NEW TAMPA BAY FERRIES ALLIANCE CONTINUES AREA PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION VISION

A diverse group of local leaders from across Tampa Bay have joined to develop the Tampa Bay Ferries Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering on permanent, year-round, cost-efective ferry service.

Tanya Doran, a lifelong South Hillsborough County resident and the former CEO and president of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce, will serve as the alliance’s founding president and CEO.

“I am honored to lead the Tampa Bay Ferries Alliance alongside our incredible Board,” said Doran.

“As the South Hillsborough County population continues to grow, adding a sustainable ferry service to connect all of Tampa Bay, utilizing our untapped waterways is a wise decision.”

The alliance announced its founding board of directors, including:

Michael Ball — retired Naval ofcer.

Bryce Bowden — member of the Hillsborough County Planning Commission.

Joe Eletto — veteran and military focused support organizations.

Fred Fallman — retired United States Air Force.

Kelly Flannery — South Tampa Chamber president and CEO.

Chris Steinocher — St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce president and CEO.

Nancy Stevens — Tampa Bay Sierra

Club conservation chair.

Two Newsome Students Start Cheer Team For Peers With Special Needs

By Lily Belcher

Staf Report

Board secretary Joe Eletto is a Vietnam-era veteran and chairman of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce’s Military Afairs Committee.

“As a military and veteran advocate, a ferry is a win-win for us all and the only transportation option that will improve these heroes’ quality of life by giving them back well over an hour with their family each day,” said Eletto, The organization will operate independently but in cooperation with the currently operating seasonal Cross Bay Ferry system, which is a unique public-private partnership between Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, Tampa and HMS Ferries.

The Tampa Bay Ferries Alliance’s initial goals are to secure expedited permanent ferry service in the Tampa Bay region, including a commuter connection between South Hillsborough County and MacDill Air Force Base alongside service between St. Petersburg, Tampa and South Hillsborough County.

“The fact is we have a tremendous, untapped resource right at our shorelines,” said Doran.

“With community buy-in and committed local leadership, we can bring reliable ferry service to communities across the entire region.”

To learn more, visit www.tampabayferriesalliance.org.

The FishHawk Wolfpack Cheer Team is starting a challenger team for athletes with special needs that want to take part in their cheer program.

Callie Hancock, a junior student at Newsome High School and member of the Wolfpack Cheer Team, started the challenger team to create an inclusive and fun opportunity for her peers with special needs.

“Junior Alyssa Gardner and I were both Wolfpack cheerleaders when we were younger. … We wanted to give kids of diferent abilities an opportunity to make memories like us,” explained Callie.

The team will ofer a way for athletes with special needs to stay active and engaged with their friends while being supported by their coaches and teammates. Callie was inspired by her younger sister, Leyton, who has cerebral palsy, to create a team to reach FishHawk kids with special needs.

“She is my biggest inspiration and I have seen everything she has been through. As she has gotten older, it has been harder and harder for her to participate in younger kid activities. This program allows her and other special needs kids in our community to participate in ways that they normally cannot,” said Callie.

The co-ed team will start on Tuesday, August 1, with practices on Monday nights. Callie is hoping to have around 10 athletes on the cheer squad in their inaugural season. Students between 5-18 years old can register online for $150, which includes a practice set, uniform and bow. Callie and Gardner will coach the team, using their experience with the Wolfpack Cheer Team to guide their new cheerleaders.

“I was not surprised at all. Callie is the hardest working, motivated and driven teenager I know. She has always been the absolute best big sister to Leyton,” said Callie’s mother, Malinda Hancock. “… Callie and Alyssa will be the most amazing coaches.”

The Wolfpack Cheer Team are six-time national champions in their 17th year in the FishHawk community. The recreational cheer program is located of FishHawk Boulevard in Lithia.

For more information, visit www.fishhawkwolfpack.com or contact fhwolfpackcheercoordinator@gmail.com.

THE RIDE: Four-door, up-to-six-passenger 2023 Toyota Tundra 4x4 Capstone CrewMax full-size pickup.

DOWN THE ROAD: Sitting on a fully boxed, high-strength steel frame, the Toyota o f ers a composed ride while absorbing the bumps of rough surfaces with skill and sure-footedness.

TECH & PERFORMANCE: Forget the previous 5.6-liter V8. It has been replaced by an outstanding i-FORCE MAX 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 hybrid engine paired with a bell-housing electric motor/generator. The 288V nickel-metal hydride battery sits under the rear seat. The result is 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 583 pounds-feet of torque at 2,400 rpm while mated to a 10-speed auto gearbox. Suspension has been totally revamped with a newly developed independent double-wishbone front while the rear gets a multilink with coil springs. The electric power rack-andpinion steering has a solid and communicative feel, making the pickup easy to place at sharp curves. Tow capacity is an astonishing 10,340 pounds.

LOOK & FEEL: Exclusive for our brawny, notched, athletic Capstone edition is a color-keyed outer frame grille while chrome decks up the inner mesh pattern, mirror caps, Tundra tailgate inserts and trim accents. Climb into the cabin and you won’t find a reason to complain about space, which is abundant, starting with 10-way power driver and four-way front-passenger, cooled/heated two-toned (black/white), semi-aniline seats. Gone is the small

7-inch infotainment screen, replaced by a massive 14-inch display atop the center stack. Toyota bu f s will love the traditional volume button for the audio. It stays! Clear digital gauges for speedometer, tachometer, tow gauges and fuel readings will be appreciated by any driver. The voltmeter, coolant temperature, fuel and engine oil pressure are easy to read. A dial on the dash o f ers the option of 2WD, 4X2Hi and 4X4Lo. There also is an adjustable tie-down cleat 5.5-foot-long bed that can haul 4-by-8 plywood sheets.

Other amenities include the dual auto AC, head-up display, power panoramic moonroof, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, 60/40 fold-up rear seat, power running board, rear door sunshades, easy lower-and-lift tailgate, American walnut woodgrain and overhead console.

SAFETY FIRST: The dual front airbags; side curtain airbag; front knee airbags; four-wheel antilock brakes; stability, traction and trailer sway controls; blind-spot monitor with rear-cross traffic alert; rearview camera; smart-stop technology; daytime running lights; and tire pressure monitoring system come at no cost. Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 includes a pre-collision system that detects pedestrians, lane departure/tracing assists and dynamic cruise control.

OUT THE DOOR: $73,530, plus tax, tag, delivery and destination charges.

BY THE NUMBERS: Tires, P265/50R22; wheelbase, 145.7 inches; length, 233.6 inches; width: 80.2 inches; height: 78 inches; weight, 6,010 pounds; fuel capacity, 32.2 gallons; city, 19 mpg; highway, 22 mpg; website, www.toyota. com.

WHY DIG IT: This no-frills pickup from Toyota o f ers a powerful performance, imposing tow capacity and a cavernous cabin. But the gas mileage, especially in city, is a huge letdown.