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USF students get exposure to teaching at Pepin Academies

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Maya Moneze was among University of South Florida students who worked with students at Pepin Academies this summer. Photo courtesy of Pepin Academies

TAMPA – Twelve University of South Florida students pursuing degrees in Exceptional Student Education gained teaching experience while helping children with learning disabilities at Pepin Academies.

The four-week Summer Institute wrapped up recently, giving both groups a chance to learn and grow. 

Pepin Academies students in grades 3 to 12 received individualized support from aspiring special education teachers, while USF students applied what they are learning in their coursework to a classroom environment.

“This has been great. It’s been nothing I could have prepared myself for,” USF student Solee Boutilier said. “I think this is the kind of thing where you can read about it in a textbook, but you’re not going to understand it until you’re in the classroom. So, this has been awesome.”

Boutilier said her time in the classroom deepened her understanding of teaching.

“It’s made me more appreciative of my teachers because, wow, there is a lot that goes into it,” she said. “Being able to adapt what students need into every single lesson… I feel very grateful for all my teachers growing up.”

Learning alongside future educators gave Pepin Academies students encouragement and extra support as they prepare for the upcoming school year.

“I feel that they want us to learn more and be ready for a new grade, a new level,” said Pepin Academies student Savannah McGowan, an incoming sixth grader. “They made it fun and treated you with respect. If something was hard for us, they would find a way to help us understand it in our way.”

USF student Maya Moneze said the experience has reshaped how she approaches instruction and lesson planning.

“I took what they know and enjoy and morphed it into our daily routine,” Moneze said. “We learned through games, so everything I taught used activities that engaged them. I changed my lesson plans at least three times a day based on comments they told me, and that’s been a really big part – being able to adapt to their needs.”

The Summer Institute concluded with a student showcase featuring performances created in partnership with Arts4All Florida, a USF-affiliated arts education program. Students spent part of the summer working with dance, music and visual arts instructors to develop an original production celebrating America’s 250th birthday and the nation’s diverse cultures and traditions.

Pasco County moves closer to data center moratorium

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NEW PORT RICHEY – Pasco County commissioners are scheduled to discuss approving a  moratorium on data centers on July 14. 

Commissioners received a presentation from staff, listened to more than an hour of public comment and discussed the issue during the board’s June 16 meeting. 

“This is something that we feel strongly about,” Chairman Jack Mariano said. “I think we’ve anticipated it well. We’ve listened to a lot of feedback from citizens. We’ve also got a lot of other emails from other sources as well.”

The ordinance would impose a 12-month moratorium on accepting development applications for data centers, large-scale data centers and other large load customers within unincorporated Pasco County. This would include building permits, site plans, rezonings and comprehensive plan amendments.

The moratorium would give county staff time to research the impact data centers would have on the community and develop regulations. 

“The proposed moratorium would likely result in a number of potential revisions to the land development code to regulate data centers within Pasco County,” said Amandla Hill, of Pasco County Planning, Development and Economic Growth. “Existing conditions within our code do not specify data centers as a use within any zoning district, nor are there any standards that would regulate such a use.”

The moratorium wouldn’t apply to a server or computer room used to house IT or network equipment that are incidental to a site’s primary use. The ordinance specifies that the board may deem it public necessity to amend or adopt a development agreement for a data center that isn’t a large load customer. The data center would have to meet conditions that address things like water use, energy consumption, noise and other factors. 

“Sounds a little loose,” Commissioner Seth Weightman told staff. “I’m not so sure for the 12 months that that’s the catch-all language.”

Weightman and other commissioners were concerned about applicants finding loopholes within the moratorium ordinance.  

Commissioner Lisa Yeager threw out the idea of someone slipping a project through for a data hub or colocation facility. 

“If it meets the definition that you put in your ordinance, they can’t get it through no matter what the name,” County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder advised. “Even if they try and call it something else.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano left the discussion comfortable that the language of the ordinance, specifically “data center” and “large-scale data center,” was all-encompassing. 

“We’ve got everything blocked, so we’re in control,” he said. 

Three families receive keys to Habitat homes

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Jazhel Honrado, Erica Soto, her son Gabriel, her daughter Leilah, and Frederic Unterberger pose with the keys to their Habitat homes. Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside

 

CLEARWATER – Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside celebrated the Honrado, Soto and Unterberger families as they received the keys to their new Habitat homes June 18 at the Grove in St. Petersburg. 

St. Petersburg Councilman Corey Givens Jr. presented each family with a Bible. St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch officially welcomed the families to their new community.

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch addresses the crowd at Habitat for Humanity’s Triple Home Dedication at The Grove. Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside

“This is what progress looks like in our city when we work together with focus and intentionality,” Welch said. “I want to thank Mike Sutton (Habitat president and CEO), the Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside team, all the board members, volunteers, community partners and everyone who played a role in making this possible. To the Honrado, Soto and Unterberger families, we extend our warmest congratulations. Today marks a new chapter, and we could not be happier for you.”

Jazhel Honrado addressed the crowd on behalf of the new homeowners. 

“We’d like to first thank Habitat. Everyone here was integral in making this a reality,” Honrado said. “We can’t express enough how much this means to us. We are forever grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We are blessed, honored and proud to be a part of this community.”

AdventHealth Carrollwood expanding to add patient tower

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AdventHealth Carrollwood 001/002: Bob Rohrlack, of the Tampa Bay Chamber, moderates a community conversation on AdventHealth Carrollwood’s investment in the community. Photo courtesy of AdventHealth
  • AdventHealth Carrollwood 001/002: Bob Rohrlack, of the Tampa Bay Chamber, moderates a community conversation on AdventHealth Carrollwood’s investment in the community. Photo courtesy of AdventHealth
  • AdventHealth Carrollwood 003: Malee Brookbank, a Hillsborough County teacher, shared how team members at AdventHealth Carrollwood helped save her from cardiac arrest. Photo courtesy of AdventHealth
  • AdventHealth Carrollwood 004: Clinical team members learned about the impact of this expansion, from what it means for patients, to how it will help them provide whole-person care to the community. Photo courtesy of AdventHealth
  • AdventHealth Carrollwood 005: From left: David Ottati, president and CEO of AdventHealth West Florida; state Rep. Susan Valdes; Joe Johnson, president and CEO of AdventHealth Carrollwood; Bob Rohrlack, Tampa Bay Chamber president; and state Sen. Brian Nathan. Photo courtesy of AdventHealth
  • AdventHealth Carrollwood Expansion Project Rendering. Rendering courtesy of HuntonBrady
  • AdventHealth Carrollwood Expansion Project Rendering. Rendering courtesy of HuntonBrady
  • AdventHealth Carrollwood Expansion Project Rendering. Rendering courtesy of HuntonBrady
  • AdventHealth Carrollwood Expansion Project Rendering – New Parking Garage. Rendering courtesy of HuntonBrady

 

AdventHealth Carrollwood 004: Clinical team members learned about the impact of this expansion, from what it means for patients, to how it will help them provide whole-person care to the community. Photo courtesy of AdventHealth

TAMPA – AdventHealth Carrollwood will soon begin construction on an expansion with a new six-story patient tower, increased inpatient capacity and enhanced surgical and specialty services. 

AdventHealth said the expansion will create a more seamless experience for patients while preparing the hospital for continued growth across the Tampa Bay region.

AdventHealth Carrollwood Expansion Project Rendering. Rendering courtesy of HuntonBrady

The project includes:

  • Expanded surgical support areas, including pre-operative and recovery capacity
  • A new cardiac catheterization/electrophysiology lab
  • A new parking garage to improve hospital campus access
  • Flexible space for future clinical and support services
  • Additional space reserved to support future bed expansion

More than 300,000 residents live within a short distance of the hospital. Demand for complex and inpatient care has steadily increased, according to AdventHealth, with many patients traveling outside the area for higher-acuity services.

During a community conversation on June 18, physicians, patients and leaders shared how this expansion will not only improve coordination across the AdventHealth network, but also meet the growing demand for specialized healthcare services in Carrollwood.

“We are honored to serve a community that continues to grow and evolve,” said Joe Johnson, president and CEO of AdventHealth Carrollwood. “This expansion represents our commitment to caring for our neighbors – body, mind and spirit – bringing more complex care closer to where they live and work. It allows us to continue extending the healing ministry of Christ while improving access, convenience and the overall patient experience.”

Construction is set to begin soon. The parking garage is expected to open ahead of the tower, which is projected to welcome patients in 2029.

 

Pasco County leaders recommend moratorium on data centers

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DADE CITY – The Pasco County Planning Commission is recommending leaders approve a moratorium on the acceptance of applications and permits related to data centers within unincorporated Pasco County.

The planning commission came to this decision June 11 after hearing from several residents concerned about the impact data centers will have on the environment and their quality of life. The recommendation will be taken into consideration by the Pasco County Board of Commissioners, who were scheduled to discuss the issue June 16.

The moratorium would be for 12 months, giving the county time to evaluate the impact of data centers and other largeload customers on the community before accepting any applications for permits, site plans and other development services.

A member of Pasco County Planning Development and Economic Growth told the planning commission there are four key research points:
• Compatibility of data centers with surrounding land uses.
• Impacts on electricity demand, water consumption, wastewater treatment capacity and environmental concerns like noise and light pollution.
• Efficacy of best practices from jurisdictions nationwide.
• The appropriateness of data centers and if there is a need to develop definitions and performance standards to regulate or prohibit the use.

A significant amount of the planning commission’s discussion centered on whether the language of the moratorium was restrictive enough to prevent developers and their attorneys from spotting loopholes to push a data center through.

Planning Director David Engel explained to the commission that staff will consult industry professionals and utilities as well as engage with stakeholders and the public. They will collect “a library of white papers and research.”
“Then we’re going to prepare, through assistance from our county attorney’s office, a draft ordinance to regulate and/or prohibit data centers here in Pasco County,” Engel said.
Residents take aim at data centers 
Ryan Broome, of Odessa, opposes data centers being built in Pasco County. He explained the trade-offs associated with their development.

“Data centers often occupy large tracts of land that could otherwise be used for a variety of uses, including housing, parks, small businesses or mixed uses,” Broome told the planning commission. “Once these facilities are built, they can shape the character of a community for decades.”

Broome said they typically employ fewer people than office campuses or commercial developments of similar size.
He also shared concerns about their demands on infrastructure, such as electricity and water, as well as noise from cooling equipment, backup generators and electrical gear.
Jami Thornton, of Port Richey, supports the temporary moratorium but she’d prefer to see a permanent ban.
“If it’s ever considered, other countries are doing far more superior things than using land,” Thornton said. “They are putting them underwater, since water is such a big resource that these data centers need.”
Marilyn Holleran, of Hudson, wanted the commissione to consider the environmental impact. She was representing the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida during the hearing.
“Pasco County is on the front line of climate change,” Holleran said. “Rising seas, record heat, worsening storms and hyperscale data centers are among the largest single source of new carbon emissions and heat load on the planet. Approving one here without a climate impact study is a decision this county would feel for generations.”
One path forward, she said, involved requiring renewable energy sourcing, greenhouse gas and climate impact assessment, and annual public carbon reporting.
Doris Carroll spoke on behalf of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Pasco County.
“When industrial facilities of this scale move into a county, they do not land in wealthy neighborhoods,” Carroll said. “They land next to the people who have the least power to stop them and the least resources to flag the consequences.”
She asked commissioners which communities will bear the noise, heat, exhaust, water flow and infrastructure burden of allowing data centers in and if they know it’s coming.
David Hammond, of Wesley Chapel, offered suggestions on how to manage the development of data centers in Pasco County, such as providing an industrial center away from homes and surrounded by hundreds of acres of mature trees. He also suggested making the power grid and aquifer off limits to billion-dollar corporations, requiring them to develop their own clean power source and immersion cooling technology.
“Pasco County has valuable resources,” Hammond said. “A data center developer wants access to land, power and water. This means that the county holds the cards. We dictate what the terms of doing business in Pasco County are if you want to build and operate a data center here.”
Cindy Skarda, of San Antonio, reminded the planning commission that the Tampa Bay region is experiencing its worst drought in 50 years with residents being asked to conserve water as part of a water shortage order.
“I’m being asked to not water my lawn, not wash my car, turn off the water while I’m brushing my teeth, but we are going to consider massive data centers that consume huge amounts of our precious water?” Skarda said. “Do we really need more data centers in Florida?”
Potential data center applicant speaks up 
Someone asked staff if there were plans to put a data center at Speros, Fl, a 775-acre global research park in Land O’ Lakes.
“I want to let the public and the planning commission know: We have no active application for a data center at this time,” Engel told the commission. “I do want to let you know that I’ve had some brief communication with some data center users. Nothing definitive. There’s no concept site plan. There’s no specific plans to move on anything, just inquiries. As of late, we’ve had one inquiry about a data center to be potentially located in an employment center business park, but that was just conceptual. There’s nothing active right now. In the case of Speros, we have had general conversations with them over the last three years about the need for some type of data center support that’s focused on delivering services only to the campus.”
Later in the hearing, David Miltenberger, of Parkland, shared plans with the commission to open a 19.9-megawatt data center at an industrial park in the Double Branch development near Interstate 75. Miltenberger said he had no neighbors and his center would use less water annually than most car washes, hotels and golf courses.
“There are frankly a lot of new inventions and technologies that have been created that allow us to use much, much fewer resources than has been talked about,” Miltenberger said. “We actually fully, fully support much of what has been talked about today related to large data center companies. We are not that.”
He told the planning commission that his stance is not to stop the moratorium. He encouraged local leaders to follow the state’s lead in regulating larger data centers. He suggested they consider requiring data centers be located no more than 1,000 feet from a substation.
“That will further allow your county to make sure no data centers are going in random places around the community,” he said.
The planning commission asked Miltenberger several questions about how his data center would operate. There was some disagreement about whether Miltenberger had the zoning to follow through on his vision.
“First of all, Mr. Miltenberger made a statement that he’s zoned,” Engel assured the planning commission. “We don’t permit data centers here in Pasco County, so he does not have the zoning.”
Miltenberger told the planning commission that he had been engaged in a three-month negotiation to get the site under contract and was under the impression they had the zoning to move forward with his project. He was shocked to learn about the moratorium.
He assumed the master planned unit development district would allow data centers since they were an industrial or light industrial use.

Sunlake High graduation: Principal Merlin can relate

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TAMPA – 2026 not only marks one of the most accomplished graduating classes in Sunlake High School history but it’s also a personal milestone for Principal Kara Merlin.

Forty years ago, Merlin walked across the stage as a graduating senior. She remembers life being much slower in 1986. 

“If you had told me that today’s teenagers would be inseparable from a device you can hold in your hand, secure on your wrist or wear as spectacles, and that this singular device would replace a Walkman, a camera, encyclopedias, textbooks, telephones and also give away your location, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Merlin told students on June 5 at the Yuengling Center. 

She connected this nostalgia to a man walking across eight lanes of traffic one Thursday afternoon at Little Road and State Road 54. She noticed how the pedestrian started walking into the intersection before transitioning into a jog. 

She wondered why everyone seems to be in a hurry. 

“I want you to take time to appreciate how awesome the world is for you compared to what it was like when I graduated way back when,” she said, mentioning tools like smartphones and social media that help us connect to information simultaneously. “Live in the moment. Let the memories you create be etched deeply in your mind and not just in the cloud.”

The Class of 2026 achieved the highest graduation rate in school history, according to Merlin. The class also had 369 honors graduates, including Valedictorian Isheeta Mishra.

“I don’t think any of us got here on our own, “ Isheeta said. “Not because we didn’t work hard, but because at some point, somebody made things a little easier for us when they didn’t have to.”

A couple of these instances happened during her freshman year. Isheeta remembers feeling overwhelmed when her schedule changed mid-year and she didn’t know where to go. A senior noticed and offered to take her to the office. 

“My schedule never changed, but my perspective did because, at that moment, a complete stranger I never saw again went out of their way to care when they didn’t have to,” Isheeta said. “And I think that’s something we don’t really notice while it’s happening.”

She told classmates that there will be times when they see someone feeling overwhelmed or lost like she was. They can walk on by or intervene. 

She encouraged classmates to become random people in “someone else’s story.”

Salutatorian Kayla Rivera’s parting wisdom also involved decisions.

“In your future, every choice you make, every step you take, and everything you work toward should be something that you want to do,” Rivera said. 

She encouraged classmates to make decisions that won’t lead to what-ifs later. She evoked author Mark Twain, when she said,  “Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from bad decisions.”

Slight adjustments like studying harder for the next test can ensure you don’t bomb one again. Surrounding yourself around people that encourage you can help, too.

“With the right people, good choices are much clearer to see and easier to make,” she said. “In the end, this life is yours and yours only. Do what will make you happy and proud of yourself in the future. Don’t worry about what others will think of you. At the end of the day, you are the one who lives with the consequences of your actions.”

 

Wesley Chapel High graduation: Success is more than numbers

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TAMPA – Principal Matt McDermott said that Wesley Chapel High School’s Class of 2026 demonstrated intelligence, talent and determination. After all, the numbers speak for themselves. 

Among those walking across the stage to receive diplomas June 6 at Yuengling Center were 250 students who graduated with honors, 122 who passed the Florida Civics Literacy Exam, 60 who earned AP Capstone diplomas and 17 who earned associate degrees. The 26th graduating class at Wesley Chapel High School earned more than $4 million in scholarships. 

Then there were the students who contributed to team success that led to conference and district titles in baseball, track and weightlifting as well as superior ratings by the band. 

“Beyond the awards, titles and recognitions, what I am most proud of is the character that you have demonstrated,”  McDermott told graduates. “You supported one another, showed resilience through challenges and created memories that will last well beyond these walls. Take a moment today to congratulate yourself. You have earned it.”

Camden Battey, who earned the distinction of valedictorian, said he once believed the future was built with numbers like grades, SAT scores and having among the top grade point averages in the class. 

“Somewhere between these expectations, I think we lost track of something,” Battey said. “We were already living in the moments we were working so hard for – random nights spent laughing more than working, learning how to play pickleball, early mornings at the beach or staying at Culver’s until close. Because years from now, we won’t remember every assignment or test score. But we will remember how these moments felt, the people we laughed with, the inside jokes I put in this speech, the ordinary days that turned out to matter the most. Those moments will stick with us.”

Salutatorian Christopher Koschman gave a speech along the same lines. 

“Looking back on it, high school was never just about passing tests or getting good grades,” Koschman said. “It was about figuring things out and finding yourself while doing it. It was about finding the people who matter most to you, figuring out the things you thrive at, and sometimes seeing what needs improvement. And most importantly, figuring out how to get back up and persevere even when faced with adversity.”

Pasco County Schools puts spotlight on Tourette Syndrome

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LAND O’ LAKES – Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin smiled as she watched a video of Adrianna Trader explain how she educates classmates at Thomas E. Weightman Middle School about Tourette Syndrome. 

The video was filmed eight years ago but shown during the May 19 school board meeting in honor of Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month from May 15 to June 15. Adrianna went on to graduate from Wesley Chapel High School in 2023.

“As many of you know, this impacts my family,” Beaudoin told the crowd during the May 19 school board meeting. “I used to facilitate a local support group and Adrianna was in that support group.”

Beaudoin read a proclamation explaining the campaign and encouraged the community to show support by wearing teal on Tuesdays now through June 15. 

She said Tourette Syndrome usually shows up between ages 6 and 10 as motor or vocal tics. These involuntary movements may start as a blink or nose twitch and progress to include tics of the neck or limbs as well as pacing or kicking. Verbal tics may include grunting, throat-clearing, shouting or barking. 

“What you often see portrayed in the media about people with Tourette is called coprolalia, the involuntarily outburst of obscene words or socially inappropriate remarks,” she said. “Only a very small percentage of people with TS experience this. It is important to remember that tics are outside of a person’s control and that Tourette Syndrome does not negatively impact intelligence. In fact, many students with TS are identified as gifted.”

A couple of recent Pasco County Schools graduates were introduced during the topic, including one studying information technology at the University of South Florida. 

Here is the proclamation read into the record by Beaudoin:

 

Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month 

Whereas, Tourette Syndrome is an inherited neurological disorder that is characterized by involuntary physical and vocal tics that occur many times a day; and 

Whereas, Tourette Syndrome is often accompanied by other mental health disorders, such as Attention Deficit, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, learning disabilities and anxiety; and 

Whereas, Tourette Syndrome and persistent tic disorders affect approximately one in 50 children. According to the 2020 Census, more than 85,786 school-age children in the State of Florida alone are dealing with Tourette Syndrome and although some of these cases are aided by medication there is no standard treatment or known cure for this disorder; and 

Whereas, there is an important need for more professional help with interest and expertise to identify, counsel and treat people with Tourette syndrome, a disorder that is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood; and 

Whereas, positive actions to assist children and families living with Tourette Syndrome would result in a broadening of public and professional knowledge and acceptance of Tourette Syndrome; and 

Whereas, the Tourette Association of America is actively providing services to families, educating medial professionals and teachers and supporting research to better understand the signs and treatments of Tourette Syndrome.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that May 15 to June 15,2026, will be recognized as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month in Pasco County as a special month to promote understanding, compassion and acceptance for all of our fellow citizens who serve and need our support to break the stigma that surrounds Tourette Syndrome. 

 

Pasco County agrees on regional MPO structure

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NEW PORT RICHEY – Leaders in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties have each agreed on the structure for a regional group that will plan major transportation projects. 

Each county currently operates its own Metropolitan Planning Organization, but the MPOs have been in talks for many years about consolidating to take a more regional approach to transportation planning. 

“A single MPO amplifies public input and participation,” explained Tania Gorman, executive director for the Pasco MPO, to her board on May 21. “And then we’re a unified decision-making body to be looked at as not just three single MPOs but one large MPO so that we can possibly get more discretionary funds and be a part of the larger discussions here in the Tampa Bay region.”

Pasco County MPO approved a structure May 21 that would give Hillsborough County 10 of the 25 voting seats. Pinellas County would have eight, Pasco County would have five and Port Tampa Bay and Tampa International Airport would each have one. 

Voting has been a hot topic in Pinellas County as a previous proposal would have given Hillsborough County 13 voting seats, giving it more than 50% of the vote. 

Chris Steinocher, president and CEO of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, wrote a letter to Forward Pinellas Executive Director Whit Blanton calling for the consideration of moving a Hillsborough seat to Pasco and designating the two seats to the port authority and airport. 

Leaders for Port Tampa Bay and Tampa International Airport also sent letters to the Pinellas County Commissioners expressing the importance of their organizations having a vote on the regional MPO. 

These changes were reflected on what Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties have voted on. 

Pasco County’s five seats on the regional MPO will include four designated for the Pasco County Board of County Commissioners and one seat to represent cities, which will rotate among New Port Richey, Port Richey, Zephyrhills and Dade City. 

“I like the structure; however, if four commissioners aren’t going to show to a meeting, I want to make sure the other commissioner that’s not going to be on there can go,” Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano said. “And if he can’t go, then any of the other cities go.”

This generated some brief discussion about alternates. The Pasco County MPO ultimately decided that voting alternates may come from the cities. 

Health & Wellness (04/01/26): Race driver thanks care team for saving him

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Race car driver reunited with people who saved his life 

SEBRING – Porsche GT3 Cup driver Scott Vanacore is crediting first responders and AdventHealth Sebring staff with saving his life after suffering a heart attack at Sebring International Raceway.

Vanacore was rushed to the hospital after experiencing chest pain, where his condition worsened and his heart stopped multiple times before being stabilized. Paramedics urged him on.

“I remember getting light-headed and I remember starting to fade away and I remember them saying ‘Scott, stay with us. Stay with us.’ and ‘Scott, you need to fight. You need to fight for your life,” Vanacore said.

Doctors performed emergency procedures and placed stents to stabilize him.

“The care I got, the professionalism was amazing, and I say that with all my heart,” Vanacore said.

Vanacore later reunited with his care team and now hopes to return to racing.

 

AdventHealth Polk Foundation launches pickleball tourney 

DAVENPORT – Registration is open for the inaugural AdventHealth Polk Foundation Paddles for a Purpose Pickleball Classic, set for April 10 at The Courts of Gary and Dr. Naomi Boyer in Polk City.

The event will raise money for 3D mammography equipment at AdventHealth Heart of Florida, expanding access to breast cancer screening.

“This event is about coming together as a community to make a real difference in the lives of those who call this area home,” Executive Director Leigh Ann Wynn said. 

The tournament will feature doubles play with divisions based on skill level, along with a “Play with a Pro” session following competition.

Proceeds will support early detection efforts in Polk County.

 

BayCare opens urgent care in Plant City

CLEARWATER – BayCare has opened a new urgent care center in Plant City, expanding access to non-emergency and occupational health services.

BayCare Urgent Care will treat adults and children ages 6 months and older in the Ed and Myrtle Lou Swindle Medical Arts Center, 1601 W. Timberlane Drive.

“Urgent care plays a vital role in meeting growing community demand for timely, convenient care,” said C. Todd Jones, BayCare’s chief strategy officer and chief ambulatory services officer.

The facility will provide treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, physicals and occupational health services. It will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends.

This marks BayCare’s first urgent care location in Plant City.

 

Dyachim named VP of mission, ethics

CLEARWATER – Dr. Jojo Dyachim has been named vice president of mission and ethics for BayCare Health System.

He previously served as director of the department and will succeed Colleen Walters, who is retiring in April.

Dyachim joined BayCare in 2017 as a chaplain at St. Joseph’s Hospital and later served as spiritual care manager at St. Anthony’s Hospital before becoming systemwide director of missions and ethics in 2023.

“I am excited to advance our mission and ethics services, keeping us grounded in our mission as BayCare continues to grow and evolve, as well as promoting the moral agency of our clinicians and team members, upholding high ethical standards across the continuum of care, and fostering the conditions for human flourishing for the communities we are privileged to serve,” Dyachim said. 

 

VanMeter appoints executive director of Bay Pines VA

BAY PINES – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has appointed David J. VanMeter as executive director of the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.

The system serves about 111,000 veterans annually and includes nine sites of care and more than 5,100 employees.

“His proven leadership qualities and experience will be an asset for the facility, the employees and volunteers, and most importantly, for the veterans we are honored to serve,” said David Dunning, acting VISN 8 director.

VanMeter previously served as deputy medical center director at the Tampa VA Healthcare System and has more than 20 years of experience with the VA.

 

Get answers on Medicare

ST. PETERSBURG – SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is a free program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco & Pinellas.

Specially trained volunteers can assist with Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance questions by providing one-on-one counseling and information.

They’ll answer questions at the following programs: 

  • Medicare Basics: April 2, 10 a.m. at New Port Richey Library, 5939 Main St., New Port Richey. 727-853-1279
  • Medicare Financial Assistance: April 9, 10 a.m. at Genesis Center, 38112 15th Ave., Zephyrhills. 813-782-7859
  • Medicare Basics: April 16, 10:30 a.m. at New River Library, 34043 FL-54, Wesley Chapel. 813-788-6375
  • Medicare Basics: April 18, 10 a.m. at Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Pkwy., Land O’ Lakes. 813-929-1214
  • Medicare Basics: April 23, 10:30 a.m. at Hugh Embry Library, 14215 4th St., Dade City. 352-567-3576

SHINE services are free, unbiased and confidential. Counselors do not sell anything. They can be reached by calling 1-800-963-5337 or 727-217-8111.