Riverview/Apollo Beach
7
August 2021
Volume 19,
Issue 8
Ph: 657-2418
CELEBRATING 19 YEARS OF PUBLISHING P OSITIVE COMMUNIT Y NEWS
BOARD AND COUNTY COLLABORATE ON COLLINS EXPANSION TO PRE-K-8TH SCHOOL By Brian Bokor
Osprey Observer 2109 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Valrico, FL 33596
By Lily Belcher
As red tides have continued and an N-95 mask. The to cause problems for boaters bags can be disposed of and beach goers, Hillsborough in the gray garbage carts County is working to clean that are collected twice a up the dead fish in the waweek or can be brought terways. To assist the cleandirectly to four collection up efforts, the SouthShore locations: South County Chamber of Commerce hostCommunity Collection ed its first volunteer cleanup Center, E.G. Simmons with the Freedom Boat Club Conservation Park, Apolon July 18. lo Beach Nature Preserve Each boat supplied by the or 504 Elsberry Rd. in Freedom Boat Club, Apollo Apollo Beach. Beach Charters and Ladyfish Community members Charters had two volunteers The boats that went out last Sunday over 18 who would like and a captain that cleaned up for first cleanup were chartered by to volunteer can contact the dead fish clusters report- Freedom Boat Club, Apollo Beach Davis at melanie@southed by local residents in the bay Charters and Ladyfish Charters. shorechamberofcomand along mangroves. They plan to continue merce.org for more information about the these efforts as long as red tides impact lo- dates and times of future cleanups. To make cal waterfront businesses that have lost cus- monetary donations, mail a check to the tomers. SouthShore Chamber of Commerce at 201 “The county has said they believe this will W. Shell Point Rd., Ruskin, FL 33570 or call be an ongoing problem for months, so we’ll 645-1366 to make a credit card payment. continue to do it as long as the need is there,” For more about red tides, visit HCFLGov.net/ said SouthShore Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Melanie Davis. Davis explained that some businesses are not only losing customers, but also losing employees who have respiratory issues or cannot work due to the smell and conditions on the water. Fishermen who are tasked with catching live bait for shops are also struggling to work, so the chamber of commerce is hoping that they will spend their time helping resolve the issue so all businesses can resume normal operations. “As a chamber, we can’t tackle red tide,” explained Davis. “We can definitely get out there right away and try to help some businesses.” Since the conditions are not suitable for volunteers with respiratory issues, members of the community can help in different ways. Right now, the SouthShore Chamber of Commerce is in need of black contractor trash bags, large Rubbermaid garbage cans and long-pole pool skimmer nets. Residents can also make monetary donations to fund supply purchases and lunches for the volunBUFFALO SOLDIER ................................PG 7 teers. Hillsborough County has offered guidance GASPARILLA IS BACK .....................PG 10 for locals who want to dispose of dead fish EYE ON BUSINESS...................PGS 25-26 on their property. It advises residents to SPORTS ....................................................PG 47 double-bag carcasses while wearing gloves
IN THIS ISSUE:
Postal Customer
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PRSTD STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAMPA, FL PERMIT #2397
in South County, I asked if expansion at other school sites is currently being explored. “Yes, expansions are frequently constructed; most recent examples are Wimauma Elementary and Spoto The Hillsborough County School Board has submitted plans to add a new High School,” said Dickenson. “This is 20,000-square-foot building at the site of Collins Elementary along with a new 20,000-square-foot gymnasium, converting the school from an elemen- what we are doing tary-only school to a prekindergarten through eighth-grade facility. at Collins and have been doing at many The Hillsborough County School Board has submitted plans to add a new schools. However, the amount of capaci20,000-square-foot building at the site ty that one can add to an existing school of Collins Elementary along with a new site is limited. The school capacity required 20,000-square-foot gymnasium, convert- to serve the already approved residential ing the school from an elementary-only growth in South County will exceed what school to a prekindergarten through eighth- we can add to existing sites. Therefore, we grade facility. The expansion will also in- must be able to build new schools in the clude additions to the music, dining and south to properly serve this area.” According to transportation studies remedia centers as well as new a track and field area and play court area in order to quired for the project, “a signal is not recaccommodate the influx of new students. ommended at this time. The intersection of Plans call for the new school with the track Panther Trace Blvd. and Summerfield Blvd. does not satisfy any of the applicable warand playfields to be open by August 2023. Additionally, the request includes the ad- rants for signalization. The school currently dition of a shared park and recreational fa- utilizes crossing guards during the school cilities, including a new 15,000-square-foot hours that have worked effectively.” The current school has an enrollment of community center along with playground and basketball courts on the northern par- 1,002 elementary students with the proposed expansion allowing up to 1,031 elecel to be open the public. The site is located in Riverview on the mentary students and 535 middle students northeast corner of Panther Trace Blvd. for a total of 1,566. It is expected that both and Summerfield Blvd. The southern parcel schools will operate on the elementary is owned by the school board (Collins Ele- school bell schedule, which is 7:40 a.m. to mentary School), with the currently vacant 1:55 p.m. General access for the school is proposed northern parcel owned by Hillsborough to remain unchanged with teacher parking County. Amber Dickenson, general manager of and bus pickup/drop-off via Panther Trace Growth Management for Hillsborough Blvd. and parent pickup/drop-off via SumCounty Public Schools, explained, “The merfield Blvd.; however, the configuration county property was helpful in this case to will be modified to accommodate the addibuild a track that we would have not had tional traffic. To learn more, visit www.hillsboroughthe area to construct.” With school capacity a pressing issue schools.org.
CHAMBER COORDINATES RED TIDE VOLUNTEER CLEANUP EFFORTS
Purple Heart recipient Walter Dowdy Jr. was recently interviewed for a special documentary on Buffalo Soldiers. The video will be part of the Buffalo Soldier Memorial in Ohio. Dowdy Jr. and his wife, Berta, now live at Aston Gardens in Sun City Center. See the full story on Page 9.
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