Osprey Observer » Valrico

Public Hearing For Expansion of Valrico Rec Center

Marie Gilmore — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:02:44 +0000

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE USE
March 5, 2009
Public Meeting Scheduled to Discuss the Proposed
Phase II of the Development of the Valrico Recreation Center
Hillsborough County will hold a public meeting to discuss Phase II of the Development of the Valrico Recreation Center.
The proposed project includes adding a football field, along with an irrigation system and lights. In addition, parking will be expanded. Phase II is budgeted at $250,000 through CIP (Capital Improvement Program) funds.
The park currently has a recreation building that houses the after-school and summer playground program, walking trail, basketball court, playground, parking and landscaping.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the details of the project and receive public input. County staff will be at the meeting to answer any questions residents may have.
Please attend, we welcome your input.
* Date: Tuesday, March 10
* Time: 6:30 p.m.
* Place: Valrico Recreation Center, 707 S. Miller Road, Valrico, FL 33594

All meeting facilities are ADA compliant. For additional assistance, please call us.

For more information, residents should call Steve Valdez, Public Works Department – Quality Assurance Section, at 813-272-5275 (TTY: 813-301-7172)

Local Real Estate Agent Ranks Tops On Recent Kenst Report

Tamas Mondovics — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:24:34 +0000

The real estate boom of 2005 and 2006, coupled with the chance of starting a financially-secure and promising new career, enticed many to join the ranks of eager agents. Of course, the subsequent downward spiral of the market has seen its casualties as well, which has included a number of seasoned realtors in the Tampa Bay area.
But, for a number of agents who hoped for more, this is no time to throw in the towel but to use their skills or, in most cases, their natural talents, and be the kind of agent a client would want or need, no matter what the market looks like.
According to a realtor-by-realtor sales totals report, compiled by Tarpon Springs publisher Fred Kenst, the downturn in the business did not affect everyone, including Trish Waller, a leading agent, who simply knows how to keep her business prosper ing.
Waller of Signature Reality Associates, has been commanding respect and standing out among her peers, and has now teamed up with brother-in-law Randy Waller to be recently listed at No.76, of the top 125 selling associates (there are 7,800 licensed real estate agents listed in the Greater Tampa Bay area).
“I live by our motto, “customer service is priority one” because, I know that our customers are truly the life of our business,” Waller said. “Our number one goal is to give the highest service levels in our operating area.”
The Philadelphia native and mother of two Jenna, 7, and Alexandra, 9, relocated to Brandon, FL in 1994 after earning her degree in Sociology from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. She then earned a Certificate in Paralegal Studies from Penn State University at Lima.
While pleased with her choice of business as well as the subsequent success in the world of real estate in Florida, Waller mentioned that she is both fortunate and proud to be associated with Signature Realty Associates and the other sales staff, but said that family still comes first.
“I am busy, but I cannot forget that I am also a mom, and that I do have mom duties” she said, adding, “I believe that actually it is just one more thing that helps me appreciate my clients and help them make the best choices.”
The Waller team specializes in residential home sales, short sales, relocation services and rental properties in the FishHawk Ranch, Lithia, Valrico, and now the Riverview and Apollo Beach communities, and emphasized the importance of protecting the interest of her clients, which includes having the knowledge as well as being able to educate her customers.
The purchase of seven full color pages per month divided between three editions on the pages of the Osprey Observer Newspapers, the largest community newspaper in the area, adds to the value of the business.
These ads are direct-mailed to over 70,000 homes in FishHawk-Lithia, Valrico, Riverview and Apollo Beach. They ads are also drop-shipped to dozens of businesses that distribute it as well, not to mention the team’s Web presence, which is massive and is rated among the highest in the industry for traffic, receiving thousands of hits each month and far exceeding nearly every nationwide brokerages local office for web traffic.
“The ball is rolling and now people know us,” Trish said, adding, “I always call back within 24 hours or less or, I can be reached directly at 629-5130.
The Trish and Randy Waller team is currently seeking listings for qualified buyers in the Riverview and Apollo Beach area.To inquire about listing your home, call 629-5130 or visit the website at www.TrishWaller.com.

Valrico January Business Column

Jennifer Silverstein — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:24:36 +0000

Storage facility opening soon
Budget Self Storage on S.R. 60 and Miller Rd. is nearing completion. According to its Website, the storage facility will be open in February. Budget Self Storage is located at 2504 S.R. 60 E. in Valrico, for more information call 657-7744, e-mail valrico@budgetselfstorage.bz or visit www.budgetselfstorage.bz.

CPA Opens New Office
Certified Public Accountant John C. Bailey recently expanded his team and moved to a new office at 12307 Boyette Rd., in the Clarkson Allstate building.
The new team member, Sue McCain, will assist Bailey with his growing business offering her wide variety of administrative and tax preparation experience.
“Documents and files of a confidential nature can be left with Sue with confidence as she will make sure they are properly delivered to me and stored in an appropriate manner,” says Bailey.
In addition to providing individual and business income tax preparation and planning services, Bailey provides tax preparation and consulting services for payroll, sales and use, and all state taxes.
For more information, contact Bailey at 672-9449 or cbailey@johncbaileycpa.com.

Marco’s Pizza now Open In Plaza, Offering Delivery
Marco’s Pizza, a franchise started in Ohio, recently opened in Valrico, located at 801 E. Brandon Blvd. The chain has been open for approximately three months, since October, said Manager Andy Dixon, a Lithia resident. What makes Marco’s Pizza different from other pizza places, Dixon said is that it uses better ingredients, everything is made fresh and nothing is frozen. “We make our dough daily,” he said.
Marco’s most popular pizza is its White Cheezy pizza, with four types of cheese including feta, bacon, onions, tomatoes and garlic butter sauce. Dixon said this pizza is “award-winning.”
Marco’s is offering limited delivery, within four miles of its storefront, and also offers take-out. You can also place you order online at www.marcos.com. Marco’s Pizza is open Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. For more information or to place an order, call 643-9988.

East Meets West When Indian Cuisine Comes To Valrico
Tandoor Indian Cuisine, in the same plaza as Marco’s Pizza, at 805 E. Brandon Blvd. in Brandon, has been open for approximately two months, opening in November. The restaurant offers take out and catering, boasting “Catering is our specialty” in its menu. It will cater for weddings, conferences, birthdays, parties and special events. No occasion is too big or small, it says.
Kaustlubh Shiodkai, manager of Tandoor, said that it offers from dishes that other Indian restaurants don’t such as beef and pork, but it also has vegetarian dishes available. He also said their prices are about $1-$2 less than others.
Shiodkai said Tandoor’s most popular dishes are its appetizers, Gobni Manchurian and Lollipop chicken. The restaurant can hold about 40 people.
Tandoor has a lunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., and is open for dinner Tuesday – Thursday, 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 5:30 p.m.- 10:30 p.m. For more information or to make a takeout order, call 654-7300 or visit it’s Website at www.tandoorbrandon.com

Marriott To Open Fairfield Inn & Suites Hotel in Plant City
New hotel is the first Fairfield inn in plant city
Marriott opened an 87-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Plant City in early January. Located at 4307 Sterling Commerce Dr., the Fairfield Inn & Suites Lakeland/Plant City will operate as a Marriott franchise.
Whether you are traveling for business or for pleasure, the three-story hotel offers guests convenient access the Florida State Fairgrounds, the Sun ‘n Fun Air Museum, the Florida Strawberry Festival and Dinosaur World. Rates begin at $129 per night.
The hotel features a variety of enhancements to guest rooms and public areas, as well as the addition of distinctively designed suites. The signature king suite offers separate living and sleeping areas. In the living area, there’s a pantry with coffee maker, mini-refrigerator and microwave. A dividing wall separates the pantry and it features a 32-inch television and a stereo system. Additional in-room amenities include a desk chair, hair dryer and two phones with free local calls.
A complimentary continental breakfast is available each morning in the lobby area. Other hotel amenities include an outdoor heated swimming pool with whirlpool spa, exercise room, valet laundry service and free high-speed Internet and business center.
For more information or reservations, call the Fairfield Inn & Suites Lakeland/Plant City hotel directly at 757-6202, call the Fairfield Inn toll-free number at 800-228-2800, contact a travel agent or visit the Website at www.fairfieldinn.com.

New Businesses opening in Kingsway Plaza
A restaurant and credit union will soon be available to local residents at Kingsway Plaza, located at the corner of Kingsway and Windhorst roads.
Louie’s restaurant, a Latin/American café most popular sandwich is its Cuban and its most popular meal is its Picadillo, which is seasoned ground beef with diced potatoes and green olives. All of Louie’s meals are served with rice, beans and veggies. Owners and Brandon residents, Luis and Trini Simon, are both of Latin descent, Luis being Cuban and Trini being Puerto Rican. The 1,200 sq. ft. restaurant can hold up to 30 people and the Simon’s are planning on putting tables and chairs outside for patio seating.
Louie’s Latin/American Café is located at 1217 Kingsway Rd. in Brandon. Its hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The café will be closed on Mondays. For more information or to place a take out order, call 315-9845.
The Railroad & Industrial Federal Credit Union Account Executive Humberto Bravo said that the credit union is aiming at a July opening date, but the Seffner and Brandon Chambers are hosting a ribbon cutting and ground breaking ceremony for Wednesday, January 14, at 1:30 and 2 p.m., respectively. The 2,500 sq. ft. credit union will feature safe deposit boxes and a drive thru, Bravo said. Its hours will be from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday- Thursday and 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Friday. Once the facility opens, Bravo said it will evaluate whether to open on Saturdays. For more information on the Railroad & Industrial Federal Credit Union, visit its Website at www.rifcu.org or call 621-6661.

Center Places Seeks Wild Dames

Nora Zaki — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:34:29 +0000

The men may have rotary night, but the ladies have Wild Dame Night. This evening for adult ladies only will be held on Saturday, February 21, at Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association located at 619 Vonderburg Dr. Ste. B, adjacent to the Brandon Library. This year’s event is not only a night of social time, dinner and entertainment, but also a fundraiser, with the proceeds going towards children’s programming. With sponsors CMB Creations, Platinum Bank, TECO, Dynamic Printing, the Center for Radiation Oncology, Wachovia Bank, Durkin & Mason, C.P.A.’s, P.A., Valrico State Bank, Chick-fil-A at Lake Brandon Village, Stages Productions and Music Showcase, monetary funding for Center Place is expected to be generous despite the downturn in the economy.
Dawn Galia, art director, participated in her first Wild Dame Night last year. “It is really a lot of fun…the event is very popular, and we do sell out,” said Galia. The fun begins at 6 p.m. with social time and wine. A sit-down dinner will be catered by Affairs to Remember, along with decadent desserts. These include chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate-dipped fruit, chocolate-covered pretzels, key lime tarts, pecan tarts, mousse parfaits, rum bourbon balls, cheesecake, and many others. Stages Productions will host Sleeping Beauty – Pajama Party whereat ladies can wear their pajamas. Said Galia, “Sleeping Beauty is actually one of our children’s shows for this season, but it will be changed from a children’s version to an adult version with funny anecdotes added.”
In addition to the above activities, a 50/50 raffle and 20 door prizes will be given out by the end of the night. Last year, the raffle was approximately $800, and the event raised $11,088 after expenses for the children’s programming. Also, the funding will go towards the Saturday, April 25, Art Gala held at the Pepin Hospitality Center. After all, this event is one of the major fundraisers.
Tickets are $50 per person. There are 180 spots, along with sponsored tickets, which sell for $800 for a table of eight. Galia emphasized how quick the event sells out, so she urges those interested to purchase tickets as soon as possible. “If you have never attended a Wild Dame Night, I would highly recommend it. It is a great event and the proceeds benefit Center Place’s children’s programming. It is a fun ladies night out,” commented Galia. Please call Center Place at 685-8888 for ticket sales. Contact Galia at cpbrandon@verizon.net or at cpfinearts@verizon.net. Visit www.centerplacebrandon.com for additional information and upcoming events.

YMCA Names Miller Dowdy For Campo Award

Jennifer Silverstein — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:32:46 +0000

Longtime community advocate and developer Miller Dowdy, of Trinity Advisory Group, recently won the YMCA’s Ray Campo Leadership Award, named after Ray Campo, a developer who donated the land for it and two other YMCA facilities. Campo served on the YMCA’s board of directors and, upon his death, also donated more than $1 million toward the Valrico Y and Camp Cristina, a YMCA facility in Riverview.
Dowdy is a board member at the Campo Family YMCA and led the Family Fun Pool project.
Dowdy said that he feels completely humbled by receiving the award. “Just to know the history behind who the award is named after, Ray Campo, and all the major impacts he accomplished for this community makes this award a genuine honor,” he said.
The Campo family continues to make large impacts on the greater Brandon community with their continued time and monetary donations. Dowdy said, “I am particularly pleased that the recently finished YMCA Campo Family Fun Pool project was a joint project donation of the Campo Family and Hillsborough County.”
It took thousands of volunteer hours to accomplish the Family Fun Pool project over the past two years, and it was led by individuals such as Cindy Sofarelli, Lance Cohn, Tom Nicholson and John Sullivan as well as the leadership of the YMCA Campo Board of Directors.
Mags Oldman, Development Coordinator for the Campo YMCA, said, “We have been incredibly blessed and very proud to have Miller Dowdy as part of volunteer team for the past few years.”
“He sets a very high standard of leadership and advocacy for our organization, and has contributed countless hours of dedicated service to the YMCA. Miller’s affiliation with our organization has been nothing but a bonus to us, and to the thousands of children and families we serve,” she said. “His passion and commitment are truly a gift to us, matched only by his integrity and genuine thoughtfulness as an advocate for our mission, a volunteer leader and friend.”
Dowdy said, “It was also a pleasure to work with Mark Thornton of the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department for his department’s involvement in this project. And, ultimately, the project could not have been completed without the support and guidance of Commissioner Al Higginbotham.”
Currently, the YMCA is in the process of its Annual Giving Campaign for the year, a giving effort of local businesses and the community’s citizens.
“Most people think of the Y as just another gym alternative, and they could not be more incorrect,” Dowdy said. “Your community YMCA supports many local community programs that stretch your charity giving dollars to the maximum. Many of these programs would not be possible for the community to have if it were not for the amount of volunteers it takes to properly run these programs. This is even truer today in these tough economic times.”
“It is these very programs that need your support more than ever. It takes more than just the regular membership dues to bring these programs to the community,” Dowdy said. “I would ask our community to care for others even less fortunate than them this year and give to your local YMCA or even better…come and be a volunteer!”
Dowdy is the managing partner for a group of commercial real estate professionals that have combined 55-plus years of experience and over $3 billion in closed real estate transactions. Dowdy has also won the YMCA Bullard Family Super Hero Award, the Brandon Chamber Chairman’s LIGHT Award and Hillsborough County Planning Commission Community Design Award of Merit for Institutional Projects (The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce Building).
Dowdy is also involved in the Hillsborough County Planning Commission, the Hillsborough County Citizens Advisory Committee, the Brandon Community Master Plan Committee and the Lithia-Pinecrest Road Planning Committee.
For more information on the Campo YMCA, call 684-1371 or visit http://tampaymca.com. Campo Family YMCA is located at 3414 Culbreath Rd. in Valrico.

Community News December

Marie Gilmore — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:30:26 +0000

Presbyterian Church Announces Christmas Services The Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale, located at 710 E. Bloomingdale Ave., has scheduled the following services for the Christmas season: Sunday, December 7 – Advent week two; Sunday, December 14 – Advent week three; Sunday, December 21 – Advent week four; Reverend John Wintringham will preach and the service will include a special Call to Worship with family music, readings, candles, Christmas decorations and poinsettias for the Advent season. Don’t miss the Christmas Cantata on Sunday, December 21, at 10:30 a.m. The Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, with communion, is at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 24. Merry Christmas to all. Call 654-3699 for any questions or details.

St. Andrew’s Upcoming Events St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, located at 3315 Bryan Rd. in Brandon, will be unveiling these events within the upcoming months as follows: On Wednesday, December 3, and Friday, December 5, the St. Andrew’s UMC theater group is pleased to present the warm hearted production Tis the Season. This funny and heart-warming show is about a local group of people trying to put together a live nativity, and the hilarious antics as the live animals get loose and the police have to step in. Both shows will take place in the sanctuary at 7 p.m. For further information, contact Brenda Gibbs at brendagibbs@verizon.net. On Sunday, December 7, during the 9:50 a.m. Contemporary Service, there will be a Christmas Celebration. Come and experience a morning of glorious praise and worship Christmas favorites with the Praise Team, choir and orchestra. Finally, on Wednesday, December 10, please join members for A Celebration of Lessons & Carols. Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center, followed by a special evening of Lessons & Carols in the sanctuary at 7 p.m. The St. Andrew’s UMC chancel and hand bell choirs will be featured, plus readings and congregational singing of favorite Christmas carols. The dinner price for adults is $6, children is $4, 3 and under is free. The carols at 7 p.m. are free as well. Finally on Wednesday, December 24, St. Andrew’s hosts its Christmas Eve celebration O’ Holy Night. There will be a family service at 4:30 p.m., a contemporary service at 6:30 p.m. and traditional services at 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. These services will speak on the meaning of Christmas and the true source of hope in this world. All events are free and open to the public. For dinner reservations or more information, please call the church at 689-6849. Residents can also visit www.StAndrewsBrandon.org.

FBC Presents Christmas by Candlelight The music ministries of First Baptist Church of Brandon and Tampa Baptist Church are joining together to present Christmas by Candlelight. On Saturday and Sunday, December 6-7, at 6 p.m., the service will be held at First Baptist Church of Brandon located at 216 N. Parsons Ave. in Brandon. This powerful and upbeat celebration of the birth of Jesus, featuring a cast and crew of over 200, is under the direction of David Shenning and Randy Barton (choir), Kevin Lewis (orchestra) and Becky Lawrence (drama). Everyone is invited. There is no charge for admission. Doors open one hour before the program begins. For more information, call 689-1204. Meditation Held in Brandon Residents are welcome to a Buddhist meditation evening in Brandon with American Buddhist teacher, Dr. Anika Trancik. The class, entitled Resisting the Urge to Retaliate, will present an introduction to meditation from the Kadampa Buddhist tradition and includes two guided meditations and a short talk, suitable for beginners. Everyone is welcome. It will be held at Unity in Brandon located at 115 Margaret St. on Thursday, December 11, from 7:05-8:30 p.m. A donation of $9 or $5 for students or those with limited income is welcome. For more information, call 727-797-9770 or visit www.MeditationInTampaBay.org.

Apostles Lutheran Holds Festival The Apostles Lutheran Church invites residents to experience the pageantry and merriment, wonderful food, music theater and the wonder of the nativity, all woven together throughout the performance to celebrate the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World, at the Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival. The dates of the festival are December 4, 5, 6, 7 at the Apostles Lutheran Church located at 200 Kingsway Rd. in Brandon. Admission is free with performance times being 8 p.m. for the evening performances on December 4, 5 and 6. For Sunday’s December 7 matinee, performance begins at 3 p.m. For more information, contact aim@apostleslutheran.net or call 689-2571. Craft and Bake Sale Announced Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church, located at 604 N. Valrico Rd. in Valrico, will host its First Annual Christmas Whistle Stop Craft Show and Bake Sale on Saturday, December 6, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., featuring homemade crafts, baked goods, jewelry, quilts, candles, etc. It will highlight local vendors, a silent auction and entertainment. For more information, call 689-3130 or visit http://holyinnocentsvalrico.com.

Women of Destiny Welcome Onething Prayer Center, located at 777 W. Lumsden Rd. in the Oak Park Plaza in Brandon, will be hosting Women of Destiny, a program for prospective Christian leaders, speakers and writers which will be held on the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. This practical application workshop will provide opportunities for women to learn the skills needed to pursue their destiny. A $10 registration fee is required and there will be a total of nine monthly workshops with a fee of $10 per class. Each class will include live call-ins from the National Leadership Team of Proverbs 31 Ministries. All materials are included, and participants receive a certificate upon completion of the course. You can register and view the 2008-2009 workshop curriculums by going to www.onethingprayer.com and clicking on “Ministries.” If you have specific questions, contact Ann Marie Peterson at 500-9411.

C.A.I. Announcements Concerned Action, IncHRIST will hold Orientation on thought-action process, repressed anger, grace, forgiveness and choosing a happier life the first and third Monday of each month, from 7-9:30 p.m., December 1 and 15, at C.A.I.’s office, located at 3813 Ravenna Dr. in Valrico and the third Friday of each month from 12:30-4 p.m., December 19, at Lighthouse Gospel Mission, 7211 S. 78th St. – Riverview. Canoeing, Rope Swings and Family Fun will take place on Saturday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on December 20 and 21. Sunday Services are from 3:30-4:15 p.m., December 28, at one of four assisted living facilities in Brandon. At the I Am HOPE Café a free hot meal, help and referral assistance to the homeless, needy singles and families in our community will be provided every Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 6-7 p.m. at Mango Baptist Church and every Saturday from 9-10 a.m. at two locations: Mango Baptist, located at 11619 E. MLK Blvd. and Brandon Church of the Nazarene, located at 114 N. Kingsway Ave. The Share and Prayer Group’s Journey through the Bible is covering one book of the Bible at a time at the groups pace every Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. at CAI’s Office. Santa’s Surprise will be on December 13: All donated toys, money, food and serviceable clothes go to invited needy families conscientiously working on the roots to past burdens and back to self-sufficiency. Call 689-9552 for directions, more information or to make a donation to Santa’s Surprise.

PlayMania to Honor Gymboree Memberships As reported this week, Gymborees in Hillsborough County abruptly closed after the franchise owner filed for bankruptcy. Whitney and Todd Brundage, owners of PlayMania, Inc. recognize that this is an unfortunate event at a time when many parents cannot afford to purchase another membership. PlayMania will be honoring Gymboree memberships with any purchase of equal or lesser value. PlayMania will also be honoring any deposit given on a Gymboree Birthday Party. Located in Riverview on the corner of Big Bend Rd. and U.S. Hwy. 301, PlayMania is an indoor play center for children up to age 6. Featuring open play, classes and birthday parties, PlayMania is becoming widely recognized in the Riverview area. For more information, please call 649-8919 or visit www.playmaniatampa.com.

KCC Collects Candy for Troops In honor of Veteran’s Day, Kid’s Community College FishHawk collected candy to be sent to military men and women. The children of KCC decorated brown paper bags and enclosed a special thank you for protecting our country. Eighty goodie bags of donated candy were sent to Operation Shoebox, which is a non-profit organization that sends care package to our overseas military. To learn more about KCC, visit www.kidscc.org.

Bulls Seek Sponsors Please join Bloomingdale Head Baseball Coach Kris Wilken and the Bulls baseball team as they raise funds for the upcoming 2009 baseball season with their 13th Annual Golf Tournament. This event has supported the team for the last 12 years. It is seeking corporate sponsors and partners for this event. Tournament will take place Monday, December 22, at 12:30 p.m., with registration at 11 a.m., at the River Hills Country Club located at 3943 New River Hills Pkwy. in Valrico. The entry fee is $100 for Four Man Scramble and includes green and cart fees, awards, dinner and more. The registration deadline is December 15. For more information, call Brenda Acquaviva at 643-5833.

Lacrosse Registration Begins The Hillsborough United Lacrosse Club, formerly the Bloomingdale Lacrosse Club, will be having open registrations for U13 and U18 age groups. The U13- middle school registration fee is $125 and the U18- high school registration fee is $200. Beginners and experienced players are welcome. Registration will be held at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s located at 4330 Bell Shoals Rd. in Valrico, with registration dates of Monday-Wednesday, December 1-3, from 6-8 p.m. Please e-mail questions to Coach DePinto at Bloomingdalelacrosse@yahoo.com.

Cub Scouts Keep Active in Community Cub Scout Pack 632 of FishHawk Fellowship Church doubled its size in September, adding 48 new recruits to its ranks. It is apparent that these new recruits are serious about Scouting, as 25 boys were promoted to the rank of Bobcat this month. Pack 632 also participated in a book drive this past October, providing 1,040 books for a new library started at the Head Start Center in Balm, which is part of the Redlands Christian Migrant Association. Two Newsome High School students, Tommy Lair and Niall Brown, approached the pack about doing a book drive for migrant workers in the community. While Lair and Niall were volunteering their time tutoring migrant adults and children, they learned that these families did not have a library and decided this was something they wanted do for those less fortunate. Many of the books donated by the pack came from the Scouts’ own personal collections, with Webelos Scout Zachary Fobert donating the most at 150. It’s still not too late to join the pack. Call Cubmaster Rich Young at 413-6973 or email richyoung87@hotmail.com.

Come Eat Breakfast with Santa Enjoy breakfast – pancakes, sausage and a beverage – with Santa on Saturday, December 6, from 8-10:30 a.m. at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s FishHawk location at 16773 FishHawk Blvd. in Lithia. Children are welcome to come and have their photo taken with Santa for an additional fee. The cost is $5 per adult and $2.50 for children under age 12, in advance, while at the door the cost is $6 per adult and $3 for those under 12. All proceeds will be donated to the Newsome High School Marching Band. Come listen to the Newsome Jazz Band perform while taking part in a 50/50 and themed basket raffles. Attendees are encouraged to drop off unwrapped toys, nonperishable food or gift cards for Newsome band’s charitable endeavor of adopting needy families in the community to give them a memorable Christmas. For more information, email newsomebandfundraising@verizon.net or call 695-0677 to purchase tickets.

Julestarz Kicks Off Outback Bowl Game Members of the Julestarz Academy for the Performing Arts Company dance team in FishHawk Ranch have been selected to perform in the pre-game and half-time shows during the 2009 Outback Bowl Game in Tampa on January 1. Julestarz Company members will join other members of the Just for Kix National Dance Team from around the country which will include several hours of practicing, visiting local attractions and competing in the Just for Kix National Dance Team Competition. Last year, the Julestarz dancers performed in the Orange Bowl half-time show in Miami. The company members also perform at a variety of local events and festivals throughout the Tampa Bay area. Julestarz, located at 16132 Churchview Dr., Ste. 202, in Lithia, offers classes in dance, musical theatre, Kwan Fu and private music lessons. For more information on Julestarz, please visit www.julestarzacademy.com or call 661-9037. Trade Your Pokemon The Brandon area Pokemon Trading Card Game League welcomes players to its free weekly league, meeting at the Bloomingdale Library at 1906 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico. Please check for additional league dates at www.go-pokemon.com, under organized play and leagues. For additional information, please contact Teri Smith at tncsmith@mac.com or 436-0206.

LLT Thanks Locals for Donations LLT Academy, a charter school located at 6771 Madison Ave. in Tampa, would like to thank the following businesses for their donations to the school’s Learn to Earn Store: Caspers (McDonalds), Wendy’s (Bloomingdale), Dunkin Donuts (301, Riverview), Learning Express (Valrico), Albertsons (Valrico), Winn Dixie (Valrico), Chili’s (Lithia), Red Lobster and Olive Garden (both Brandon). It also thanks its very supportive parents for their donations as well. Based on behavior, children at the school have play money deposited in their account and at the end of each nine week grading period, each student with a positive balance in their “account” gets to go the Learn to Earn Store at the school. Here they purchase merchandise or gift cards with the “money” they earned. As a school, there is a need for help from the surrounding community with donations of gift cards or merchandise to “stock” this store. As a charter school, it has families that come from Plant City to Pinellas and Apollo Beach to Land O’Lakes. The school appreciates anything area businesses can give to help its students. All gifts are tax deductible. If you are interested in helping LLT for its December Learn to Earn Store, or have any questions, call 234-0940. To learn more, visit www.ltacademy.com.

Cadets Honor Veterans In November, Newsome JROTC cadets took a small trip to Randall Middle School to perform for the veterans who are teachers. Cadets from each of the JROTC teams showed off their team skills in front of the whole school. Teams that performed included the Exhibition Team, the Rifle Team, the Color Guard and the Raider Physical Challenge Team. There was a special individual drill performance done by cadet Robert Salka. Each year, for the past two years, the Newsome JROTC Wolf Battalion conducts the fundraiser Operation Patriot, bringing toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and other hygiene items to give to the incapacitated veterans at the B. Lopez State Veteran’s Nursing Home. This year, the cadets brought in 798 toiletry items to donate to the veterans. Operation Patriot is meant to show the veterans the cadets’ appreciation for their service to this country. Operation Patriot not only benefits the veterans, but the company that brings in the most items receives points that counts towards the Best Company at the annual Field Day.

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.

Shop Local Sponsors Are Local Businesses

Marie Gilmore — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:35:42 +0000

Local Businesses are getting excited about something these days. It is the idea of being embraced by their community and supported as a local small business. With the new Shop Local campaign in the Osprey Observer and on www.ospreyobserver.com, local businesses can link efforts and put forth the message that yes, people are going to watch what they are spending but just maybe, they will also watch where they are spending and make a choice to Shop Local and keep dollars in the local economy instead of overseas.
Valrico advertising representative and Small Business Marketing Seminar speaker Shannon Carlton was excited about the campaign.
“This gives my clients something to embrace and it is all about supporting small businesses.” When asked what the Shop Local campaign is, Carlton describes it as a program that businesses can sign up for and receive a window decal and a poster to identify them as a Shop Local business. Then, they are connected to the www.osprey observer.com website and weekly contest where residents list favorite local businesses and can win prizes.
Hundreds of local residents have already signed up and won prizes including tickets to the Disney on Ice show, restaurant gift certificates and services.
Visit www.ospreyobserver.com and click on the Shop Local symbol for more information. Also, see Carlton’s small business marketing tips online. If you would like to receive an invitation to an upcoming Small Business Marketing Seminar, email shannon@ospreyobserver.com. The seminar includes a complimentary lunch and marketing tips including how to get a press release published and free things you can do to market your business.
For more information, 657-2418.

Zach Treks To Atlanta To Raise Funds

Renee Hobbs — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:47:42 +0000

To commemorate November being National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, Valrico resident Zach Bonner is hitting the pavement and walking 280 miles from Tallahassee to Atlanta Georgia. Last year, the 10-year-old took a 250 mile jaunt from Tampa to Tallahassee to raise awareness of the estimated 1.6 million kids that are homeless in our Country and he collected about $25,000 in supplies and money for the organization he founded “The Little Red Wagon Foundation Inc.” Bonner says he has the hike down to a routine of walking about 5 or 6 miles each day, stopping to eat and rest, then walking another 5 or so miles until he and his mother collapse in their Recreational Vehicle each evening.
“The money I raise on the Florida section will stay in the state for the projects my foundation funds for the homeless and street kids” according to Bonner, who adds, “While on the Macon trek that money will go toward building a house with Habitat for Humanity”, and in Atlanta those funds will go into a new project to help underprivileged kids explore their artistic side.
Bonner will be on the road 30 days with the conclusion of the walk on his birthday November 17 and you can follow the progress of the soon to be 11-year-old by going to his Website and clicking on “Zach Tracker.” If you want to contribute any money you can do that too, says Bonner, adding “And you can decide where it goes.” Some of Bonners honors include meeting President George W. Bush, receiving numerous awards for his dedication and hard work through his foundation, and so what could this little man have planned next? Bonner says he is already thinking ahead and “Next year I might do another walk from Tampa to Tallahassee, depending on how this one goes,” and he says he is also trying to figure out how he can walk from Tampa to Key West. For more information about Bonner’s charity you can go to his Website at www.littleredwagonfoundation.com where you can also click on” Zach Tracker” to pinpoint his exact location.

Employee Helps Capture Bank Robber

Jennifer Silverstein — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:44:35 +0000

A local citizen who works at DaSilva’s Coffee House & Roastery, located at 15282 FishHawk Blvd., stopped a bank robber in his tracks in early October.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, Jeffery Gordon Merritt, wearing a striped polo shirt, entered the Valrico State Bank and removed a handgun from a cooler bag and demanded money from the teller. After the suspect obtained an undisclosed amount of cash, he fled the bank into the parking lot.
Once outside the bank, about 100 ft. away, a bank employee followed the suspect into the parking lot and, along with a private citizen, tackled the suspect and restrained him until law enforcement arrived. The sheriff’s Office is not releasing the name of the citizen because she is a witness and is also former law enforcement.
Merritt was unemployed at the time of the robbery and was living at 9411 Chalet Dr., Apt. 1408, in Tampa. Merritt is believed to be involved with two other robberies in Pinellas County. He is still currently occupying a jail cell, and a court date has not yet been set for him.
Debbie Carter, public information officer for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, said that the Sheriff’s Office does not encourage citizens to get physically involved in the prevention of a crime because it does not want the citizen to endanger themselves in any way. Instead, she says, “We encourage citizens to get a good description, direction of travel, tag numbers and vehicle descriptions, anything that would assist in the investigation.”
Carter said that every year, there are numerous citizens that assist law enforcement with descriptions of suspects or suspicious behavior.
“It is difficult to say that the citizen did the right thing since we do not encourage it,” Carter said. “But, in this case everything worked out great.”
For more information, visit the Hillsborough County’s Website at www.hcso.tampa.fl.us or call 247-8200.