, according to a New Port Richey police report.  Once inside, a girl used “some type of edged weapon” to cut all the water hoses that deliver to six washing machine units, according to the report. A hard and steady flow of water was unleashed. Ceiling tiles, washing machines, electrical components, insulation and paperwork were damaged. The break-in was caught on a surveillance camera, according to the report. The 13-year-old was identified as one of the offenders. The …

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Attacks at Pagan Author's Home Raise Concerns

Kyrja Withers is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is behind a March shooting and April "bombing" at her property.

Heather Withers was outside the colorful house her father and stepmother live in on Washington Street in New Port Richey on the evening of April 15 when she saw a blue car on Washington. The vehicle passed the house going south and then turned around and came back toward the home. She said there was a young man in the driver’s seat and another in the front passenger seat with his body sticking out of the window. She said the driver was also coming out of the window. There was also a young man in the backseat. She says two bottles with fluid inside were thrown at the house from within the vehicle on its return alongside the home. One landed near a bush in the front yard of the house. She saw the bottle expand and tried to get away before it…

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Brigid

10:48 pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Charity, Did you read the article? People drove by her house yelling f'ing witch. The kids that her husband pulled over TOLD HIM the house was being targeted for that reason. I am studying Wicca myself and one major thing that attracted me to it was the freedom of expression and lack of judgment. Therefore, your comments really surprise me.   more ›

Woman Left Toddler in Hot Car, Deputies Say

Sarah Lacy was charged with child neglect after leaving the girl in her car for 24 mnutes, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Man Accused of Stabbing Woman with Scissors

William Jackson was arrested and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

A woman got into an argument with William Jackson in a house on Riverview Drive in New Port Richey on Monday, April 8. It turned physical, and the man grabbed a pair of scissors, according to an arrest report from the New Port Richey Police Department. He knocked her to the floor in the kitchen area and stabbed her right elbow. She sustained a wound and was taken to a hospital.   Jackson was arrested and charged with aggravated domestic battery with a deadly weapon.  

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Deputies: Woman Left Toddler in Hot Car

Sarah Lacy was charged with child neglect after leaving the girl in her car for 24 mnutes, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

A New Port Richey woman stands accused of leaving a 2 1/2-year-old girl unattended in a locked car in a Walmart parking lot with the windows up and no air conditioning. Sarah Lacy left her child in the car for 24 minutes in the afternoon on Sunday, April 7, according to an arrest report from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The report says it was 81 degrees outside the car. The report says Lacy went to her car to get a debit car at one point during this incident and then went back into the store. Someone saw the girl in the car and informed store employees. There were at least five announcements made on the store overhead speakers as both the sheriff’s office and fire rescue responded to the scene. Fire rescue broke out a window to …

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