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WESLEY CHAPEL – Pasco County’s AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills have received recognition for clinical excellence from Healthgrades. 

Both AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills are in the West Florida Division of AdventHealth.

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel is on Healthgrades’ America’s 250 Best Hospitals list for the second year in a row and is in the top 10% in the nation for Critical Care. 

Among its accolades, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel was named a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Failure for the third consecutive year, a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Stroke for the sixth year in a row, named among the Top 10% in the Nation for Overall Pulmonary Services for the third year in a row, a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of GI Bleed for the seventh consecutive year.

“There is nothing more important than providing the best medical outcomes for our patients,” said Dr. Robert Rosequist, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Wesley Chapel. “That is why we do what we do, and to be recognized for the hard work of our doctors, nurses, and staff is very special.”

AdventHealth Zephyrhills received accolades for neurosciences, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and critical care. Its honors include being named a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Stroke for the second year in a row, honored among the Top 10% in the Nation for Overall Pulmonary Services for the third consecutive year, a Five-Star Recipient for Colorectal Surgeries for five years in a row, and it was named among the Top 10% in the Nation for Critical Care for the fourth consecutive year.

“Our community depends on us to deliver quality care in their time of need,” said Dr. Ryan Reed, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Zephyrhills. “All of us at AdventHealth Zephyrhills are proud to provide these life-saving services to our community each and every day.”

Healthgrades helps consumers find and select a hospital that excels in providing the care they need.

As part of its 2025 hospital assessment, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for over 30 of the most common conditions and procedures at 4,500 hospitals nationwide to determine the top performers in specialty care. 

On the web: healthgrades.com 

WINTER HAVEN – LEGOLAND Florida Resort is rolling out new attractions and revamped hotel rooms in 2025.

In 2024, LEGOLAND Florida unveiled a new attraction, LEGO Ferrari Build & Race. Guests can hop into the driver’s seat of a life-size LEGO Ferrari 296 GTS model, made up of 424,000 LEGO elements. 

Families are also inspired to create their own LEGO Ferrari race car in the Build Zone. At several large building stations, children and adults can turn their ideas into reality with all the LEGO bricks possible. 

Ultimately, visitors can head to the Test Zone to race their car against three extreme test tracks, each with different obstacles plus participate in a virtual race by scanning the model they created. For the littlest builders, there’s a DUPLO section specially designed for tiny hands to engage with LEGO fun at their own pace.

LEGOLAND Water Park is making a comeback, bringing families waves of fun with fresh renovations in mid-February. The Joker Soaker and Twin Chasers are getting a vibrant new color scheme as part of its refurbishment. Experience the return of 14 epic slides and the chance to craft your own LEGO raft to float down the lazy river.

SEA LIFE Florida opens this spring at LEGOLAND Florida Resort. This immersive aquarium invites guests to explore vibrant exhibits featuring blacktip reef sharks, moon jelly fish and clownfish.

Highlights include the interactive rock pool, a sunken pirate treasure ship and the main ocean exhibit, a “Theme Park Under the Sea” complete with a coral castle and a sea-inspired Ferris wheel. 

Perfect for families and marine life enthusiasts, SEA LIFE Florida blends education with fun to inspire love for the ocean. Tickets will be launching soon.

 

Hotel upgrades

The LEGOLAND Hotel is undergoing a creative refresh, with new room concepts debuting in the spring. 

This revamp will include 20 new themed rooms, designed to immerse families in the LEGO fun. 

Among the refreshed offerings, there will be:

• Six DUPLO Rooms – Featuring an all-new concept that brings the colorful and creative world of DUPLO to life, designed especially for younger builders.
• Six LEGO Friends Rooms – Updated with today’s LEGO Friends characters and stories, guests can step into the world of Heartlake City and have the ultimate sleepover inside a LEGO Friends Creative Clubhouse.
• Eight LEGO NINJAGO Rooms – Newly themed rooms that take families into the action-packed world of NINJAGO, complete with bold designs inspired by Lloyd and his ninja friends.

 

Seasonal Events

All activities below are covered with general park admission.

• LEGO NINJAGO Weekends (select dates in February) – Families can enjoy high-energy shows, interactive activities and meet LEGO® NINJAGO heroes. Master elemental powers on the Path of the Dragon, join the Thunderfang Scavenger Hunt and fuel up with ninja-inspired treats.
• World Play Day (June 11) – LEGOLAND Florida Resort is creating a summer surprise. Follow the family theme park on social media for updates and get ready to play.
• Red, White & BOOM! (July 4) – The summer heats up at LEGOLAND Florida Resort with a star-spangled 4th of July celebration: Red, White & BOOM! Throughout the day, kids of all ages can participate in all-American family picnic games and building activities. At night, the evening fireworks show combines patriotic music with dazzling pyrotechnics.
• Brick-or-Treat (select dates in September and October) – 

Grab your costumes and get ready to “boo-gie” down! Brick-or-Treat is back and will bewitch LEGOLAND Florida Resort with sweet treats, spellbinding shows, exclusive LEGO characters, and more! LEGOLAND Florida will transform into the ultimate family-friendly Halloween celebration on select dates throughout September and October.

• Holidays (select dates in November-December) – Jingle all the way to LEGOLAND Florida Resort this holiday season. Live entertainment, twinkling lights and festive cheer await! Families can meet the jolly LEGO Santa, enjoy a series of seasonal activities and embark on bricktastic holiday adventures throughout the resort. Don’t miss the resort’s three-story-tall LEGO Christmas tree – the perfect backdrop for capturing unforgettable family photos.

 

Want to go?

LEGOLAND Florida Resort is offering a $9.99 Bronze Pass Monthly. Enjoy unlimited visits, monthly perks and first-to-sea access to 2025’s newest attractions with a LEGOLAND Florida Annual Bronze Pass. Start the adventure today with a $30 down payment. Guests can also buy single-day tickets or annual passes with or without a hotel stay. 

TAMPA – Tampa Theatre’s Black Love classics series will explore “blerds.” Shorthand for “Black nerds,” blerd culture celebrates those heroes – both super and everyday – who stir the imagination and spark creativity. 

This year’s series, presented by Tampa Electric, reflects Tampa Theatre’s commitment to representation and the magic of the movies with “Rise of the Blerds” every Sunday in February:

“Movies have the unique ability to turn an intimately personal story into a shared experience,” said John Bell, Tampa Theatre president and CEO. “Watching a movie as a group with other members of your community invites conversation. It gives us the space to compare our own experiences with what we see on the screen and find those emotions that connect us as human beings.”

Tickets for the Black Love classics series cost $10 ($7 for Tampa Theatre members) and are available at the historic Franklin Street Box Office and online at www.TampaTheatre.org.

 

Black Panther (2018)                            

2h 14m / PG-13 / Superhero
3 pm Feb. 2 

The groundbreaking Marvel movie follows T’Challa, the newly crowned king of Wakanda, as he faces challenges to his throne and must protect his nation from external threats. The OSCAR-winning film is celebrated for its rich cultural representation, visuals and performances, particularly by Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa.

Guests are invited to dress as their favorite superheroes for photo opportunities and an on-stage costume parade hosted by Tampa-based nerd-core rapper Swell Rell before the film. While the film celebrates fictional superheroes, guests are invited to come meet the real superheroes in our community with a family-friendly “Touch A Truck” event on Franklin Street from 2 to 3 p.m. featuring first responders, TECO line trucks and others who aided the clean-up efforts after the October hurricanes.

Fast Color (2018)                                   

1h 40m / PG-13 / Sci-Fi, Drama
3 p.m. Feb. 9

This superhero drama, directed by Julia Hart, follows Ruth (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a woman with supernatural abilities. When Ruth’s powers are discovered, she is forced to go on the run, leading her back to her estranged family.

Guests are invited to come early (2 p.m.) to meet some of Tampa’s blerd community and join in a conversation about centuries-old stereotypes, pop culture and claiming their space.

 

Nope (2022)                                              

2h 10m / R / Supernatural Horror
3 p.m. Feb. 16

Siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood encounter a mysterious UFO on their horse ranch in California. As they attempt to capture footage of the phenomenon, they uncover unsettling truths and face terrifying challenges. Writer/Director Jordan Peele (“Get Out,” “Us”) blends elements of horror, suspense and social commentary.
Guests are encouraged to stay after the film for a deep-dive discussion into Peele’s storytelling and directorial choices.

Hidden Figures (2016)                          

2h 7m / PG / Biography

3 p.m. Feb. 23

Based on a true story, “Hidden Figures” is the story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson: three Black women whose mathematical expertise at NASA played a crucial role in the success of early space missions. Despite facing racial and gender discrimination, their brilliance and determination helped break barriers and pave the way for future generations.

Guests are encouraged to stay after the film for a panel discussion featuring local Black women who are making waves in STEM-based careers.

DADE CITY – UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County and Pasco Economic Development Council present the fifth annual SMARTstart Food Vendor Fair on Jan. 16.

The event aims to support current food entrepreneurs’ businesses. Organizers say this is a great opportunity to buy food and arrange event catering or gifts.

“The SMARTstart Food Vendor Fair has been a great way for the community to come together and support local food entrepreneurs,” shared Dan Mitchell, SMARTstart program director. “Over the past five years, we’ve seen some amazing businesses get their start and grow through this event. It’s always exciting to see the creativity and passion these vendors bring to the table, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store this year.”

The East Pasco Incubator Kitchen features a commercial incubator kitchen where budding food entrepreneurs can produce food in a licensed commercial kitchen and then use the packaging and labeling station to create nutrition fact labels for their products. Members also get access to business coaching through the SMARTstart Program.

This center is co-located with UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County and features a community garden where SMARTstart members can grow their own ingredients.

Participating SMARTstart Incubator members include:

• A Whole Lotta Nadas – Empanadas with a twist on familiar flavors.
• Bee Ready 4 Anything LLC –  All your bee needs, including honey.
• Blue Crow Espresso – Espresso from a mobile coffee bike.
• Hey Mon Caribbean Cooking Magic – Fresh sauces and seasonings to spice up meals.
• Kreyolli Flavors, LLC – Healthy spices, herbs, and seasonings.
• Lett’s Kitchen – Home-cooked meals with a touch of soul and flavor.
• Son’ni Boi & Petal, Inc – Sweet treats, such as Signature Cashew Brittle, for events, parties or gatherings.
• The Bean Buggy – A stagecoach serving espresso, desserts and craft drinks across northern Tampa.

 

Want to go?

SMARTstart Food Vendor Fair takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 16 at the SMARTstart East Pasco Entrepreneur Center, 15029 14th St., Dade City. Admission and parking are free. Item prices will vary.

 

PASCO COUNTY – Hospitals across AdventHealth’s West Florida division helped make the holidays a little brighter for families in need across Pasco County. 

Team members from AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Connerton recently came together to provide fresh produce to children and families just in time for the holiday break.

This initiative brought healthy fruits and vegetables to 165 children and their families at Boys and Girls Club Lacoochee, Achieve Center New Port Richey, Achieve Center Wesley Chapel, and Quail Hollow Elementary. 

Many of these families rely on free and reduced lunches during the school year, so this extra food makes a big difference while school is out.

AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Connerton also helped stock the One Stop Shop food pantry in Dade City with produce for more than 1,000 families – about 4,000 people. Dade City nurses volunteered to pack grocery bags ahead of time so families could quickly drive through and pick up fresh food for the holidays.

Pantry organizers shared they often struggle to get fresh produce and usually have canned or boxed food to offer and that when they surveyed the families they serve, produce was one of the most requested items.

Using the insights gained from its Community Health Needs Assessments, AdventHealth works with community organizations and stakeholders like these to support programs that reduce the social determinants of health that contribute to poverty, unemployment and transportation.

“From food security to better transportation, our community benefit programs, initiatives and partnerships work to meet the health needs of our West Florida communities,” said Dean Whaley, executive director of strategic partnerships and community engagement for the AdventHealth West Florida Division. “It’s our goal to identify specific health opportunities and implement tailored programs to boost whole-person health for everyone in our communities.”

 

TAMPA – Community leaders have unveiled plans for the 2025 reopening of the Dome Theatre at the Museum of Science & Industry. 

The inside of MOSI’s blue dome will begin lighting up imaginations early next year, powered by a combination of foundation, private and county support. 

MOSI’s new Digital Dome Theatre will be powered by 10 huge, cutting-edge digital Christie projectors, the new 8K technology is far sharper, brighter and more immersive than the old film technology that last operated inside the dome in 2017.

“We’re talking about pull-you-in and blow-your-mind educational fun,” MOSI CEO John Graydon Smith said. “Our eight-story-tall screen will surround you with science, with 360-degree movies and the second-largest digital dome planetarium in America.”

The theater will also serve as MOSI’s new Saunders Planetarium. MOSI’s existing Saunders Planetarium can seat 46 guests at a time, but in the new dome, more than 300 people can share the experience at once. By adding capacity for field trips, group events and daily museum guests, more people than ever in Tampa Bay will be able to take a planetarium tour of the universe, simulate an undersea expedition in a 360-degree movie, or discover other wondrous new ideas.

In addition to replacing the entire 10,000-square-foot screen inside the dome (which was completed in September), the project will install 10 new Christie digital projectors powered by an Evans & Sutherland Digistar 7 control system and custom Bowen speakers to deliver a feel-like-you’re-there immersive experience, whether in outer space, under the ocean or anywhere else your imagination and movie magic can take you. 

Funds for the multi-million-dollar renovation are still being raised but support from the Saunders Foundation, Raymond James Financial and Hillsborough County has already been secured, with more private funding pending, including naming opportunities for the theater.

“This major investment shows that MOSI is committed to staying right here in North Tampa, an area driving innovation thanks to USF, Moffitt Cancer Center and the transformation of University Mall into Rithm at Uptown,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “We look forward to watching MOSI continue to grow, here in its longtime home, now and for years to come.”

Since its founding in 1962, MOSI has received significant support for its planetarium and immersive theater efforts from AdventHealth, the Saunders Foundation and Hillsborough County. 

MOSI’s new theater and planetarium is expected to open for field trips, museum guests, and special events in the first half of 2025.

Pasco County Administrator Mike Carballa provided an update on local response to hurricanes Helene and Milton during a Dec. 16 county commissioners meeting. His remarks have been edited for clarity and space. 

 

What a month the end of September through October was for the county. 

I think (Hurricane) Helene actually sent a lot of warnings to citizens in terms of the dangers of storm surge and we had very few evacuees during that first storm, unfortunately. It really put our first responders into the thick of it. 

Between the two storms, over 1,200 water rescues we made during that period of time and actually you’ll see some of our appropriations requests I think will support some of that response. 

During the second storm, when Milton came through barreling down as a strong Category 4, even as a Category 5 at one point in time, folks heeded the warnings and we had a tenfold increase in those folks that investigated and went to our shelters. Having places to shelter folks, as well, was important. 

We were actually concerned even operating out of our emergency operations center at one point that we were going to have to relocate inland. That’s just how dangerous these storms were. 

Since I’ve been an administrator, I can tell you this is my third go-around in terms of a full-on activation with realistic threats. Unfortunately, I think it’s going to become the norm rather than just just an outlier. 

But we continued after the storms to set up – I call it an encampment but really an area for those that were displaced to live. We call it Pasco Hope. Actually used an opportunity to get pallet homes installed as well as trailers from the state. 

The partnership with the state during the response was absolutely fantastic. We asked for things, we got things. Folks really pulled together on that.  

I want to say we’re probably about 60% to 70% full on that. These are temporary housing for folks that literally lost housing and we’re seeing more of that as we come through doing the recovery, which is the substantial damage issues. Because as you know, FEMA in order for us to maintain you know certain levels here – reimbursements and things – you got to kind of play by their rule book – and while our federal delegation has been … working with us to help move things along, sometimes the federal rules are tough. 

It’s coming to areas where you know we’re having to make decisions. Folks are having to make decisions on where we go from our housing here and there. So we’re seeing more and more folks kind of saying, ‘You know what? I think we’re leaving,’ and so they’re coming to these areas but then again we’re also helping folks get through things and rebuild.

On the debris front, I’m happy to say that we’re probably three-quarters of the way through. The state and the federal government gave us an extension. They mentioned December I think. That deadline’s gone all the way into February in terms of debris pickup. We’ve completed our first pass in the county. Pasco County started ahead of everyone else and we have continued to lead. So out of 1.4 million cubic yards of debris, we’re definitely over a million at this point and continue to clock in and pick up debris. 

We estimated probably about $50 million to $60 million and fortunately we did receive our first check from the federal government in terms of helping our cash flow on that of about $24 million. So we’ll continue to roll there.