WHAT: Walmart is hiring approximately 90 associates to work at the new Walmart Neighborhood Market slated to open this spring in Riverview. To facilitate applications, the retailer has opened a temporary hiring center at 10616 Riverview Drive.

The hiring center began accepting applications Monday, Jan. 16, and will continue accepting applications from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. Interested applicants can apply online at http://walmartstores.com/Careers.

According to store manager Ronald Freitas, the store will be hiring both full- and part-time associates. “We are excited to add this Walmart Neighborhood Market to Riverview and bring good jobs with career opportunities to the area,” he said. Freitas began his Walmart career in 1998 as an assistant manager at a store in Sarasota.

Freitas said associates are needed to work in all areas of the new store, including supervisory positions.

Walmart’s benefit program is available to eligible full- and part-time associates and provides a variety of affordable health and well-being benefits including medical insurance with no lifetime maximum. Walmart also offers matching 401(k) contributions of up to 6 percent of pay, discounts on general merchandise for store associates, an Associate Stock Purchase Program and company-paid life insurance. Additionally, eligible associates receive a quarterly incentive based on store performance.

The majority of associates will begin work in March to help prepare the store for its grand opening

WHERE:           Walmart Hiring Center                          New Riverview Walmart Neighborhood Market

10616 Riverview Drive                                      10863 Bloomingdale Ave.

Riverview, Fl                                                      Riverview, Fl

WHEN:             Hiring Center Opening Date: Monday, Jan. 16, 2012

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

TAMPA (February 1, 2012) — For more than five decades, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has set the industry’s standard for delivering unforgettable entertainment experiences, with Broadway-style stage spectaculars like KaTonga: Musical Tales From the Jungle and innovative ice shows like World Rhythms on Ice. Iceploration builds on that tradition and introduces audiences to the next generation of ice shows.

Starting February 2, a cast of 20 brings to life an all-new adventure filled with world-class skaters, more than 75 original costumes, amazing aerial performances, master puppetry and live animal stars, with shows daily in the Moroccan Palace.

“The grand scale of this show sets a new standard of entertainment that further solidifies Busch Gardens as one of Florida’s premier theme parks,” said Busch Gardens Park President Jim Dean. “Iceploration reintroduces the ice show to our most loyal fans while bringing together the things Busch Gardens stage productions do best: world-class entertainment with top-notch skaters, amazing costumes, original music, larger-than-life puppets and even animal stars.”

Iceploration inspires audiences to “explore the world” on a 30-minute journey to the four corners of the earth. This multi-sensory story, told through theatrical skating and an all-new original score, is the collaboration of an award-winning creative team with Broadway credentials, including Tony Award-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes (The Drowsy Chaperone, Best Costume Design Tony winner 2007; Legally Blonde the Musical, Best Costume Design Tony nominee 2007).

The 30-minute show opens with Austin, a digitally savvy preteen, who believes that technology has made his generation more connected to the world than ever before. But his grandfather – and old-world explorer – argues that the boy is more disconnected than he realizes, and takes him on an adventure around the globe. Through their travels they visit the African Serengeti, Great Barrier Reef, the Arctic and the Amazon rainforest.

The adventure unfolds as they arrive in the African Serengeti. Here, larger-than-life puppets and spectacular set design bring elephants and other awe-inspiring animals to life at a watering hole. Solo and chorus skating performances accompanied by acrobatics tell an anecdote of an agile cheetah stalking graceful gazelles and meerkats.

Austin and Grandpa then dive into the Great Barrier Reef to explore the harmony of life on the ocean floor. An amazing black light transition and never-before-seen helium-filled puppets immerse the audience in the wonders of the sea, filled with parrotfish and lionfish, sea urchins, turtles and a moray eel.

In the Arctic, majestic skaters become striking snow flurries as a winter storm threatens the travelers. Austin and Grandpa witness even more beauty as they encounter the Aurora Borealis phenomenon, represented with theatrical lighting and projections. Then, they share the stage with amazing live animal stars, including a Siberian lynx and a sled of Siberian huskies as they continue to traverse the tundra.

Austin and Grandpa wrap up their adventure around the globe immersed in the lush, tropical Amazon Rainforest. Squirrel monkeys, sun conures and colorful macaws fill the air as playful frogs and a graceful dragonfly skate into the grand finale: a new signature song called “Meet the World.”

Iceploration performances are included with any daily park admission or annual Pass. For more information, visit BuschGardens.com

If you’re not already a fan, “like” Busch Gardens Tampa Bay at facebook.com or check out the park’s blog at BuschGardensTampaBlog.com to get insider updates on Iceploration and all of the park’s happenings.

“Our lives are hectic!  The time we have to care for our personal needs is limited,” explains Alicia Schulhof, COO, Brandon Regional Hospital.  “We have family to tend to, children to play with and careers that cannot be put on hold.  Most of us are putting other priorities first and our health falls by the wayside.  This forum gives ladies an opportunity to learn together in a comfortable, educational and fun environment.  I am excited that so many members of our community, especially The Tampa Tribune, the Osprey Observer,  PNC Bank,  The Compounding Shop, Women’s Care of Brandon, and Brandon Mitsubishi joined together with Brandon Regional and South Bay Hospitals to help us put women’s health first.”

This informative and fun event begins at 8 a.m.  Women can visit with local vendors including but not limited to AAA Travel, Hope Chiropractic, We Skincare & Wellness, Advanced Diagnostics, The Bridges, YMCA, Revolution Cycle and Fitness and Live Well as well as enjoying pastries and coffee.

At 9 a.m. women can choose one of the following health talks:  Menopause, Hormones, Health and Happiness, given by Alice Honiker, MD; Immunizing Yourself Against Stress and Depression, given by Maulik Trivedi, MD; and Do Heavy Periods Put a Cramp In Your Life?, given by Karin Stanton, DO.

After a short break to visit with vendors, women are invited to attend one of the 10:30 a.m. health sessions:  Heartburn? Reflux? It’s Time to Talk, given by Gopal Grandhige, MD; Not Tonight Honey, I Have a Headache, given by Melisha Baldwin, MD; and The Road to Healthy Living, given by Natasha Champion, MD.

At 12:15 p.m., lunch will be provided.

“As women, it is important that we take the time to educate ourselves about important health issues,” says Sharon Roush, CEO, South Bay Hospital. “The stress of competing priorities such as family and work often causes us to put our health on the back burner. This is an opportunity for women to put their health first, which ultimately leads to better health outcomes for their families and communities.”

We are also pleased to announce that health screenings will be provided including:

• Bone Density
• PAD (Peripheral Artery Disease) screening
• Skin Cancer screening
• Blood Pressure
• Hearing Exam

For more information on the topics being presented and to register for this event, please call 653-1065.  The cost is $10/person for the event and includes lunch.

Brandon Regional Hospital (BRH) is a 396-bed acute care facility which includes  a 25-bed Behavioral Health Center.  The Hospital is a Certified Primary Stroke Center, an Accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI, a Bariatric Center of Excellence and the hospital has received the highest rating for quality cardiac surgery by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

***

Brandon Regional Hospital has a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (the highest level of care offered to neonatal patients) dedicated to supporting the Baby Suites in which  more than 75,000 newborns have been born and cared for. The Emergency Center offers public access to average wait times.  The Neuroscience Center and The Heart and Vascular Center offer the latest diagnosis and treatment options for neurological, spine and cardiac conditions.  The Behavioral Health Center at Brandon Regional Hospital offers inpatient psychiatric care to adults 18 and over.  The hospital offers much of the latest in technology, including robotic surgery for gynecological and urological conditions and CyberKnife for the non-invasive treatment of select cancers.

South Bay Hospital is a 112 bed, acute care hospital serving Sun City Center, Ruskin, Wimauma, Riverview, Apollo Beach, Gibsonton and the surrounding areas. South Bay is Joint Commission Accredited, Accredited by the Society for Chest Pain Centers in Chest Pain and Heart Failure, a Joint Commission Certified Primary Stroke Center, and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement. South Bay offers a wide range of services including general and vascular surgery, urology, cardiology, orthopedic, and spine surgery.

The monies raised will fund the boat honoring the Coast Guard, and used to clean the East Coast shorelines (a USCG has responsibility).

Marinas, yacht clubs, boat dealers, fishing clubs, marine equipment companies, and other companies in the maritime industry across America are sponsoring fund-raising parties to help launch the Wounded Nature – Working Veterans’ Coast Guard boat.  David wants each facility hosting a party to know that they can tailor their party to meet their audience demographic.  While a burger, beans, and beer with a ticket price of $25.00 may be right for a small marina, a caviar, champagne and cheese party with a $500.00 ticket price might be right for a yacht club.
On an average day the Coast Guard saves 12 lives, responds to 64 search and rescue cases, and investigates 13 marine accidents and 10 pollution incidents. They screen 720 commercial vessels and 183,000 crew and passengers, and inspect 68 containers, keeping 842 pounds of cocaine off the streets each day. Your Coast Guard works hard for you 24/7!!
As the smallest branch of the military, the USCG does not always have the same level of support for their causes as the other branches. Therefore, support for Coast Guard related projects need the support of the general public.
The fundraisers will provide an opportunity for the public to show support for our CG. Every participant in this national campaign will receive a “Team Coast Guard” sticker for their boat or car. Each individual donating $2,500 will receive a bronze appreciation plaque, for $5,000 a gold level plaque, and $10,000 for platinum level plaque.
All of the marinas, clubs, and corporate entities that participate and support the CG vessel will receive a “Team Coast Guard” Certificate of Appreciation for their support. Facilities raising a total donation of $25,000 (ticket sales and member donations) will receive a bronze level plaque, for $50,000 a gold level plaque, and platinum level plaque for raising $100,000.  In addition, their support for the Coast Guard will be posted on Wounded Nature – Working Veterans web site.
Members of the general public and companies who do not belong to a yacht club or marina also have an opportunity to participate online by making a direct donation at www.woundednature.org and entering “USCG” in the comments section. Based on their donation level, they will be sent appropriate acknowledgement for the contribution.
All 2012 donations will be used to fund the houseboat (Victory Vessel) honoring the Coast Guard. This boat will be used on the East Coast to clean beaches and educate the public about litter. It will be staffed by recently discharged veterans.
Wounded Nature – Working Veterans is an independent 501c3 non-profit that is not a component of the U.S. Coast Guard.  This event is not sponsored by the USCG and is not utilizing tax payers dollars or active duty CG personnel to promote these events.
To donate to Team Coast Guard, go to: http://woundednature.org/support-us/donate/  and enter Coast Guard in the comments section.

If any organization is interested in hosting a Coast Guard event, please contact Rudy Socha at rudy@woundednature.org or call 440-452-1042.

New State-of-the-Art Facility Educates Guests, Offers One-Of-A-Kind Access To Park’s World-Class Animal Care

Busch Gardens welcomes guests to closely observe and even take part in the animal care experience when the Tampa park opens its new Animal Care Center on Jan. 23, 2012. From nutrition to treatments, X-rays to surgeries, much of Busch Gardens’ animal care will be conducted in guest view in this new state-of-the-art facility.

“We are proud of the care we provide our animals,” said Mike Boos, vice president of zoological operations. “We welcome the opportunity to share our level of care with our guests, and to continue our mission of connecting guests to animals and the natural world. No other zoological facility can offer the unique, up-close experience that this new facility will provide.”

The major guest components of the new facility include a nutrition center, treatment rooms, a clinical lab and an interactive diagnostic activity. The nutrition center will feature a kitchen similar in set-up to a cooking show on television. Educators will lead demonstrations several times a day on the planning and preparation of animal diets.  Guests will even have the chance to assist in preparing and doling out the range of food the park provides its animals, from fruits and vegetables to crickets and mealworms. Nutrition demonstrations will take place during scheduled times each day.

The treatment center will allow guests to watch as Busch Gardens’ skilled vets do preventative checkups, treatments and surgeries on animals. Guests will be able to see into the rooms through glass walls, and audio capabilities will allow guests to talk to vets working behind the glass. Cameras placed over the exam table will show unique vantage points to guests who can watch on monitors. During treatments and surgeries, zoo educators will also be on hand to talk about what’s taking place. Since it is a working center, procedures will vary daily, and will not take place during all scheduled park hours due to field work, office work and other projects requiring the vets’ time and attention.  Daily schedules will be subject to change.

In the clinical lab, staff will perform tests on samples collected from the animals, such as blood, urine, and feces, using the same types of laboratory equipment used in human hospitals and veterinary clinics.  A camera connected to the laboratory’s microscope will allow guests to see exactly what the staff who are looking under the microscope see.

Guests can also participate in a diagnostic exercise by scanning an interactive activity card at several stations as they follow an animal from diagnosis to treatment to blood and lab work to a final outcome.

In addition to the guest views, the new facility will also include animal recovery and holding rooms and vet offices. The new, nearly 16,000 square-foot facility replaced the rhino exhibit in the Nairobi area of the park. The park’s former animal care center was located behind the scenes.

Busch Gardens, and its parent company, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, are world leaders in animal care, caring for more than 60,000 animals, one of the world’s largest zoological collections. Busch Gardens Tampa cares for more than 2,000 animals representing 307 species.

Busch Gardens Senior Veterinarian Dr. Pete Black consults with Dr. Cathy Lynch-Buckhorn, Associate Vice President for Women’s Health and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine, while performing an ultrasound on a white-cheeked gibbon at the Animal Care Center. From nutrition to treatments, X-rays to surgeries, much of Busch Gardens’ animal care is conducted in guest view in this new state-of-the-art facility.

Dr. Pete Black performs an annual teeth cleaning on a muntjac at Busch Gardens’ Animal Care Center. From nutrition to treatments, X-rays to surgeries, much of Busch Gardens’ animal care is conducted in guest view in this new state-of-the-art facility.

Senior Veterinarian Dr. Alex Cole carefully sutures a fire-belly toad’s ulcerated eye in the treatment room at Busch Gardens’ new Animal Care Center. The Center’s treatment room offers park guests views of the park’s veterinary staff conducting preventative checkups, treatments and surgeries through floor-to ceiling glass walls.

BEN is a business and professional organization that is unlike any other with which you may have been affiliated with in the past. BEN targets specifically the bridal and events industry. The wedding industry alone brings in almost $72 billion annually.

Space is limited, so please let us know if you would like to attend; you can reach us by calling 813-633-8800 and we will reserve a space for you. The cost for this event will be $10 which includes networking, non-alcoholic beverages, and a variety of hors d’oeuvres. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call. Also don’t forget to bring plenty of business cards for there will be many local industry professionals with whom you can network.

One man’s quest for sainthood is another man’s deep, dark past when the critically-acclaimed historical epic THERE BE DRAGONS arrives on
Blu-ray and DVD January 10 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

London-based investigative journalist Robert Torres (Dougray Scott, Hitman) travels to Spain to research a book about Josemaría Escrivá (Charlie Cox, The Merchant of Venice), the controversial founder of the Catholic instiution Opus Dei.  Robert’s visit is on track until he hits a wall, both professionally and personally, when his most promising source – his own father, Manolo Torres (Wes Bently, American Beauty) – turns out to be his least cooperative one.  Robert begins to unearth his father’s toxic secrets when he learns that Manolo was not only born in the same Spanish town as Josemaría, but that they were childhood friends and attended the same seminary.  The two men take radically different paths in life, with Josemaría dedicating his life to his faith while Manolo is swept into the brutal and tumultuous Spanish Civil War.  As Robert continues to explore the secrets of Josemaría’s life and Manolo’s mysterious anger, their overlapping journeys are revealed.

With intense supporting performances from Derek Jacobi (The King’s Speech), Rodrigo Santoro (300) and Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace), the THERE BE DRAGONS Blu-ray and DVD offers righteous bonus features including a featurette and deleted scenes. Prebook is

December 14.

THERE BE DRAGONS Special Features

• Facing Your Dragons: Inspiring Testimony from Wes Bentley
• Deleted Scenes

The proposed Lake Meade improvement project will include re-connecting Lake Meade and Wee Lake, expanding and adding a water quality device to pre-treat runoff entering the Larson/Sutton Pond, and constructing a new stormwater treatment pond at the end of Fallen Oak Lane to Lake Meade.  The construction is proposed to start in early 2012.

The Lake June project will include relocating the existing outfall pipes of Lake June to approximately 200 feet south of the existing pipes, increasing the size of the outfall pipes, and upgrading the existing conveyance pipe that crosses Windhorst Road. Construction is expected to begin late 2012.

The total cost for both projects is approximately $1.1 million, including $400,000 in matching funds through a grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District for the Lake Meade project.

County staff will be at the meeting to discuss the details of the projects and answer any questions residents may have. Please attend; we welcome your input.

Date:  Thursday, Jan. 19

Time:   6:30 p.m.

Place:   Brandon High School, 1101 Victoria St.

Who:                                     ALDI representatives

Local residents currently looking for employment opportunities

When:                                  Wednesday, January 11, 2012

7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where:             

Embassy Suites

10220 Palm Rive Road

Tampa, FL 33619

Positions:                          •   Cashiers – $10.00 per hour

•   Shift Managers – $13.50 per hour when performing manager duties

Job requirements:        •   Must be 18 years or older to apply

•   High School Diploma or GED required

•   Must be available to work anytime between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

•   Retail experience preferred

•   Management experience preferred for Manager Trainees

•   Drug Screening and background check

•   Ability to lift 45 pounds required

Quick Facts:                      •   ALDI offers employees generous compensation that is well above the industry standard

•   Part-time staff working at least 20 hours a week receive full health insurance, dental coverage and 401K

In recent months, many fast food chains have updated their side options in an attempt to offer healthier children’s menu items. Chick-fil-A instead is concentrating on making the entrée healthier by adding Grilled Chicken Nuggets as an alternative for children.  The move marks the first time a national fast food chain has offered a grilled entrée as part of a children’s menu.

The chain also is enhancing its side choices, adding Buddy Fruits^® Pure Blended Fruit To Go applesauce as a complement to the Fruit Cup option Chick-fil-A added to its menu in 2004. And, the chain is changing its children’s beverage line to only feature one percent milk, 100 percent apple juice, its signature freshly squeezed lemonade, and water as drink choices.

Chick-fil-A’s Grilled Nuggets, paired with the Fruit Cup and one-percent milk, is one of the most nutritious children’s meal combinations offered among any major fast food chain. The meal has only 210 calories and 3 grams of fat – reflecting an 86 percent cut in fat grams and a 56 percent calorie reduction compared with its previous offerings.

“According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control, Americans frequently choose convenience over nutrition. This has created a greater likelihood of our children becoming overweight or obese. The reality is that we live in an on-the-go world where parents have limited healthy meal options for their kids on the way to and from recreational activities, school or other events,” said Woody Faulk, Chick-fil-A’s vice president of brand strategy and design, who oversees Chick-fil-A’s menu. “Our new Kid’s Meal reflects our commitment to helping parents strike a balance between nutrition, convenience and price. We want parents to know that they do have a choice at Chick-fil-A.”

Following is more information on Chick-fil-A’s new Kid’s Meal offerings:

1. Introduction of Grilled Nuggets: These gluten-free Grilled Nuggets are made from a boneless, skinless breast of chicken tumbled in a salt and pepper spice blend and then grilled to perfection. The four count is only 80 calories and 1 gram of fat, while the six count contains 110 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.
2. Addition of Buddy Fruits ^® Pure Blended Fruit To Go: Apple Cinnamon: Each squeezable fruit pouch is gluten free, all natural and contains 100 percent pure fruit. It is 60 calories, 0 grams of fat and equals one serving of fruit.
3. Improved beverage options: Kid’s Meal beverage offerings will be changed to only feature one percent milk, 100 percent apple juice, Chick-fil-A’s freshly squeezed lemonade (30 percent DV vitamin C), and water as drink options.

According to Chick-fil-A’s full-time dietitian Jodie Worrell, these new menu additions come as part of Chick-fil-A’s broader initiative to offer healthier menu options to customers. Initiative highlights include the addition of the Fruit Cup in 2004 and moving to a complete menu (including all condiments) with zero trans fats in 2008. Chick-fil-A also is actively working to reduce sodium across its menu, including a 40 percent sodium reduction in its Chargrilled Chicken filet, 25 percent less sodium in breads and removing 10 percent of sodium in dressings and sauces.

“While we are excited about the moves we have made on the Kid’s Meal menu, we also are extremely proud of the progress we have made with our overall menu,” Worrell added. “Removing trans fats, adding more nutritious salads and reducing sodium are examples of some of the steps we have taken in recent years to further our commitment to customers of offering a well-balanced menu of choices. Our work is not complete though.  We are constantly looking for a better way to offer our customers healthier choices.”

Kid’s Meal Commitment Extends Beyond the Food

Chick-fil-A’s commitment to families extends beyond offing more nutritious menu options. The chain also uses its “Growing Kid’s Inside and Out^®”Kid’s Meal program as an opportunity to nourish young minds through the premiums included as part of the meal. Rather than offering a toy promoting the latest movie or television series, Chick-fil-A complements its quality children’s menu offerings with meaningful and fun tools that encourage interaction between children and their families.  Examples include Little Gold Books, VeggieTales CDs, Discovery Kid’s activities and books adapted from the Martha Speaks PBS series.