High school athletic teams named FHSAA academic champions

TAMPA – Three Hillsborough high school athletic teams have been named Winter 2026 Academic Team Champions by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA).

The FHSAA annually recognizes teams across the state with the highest cumulative grade point averages in their respective classifications, highlighting student-athletes who excel both on the field and in the classroom.

This year’s HCPS honorees include:

• Newsome High School Boys Soccer, which led Class 7A with a 3.66 cumulative team GPA

• Plant High School Girls Soccer, earning the top spot in Class 6A with an impressive 3.827 cumulative team GPA

• Plant High School Competitive Cheer, which topped Class 2A with a 3.847 cumulative team GPA

“These recognitions reflect the hard work, discipline, and commitment of our student-athletes and the dedicated coaches and educators who support them every day,” said Superintendent Van Ayres. “Balancing rigorous academic expectations with the demand of athletics requires discipline, time management, and perseverance – skills that prepare our students not only for championships, but for life beyond high school.”

Veteran in need receives refurbished vehicle

TAMPA – A Tampa veteran has received a “life-changing” gift of a car, thanks to the generosity of two area companies and a special program.

Roosevelt McCullough, a U.S. Army veteran, received a refurbished 2019 Nissan Rouge on March 19 in a presentation at Caliber Collision in Tampa. The donation was made possible by the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor GEICO and repair partner Caliber Collision.

“This vehicle will be life-changing for me, I’ll be able to do things I haven’t done in a long time,” said McCullough. “I can still do things independent of my family. I can help my family instead of being the one that can’t do things, now I’ll be the one that can do anything. I thank Caliber, GEICO, and NABC Recycled Rides® from the bottom of my heart.”

His current vehicle has over 200,000 miles on it, smokes, leaks oil, and has electrical problems, making it unsafe and unreliable. Roosevelt often must borrow a vehicle or rely on friends to travel from Tampa to Orlando for medical appointments.

GEICO, a Level One partner of the NABC, has donated more than 1,000 vehicles to people and organizations through NABC Recycled Rides®, making it the largest car donor partner of NABC Recycled Rides®.

Caliber Collision, also a Level One partner, has donated more than 600 vehicles to military service members, veterans and other individuals in need of reliable transportation over the last 12 years.

Since the inception of the NABC Recycled Rides® program in 2007, more than 3,750 vehicles valued at some $67 million have been donated.

Planning council to help businesses prep for hurricanes

The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council will hold several training sessions in coming weeks to help small businesses prepare for this year’s hurricane season.

The sessions will combine a realistic Category 5 hurricane video simulation with interactive tabletop training exercises.

The TBRPC will host the sessions, known as “Project Phoenix,” from April 20 to May 1 in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.

Project Phoenix features a video simulation of a Category 5 hurricane making landfall in Tampa Bay, illustrating the storm’s formation, impact, and devastating aftermath. The experience is paired with facilitated tabletop exercises that guide small business owners and emergency managers through real-world decision-making at every stage of disaster recovery, from immediate response to long-term rebuilding.

The training is structured around four key recovery phases:

• One day later: Immediate impacts and damage assessment

• One week later: Short-term recovery operations

• One to six months later: Long-term recovery planning

• One year later: Full recovery and resilience building

The program also integrates lessons learned from real business owners impacted by past hurricanes, including Helene and Milton, providing practical insights that can be applied before disaster strikes.

The full-day tabletop training exercises will be held in each county for small businesses and local government staff:

• April 20: Hillsborough County Children’s Board, 1002 E. Palm Ave., Tampa.

• April 22: Pinellas EOC, 10750 Ulmerton Road, Largo

• April 24: Manatee EOC, 2101 47th Terrace E., Bradenton

• April 27: Pasco Sheriff’s Office, 10370 Charles Bo Harrison Way, Land O’Lakes

• April 29 : Citrus EOC, 3549 Saunders Way, Lecanto

• May 1: Hernando EOC, 18900 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville

To learn more visit https://phoenix.tbrpc.org/

BayCare opening new urgent care in Plant City

CLEARWATER – BayCare has opened a new BayCare Urgent Care, expanding convenient access to non-emergency and occupational health services in a rapidly growing area.

BayCare Urgent Care (Plant City) is located in the Ed and Myrtle Lou Swindle Medical Arts Center at 1601 W. Timberlane Drive, and will serve adult patients and children ages 6 months and older.

The urgent care opening comes less than two years after BayCare built a new South Florida Baptist Hospital facility at 3202 N. Park Road off Interstate 4 in Plant City. The new urgent care is less than 2 miles from where the original hospital stood.

BayCare Urgent Care (Plant City) will treat non-emergency conditions such as minor illnesses and injuries, flu and cold symptoms, sprains, strains, minor cuts, stings and burns. It will also provide school and sports physicals, as well as occupational medicine and workers’ compensation services.

BayCare Urgent Care (Plant City) will operate Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

$1.75 million gift to support USF student entrepreneurs

TAMPA – The University of South Florida has received a gift of $1.75 million that will go toward the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship to benefit students pursuing innovative business ventures.

The estate gift, from USF alums Andy and Eileen Hafer, will establish the Hafer Targeted Help for Rising Innovators and Venture Expansion (THRIVE) Entrepreneurship Program. The gift includes an endowed fund of $1 million to provide seed funding, coaching and educational resources. The balance will fund additional initiatives that strengthen the USF community.

“THRIVE is about removing barriers and opening doors,” USF President Moez Limayem said. “Andy and Eileen have always had a heart for people — and for entrepreneurship. This gift bridges both. They also have a heart for USF, and we are grateful for their support.”

The Hafers both earned their bachelor’s degrees from USF, with Andy also earning an MBA and a Doctor of Business Administration. A successful serial entrepreneur, he is a former executive director of the Nault Center, housed in the Muma College of Business, and has chaired its board since 2013.

Hillsborough schools to get new trees for Earth Month

In celebration of Arbor Day and Earth Month, two local schools are receiving donated trees from TECO as part of the county’s Third Annual Classroom to Canopy Tree Planting.

The private events will take place at Thompson Elementary School in Ruskin and Giunta Middle School in Riverview.

The plantings, conducted by the county’s Environmental Services Division and Hillsborough County Public Schools, is aimed at teaching students about the resilience of trees and how they help mitigate storm surge, absorb stormwater, decrease urban heat island effects, and provide shade to lessen chances of heat stroke and dehydration.

Students will have a chance to assist in the tree plantings by refilling the trees’ new homes with soil.

Quest opens therapy center for disabled children, teens

BRANDON – Quest, Inc. recently held a grand opening celebration for its Quest Kids Therapy Center here, located at 1307 Providence Road – as the nonprofit expands services for youth with developmental disabilities.

Certified professionals at the facility will help children and teenagers with autism and other developmental disabilities using Applied Behavior Analysis – one of the only clinically proven methods to change behavior. Families are offered expert guidance on:

• Early intervention services for autism spectrum disorder

• Toilet training and personal hygiene

• Motor skills development

• Life skills development

• Health and safety

“The need for ABA therapy services has never been greater, as doctors diagnose 1 in 31 children with autism,” said John Gill, president & CEO of Quest. “Through this new center, we’re meeting that demand by bringing positive change and hope to even more families in the Tampa Bay community.”

For more information about Quest, Inc. and its services, visit https://Questinc.org.

Tampa Solid Waste revises holiday pick-ups

The city of Tampa offices will be closed on Friday, April 3, in observance of the Spring Holiday.

Residential customers will not receive collection service on Friday, April 3. Residential customers who usually receive service on Fridays will not receive garbage, recycling, or yard waste service. Customers will receive service on their next scheduled service day. Regular residential solid waste collection service schedules will resume on Monday, April 6.

Commercial customers will not receive collection service on Friday, April 3. Commercial customers who usually receive service on Fridays will receive service on Saturday, April 4.

Regular commercial service schedules will resume on Monday, April 6.

McKay Bay Transfer Station and Scale House, located at 114 S. 34th St., will be closed and will reopen with regularly scheduled hours on Saturday, April 4.