Land O' Lakes and Lutz — your local wire.

Public Safety

Hillsborough expands vaping detectors to middle, K-8 schools

By Land O' Lakes-Lutz Courier staff · September 3, 2026 · 1 min read

Two hands holding cigarettes and e-cigarettes against a dark background in a CDC graphic. — A CDC infographic highlights the rapid growth of e-cigarette use among middle and high school students, noting that by 2013 more than a quarter million students who had never smoked regular cigarettes had used e-cigarettes — three times the number from 2011. — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public domain) via Wikimedia Commons

Public Safety

Hillsborough expands vaping detectors to middle, K-8 schools

By Land O' Lakes-Lutz Courier staff · September 3, 2026 · 1 min read

Public Safety

Hillsborough expands vaping detectors to middle, K-8 schools

By Land O' Lakes-Lutz Courier staff · September 3, 2026 · 1 min read

Parents at K-8 campuses such as Lutz K-8 will soon see vaping detectors in school bathrooms after Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) announced an expansion of the technology on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

The devices detect airborne vapor and send alerts to school administrators. They do not record audio or video, according to the district's announcement on X. HCPS high schools already use the same type of detector.

Smoking and vaping are prohibited on all HCPS campuses. The district directed families to its Student Code of Conduct for details on consequences tied to vaping violations.

The announcement did not name specific schools, provide an installation timeline or disclose the cost of the expansion.

More local news

Exterior of a Bahama Breeze restaurant location in Orlando, Florida.

Business

Lutz Bahama Breeze closes Nov. 7, reopens as Yard House

Bahama Breeze at 25830 Sierra Center Blvd. in Lutz will close Nov. 7 and reopen as a Yard House on Dec. 9 as parent company Darden Restaurants retires the brand nationwide.

September 3, 2026 · 2 min read

Local Government

Pasco deputies arrest Crews Lake student over viral threat trend

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office arrested a 12-year-old Crews Lake Middle School student on charges of making written threats to kill tied to the viral "Cat in the Hat" social media trend, saying there was no threat to campus safety and urging parents to discuss consequences with their children.

September 2, 2026 · 2 min read

Man eating sushi at the sushi bar, close-up

Business

Michelin-starred team brings sushi spot Toro to Odessa

Eric and Adriana Fralick, the team behind Tampa's Michelin-starred Koya and Noble Rice, plan to open Toro, a sushi and ramen restaurant, at the Shoppes at Starkey Crossing on Gunn Highway in Odessa as early as October.

September 2, 2026 · 1 min read

Flat lay of school supplies including notebook, pencils, and ruler on white background.

Community

DAVRON donates $5,000, school supplies to Land O' Lakes nonprofit

DAVRON, a Land O' Lakes executive search firm, donated $5,000 and collected school supplies for Christian Social Services through its Backpacks for Kids drive, while more than a dozen Lutz and Odessa students earned honors at universities across the country.

September 2, 2026 · 2 min read

Aerial infrared view of a wildfire showing orange flames, dark burned area, and rising smoke.

Local Government

Pasco fire crews deploy to 90,000-acre Texas wildfire

Pasco County Fire Rescue deployed its Brush Truck Strike Team to help fight the Ross Fire in North Texas, a 90,000-acre blaze that ranks as the region's second-largest wildfire on record.

September 2, 2026 · 2 min read

A Flock Safety license plate reader camera on a pole with a solar panel in front of a brick house.

Public Safety

Pasco sheriff ends plate reader deal after commission clash

Sheriff Chris Nocco terminated Pasco County's interlocal agreement for 60 license-plate reader cameras after two August commission meetings revealed a board majority opposed to the program, but 110 privately owned cameras remain active across the county.

September 1, 2026 · 3 min read

Megan O'Neill

Megan published her first poem in the Sun Sentinel at the age of 11 and has been locked in ever since. She attended UF and FIU and has a degree in Communication Arts. Her professional background includes photography, editing, writing, translation, and graphic design. Megan enjoys learning language, art and vegan foods.

Megan O'Neill