Riverview/Apollo Beach
Win 3-month Family Y Membership
contest@ospreyobserver.com C E L E B R A T I N G
January 2018 Volume 16, Issue 1 Ph: 657-2418 1 6
Y E A R S
O F
P U B L I S H I N G
P O S I T I V E
Opens Second Location See Eye on Business Page 26
C O M M U N I T Y
N E W S
BayCare Announces Two-Phase, $112M St. Joseph’s Hospital South Expansion
New Documentary Focuses On The Stories, The People & Why Wimauma Matters
build-out of two additional medical and surgical floors, along with an addition of NICU and pediatric services with 10 NICU, 12 pediatric and 12 pediatric progressive care unit patient rooms. The expansion also calls for 36 medBayCare Health Systems has announced the expansion of all ical and surgical three of its Tampa Bay area hospitals. A rendering of one the patient rooms, and the projects shows the company’s commitment to the relocation and renovagrowing community. tion of ancillary spaces. BayCare Health System has man“At BayCare, we are always evaluataged to close the year with the ing the current and future needs of our announcement of investing $308 million community,” said Kimberly Guy, president into the Hillsborough County community of St. Joseph’s Hospital and BayCare’s with the expansion of three of its hospimarket leader for Hillsborough County. tals. St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, St. “The greater Tampa Bay area continues Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz and St. to be a popular destination, and these Joseph’s Hospital-South, will see an expansions will allow us to not only meet increase in the size of each facility as its rapid population growth but also better well as the number of medical specialserve the medical needs of our neighties. bors by increasing our medical specialAccording to BayCare officials, ties and services.” St.Joseph’s Hospital-South, (SJHS) a Hospital officials said that all three 360,000-sq. ft., $225 million facility, locatprojects have been approved or are in ed at 6901 Simmons Loop, Riverview the approval process by city and county that sits on a 72-acre property will see a planning officials, with construction begintwo-phased expansion totaling $112 milning in 2018. lion. Residents can expect completion of The first phase ($74 million) includes a new five-story building; a 25-bed emer- all three projects, by the end of 2020. Phase one of SJHS expansion is gency department expansion with CT, xexpected completion in April 2019, folray, and ultrasound as well as an 18-bed lowed by phase two in December 2020. observation unit. BayCare currently boasts of 14 hosThere will be a build-out of one existpitals and hundreds of other convenient ing shelled operating room and one locations throughout the Tampa Bay and existing shelled catheterization lab. west central Florida regions. Plans also call for additional space For more information, visit reserved for future growth. www.BayCare.org. Phase two ($38 million) includes a
The Southern Hillsborough County rural community of Wimauma is receiving attention this month thanks to a documentary put together by Tampabased online magazine, 83 Degrees Media. The documentary, Why Wimauma Matters, tells the stories of The group 83 Degrees Media recently published a video named many residents of Why Wimauma Matters telling the stories of the area’s residents. the area with the ty. In addition to speaking to residents of goal of shining a light on the community the area, the project also included a bus and the changes it is undergoing. trip to Wimauma for a group of Tampa “We found that many people don’t leaders including County Commissioner know about Wimauma, despite its close Victor Crist and other people interested in proximity to Tampa and the Brandon helping to shape the future of the area. area,” said Diane Egner, Publisher and The group is now looking to do similar Managing Editor of 83 Degrees Media. projects in different communities through“We decided to let people from the area out the region. tell their stories by video to explain more “The more you can tell positive stoabout the area and help provide ideas for ries and deliver positive perspectives, the how the community can grow and face more positive things will happen,” said challenges in the future.” Egner. According to Egner, Wimauma is For more information and to view the home to more than 6,500 people, 75 per- video, visit www.83degreesmedia.com. cent of Hispanic background. The video features stories from a diverse group of residents from Ismael Lebron-Bravo, Principal at Wimauma Elementary, to Rev. Bill Cruz Jr., Pastor at Good Samaritan Mission. “The stories are those of a diverse population, natives and longtime landowners, retirees from northern states as well as immigrants and migrant laborers,” said Julie Branaman, Managing 14 Photographer at 83 Degrees Media, who edited the video. “The stories are important because Wimauma is facing rapid MILITARY AGRICULTURE TOURS ........PG 5 transformation as the demand for housing in Florida grows, weather and disVISIT FROM ASTRONAUT.................PG 10 ease shrink traditional agricultural proBUSINESSES OF THE YEAR................PG 12 duction and investors look for new opportunities.” EYE ON BUSINESS ............................PG 25 It took approximately a year for jourSOUTHSHORE LIVING ......................PG 27 nalists to collect the stories in the video and they have been pleased with the SPORTS CONNECTION ..............PGS 38‐39 results and response from the communi-
By Kate Quesada
Osprey Observer 918 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Brandon, FL 33511-6121
Postal Customer
ECRWSS EDDM
PRSTD STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAMPA, FL PERMIT #2397
By Tamas Mondovics
Photo by Kendra Oestreich
Dawson Elementary School Principal Derrick McLaughlin and Assistant Principal Ashley Wiese attend the school’s first-ever winter concert. The event drew a large crowd as the school hopes the celebration will become a Dragons’ tradition.
PDQ RIVERVIEW 10441 Big Bend Road