Griffin named USF board chair, Horton vice chair
TAMPA — The University of South Florida Board of Trustees has unanimously elected Mike Griffin to a two-year term as board chair. Griffin has been acting chair since April when Will Weatherford announced he was stepping down as chair, but would remain on the board.
Griffin, a USF alum who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, served two terms as student body president and was the student representative on the first USF Board of Trustees in 2001. He is the first former USF student body president to become BOT chair.
Griffin has served as BOT vice chair since 2021 and chaired the last two presidential search committees, including the search that concluded with Moez Limayem’s selection in 2025 as the ninth president in USF history.
Griffin is vice chairman and co-head of the Florida region for Savills, an international real estate services company.
The BOT also elected Oscar Horton to serve a two-year term as vice chair. Horton, who joined the board in 2018, is president and CEO of Sun State International, a commercial transportation organization.
Port Tampa Bay unveils new passenger boarding bridges
TAMPA — Port Tampa Bay has completed the installation of three new, state-of-the-art passenger boarding bridges. Cruise Terminal 2 received two of the new boarding bridges, while Cruise Terminal 6 received one.
The new boarding bridges are designed to accommodate a wider range of vessel configurations and boarding heights, providing greater operational flexibility to meet cruise line requirements, the Authority said in a press release.
The bridges feature advanced stabilization systems, self-adjusting technology, real-time monitoring and enhanced load-management capabilities that help ensure safe, reliable and efficient passenger boarding operations. They are enclosed and climate controlled.
USF names new pharmacy college dean
TAMPA — Janice C. Zgibor has been named the new dean of the USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy following a national search. A pharmacist and epidemiologist, Zgibor has served at USF for more than a decade and brings over 20 years of academic leadership experience to the role.
Zgibor joined the USF Health College of Public Health in 2015, where she is professor of epidemiology and has held a series of leadership roles, including senior associate dean for academic and student affairs and director of both the PhD program in epidemiology and the Doctor of Public Health program.
Since March 2025, Zgibor has also been closely involved in advancing the Taneja College of Pharmacy’s academic programs. Serving as special advisor to the interim dean, she worked with pharmacy faculty to analyze the curriculum and implement educational changes to enhance student success and preparation for board exams and career placement.
Zgibor received her BS in pharmacy from the University of Pittsburgh and began her professional career as a practicing pharmacist. Her experiences helping patients access medications and medical devices sparked her interest in the broader systems that shape health care, leading her to earn an MPH and PhD in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh. She also completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship in endocrinology and metabolism at the University of Pittsburgh. Before coming to USF, Zgibor held several faculty and research leadership positions at her alma mater.
As a researcher, she has conducted multiple studies that have contributed to improved models of chronic disease care, resulting in more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and research support from the National Institutes of Health, American Diabetes Association and other organizations. She has also served as editor and editorial board member for several journals and on multiple review panels and advisory boards, including the NIH and ADA.
She will officially begin her new position as dean of the USF Health Taneja College of Pharmacy on July 3.
Ride Jolley Trolleys free for July 4 festivities
Free shuttle service will be available for visitors of Tampa’s Liberty by the Bay celebration on July 4 at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.
The free waterfront celebration will take place Saturday, July 4, from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, culminating with a 250-drone light show and fireworks display over the Hillsborough River.
To help attendees get to and from the event, three Jolley Trolley shuttles will provide free service continuously throughout downtown from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Shuttle stops include:
• Marion Transit Center, 1211 N. Marion St.
• Fort Brooke Garage, 107 N. Franklin St.
• Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Tampa St.
• Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, 1001 N. Blvd.
Visitors can also take advantage of the free TECO Line Streetcar System connecting Ybor City and downtown or utilize rideshare services.
This year’s celebration will feature live music, family activities, food vendors, a beer garden, and community exhibits throughout the afternoon and evening.
Highlights include:
• Performances from The Beat Down Band and Phoenix5 between 4:30-7:45 p.m.
• Humane Society of Tampa Bay Patriotic Pet Show at 5:15 p.m.
• Friends of the Riverwalk Boat Parade between 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
• Friends of the Riverwalk Water Ski Show at 6:15 p.m.
• Glazer Children’s Museum Kids Liberty Procession at 6:45 p.m.
• Remarks from Mayor Jane Castor and a guitar performance of the National Anthem by FOX 13’s Mark Wilson at 8:45 p.m.
The evening will conclude with a 250-drone light show followed immediately by fireworks beginning at 9 p.m.
As part of the community’s America 250 commemoration, the Tampa Bay History Center will also host an interactive exhibit highlighting Tampa’s music history, timed with the museum’s extended run of America at the Crossroads: The GUITAR and a Changing Nation.
Liberty by the Bay is free and open to the public.
Fossil Valley Girl Scouts award scholarships
LITHIA — Ashlyn Grisham and Peyton Stamps have been named recipients of this year’s Fossil Valley Scholarship from the Fossil Valley Girl Scouts Service Unit.
Graham has been a Girl Scout for 10 years, and “consistently leads through service and example,” the service unit said in announcing her scholarship. She has earned both her Bronze and Silver Awards and has served in leadership roles through summer camp Counselor-in-Training and internship programs.
In her scholarship essay, Ashlyn described Girl Scouts as a “journey” that has shaped her into a leader and active member of her community. She credits the program with teaching her resilience, service, and the importance of lifting others up during challenges.
This fall, Graham plans to attend Florida Gulf Coast University, where she will study Marine Science.
Stamps also has played an active role in numerous events since joining the Fossil Valley Service Unit in 2019, including Juliette Gordon Low Birthday celebrations, cookie rallies, Daddy Daughter Dances, World Thinking Day, recruiting events, and both younger and older girl encampments.
In her scholarship essay, she described Girl Scouts as representing both dedication and sisterhood—values that helped her build lifelong friendships and confidently navigate new beginnings.
Stamps will attend Florida State University in the fall, majoring in writing, editing, and media.
Buddy Brew Coffee opens inside Westchase Sprouts
TAMPA — Tampa-based Buddy Brew Coffee has opened inside the Sprouts Farmers Market, 10619 Sheldon Road, in Westchase.
The new café is the first of 10 shops planned to open as part of a new partnership between Buddy Brew Coffee and Sprouts Farmers Market at select Sprouts locations throughout the Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida region this summer.
The café features a menu of handcrafted espresso drinks, cold brew, specialty beverages, and food offerings.
ZooTampa celebrates birth of rhino, impala calves
TAMPA — The roster of newborns continues to grow at ZooTampa at Lowry Park with the recent births of a second female southern white rhino calf and two female impala calves.
The southern white rhino calf, named Malaika, meaning “angel” in Swahili, was born on May 28 to 25-year-old mother Alake and weighed between 80 and 100 pounds at birth. Animal care staff report that Malaika has a timid personality and prefers to stay close to her mom; meanwhile her older half-sister Kelele, born in March, is more adventurous.
The calf marks the 11th southern white rhino birth at ZooTampa and the first time the zoo has had two calves simultaneously.
The impala calves were born on May 18. The first, named Kendall, was born early in the morning to 6-year-old mother Karen and 4-year-old father Chad. Later that day, Laura Lanya was born around noon to 6-year-old mother Linda and father Chad. Both calves, weighing approximately 10 pounds each, are nursing successfully.
This is the first time the zoo has had two impala calves born on the same day.
Program offers resources for going solar
TAMPA — Residents interested in solar energy solutions for their homes can now take part in a new program that offers educational resources and group-buying opportunities that can help them save thousands of dollars on solar installations.
The city of Tampa, in partnership with Solar United Neighbors, will host a beginner-friendly in-person solar information session on June 27 from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at City Center at Hanna Avenue, 2555 E Hanna Ave.
SUN is a national nonprofit focused on solar energy education and resources.
Switch Together is an educational and group-buying program designed to help residents become informed solar consumers while offering an accessible installation opportunity for those ready to take the next step. Through free educational resources, webinars, and in-person events, participants can explore whether solar is the right fit for their home or business.
The program’s group-buying model uses collective purchasing power to secure competitive pricing from qualified installers while also ensuring quality assurance, warranty, and guidance through the entire solar buying process from Solar United Neighbors. Participants in the 2026 program are expected to save an average of $7,475 on solar installations — approximately 24% below the market average.
Residents and businesses can learn more resources, register for Switch Together, and sign up for the information session at Tampa.gov/Solar. The deadline to register and receive a personalized recommendation is Sept. 2.