Randall Grantham

Car tires on a gravel road

June 25, 2024 By Randall Grantham

Well, I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Probably die in a small town
Oh, those small communities
-John Mellencamp, “Small Town”

As I was driving through Lutz, on the six-lane divided highway that is now U.S. 41, past some newish storage buildings and a yet-to-be-built mega-7-Eleven, it really struck me how much Lutz has changed.

I was born and raised here and my family has quite a history in Lutz. My Great-Uncle Matt was the game warden out here. He built and lived in the little house on the corner of 41 and County Line Road where Rogers Dirt is now located.

My first gun that I learned to hunt squirrel with was a 20-gauge top-break single shot that Uncle Matt had confiscated from some duck poachers when they threw it down and ran away. Same gun my dad and his brothers learned with. I’ve still got it.

(National Archives at College Park, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Dad used to ride his bicycle up from Seminole Heights to Uncle Matt’s. They would pull the little fishing boat over to where Dale Mabry is now and set up camp about where my office currently sits and then fish the lake to the immediate south. Dad swore that one night a big ole bass jumped in the boat while he and Uncle Matt were fishing by the light of a kerosene lantern.

I’ve seen a lot of changes, but I think the clearing of that parcel on the east side of 41 by the Walgreens at Sunset made it more real to me than it has been in the past. I was just so used to having that patch of woods and swamp sitting in the middle of “downtown” Lutz. It reminded me of how Lutz has maintained its rural character despite all of the development occurring on all sides of us.

US 41 was a two-lane, barely-paved road. Concrete poured over an old asphalt brick base. You’ve heard of some towns having a single stoplight? Well, in Lutz we didn’t even have that. We had a flashing light that hung down on US 41 in the middle of the intersection with Lutz Lake Fern Road.

We had a Shop n’ Go where the Latin market is, a volunteer fire department and, get this, a band shell at Bullard Park, where the library is now. And we had our own pharmacy, but that is a whole ‘nother story in itself.

But we had TWO gas stations: Donovan’s Phillips 66 and Steinke’s Dixie Station, run by Bill Steinke, the first Lutz fire chief. Steinke’s was much more than a gas station. It was the de

facto men’s social club. It had gas pumps, of course, but also cane poles, bait, beer and even a little bar. It is said it had a secret tunnel or hidey-hole, but I was too young to know for sure.

Lutz was dry on Sunday, as was the rest of the county, but just about every Sunday, on the way home from church, we would stop by Steinke’s and Dad would go in and come back out with a brown paper bag containing a six-pack of Schlitz. I’m told Steinke also carried the harder stuff, or “spirits,” which made him right popular around town.

As growth came, we got a Mr. Swiss and even a Whataburger for a while. My first real job, after working at the Shop n’ Go sweeping the mole crickets out of the parking lot at night, was at Eagle Army Navy in what is now the Winn Dixie Shopping Center.

For the most part, this area has very little resemblance today to the Lutz of my youth.

Yet despite all of the population growth and development, and the loss of the groves and pastures I grew up with, Lutz is still an oasis of peace in the midst of traffic, turmoil and turbulence.

Other than Gainesville for law school and a brief stint in Jacksonville as a young assistant public defender, I have lived my entire life in Lutz and I would have it no other way. Although I do miss the flashing light.

Published June 26, 2024

Commissioners settle lawsuit with county clerk

June 25, 2024 By Joe Potter

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) recently approved a settlement to a lawsuit filed against Pasco County by Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles over funding of technology that tracks criminal justice records.

Commissioners agreed on June 18 by a vote of 4-0 to pay $1,024,069 to reimburse the clerk’s office for monies spent on the Multiagency Criminal Justice Information System, according to Ryan P. Hughes, a Pasco County public information officer.

Their decision came after County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder told them an agreement had been reached between attorneys representing Alvarez-Sowles and Pasco County regarding the lawsuit that had been filed almost three years ago.

Commissioners Kathryn Starkey, Seth Weightman and Lisa Yeager joined Commission Chairman Ron Oakley in approving the settlement. Commissioner Jack Mariano wasn’t present at the meeting.

In other business, commissioners:

Approved funding agreements for $4.1 million with the Pasco County Housing Authority for the construction of 77 units of new multifamily rental housing for homeless veterans and their families, and non-elderly disabled persons and their families.

The units will be in an addition known as Magnolia Oaks, at 7338 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey.

It was anticipated in October 2021 that Pasco County’s cost for the project would be $2.1 million. However, delays in getting development of the project started due to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with inflation, increased the cost to $4.1 million.

Plans call for 34 one-bedroom units, 33 two-bedroom units and 10 three-bedroom units to be constructed. Forty of the units will be for veterans, while the remaining 37 will be allocated for the non-elderly disabled.

The project will be developed in phases with Phase One consisting of 30 units beginning in the summer of 2024. Funding for the construction of these units will be provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Approved a revision to an agreement reached in 1980 that required low-income housing rental units to be constructed on 15.63 acres in Lacoochee. The property, which had been owned by the Pasco County Housing Authority, is bounded by Chapman Street to the north, Story Drive to the south, and Patti Lane and Dosha Drive in its interior.

Uradco Inc. acquired the property in July of 2019 and sold it to One Lacoochee Center Inc. in November of 2019. The site is now the subject of an economic incentive agreement and is under contract to be sold for an industrial project. The county needed to record an instrument terminating the clause listed in the deed in 1980 so One Lacoochee Center would have a clear title to the property. Development of the property for industrial use is anticipated to generate increased employment in the rural, unincorporated area of Lacoochee.

Adopted an ordinance establishing a Road Rehabilitation Services Municipal Service Taxing Unit to raise funds to make necessary improvements to county roads. Funds the county had been receiving from taxes on the sale of gasoline have not been sufficient to cover those costs according to Justin Grant, director of Pasco’s Public Infrastructure Financial Operations. Under conditions of the ordinance, the county will not continue to collect the remaining three years of a 10-year assessment residents have been required to pay because of road improvements in the areas where they live. County staff will need to prepare the first year’s Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) assessment for inclusion in the 2024 property tax bill. This will have to be done in time for a BOCC meeting in July during which the assessments must be adopted.
Agreed to the recording of a plat with performance guarantees for Pulte Home Company, LLC – Vida’s Way Legacy Phase 1A for the development of 167 residential lots on 94.985 acres on the east side of Watergrass Parkway, approximately 0.69 miles south of Overpass Road. The county received two Surety Bonds, totaling $8.255 million, to cover the cost of required infrastructure and landscaping improvements. The property is located in Commission District 1 in south central Pasco County.
Agreed to the recording of a plat with a performance guarantee for Taylor Morrison of Florida, Inc. – Esplanade at Wiregrass Ranch Phases 4A & 4B for the development of 29 residential lots on 65.8 acres on the east side of Provinciale Parkway approximately 0.75 miles east of Wiregrass Ranch Boulevard. The county received a Surety Bond in the amount of $4,621,253.13 to cover the cost of required infrastructure improvements. The property is located in Commission District 2 in south central Pasco County.
Approved an ordinance that changed the zoning of 8.84 acres of property on the southern side of State Road 52, approximately 3,300 feet west of Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, from RES-3 (Residential-3 DU/GA) to COM (Commercial), OF (Office), and CON (Conservation). Attorney Barbara Wilhite, who represented the applicant, informed commissioners it is planned to have the commercial portion of the property located at a frontage along SR 52. The parcel will contain 2.32 acres of OF to complement the 4-acre COM portion along SR 52. The remainder of the site can be considered as additional land for employment-generating uses.

Published June 26, 2024

DeSantis signs $116.5B state budget into law

June 25, 2024 By Andrew Powell

(The Center Square) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state budget during a news conference in Tampa on June 12.

The state budget, House Bill 5001, comes with a price tag of $116.5 billion but is less than what was allocated in the fiscal 2023-2024 budget. DeSantis said the bottom line is providing historic support for education, conservation efforts, transportation and infrastructure along with significant tax relief.

“We are proud to maintain a AAA credit rating,” DeSantis said. “Florida is rated higher than the federal government and we’re going to continue to keep it that way…Since taking office, largely because we’ve been prudent and we’ve been fiscally responsible.”

DeSantis noted that Florida has the lowest debt-per-capita than any other state and added that it was important to keep spending in check, and one way he did that was by using his line-item veto authority.

The two-term Republican governor used his line-item veto pen to slash $949.6 million in spending from this year’s budget.

“We did close to a billion dollars worth of line-item vetos and part of that is just a reflection of we wanted to keep the budget within a certain parameter, some of the stuff I don’t think was appropriate for state tax dollars,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis pointed out that he has no issue vetoing unnecessary appropriations because he wants to prioritize paying down state debt, having large surpluses and growing the “rainy day fund.”

“So, less spending than last year, record investments, this is the most we’ve ever spent for transportation and infrastructure, for building roads, for doing all the things that we need to do,” DeSantis said.

Since 2019, the state has provided over $6 billion in tax relief for Florida businesses and residents despite not having a state income tax. DeSantis noted this is because Florida has the best policies and added that job growth in the private sector has increased by almost 250,000 jobs from April 2023 to the present.

DeSantis noted that his administration is responsible for the largest amount of money ever provided for education, which includes scholarship programs and public universities. Environmental restoration and stewardship have also been top priorities for the Legislature.

“This budget will include $1.25 billion that can only be used to increase teacher salaries,” DeSantis said. “No money to unions, no money to bureaucracy, only for teacher salary and that is more than the state of Florida has ever done.”

Published June 26, 2024

Review: ‘Camp Snoopy’ brings pathos and joy to a boy and his dog tale

June 25, 2024 By Chuck Wilson

Everything I know about summer camp I learned at the movies … and now from “Camp Snoopy,” the delightful new Apple TV series created, in part, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Peanuts’ universe’s Beagle Scouts. Snoopy’s round-headed pal, Charlie Brown, is, of course, an old hand at summer camp fun (and its emotional complexities). He’s been going there since June 5, 1965, the day the late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz first placed a forlorn Charlie Brown at a bus window as it drove him away from home. In a follow-up strip, Charlie Brown wrote a letter home, saying, “My first day of camp is over. I lived through it.”

In the first of the 13 20-minute “Camp Snoopy” episodes, all directed by Rob Boutilier, Snoopy, wearing his green Beagle Scout troop leader hat (with a yellow paw print as its center emblem), comes into the kitchen where Charlie Brown is preparing his little sister, Sally, for her first camp summer. Suddenly, the telephone rings. It’s Beagle Scout Headquarters with distressing news. Snoopy’s troop is on the verge of being kicked out for not having earned enough performance badges. Snoopy sputters in outrage but then does some quick arithmetic to calculate how many badges his troop has earned: 5 + (-5) = 0. To attain the necessary badges, Snoopy’s five-bird troop, which includes Woodstock, hurriedly prepares their own trip to Spring Lake. Charlie Brown and Sally take a bus. Snoopy calls a taxi.

This might be the moment to say that Spring Lake and the mountains that surround it have never been so artfully rendered. The Peanuts gang went to camp in some of the 1970s-era feature films and TV specials, but the color palettes of yesteryear pale considerably against the sweet vibrance of “Camp Snoopy.” The daytime skies over the camp are pastel blue and the verdant landscape below is darkened with a marker, as Schulz himself might do. At night, the moon shining down on the tents has rings radiating from it, like a child’s painting pinned to the refrigerator.

There are three segments in each episode, all of them jauntily scored by composer Jeff Morrow, who clearly keeps a reverent ear tuned to the original Vince Guaraldi Peanuts music. Morrow appears happiest when bringing to life the adventures of Snoopy and his Scouts, who demonstrate in each episode a key lesson from their Handbook, such as How to Pitch a Tent and the importance of being Trustworthy. They also steal all sorts of extra screen time. My favorite: Snoopy is sleeping atop his tent and his noisy snores are generating giant Zs that float up and over the tents of the bird troopers, one of whom gets so annoyed that he flies over with a butterfly net, captures Snoopy’s Zs and buries them.

Kids are sure to love the antic “Beagle vs. Bug” and relate to “Sally’s Tooth,” which finds her worried that the Tooth Fairy won’t be able to locate her at camp. Lucy is not sympathetic; she knows to always leave a forwarding address. Among the summer’s key events are a cardboard boat regatta, the presentation of the Piney Awards (Pigpen wins Tidiest Bunk), and a bonafide crisis when Linus’s blanket goes missing: “I guess I have to learn to live as one-eighth of myself.”

In the surprising “Leave It Like You Found It,” halfway through the season, the kids crash into an idyllic meadow the Beagle Scout troop has discovered and end up ruining it with loud music, trash and general disregard for the natural world. Snoopy is disgusted. The gang quickly sets things right, but the story remains jarring, one of the rare times Charlie Brown and his friends have acted rashly, and, worse, affected the world in a negative way.

The brilliant 2022 special “It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown” finds Sally becoming the protector of a lone dandelion growing in the middle of Charlie Brown’s pitcher’s mound. Desperate to clear the field for a big game, Charlie Brown grabs at the flower and the dandelion is destroyed, devastating his little sister. Such moments, so unexpectedly fraught, confirm that the Apple TV Peanuts renaissance spearheaded by Charles Schulz’s son Craig is not only pleasing to the eye but thematically ambitious. And the filmmakers are quietly bringing joy into Charlie Brown’s life. It was there at the end of “The Peanuts Movie,” and it’s all through “Camp Snoopy.” He’s still a pessimist and still trips over his own feet (literally), but he also becomes something of a touchstone for his fellow campers. They continually turn to their friend Charlie Brown for insight when they feel down on themselves. Who better?

Snoopy loves Charlie Brown, too. He always has, of course, but in the emotionally evolved Peanuts animation of today, he’s more willing to show it. As summer ends, boy and dog get locked in a storage shed and end up playing astronaut, and they’re having a blast when rescued. Not long after, it’s time to head home. Charlie Brown climbs onto the bus. We don’t see him at the window, but we know he’s not sitting alone despairing at his summer failures. He’s sitting with his friends, sure as anything, and he’s smiling.

Published June 26, 2024

Duke Energy Florida customers oppose proposed rate hike in public meeting

June 25, 2024 By Andrew Powell

(The Center Square) — Florida regulators hosted a public meeting the week of June 10 about a proposed rate increase by one of the Sunshine State’s largest electricity providers.

Duke Energy Florida filed a petition in April, requesting that the Florida Public Service Commission approve a rate increase for its residential and industrial customers. Duke Energy Florida delivers service over 13,000 square miles and serves approximately 2 million customers.

Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy Plaza, corporate headquarters office building. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

According to the petition, the company wants to make the base rate increases permanent. However, the commission hearing on Tuesday saw a huge amount of pushback from customers and another hearing on the proposed rate increases is scheduled for August.

Austin Watrous, an attorney with the Office of the Public Counsel, said that Duke Energy’s base rate increases will occur every year until at least 2027.

“If their original proposal is accepted, on Jan. 1, 2025, Duke’s base rates would be increased by $593 million, $98 million more on Jan. 1 of 2026, and then another $129 million on Jan. 1 of 2027,” Watrous said.

Watrous noted that Duke Energy is entitled to a reasonable return on equity but said that Duke has requested an excessive return of around 11%.

“Our research indicates that Duke only requires a return on equity of just under 9.5%, which is consistent with the current market for electric utility operations and has been more than adequate for Duke to maintain its financial integrity and creditworthiness,” Watrous said.

A representative for Florida Rising and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) agreed that Duke’s proposed return on equity of 11% is excessive and noted that the real cost of new grid infrastructure is the same regardless of Duke’s return.

LULAC and Florida Rising said that returns on investment for other utilities in other states are trending downwards because commissions recognize that there is not much risk in investing in a monopoly utility with guaranteed profits.

Duke Energy customer Lillian Alvarez spoke to the commission about why she opposes the rate hike and said it often comes down to choosing between gas, food or electricity.

“As a Duke Energy customer, I’ve seen my light bill go up tremendously. This has also impacted me because I have to make life decisions on whether I keep my A/C on,” Alvarez said, noting that Florida’s summer heat makes this choice impossible.

Published June 26, 2024

Tampa Electric wants rate hike despite opposition from customers

June 25, 2024 By Andrew Powell

(The Center Square) — Customers of one of Florida’s largest utilities had the opportunity to voice their opinions during a public hearing held by Florida regulators during the week of June 10.

The Tampa Electric Company (TECO) filed a petition with the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) in April to increase base rates for 810,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Hillsborough County and portions of Polk, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

Tampa Electric Big Bend power station in Apollo Beach (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Duke Energy Florida has also filed its own petition for a rate hike. Because this could mean higher electric bills for millions of Floridians, the commission is holding public hearings in the utilities’ coverage areas to get public input.

Tampa Electric said it needs to increase its rates due to increasing customer demand, inflation and changes in the capital market. If the rate hike is approved, residential customers could pay an extra $20 per month starting in 2025.

The rates would increase again in 2026 by $6.66 and again in 2027 by another $4.48. In total, Tampa Electric would get an extra $467 million over a three-year period if approved.

Octavio Ponce, attorney for the Florida Office of Public Counsel (OPC) said the company needs just under $160 million to get a reasonable return on equity and that TECO is basing its request on shareholder profits of over 11.5%. OPC added the company could function on 9.5%.

Ponce recommended that the commission limit the increase to no more than $75 million for 2025 if rate hikes are approved and further said that the OPC recommends an increase of no more than $60 million for 2026 and no more $24 million for 2027.

Bradley Marshall, representing the League of United Latin American Citizens of Florida and Florida Rising, said that TECO had the third highest electricity bills in the nation in 2023 out of 149 utilities with more than 100,000 residential customers. He also added that the company is now trying to receive more profits at the expense of its customers.

TECO customers testified that the proposed rate increases are not in line with inflation and that approving the increases would make it harder for customers to make ends meet, putting additional strain on an already difficult economy.

The FPSC will hold hearings in August to decide on the two rate hikes.

Published June 26, 2024

Indulge for National Chocolate Pudding Day

June 25, 2024 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

National Chocolate Pudding Day is June 26. Children and adults alike love chocolate pudding and have done so for generations. Usually eaten as a snack or dessert, chocolate pudding is also used as a filling for chocolate crème pie. Celebrate by having it as a dessert or snack, or layer it with broken cookies or candy bars and whipped cream to create a trifle dessert. You can also use chocolate pudding to make parfaits.

Relive great Olympic moments, ahead of Paris 2024

June 25, 2024 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

As the world eagerly anticipates the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, it’s an opportune time to reflect on the most unforgettable moments in Olympic history. These events have showcased extraordinary athleticism, resilience and the unifying spirit of competition. Here are some of the top historical Olympic moments that continue to inspire and captivate audiences around the globe.

Montreal: Multiple exposure shows Romania’s Nadia Comaneci on the balance beam in Olympic women gymnastics. She was the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.0 at the Olympic Games. (Bettmann/Getty Images)

1. Jesse Owens – Berlin 1936
In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, African American athlete Jesse Owens delivered a performance for the ages. Owens won four gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4×100 meter relay. His victories not only set new records but also stood as a powerful rebuke to Adolf Hitler’s propaganda of Aryan racial superiority. Owens’ achievements remain a profound testament to the power of sport to challenge and change societal narratives.

2. Nadia Comăneci – Montreal 1976
At just 14 years old, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci became a global sensation at the 1976 Montreal Games. She scored the first perfect 10 in Olympic history during the uneven bars event, ultimately earning seven perfect scores and three gold medals. Comăneci’s flawless routines and serene composure transformed gymnastics, setting new standards of excellence and precision.

United States Olympic Hockey players jump with jubilation after beating the Soviet Union hockey team in the semifinals hockey game Feb. 22, 1980 during the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The United States won the game 4-3. The game was dubbed The Miracle On Ice. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

3. The Miracle on Ice – Lake Placid 1980
One of the most iconic moments in Winter Olympics history occurred at the 1980 Lake Placid Games. The U.S. men’s hockey team, composed mainly of college players, faced the heavily favored Soviet Union team in the semifinals. In a stunning upset, the Americans triumphed 4-3 in what became known as the “Miracle on Ice.” They went on to win the gold medal by defeating Finland, capturing the hearts of a nation and proving that the improbable can become possible.

4. Carl Lewis – Los Angeles 1984
Track and field star Carl Lewis electrified the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics by matching Jesse Owens’ 1936 feat of winning four gold medals in a single Games. Lewis dominated the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4×100 meter relay. His remarkable performances cemented his legacy as one of the greatest athletes in Olympic history, exemplifying speed, power and versatility.

5. Derek Redmond – Barcelona 1992
The 1992 Barcelona Olympics produced one of the most poignant moments in sports history. British sprinter Derek Redmond tore his hamstring during the 400-meter semifinals. Despite the excruciating pain, he was determined to finish the race. With the help of his father, who ran onto the track to support him, Redmond hobbled to the finish line. This powerful display of determination and familial love resonated deeply, embodying the true spirit of the Olympics.

Michael Phelps of the United States competes in the men’s 200m butterfly final at the National Aquatics Centre during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on Aug. 13, 2008 in Beijing, China. Phelps finished the race in a time of 1.52.49, a new World Record. (Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

6. Michael Phelps – Beijing 2008
Swimmer Michael Phelps delivered a performance for the ages at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He won eight gold medals, surpassing Mark Spitz’s 1972 record of seven golds in a single Games. Phelps’ achievement solidified his status as the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 23 gold medals and 28 medals overall. His dominance in the pool and relentless pursuit of excellence have made him a legend in the world of sports.

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles competes in the beam event of the women’s individual all-around final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 11, 2016. (Ben StanSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

7. Usain Bolt – Beijing 2008
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt captivated the world at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with his unprecedented speed and charismatic personality. Bolt won gold in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4×100 meter relay, all in world-record times. His electrifying performances and joyful celebrations earned him the title of “fastest man on Earth” and established him as one of the greatest sprinters in history.

8. Simone Biles – Rio 2016
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, American gymnast Simone Biles delivered one of the most dominant performances in gymnastics history. She won four gold medals in the all-around, vault, floor exercise, and team events, along with a bronze on the balance beam. Biles’ exceptional routines, marked by her groundbreaking skills and unmatched difficulty, showcased her as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time.

As we look forward to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, these historical moments remind us of the incredible achievements and inspiring stories that the Olympics bring to the world stage. Each event not only showcases the pinnacle of athletic prowess but also the human spirit’s resilience and capacity for greatness. The upcoming Games in Paris are sure to add new chapters to the rich tapestry of Olympic history, continuing the tradition of excellence and inspiration that has defined the Olympics for generations.

Published June 26, 2024

Saint Leo basketball camps

June 25, 2024 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

A camper is ready to attempt a buzzer-beater during Saint Leo University’s coed basketball camp on June 5. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Saint Leo University is hosting a coed basketball day camp for ages 6 to 18, July 29 through Aug. 1, on its campus at 33701 County Road 52, St. Leo. For more information and to register, visit SaintLeoMensBasketball.totalcamps.com/shop/product/310193, or contact coach Spencer Henke at 352-588-7311 or .

Tampa Bay Sun reveals jersey

June 25, 2024 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

The Tampa Bay Sun Football Club, the region’s first professional women’s soccer team, revealed its new jersey, according to a news release.

The front-of-kit partner and exclusive academic health system will be Tampa General Hospital (TGH), and they will serve as the Official Presenting Partner for the 2024/25 Inaugural Season.

It will be the first women’s pro sports jersey to carry the name “Tampa Bay,” the release says.