Two Sections, 44 Pages of Community News
Valrico
Page 21 C E L E B R A T I N G
November 2017 Volume 14, Issue 11 Ph: 657-2418 1 5
Y E A R S
O F
P U B L I S H I N G
Reversible Lanes No Longer Recommended After Residents Voice Opinions At Meetings
P O S I T I V E
C O M M U N I T Y
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Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister presents 8-year-old Zane Lateef with a Citizenship Award for saving the life of an adult swimmer. The award was given to the young hero during the agency’s recent quarterly awards ceremony.
N E W S
Newly Dedicated Pediatric ER Completes Final Phase Of $60 Million Hospital Expansion By Kathy L. Collins
By Kathy L. Collins
Homeowners Association. May said, "Take the reversible lanes issue off the table and do not waste any more time or money on this issue." Others, such as Dale Meyer who has lived in Brandon since 1969, admonished the panel for not having done proper planning before the area's population explodHundreds of residents attended a Community ed. Engagement Meeting regarding the Brandon Corridors Additionally, residents and Mixed-Use Centers Pilot Project at The Regent in Riverview. Residents' opinions and concerns have been such as Tanya Doran, heard on the issues. Executive Director of the Hundreds of area residents have par- Riverview Chamber of Commerce said, ticipated in the discussion of the Brandon “Be mindful of the business community Corridors and Mixed-Use Centers Pilot and the impact decisions will have on Project. Residents have voiced their opin- them and the community overall." ions through emails and attending comMelissa Zornitta, Executive Director munity engagement meetings. At the last of the Planning Commission said, "We meeting held on Monday, October 30 at were pleased with the fantastic turnout for The Regent in Riverview, approximately the October 30 meeting. The feedback 140 residents appeared. received throughout the process at meetIssues being studied included land ings and via email has helped us in use, transit and roads (including developing recommendations and finalizreversible lanes on Bloomingdale Ave. ing the study. To that end, reversible which eliminates left turns), widening lanes on Bloomingdale will not be recomLumsden Rd. and intersection improvemended as a next step. The study will be ments. The study showed that while accepted by the Planning Commission as reversible lanes on Bloomingdale could complete at their December 11 meeting. increase capacity in the east/west corriThere will be additional planning, design, dors, it would put undue stress on the and engineering studies by the County, north/south corridors. Road widening is HART or FDOT to implement the transan option, but this could prove to be too portation improvements that are recomcostly. Finally, improving intersections and mended, like intersection improvements redevelopment might be the best options. along Bloomingdale, and the land use During the presentation, it was noted policy recommendations to encourage that 60 percent of residents travel through redevelopment in areas along SR 60." the Brandon area to get to the Westshore Residents are urged to continue to area or to the USF area, and 16 percent voice their opinion on the issues raised by of retail occurs in the Brandon area. the Brandon Corridors and Mixed-Use Many area residents voiced opinions Centers Pilot Project (http://plan hillsborsimilar to that of George May who was ough.org/Brandon-corridor-mixed-userepresenting the Bloomingdale centers.
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A multi-chamber Ribbon Cutting event was held on Tuesday, October 24 to celebrate the opening of the new Pediatric Emergency Center at Brandon Regional Hospital.
Brandon Regional Hospital recently cut the ribbon on its new Pediatric Emergency Center. This is the third and final phase of the hospital’s $60 million Emergency Room expansion. The Brandon Regional Hospital Pediatric Emergency Center is exclusively for children. It features a separate entrance, 15 exam rooms complete with small beds, special instruments and kid friendly décor. The physicians, nurses and other specialists who work in the Pediatric Emergency Center have been specially trained in pediatrics. It is truly impressive to see the new facility and realize how well children who live in the greater Brandon area will be treated without the need to send them far from home. The greater Brandon area is a young, growing population. This dedicated Emergency Center fulfills a need in the area. Bland Eng, CEO of Brandon Regional Hospital said, "We saved the best for last in unveiling this third and final phase of our Emergency Room expansion." Eng added, "None of us want our children to have to visit the emergency room, but if we have
to, we want it to be close to home at a place with great resources." Subhankar Bandyopadhyay, M.D.,
Continued on Page 13
In This Issue WALK THRU BETHLEHEM ..................PG 4 TREE LIGHTINGS.................................PG 5 MANATEES .........................................PG 9 SKYTYPING .......................................PG 12 CRIME BEAT .....................................PG 18 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT................PG 28 HOLIDAY GUIDE ........................PGS 31‐38 SPORTS CONNECTION...............PGS 42‐43
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