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YOUR SEARCH FOR SUMMER PLANS IS OVER Home to more than 12,000 animals and world-class coasters, Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay has camps for both animal lovers and thrill seekers alike.

YOUR SEARCH FOR SUMMER PLANS IS OVER Kids in Kindergarten through 12th grade can enroll in one-of-a-kind camps.

Day Camp: K-12 • Resident Camp: 7 -12 th

Book today and start counting down to the best summer ever.

Home to more than 12,000 animals and world-class coasters, Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay has camps for both animal lovers and thrill seekers alike. BuschGardens.com/camps • (813)884-4FUN (4386) Kids in Kindergarten through 12th grade can enroll in one-of-a-kind camps.

See Our Ad On Page 29 Day Camp: K-12th • Resident Camp: 7th -12th

YOUR SEARCH FOR hore SouthS SUMMER PLANS IS OVER in/Wimauma Apollo Beach/Rusk

April 2026 Volume 1, Issue 4

Home to more than 12,000 animals and world-class coasters, Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay has camps for both animal lovers and thrill seekers alike. Kids in Kindergarten through 12th grade can enroll in one-of-a-kind camps.

NOW OPEN IN SOUTHSHORE

Day Camp: K-12th • Resident Camp: 7th -12th Book today and start counting down to the best summer ever.

Ph: 813-657-2418

6 SEE OUR AD ON PAGE ____

C E L ENOW! B R A T I BuschGardens.com/camps N G 2 4 Y E• (813)884-4FUN A R S (4386) OF PUBLISHING POSITIVE COMMUNITY NEWS REGISTER

BuschGardens.com/camps • (813)884-4FUN (4386)

COUNTY HOSTS MEETINGS TO HELP WSCQ FOUNDER EXPANDS COMMUNITY SOUTH COUNTY HOMEOWNERS APPLY CONNECTION WITH RADIO & PODCAST By Brad Stager FOR REPAIR ASSISTANCE Program component, pricing and availability subject to change. © 2026 United Parks & Resorts, Inc. All rights reserved.

Staff Report

Application forms will be available at all the meetings and are also available online at https://hcfl.gov/ oor. Residents who cannot attend the meetings and do not have access to a computer can call 813-635-1810 to have an application mailed to them. The meetings will be held on the following dates and times: • Friday, May 1, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Town ‘N Country Library Community Room, located at 7606 Paula Dr. in Tampa. • Thursday, May 14, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Gardenville Recreation Center, located at 6219 Symmes Rd. in Gibsonton. •Wednesday, May 20: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Balm Park and Community Center, located at 14747 Balm Wimauma Rd. in Wimauma. Eligible funding may be used for:  • Roof repair or replacement. • Failure of electrical, plumbing or HVAC systems. • Failure of structural systems, such as floors and structural walls. • Exterior/interior deterioration (walls, foundation, porches, siding, etc.). • Water heater replacement. • Accessibility improvement (ramp, widening doorways, countertops, bathroom and kitchen modifications, etc.). • Lead-based paint remediation or other environmental issues. • Weatherization activities (doors, windows, air conditioning, roofs, insulation and energy-efficient appliances). Demolition-reconstruction may be offered for homes whose repairs exceed 50 percent of the appraised value according to the property appraiser valuation. For more, email affordablehousingservices@hcfl.gov or call 813-635-1610.

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Hillsborough County is holding a series of community meetings throughout the county over the next few weeks to help residents apply for assistance to repair their homes under Affordable Housing Services’ Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program.  The first five of the eight community meetings were held in April, and the remaining three will be held in May. Hillsborough County Affordable Housing Services staff will be at each of the meetings to help residents complete and submit their application. The Hillsborough County Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program is designed to ensure low, very low and moderate-income Hillsborough County families have the opportunity to live in safe, decent and sanitary homes. This is not a home remodeling program but rather a program aimed at assisting the community with immediate needs for rehabilitation due to the condition of the home. The countywide initiative utilizes the State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) program to rehabilitate the homes of residents who live in unincorporated Hillsborough County, Plant City and Temple Terrace. The City of Tampa has its own rehabilitation program. The program provides financial assistance to homeowners who cannot afford to bring their homes into compliance with the Florida Building Code or make other necessary repairs affecting life, health, safety and accessibility. There are income restrictions, and the program focuses on single-family homes that have been homesteaded as a primary residence for at least two years.

Keeping informed of the events and shifting tides of Sun City Center (SCC) has become another digital aspect of life for its residents, whether through the modern podcast or the old school pulse of frequency modulation. Vern and Elysa Hendricks are married and also bound by the shared endeavor of About the Town, a podcast detailing the community’s activities and resources, as well as airing announcements from SCC officials and hosting guests such as Hillsborough County Sheriff deputies who deliver personal safety tips. According to Vern, the podcast is a way to stay active by doing something enjoyable and meaningful. “I spent 10 years as a morning host and director of programming for Sun City Center’s low-power, local community radio station, Sun Radio, WSCQ, 96.3 FM,” he wrote in an email. “I spent almost as much time per week as I used to spend on my full-time job, so I decided to dial it back and yet be able to do something that I really enjoyed. So, I created this, with the cooperation of my wife who co-hosts the program.” Creating something useful for his neighbors is part of the motivation, added Vern. “The idea behind this is to create a repository of information that people who live in Sun City Center, or who are interested in our town, can find information about the many things that this community has to offer,” he said. You can listen to About the Town at https://rss.com/podcasts/about-thetown/.

Besides working on About the Town, Vern is also the producer for Veterans Corner Radio, a local podcast focusing on military and veteran interests. Veterans Corner Radio has a worldwide audience keen to be informed about veteran and military related legislation and resources and is hosted by retired Air Force Col. Joe Muhlberger. It can be found via most online podcast distributors and at https://veteranscornerradio.com/. Then there is WSCQLP, 96.3 FM — a low-power transmission that serves as the over-the-air auditory soul of the community. It broadcasts the familiar, melodic music popular with SCC’s residents and provides an essential public affairs role as well. It exists not only as radio waves but also as a digital stream at https://wscqfm.com/.

IN THIS ISSUE: RIV. COMMUNITY PLAN....................PG 3 LENNARD FOOTBALL STARS........PG 6 STRAZ SEASON....................................PG 16 YUENGLING TOURS..........................PG 20 EYE ON BUSINESS............................PG 34

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