Improvements To Brandon Intersection Announced
Improvements at the intersection of Parsons Avenue/John Moore Road and Lumsden Road are now planned which will include a number of turn lanes and traffic signal modifications.
About two dozen local residents signed in and showed their interest in connection with the county’s proposed improvements at the intersection of Parsons Ave./John Moore Rd. and Lumsden Rd. in Brandon during a recent public meeting at Brandon’s Center Place, located at 619 Vonderburg Dr.
According to Hillsborough County officials, the $2.7 million project will include the addition of eastbound and westbound right-turn lanes on Lumsden Rd., as well as the addition of a southbound right-turn lane on Parsons Ave.
In addition, modifications will be made to the median and the existing traffic signal to reflect the changes.
The proposed improvements include adding a designated eastbound right-turn lane on Lumsden Rd. to provide approximately 160 feet of storage length and adding a designated westbound right-turn lane on Lumsden Rd. to provide approximately 285 feet of storage length.
As for Parsons Ave., the proposed improvements include the addition of a designated southbound right-turn lane on Parsons Ave. to provide approximately 150 feet of storage length, as well as a raised concrete median on Parson Ave.
Concerned about the proposed cement barrier on Parsons Ave., Valrico resident David Morrow asked the department to advise him on how motorists will be able to enter the businesses on the east side of the road.
“I am against this cement barrier on the north side of Parsons,” Morrow said and asked, “What can be done?”
The project design is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month.
The acquisition of the required right of way is scheduled to be completed with in the next year.
Construction is scheduled to start late 2011 and be completed by late 2012 and is funded in its entirety by Capital Improvement funds. Visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org.
County Hosts Public Meeting Discussing Boyette Rd. Widening
Hillsborough County Engineering Division Public Works Project Manager William “Reg” Alford talks to local residents during a recent public meeting held in connection with the Boyette Rd. widening project at St. Stephens Catholic School in Riverview.
The good news is that the long-awaited third phase of the Boyette Rd. widening project is set to begin this month. The bad news, however, according to residents attending a recent public meeting are the expected increase in stop-and-go traffic and the proposed finished product, which did not get much support during the meeting held at St. Stephens Catholic School, located at 10424 St. Stephens Cir. in Riverview.
As expected, county officials, led by Hillsborough County Engineering Division Public Works Project Manager William “Reg” Alford faced a full house of local residents who wasted no time expressing their dislikes. They voiced opposition to the county’s free flowing “u-turn” solution, lack of noise reduction measures and inability to answer basic questions about the reasons for the delays that has also marked the project’s earlier phase.
The current construction project includes widening Boyette Rd. from a two-lane road to a four-lane divided road between McMullen and Bell Shoals roads. It will also include grass medians in various areas as well as sidewalks and bicycle lanes on both sides of the road.
Alford said that the three miles of construction, the costliest of the total project, is estimated to begin in mid-August 2010, with a completion date sometime in the winter of 2014, a far cry from an earlier project-length estimate of 18-24 months.
“This phase of the project is scheduled to last 1,280 days, costing a total of an estimated $22 million,” he said.
The contract for this phase of the project was awarded by the county to Prince Contracting earlier this year and is led by Construction Project Manager, Dana Mackey.
While the preliminary utility work has already begun, phase III is proving to be the most challenging portion of the project, thanks to the removal of the Bell Creek Bridge, located about a half a mile west of Bell Shoals Rd., which will be replaced with two new bridges.
Before demolishing the old bridge the county is planning to build a new two-lane bridge. Once the old bridge is complete, workers will start on the second two-lane bridge.
Access roads are also scheduled to be built to ease traffic during the construction, but, according to Alford, the troublesome Boyette/Bell Shoals roads and FishHawk Blvd. intersection will not see much relief until the end of the project.
The meeting also revealed that upon completion of the road work, Bell Creek subdivision residents, along with residents living in a number of adjacent communities alongside Boyette Rd., will no longer be able to turn left onto the future four-lane divided roadway.
To continue their westbound travels, motorists will be required to attempt a u-turn maneuver at the nearest intersection: seen as an inconvenience, this option reminds many of the Boyette Rd. project’s phase II blunder, which, after numerous complaints, was eventually corrected by the county.
Summing up the meeting, Riverview resident Kelly Legg, who uses Boyette Rd. as part of her daily commute, said, “I believe that while a lot of questions were answered by the county officials during the meeting, many more were created.”
Hillsborough County Spokesperson Steve Valdez shared a positive outlook of this phase of the project, when he said, “The public is now satisfied with the results of phase II, and we are confident that when the last phase is over, they will feel the same way.”
Unfortunately, satisfaction did not seem to be the identifying mark of the recent meeting, giving county officials much to reconsider, even as construction commences.
For more information about the Boyette Rd. construction project, please visit www.hillsboroughcounty.gov.
District Sets New Watering Schedule
Beginning in July, Hillsborough County residents were once again allowed to water their lawns two days a week.
“It’s the first time in more than three years that twice-weekly watering will be allowed,” said Hillsborough County Water Resource Services Community Relations Coordinator, Michelle Van Dyke.
The district declared a water shortage in January of 2007. Seven counties were subject to additional phase III restrictions in 2008 and 2009, followed by the most aggressive, phase IV restrictions, in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.
Van Dyke explained that easing the restrictions was in response to significant improvements in the levels of the aquifer, rivers and public water storage supplies, but cautioned of some additional changes involving irrigation timers and settings.
“If you live in unincorporated Hillsborough County, you must erase all irrigation timer settings and throw away any reminders with the old two-day-a-week schedule,” she said. “The new schedule is different and also departs from the general schedule listed on Swiftmud’s Website.”
Hillsborough County residents are once again allowed to water their lawns two days a week.
The restrictions apply to all residents of unincorporated Hillsborough County – not just Water Resource Services customers – and most water sources, which include private wells, and ponds or lakes that are used as alternate irrigation supplies. All watering must be done before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
According to Van Dyke, dividing the schedule over six days will also reduce the heavy demand on the county’s water treatment plants during peak times.
Residents may water plants and shrubs by hand, or use a drip irrigation system in landscaping beds at any time. There are also special rules for watering new sod and plantings.
While there are no restrictions on fountains, car washing and pressure washing, these customers are encouraged to use only what they need. Reclaimed water customers are exempt from the watering restrictions.
For complete information on the twice-weekly schedule, rules for watering new sod and plantings and other restrictions, visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org/water, call 275-7094 or call the Water Conservation Team at 272-5977, ext. 43991, during regular business hours.
Bloomingdale Community Station Moves To New Location
Bloomingdale Community Resource Deputy Curtis Warren sits behind his desk at the substation’s new office, now located at 3622 Erindale Dr. in Valrico.
After 12 years of serving the community at its original location on Bell Shoals Ave., the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office District IV Bloomingdale Community Substation has changed its residency and moved into a new office located at 3622 Erindale Dr.
The new 1,225-sq.-ft. office, open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., located directly behind Car Wash on the Greens, just north of the Erindale Plaza, will occupy a spot tucked in between its new neighbors, the Keller Williams Reality Office and Edward Jones.
“This was a big change, as well as a sudden move for us, and we did not even know at our last meeting for sure when or where we would be going,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Community Service Officer Sandra Capitano. “The office is very nice and much larger, but we will miss our ‘neighbors’ at the Bell Shoals Plaza.”
The changes, however big, are not new to the station. It has seen and experienced the growth within the Bloomingdale community firsthand during the past decade, recently retiring Community Resource Deputy (CRD) Peter Maurer and welcoming Curtis Warren, who took the position less than four months ago, as the new CRD.
Capitano and Warren both spoke highly of the amenities the new location offers, including an extra 300 sq. feet of office space, which besides Warren’s personal office, sports three additional private offices for detectives, such as Property Crime Detective James Howell.
A much more discreet spot for fingerprinting, a private room for questioning suspects, front and rear entrances, and a new kitchen and restroom complete the layout. “It’s a beautiful building at a great location,” Warren said.
The station will continue the handling of community complaints, responding to property crime, working with residents through the citizen’s patrol program, handling fraud reports and the hosting the station’s monthly community council meetings, normally held on the third Thursday of each month.
A grand opening celebration is now planned for the new office on Thursday, August 5 from 1-3 p.m., welcoming Sherriff David Gee, Senator Ronda Storms (R-10) and members of the Hillsborough County Commission. Call 635-8040 or www.hcso.tampa.fl.us.
Local Sponsors Contribute to Summer Bible and Basketball Camp’s Success
Local Sponsors Contribute to Summer Bible and Basketball Camp’s Success
By Tamas Mondovics
What do 18 coaches, 26 corporate sponsors, 93 children and $4,000 in cash and donations equal? One of the most successful summer camps in the area. Bibles and Basketball Summer Camp—as it has come to be called over the years—was once again hosted by Immanuel Lutheran Church and School and led by Ed Treimanis, Chief Financial Planner of Ameriprise Financial Services, who was proud to announce that this year’s camp was an overwhelming success. Due to the overwhelming support from local Platinum corporate sponsors, Women’s Care of Brandon, William F. Price Foundation, Treimanis, and the camp’s original sponsor Neal A. Kahn of Olin Mott Tire Store, Carlos Velez of the Orlando Magic, who has co-sponsored this year’s camp and other individual and corporate sponsors, for the first time all 93 children that attended camp did so free of cost. “Our goal to ensure that no child is turned away from our Bibles and Basketballs camp due to finances was reached beyond our expectation,” Treimanis said. “Originally, we were able to let the first 77 children enjoy the camp without cost, but after the support from the community, we knew this number would be much higher.” The camp concluded with a pizza party as well as an evening charity basketball tournament at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, which welcomed more than 200 parents, fans and local sponsors, who came out to support the event and to give back to their community. Treimanis and the Immanuel Lutheran Annual Basketball Camp have chosen (Sharing Hope for Orphans and Every Soul) SHOES to receive half the proceeds of the charity game. “We would like to extend a special thank you to Dick’s Sporting Goods, who donated equipment and prizes for the camp including basketballs, Nike bags, whistles as well as gift certificates for coaches and volunteers and coupon books for basketball related items from Dick’s,” said Ameriprise intern Jeremy Whitehead. During a recently held banquet at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, at 9331 Adamo Dr., in Tampa, awards were handed out to coaches and players for their participation. Besides the willing support of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s management team, Treimanis also acknowledged Marie Gilmore of the Osprey Observer and the Christian Voice, along with Carlos Velez and Pat Williams of the Orlando Magic for getting the word out prior to camp. For further information feel free to call Treimanis 623-5713 or contact Immanuel Lutheran School at 685-1978. To learn more about SHOES, please visit www.destinyshouse.com/shoes.
Pate’s Tae Kwon Do Academy Post Success at National Tournament
For the third year in a row, students of Pate’s Tae Kwon Do Academy in Riverview attended the 2009 AAU Tae Kwon Do National Tournament held at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale last month. The size of this year’s tournament, was approximately 1,800 competitors and was broken down into the following categories: novice, intermediate, advanced and black belt. The academy earned two gold and one silver medal as well as three bronze medals, which speaks highly of the academy’s strength in the sport.
First place winners in the Sparring competitions were 10-year-old Nigel Hart and 6-year-old Grace Stalker. While also sparring, 10-year-old Chasen Brown placed third. Twelve-year-old Mikeala Hemenway placed second Sparring and third in Forms. In the adult competition, Trish Hemenway placed third in Sparring and Forms. All of the students reside in Riverview, while Hart has been training at the academy for the past four years.
Not surprised by the success of his students, Head Instructor Robert Pate was very pleased of his team’s performance. “Our students competed in Olympic-style Sparring and Forms and always work hard to produce great results when participating in tournaments,” Pate said, adding, “They are proud and feel a great sense of accomplishment.”
Pate’s Tae Kwon Do Academy, located at 11266 Boyette Rd. in Riverview, focuses on the teaching of self-defense, self-discipline and physical conditioning, which are being taught to both children and adults, while offering martial arts classes in the evenings for the whole family. After-school care and summer camps for children are also a part of the program. “For our after-school program, we offer transportation from several schools in Riverview, and the children participate in martial arts classes every day,” Pate said.
Pate has been studying martial arts for over 20 years and, in 1992, won Grand Champion at the USA Tae Kwon Do Championships in Jacksonville, Florida. He also won a silver medal at the 1994 World Tae Kwon Do Championships in London, England. “My passion is to share my expertise in Tae Kwon Do and to motivate and encourage my students toward a true sense of self-accomplishment,” he said, mentioning that some of the many benefits of his martial arts program include enhanced self-esteem, confidence, discipline, the learning of self-defense and strengthening of the mind and body.
While celebrating the recent success, the students looked forward to training for the upcoming competition scheduled to be held in at Walt Disney World in October.
For more information about Pate’s Tae Kwon Do Academy, please visit www.patesmartialarts.com or call the academy at 758-3934.
Florida Class of Judo Instructor Honored for Six Decades of Service
Having a day proclaimed or named after someone by the mayor of a major city like Tampa is not something that happens every day, unless you are eighth-degree black belt Judo instructor, professor Ed Maley, who is celebrating 60 years of teaching the martial arts, 50 of which in the Tampa Bay area. Mayor of Tampa, Pam Iorio is scheduled to proclaim Saturday, September 12 as “Professor Ed Maley Day,” encouraging citizens to honor Maley for his achievements and dedication to playing such a major role in Tampa’s sports history. The reading of the proclamation is scheduled for Wednesday, September 2, at 9 a.m. during the county commissioners’ meeting.
Maley’s long history of teaching Judo locally includes the opening of the Florida School of Judo, which began offering classes in 1959, but Maley can also be credited with working with more than 80,000 students of all ages at not only his school, but also at various YMCA facilities and recreation centers.
The numerous awards received by Maley include the 1988 Platinum Award for 50 years of teaching, the 2004 Hillsborough County Son & Daughter Award and the 2008 Black Belt magazine’s Best Traditional Judo School in the Unites States. He is included in the Black Belt World of GI Halls of Fame and has won seven consecutive championships. He has served and taught for the past six decades.
While flattered to be honored by members of the community, Maley has a simple goal: “I would like to have well adjusted students who give back to the sport, rather than students who are strictly competitors and only take from you and move on,” he said. “I want to see them reach their goals whether it is going to the Olympics or simply bettering themselves by being part of a team and working with others.”
According to now Sensei Marry Alaynick, the Florida School of Judo has more certified black belt instructors teaching under Maley than any other school in the state of Florida, posting a black belt knowledge equivalent to more than 350 years of teaching. But, while Alaynick is proud of the school’s size and impressive statistics, she wanted to emphasize that the real success of Maley’s class reaches far beyond the gym. “He shows you how to apply the teachings of Judo to everyday life,” Alaynick said. “Many of his students have grown up and given back to our community as lawyers, realtors, insurance brokers, physicians, chiropractors and military personnel, just to name a few. Many are now bringing their children and grandchildren to learn from professor Maley.”
To celebrate Maley’s 60th anniversary, the Florida School of Judo is welcoming members of the community to a special workout party, scheduled to be held on Saturday, September 12, at the Campo Family YMCA, located at 3414 Culbreath Rd., in Valrico. The festivities will begin at 9 a.m., with lunch provided from 12 Noon -3 p.m.
For more information about the Florida school of Judo please visit www.floridaschoolofjudo.net or call the Campo Family YMCA at 684-1371.
Water Resource Services To Close SouthShore Customer Service Branch
If you prefer paying your water bill in person or want to handle some water service related business in person or have been and want to visit the County’s Water Resource Services office in Ruskin, you will now have to travel a bit farther. The downturn in the economy has claimed another Hillsborough County government office, which has been operating in full swing and has been caring for the needs of local residents since December of 2005. Hillsborough County Water Resource Services’ SouthShore customer service center, located inside the county’s SouthShore Regional Service Center at 410 30th St. S.E. in Ruskin has closed its doors as of early July, directing customers to the Brandon office located in the Brandon Crossings Shopping Center at S.R. 60 and Falkenburg Rd., and is open weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and offer a full range of services.
According to Hillsborough County Water Resource Services spokes person Michelle Van Dyke, the closing of the SouthShore office is one of several steps Water Resource Services has taken in recent months to trim costs. Van Dyke explained that although the number of customers has remained about the same as last year, residents are buying less water, either to cut costs or to conserve because of water restrictions related to the ongoing drought, but added that home foreclosures and bill defaults are also impacting the department. “The SouthShore office had approximately 1,500 visits a month from customers caring for services such as billing, payment and accounts services and was staffed with four employees, who now are assigned to other duties within the department,” Van Dyke said. Incidentally, Van Dyke also mentioned that while some water restrictions have been lifted, the board has extended the basic restrictions until Friday, July 31.
For more information, contact Water Resource Services Customer Service at 272-6680.
Mosaic Plans Big Bend Terminal Expansion
Rezoning for a proposed 500,000 sq.-ft. fertilizer storage warehouse building project near TECO at Mosaic Big Bend Phosphate Terminal Facility in Apollo Beach has been scheduled to go before the Hillsborough County Zoning Hearing Master at the end of this month.
According to Mosaic spokesperson Russell Schweiss, the new facility will save the company shipping and storage costs over the long run.“This new facility will help us lower the cost of distribution, thanks to the location as well as the additional automated conveyer technology system,” Schweiss said. While the start of the construction is planned for the summer of 2010, Schweiss was not able to comment on the cost. He did, however, mention that although the facility will only employ about 10 people, the construction project will provide jobs and boost the local economy.
Of course, as it is true with any new project, Mosaic also has a number of hurdles to get through before it can begin the construction of the facility located on U.S. 41, just north of the Tampa Electric Co.’s Big Bend Power Station. One of these hurdles is to address the concerns of the community, which Mosaic is happy to remedy hosting of a community meeting explaining its project. Schweiss explained that residents are mainly worried about noise and the increase in daily truck traffic, which will not be a notable increase in the community and should create very little noise.“Residents are encouraged to attend so all of the concerns can be addressed by company representatives present,” he said. The public meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 13, from 6–7:30 p.m. at the Apollo Beach Recreation Center, located at 664 Golf-to-Sea Blvd.
Mosaic’s new $20 million, 110,000 sq.-ft. headquarters building under construction near FishHawk Ranch in Lithia is on schedule as well providing jobs to about 400 existing employees with room for expansion.
For more information about the new Mosaic warehouse expansion please visit www.mosaicco.com, or visit www.apollobeachchamber.com, or call the chamber at 645-1366.
