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Osprey Observer Inc. Purchases Christian Voice Monthly

Marie Gilmore — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:31:03 +0000

In February, Osprey Observer, Inc. the parent company of the Osprey Observer Community Newspapers completed the purchase of the 11-year-old East Hillsborough Christian Voice. The Christian Voice, published locally by Matt and Tammie Seifter, has been covering local Christian news for 11 years.
The Seifter’s were excited with the opportunity that the Osprey Observer staff brings to the 12-page monthly and will stay on board to consult and advise.
“We want to put our positive, community focus on the Christian Voice,” said Osprey Publisher Marie Gilmore. “We believe that there is room in this community to support a locally-owned Christian newspaper covering positive news regarding church and religion growth, new services and offerings and events in our community.”
Seifter says the Observer staff will have no problem publishing the newspaper, “We always did this as a family business, with the strength of the Osprey team behind it, I have no doubt this paper will find even greater success.”
Managing Editor Kate Quesada has big plans for the community coverage in the East Hillsborough Christian Voice and says, “With current events, activities, programs, festivals and concerts upcoming at our local churches, we will have lots of good stories to cover in the community and we welcome submissions.”
Gilmore thanks the community in advance for its support of the Christian Voice which will continue to be distributed at 150 local businesses including local Chick-fil-A’s, Jaymer Que BBQ and Cyndi’s Corner Café in the Albertson’s-anchored plaza on Lithia Pinecrest Rd. and Campbell’s Dairyland as well as local Christian schools and supported businesses. If your business would like to be a designated pick up spot for the East Hillsborough Christian Voice, please call 657-2418 or email editor@ospreyobserver.com.
““In seven years, we have grown from one to four monthly editions in four different communities and will continue to make an impact with the East Hilslborough Christian Voice.”
The Osprey Observer will start publishing Christian Voice in March and the publication will be directly distributed throughout the community.
Visit www.ospreyobserver.com, or www.christianvoicemontly.com.

From Television to Radio for FishHawk Resident

Renee Hobbs — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:30:32 +0000

FishHawk Ranch has a country radio celebrity in its community: You can hear Jenny Dean weekday afternoons on US 103.5 FM on the Travis & Jenny Show from 3-7 p.m. Originally from Kentucky, Dean spent about five years in Illinois anchoring television news and came to this area to work for Bay News 9 as an anchor. Eventually, Dean made the decision to join the Clear Channel radio family and says, “I enjoy radio a lot.” Dean explains that the big difference between the two is that in radio, “I can have an opinion; I can just be myself and this is an opportunity to show people who I am.” Dean starts laughing and adds, “Not only that, but I don’t have to wear makeup, and I don’t have to get all dressed up for radio.” Dean emphasizes she didn’t leave television because she was unhappy, but, “I thought radio would bring something different and new to my life and it has.” Dean seems to have a lot of talents including singing, and says she has sung the National Anthem for all the professional sports teams in the area. Right now, Dean is getting ready for the annual Battle of the Media Bands, and comments, “I usually throw together some sort of band for the event, and we just make a fun night of it.” Dean also loves to travel and says she does so every time the opportunity presents itself. Dean has visited several states and has taken a lot of cruises, but says she has always wanted to go to Europe and also hopes to pack up her kids and take them to see the Grand Canyon one day. Dean has a 12-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter and says one of the things that attracted her to FishHawk Ranch was the schools. Dean goes on to say, “I love FishHawk; the neighborhood and community are just great, and it reminds me of the kind of area I grew up in when I was a kid.” WFUS 103.5 is also the FM home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, meaning all the games can be heard on the station, along with pre-and post-game coverage. For more information about Dean or the radio station, visit www.us1035.com or call 839-9393.

Lithia Pinecrest Road Widening Public Meeting Draws Crowds

Tamas Mondovics — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:17:29 +0000

Hundreds attended a recent public meeting concerning the proposed widening of approximately an 11 mile section of Lithia Pinecrest Rd. from its current two travel lane roadway to a six travel lane roadway, affecting the Brandon, Bloomingdale and Lithia communities from S.R. 60 in Brandon to C.R. 39. Local residents who showed up at the Palmetto Club at FishHawk Ranch to hear more extensively about the project had the opportunity to view maps, elevations, a video presentation of the proposed change, as well as talk to county officials on-hand to address questions and concerns. Hillsborough County, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), has been working on preparing a Project Development and Environment (PDE) Study to consider the proposed widening of Lithia Pinecrest Rd., which according to county officials and many local residents, at this point, is simply not sufficient to handle the traffic. “Portions of this roadway currently operate below the county’s adopted minimum acceptable level-of-service standard,” said Hillsborough County Engineering Division Public Works Center Project Manager William Alford. Alford explained that the meeting was strictly about gathering information and that the improvements are intended to accommodate both existing and future traffic volumes as well as enhance motorist safety and reduce emergency response times. But while area residents in general agree that something needs to be done, just as many were unsatisfied due to the lack of information offered by the county. For starters, county officials were faced with complaints that the video presentation of the project seemed to be short on facts. The hot topic that seemed to concern most included the lack of traffic lights planned for the Valrico portion of the project. “I don’t see how they can talk about safety. It is difficult to turn onto Lithia Pinecrest going north now. How is that going to be better trying to cross three lanes and then merge in to three lanes of traffic without a traffic light,” said Gene Will of Valrico, who has lived on Hummingbird Ln. for the past 40 years and is very concerned about being able to turn northbound onto Lithia Pinecrest once the six lane road project is completed. For many residents the small but problematic as well as infamous, Bell Shoals Road and Lithia Pinecrest intersection just a few yards south of Lumsden was the worry of the day-although not on the agenda for the meeting-the proposed road widening plan will include the turning Bell Shoals Road, into a cul-de-sac, cutting traffic flow from it to merge onto Lithia Pinecrest. That is a big problem for Sue Curd with Curd and Associates who feels that the change would choke or at least alter the volume that her business generates. “I will lose business,” she said. Jim Barfield, also a Valrico resident for the past four decades whose wife Jean became Honorary Mayor of Brandon in1996, was disturbed by the fact that the County took this long to decide on thinking about the roads. “The County has been passing out building permits to developers for years. Now they have a problem on their hands and rightly; nobody is happy,” Barfield said. Good, bad or ugly, the meeting seemed to have accomplished its purpose and as expected could and would not please everyone while provided an opportunity to hear or to be heard. One thing is sure. This project will be done and Lithia Pinecrest Road will be a six lane major artery for commuters even if its success remains to be seen. For ore information about the project or for project updates, public comments and concerns please visit www.lpcstudy.com.

New League Makes FishHawk Home

Tamas Mondovics — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:16:26 +0000

Originated by Native Americans as a game “said to be played ‘for the pleasure of the Creator,’” according to the online Wikipedia, lacrosse is becoming popular yet again in the States with the FishHawk Coyotes Youth Lacrosse being forged.
Kicking off in December, the new team is inviting those in second-sixth grades to enroll in the team, with the rec team playing second to fourth grade students and the youth team welcoming fifth through sixth grade students. Up to 25 players will be chosen to put their skills to the test on the fields of the FishHawk Sports Complex, with 10 being on the field at one time.
“The team was started because there was an opportunity for lacrosse to be played at the FishHawk Sports Complex,” says coach and FishHawk resident Brian Lemon, who is vice president of Operations for the National Lacrosse League, having once joined the ranks as a professional lacrosse player for the National Lacrosse League. “We had the choice to bring the team under the umbrella of the FishHawk Youth Sports Association and felt it was a good time to do so.”
Amidst 10 other lacrosse teams connected to the Tampa Bay area’s West Florida Lacrosse League, the FishHawk Coyotes Youth Lacrosse will play a total of 12 games from January to mid-April, with practices beginning in late November. Led by Lemon and fellow coaches Tim Jones and Andrew Cox, also FishHawk residents, the sport of lacrosse “teaches sportsmanship, how to work with your teammates and life lessons so that they can transfer into the real world, done so by the provision of a solid coaching philosophy,” mentions Lemon. “Really, it is all about the kids.”
Any first-year players are welcome to register for the team as ongoing sign-ups continue. The cost is $175 which includes the player’s uniform as well as all equipment being supplied, though players will have to furnish their own lacrosse stick. The league has future plans to develop a middle school team as well as a girls program in the upcoming year, though girls are welcome to sign-up for the current teams until this concept becomes a reality. For further information or to sign-up for the team, visit www.leaguelineup.com/FHCOYOTES or call Lemon at 689-2070.

Interns Learn The Ropes While On Osprey Observer Summer Assignment

Marie Gilmore — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:54:50 +0000

Over the summer break, seven students, including college journalism majors, marketing and public relations majors and high school journalists, completed an Osprey Observer internship, a program open to all students interested in learning more about the field and jobs in journalism.
“We love to open our doors and teach students about the opportunities available to them in the field of journalism,” said Managing Editor Marie Gilmore. “And, each time we complete a program, we learn something new, too.”
Interns are asked to commit to 100 hours of in-office training on a flexible schedule. “Our interns leave our program with a letter of recommendation from us, 10 published articles and, hopefully, a new love and appreciation for the field,” mentioned Gilmore.
University of Florida journalism major and Riverview High School graduate Jennifer Smith enjoyed her time at the Osprey Observer and said, “From the internship, I learned that writing is truly my passion and that I would like to pursue a career in print journalism.”
The program, which runs spring break and summers throughout the year, requires a resume and a request, along with transportation and a love of writing. In addition, graphics interns are accepted and given the opportunity to design advertising and supplements for the Osprey Observer.
In addition to writing, photography and reporting, interns are invited to Brandon South Rotary meetings and to participate in community events.
For more information, call 657-2418 or email editor@ospreyobserver.com. Resumes and internships are being granted for summer, 2009.
2008 Summer Interns
Name: Jennifer Smith
School: Graduated Riverview High School, currently attends the University of Florida.
Major: Journalism

“The most memorable story I worked on was about the Pediatric Cancer Foundation’s Cure Kids Cancer Walk. It was an inspiring assignment because I got to work with a great organization and offer my support to a great cause.”

Name: Elizabeth Wilhelm
School: Marist College/University of South Florida
Major: Marketing
“I learned how to market myself as an individual and as a part of an organization and how to create contacts throughout a community. I also learned a lot of interesting things about my community.

Name: Nora Zaki
School: Newsome High School
Major: Journalism and MidEast Studies with a minor in Arabic
“I truly think interning at the Observer for nearly four weeks gave me a larger sense of independence. I learned how to listen intently to the person(s) I’d be interviewing to make sure I wrote down their responses accurately and wanted them to realize that I was truly interested in listening to them. I guess one can say, my perception of the community where I live has somewhat improved.”

Name: Lauren Ashley
School: Brigham Young University
Major: English
“I loved writing about the charm classes held at Center Place because of the interview I had with the teacher of the class. She was the perkiest and, yet, most sincere person I had ever met, and even though I was interviewing her about what she did, she took time to get to know me and really helped me to feel the importance of the classes she taught. I really wanted to be a better journalist and person!”

Name: Luz Ma
School: Savannah College of Art &
Design
Major: Graphic Design
“I was interested in using my time wisely over summer break, besides just working, and developing any skills with computers or design.”

Name: Kasie Anthony
School: University of Central Florida
Major: Marketing with a minor in Communications
“The internship helped me enhance those skills and apply them to real life situations. Just being in the office and experiencing how a business is run was a learning experience of itself.”

Name: Keria Martin
School: Bloomingdale High School
Major: n/a
“ During my internship, I learned the true meaning of the term “prioritize.” Between phone calls for quotes and deadlines for articles, it was really important to priortize the multiple assignments that were given. Sometimes that meant rescheduling an interview to make room for a more important story that had a much closer deadline. I think this will be a crucial skill in my career as a journalist. “

Abused Dogs Prosper In New Park

Kelly Legg — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:24:52 +0000

Karyn Ringhaver discovered her life’s passion when she first became aware of the plight of “investigation dogs.” These dogs have owners who’ve been charged with animal neglect or abuse; the dogs are taken from the owner while the court case is pending and are not available for adoption.
But someone has to care for them and on occasion, such cases continue for years. Hillsborough County Animal Services on Falkenburg Rd. houses the dogs until cases are resolved, and such situations can complicate the primary mission.
“When I learned about these investigation dogs, it broke my heart,” said Ringhaver. “I knew I had to do something to help.”
Jagger Park was built to provide Hillsborough County Animal Services’ investigation dogs with an opportunity to run and play outside of a kennel. Before the park was built, such dogs were kept inside for the majority of the day.
Thanks to the fundraising efforts of Ringhaver – and the generous donations from many people and local companies, the expansive new park opened up in March and was named after her dog, Jagger, who died from cancer.
Jagger Park is the first dog park of its kind.
Beyond design and construction, funds are needed to provide maintenance for Jagger Park as well as to help these dogs with medical issues.
“These (investigation) dogs are here because their owners either abused or neglected them, so almost all of them have medical needs that need to be taken care of,” explained Ringhaver.
Now that the park is built, Ringhaver is focusing on establishing a 501(3) non-profit corporation called “Jagger’s Dream.”
“We plan on doing fundraising events to raise money so we can continue to help sick and injured animals at the shelter,” she said.
SouthShore Gallery in Apollo Beach hosted a recent fundraiser for the ongoing needs for the investigation dogs. Artist Stephanie Grimes donated the proceeds from the sale of her dog paintings (including portraits of some of the dogs that benefited from the park), prints and note cards. Grimes’ pet portrait work can be seen on her Website at www.artist-f.com. Grimes has been touched by these dogs and continues to support “Jagger’s Dream” through her artwork at various charitable events.
“I think the way this idea of paying for shelter animals with health issues got started was there was a employee at the shelter and everyday at lunch she would come back to our ‘sick and injured’ wing to visit a yellow lab, Cookie, who had heartworms,” recalled Ringhaver. “She really loved this dog, but couldn’t afford to take it home because of the cost to treat heartworms.”
Ringhaver says that some of the other needs of the shelter include dog toys, towels, blankets and healthy treats. And, of course, the shelter is always in need of volunteers to interact with the dogs, walk the dogs and clean the kennels.
Those wanting to make a donation to help with the medical expenses and costs of the investigation dogs may mail a check to “Jagger’s Dream” at 6522 Surfside Blvd., Apollo Beach, Fl., 33572.
Those interested in volunteering at Jagger Park, located at Hillsborough County Animal Services at 440 N. Falkenburg Rd., may call Cathy Carr at 625-2829.

Soccer Program for Challenged Youth

Tamas Mondovics — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:48:03 +0000

Thanks to TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) many mentally and physically challenged youth in the Brandon area, from ages 5 years and up, will have the opportunity to be a part in a busy athletic season while playing soccer.
“The program is both social as well as athletic, designed for children and some young adults with disabilities the opportunity of learning the game and having some fun at the same time,” said TOPS local founder Ken Muzyk.
Muzyk explained that through the generosity and support of local businesses as well as organizations such as BAYSL (Brandon Area Youth Soccer League) TOPS, a national soccer program, will begin its tenth season this year on September 13, and will end on November 8, with a party as well as a trophy for each player.
As it was true in previous seasons the support of the community allows each player to be supplied with cleats, shin guards as well as uniforms at no cost while the program is carried out in a caring coaching environment.
According to Muzyk, TOPSoccer was designed not as a competitor to the programs run by other sports organizations for people with disabilities, but rather as a complementary program that works hand in hand with organizations like Special Olympics to expand the overall training and competition opportunities for young people with disabilities.
“This is an excellent program and it works well, which is why it has been able to exist for almost a decade. Muzyk said, adding, “We have on an average 120 athletes some of whom are in a wheelchair and many of them returning for the tenth time.”
While there are no practices during the week games are played on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon at the J.C. Handley Park Soccer Complex, located at 3104 South Kings Avenue in Brandon.
The sports complex is also the location for registration which is scheduled for September 20. Each player is required to bring his or her birth certificate, Individual Education Plans (IEP), and a parent or guardian with photo I.D.
Volunteers are still needed to help with several parts of the TOPS program. For more information please visit www.brandonsoccer.comor call 657-5271.

Sharks Volleyball Team a Quiet Contender

Tamas Mondovics — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:24:48 +0000

The Riverview Sharks girls volleyball program posted an overall record of 8-11 and a league record of 3-9 last year, drawing attention to the challenges girls were facing last season.
But this is a new school year, a new season and, at the helm, a new head coach. Well, not exactly brand new. Sharks volleyball head coach Faye Graham has replaced former Riverview coach Kelli Russo who has decided to take a break from coaching and turned the scepter over to her assistant coach to lead the young team this year.
“It’s been a fairly easy transition for me since I have been with the team as the assistant coach,” Graham said, but after acknowledging the Sharks’ previous season’s performance said, “Of course, last year could have been better.”
Graham graduated from Savanna College of Arts and Design in Georgia, and has a degree in photography but she is grateful for the opportunity to coach the Sharks and have the hand in guiding the girls toward being successful both on and off the court.
“We have a young team and a long way to go, but we are also blessed with a lot of talent,” she said as she explained that one of the strengths of her team is the girls’ ability to play in any of the positions on the court.
“A lot of them are club players so they do have the chance to play the sport all year-round,” Graham said.
She did mention, however, that her team is very young with just 12 players, posting only two seniors, Erin Endres and Chelsey Pachoud and only three juniors, while the rest are sophomores and one freshman, but was upbeat about the girls’ willingness and commitment while she said that the hitters have stepped up their game this year.
As far as the season is concerned, Graham simply said that she and her team are going into each game the same as the other. “We focus on one game at the time,” she said.
For more information about the Sharks volleyball team, game schedule or roster, please visit www.maxpreps.com or www.fhsaa.com.