https:\/\/sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu\/events\/?location=hillsborough<\/a> or call 813-744-5519.<\/p>\nFossil Valley Girl Scouts deliver more than cookies<\/p>\n
LITHIA \u2013 The Fossil Valley Girl Scouts are sharing the inspirational results of their recent community service efforts as proof that its girls are so much more than cookies. From birthday celebrations for families in need to Thanksgiving meals and hands-on volunteerism, scouts learned what it means to lead with heart, work with purpose, and serve with joy.<\/p>\n
This year, Brownie Troop 33502 led the charge on the 2025 Birthday Box Drive, an annual initiative that brings smiles to children served by the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of families and neighbors, the troop collected and delivered 46 fully stocked birthday boxes\u2014each one designed to help families celebrate their child\u2019s special day with dignity and delight.<\/p>\n
Each kit included essentials like cake mix, candles, and frosting, along with festive extras such as balloons, decorations, tableware, and small gifts. Volunteers labeled boxes by age and theme so the pantry could match them with families.<\/p>\n
Junior Troop 33527 recently completed its Savvy Shopper Badge by budgeting for and assembling two full Thanksgiving meals for local families in need. During their delivery at St. Vincent de Paul, volunteers shared that the pantry had supported more than 130 families in a single day, leaving shelves almost empty.<\/p>\n
HART scores historic $32 million federal transit award<\/p>\n
TAMPA \u2013 The Hillsborough Transit Authority has been awarded $32 million from the Federal Transit Administration that will allow HART to replace 33 aging diesel buses with low emission Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles and expand training for fleet technicians.<\/p>\n
It is the largest award of its kind in Florida and among the top transit awards nationwide.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday\u2019s announcement represents a major step forward for reliable transit in Hillsborough County,\u201d said HART CEO Scott Drainville. \u201cThis investment will help us improve service for riders, reduce costly breakdowns, strengthen our workforce pipeline, and continue transitioning our fleet to cleaner, low-emission technology.<\/p>\n
The project will:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Replace diesel buses averaging 688,000 miles<\/p>\n
\u2022 Reduce annual maintenance spending by over $1 million<\/p>\n
\u2022 Improve on-time performance and reduce service interruptions<\/p>\n
\u2022 Reduce harmful emissions<\/p>\n
\u2022 Expand training partnerships and apprenticeship programs to address the national technician shortage.<\/p>\n
The project builds on HART\u2019s long-standing Fleet Transition Plan, which began in 2014 and has already converted 75% of the fixed-route fleet to CNG.<\/p>\n
Hillsborough public school celebrate Capstone diplomas<\/p>\n
TAMPA \u2013 Some 175 students from last year\u2019s graduating class have earned the AP Capstone DiplomaTM, Hillsborough County Public Schools have announced. Another 41 earned the AP Seminar and Research CertificateTM.<\/p>\n
The AP Capstone Diploma program helps students develop critical thinking, research, collaboration, and presentation skills that are essential to academic and career success.<\/p>\n
The number of AP Capstone Diploma Recipients awarded to high school are:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Plant High School: 104<\/p>\n
\u2022 Steinbrenner High School: 32<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sickles High School: 18<\/p>\n
\u2022 Durant High School: 11<\/p>\n
\u2022 Riverview High School: 6<\/p>\n
\u2022 Gaither High School: 2<\/p>\n
\u2022 Bloomingdale High School: 1<\/p>\n
\u2022 East Bay High School: 1<\/p>\n
AP Seminar and Research Certificates awarded by high school are:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Plant High School: 23<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sickles High School: 6<\/p>\n
\u2022 Steinbrenner High School: 4<\/p>\n
\u2022 Riverview High School: 3<\/p>\n
\u2022 Durant High School: 2<\/p>\n
\u2022 Gaither High School: 2<\/p>\n
\u2022 Bloomingdale High School: 1<\/p>\n
AP Seminar and AP Research assessments are project-based and evaluate mastery through group projects, presentations, and individual essays completed throughout the year. Both courses are interdisciplinary, encouraging students to design research projects on topics of personal interest while developing critical thinking, collaboration, time management, and presentation skills.<\/p>\n
To earn the AP Capstone Diploma, students must score 3 or higher in AP Seminar, AP Research, and on four additional Advanced Placement\u00ae Exams of their choice. Students who score 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research earn the AP Seminar and Research Certificate<\/p>\n
HC to host teens for Career Quest<\/p>\n
TAMPA \u2013 Some 600 high school students from around Hillsborough County are expected at the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College on Friday, Dec. 5, for the college\u2019s annual Career Quest and a peek at the school\u2019s programs, student life, and potential career paths.<\/p>\n
The event provides a hands-on introduction to HC\u2019s offerings with live demonstrations, such as simulations centered on the college\u2019s welding and automotive workforce programs to EMS demonstrations. Activities and informational sessions focus on HC\u2019s associate in science degree programs, health sciences and workforce training programs, as well as its Institute for Corporate & Continuing Education, which offers short-term training and personal interest courses.<\/p>\n
Career Quest will happen between 9:30 a.m. to noon. For more information on the associate in science degrees and workforce programs offered at HC, visit hccfl.edu\/getagreatjob<\/a>.<\/p>\nHillsborough passes emergency burn ban<\/p>\n
Hillsborough County has approved a county-wide emergency ban on all outdoor open burning as a result of warm temperatures and dry conditions.<\/p>\n
The only exceptions are a constantly attended barbecue grill for outdoor cooking, certain agricultural enterprises in eastern and southern Hillsborough County that can dispose of agricultural plastic through controlled burns, and burning that has been specifically allowed by the Florida Forest Service.\u201a<\/p>\n
The order bans fireworks, sparklers, and fire pits.<\/p>\n
Outdoor grilling is allowed, as long as the flames are contained within a grill, and the fire is constantly attended.<\/p>\n
By law, the order can be in effect for no more than seven days. If conditions persist, the order can be extended.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Extension eyes December workshops, training Hillsborough County Extension Service is closing out the year with a lineup of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1076,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[39086,31797,39087,39085,113,28,39083,39088,39089,276,16093,39084,202,204,203,199,201,200,135],"class_list":["post-66563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-st-petersburg","tag-ap-capstone","tag-barbecue","tag-barbecue-grill","tag-compressed-natural-gas","tag-education","tag-florida","tag-fossil-valley-girl-scouts","tag-gaither-high-school","tag-girl-scouts-of-the-usa","tag-hillsborough-county","tag-hillsborough-public-schools","tag-hillsborough-transit-authority","tag-st-pete","tag-st-pete-headlines","tag-st-pete-news","tag-st-petersburg","tag-st-petersburg-headlines","tag-st-petersburg-news","tag-tampa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66563"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66563\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}