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May 2017 1 5
Y E A R S
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Volume 14, Issue 5 Ph: 657-2418
P U B L I S H I N G
World War II Army Veteran, & Duplicate Bridge Expert, Turns 101
By Nick Nahas
Osprey Observer 918 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Brandon, FL 33511-6121
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Walter approximately Pearson has 30 players in the lived an recreational extraordinary building at life. The World Strawberry War II veteran Ridge. turned 101 this According to past February. one of the playAt 29, he voluners in the group, teered to serve partners Walter his country, and Don “win all fighting in the the time.” second World “Walter is an War. He risked energizer bunny his life in the and extremely front lines of sharp for his the battlefields age,” said Joan for eight Rhyne. months. After Walter has Walter and his son, Don, at Walter’s 101st birthday celebration. serving, his been playing the commitment to country, community game for about 92 years, and with all and the American people continued. that experience under his belt, he has For the last 12 years, Walter and achieved the highest level of mastery his son, Don, have sponsored a Toys of the game. The retirement commufor Tots collection party in the nity and other players in the surSouthshore area. Held at the Alley at rounding area celebrate Walter’s Southshore each December, their col- birthday biannually, once on February lection party has become the biggest 5th (his birthday,) and once on August in the state. Just last year, they col5th. The party consists of having dinlected 378 bikes, 100 boxes of toys ner, drinking and playing duplicate and a little over $11,000 in cash. bridge. Walter and Don have also contributed Walter is also the chairman of the to military organizations and churches board of his company, Pearson in the area. “My father being an Army Capital, Inc, which he started back in veteran, wanted to help other people, 1956 in Massachusetts. Walter conand I, myself, have a compassion for tinues to work part-time for his comthose in need,” said Don. “We both pany, researching stocks. The suchave been blessed with more than cessful private money management enough to be able to give back to the firm has over 500 customers, reachcommunity.” ing a total of 26 states today. Don Walter is a celebrated part of the jokes that his father was back at work Strawberry Ridge retirement commuthe next morning after the Super nity, where he currently resides. Bowl, even though they are both Every Monday morning, Walter plays Patriots’ fans and stayed up to watch duplicate bridge, a card game, with the whole game.
Photo By Tamas Mondovics
Cal Ripken, Babe Ruth affiliate, East Bay Youth Athletics (EBYA) Majors 65 Red Sox pitcher Jacob Lockwood is focused while pitching against the Giants last month. Area leagues have enjoyed a solid spring baseball season ahead of this year’s championship tournament.
P O S I T I V E
C O M M U N I T Y
N E W S
County Commission Has Final Say Over Project After Planning Dept. Says No
By Tamas Mondovics
An artist rendition gives a better picture of a 50,000 sq. ft., senior citizen, retirement facility planned on a 10-acre parcel located just west of Lithia Pinecrest Rd. and Valrico Rd.
The future of a proposed senior citizen retirement residence and assisted living facility to be built in the heart of Valrico is in the hands of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commission. In pursuit of its plans, to build a new facility, Hawthorn Retirement Group, (HRT) an independent and assisted living management company (Not related to Hawthorne Village Retirement Communtiy of Brandon), presented its case for a proposed land use before the Hillsborough County Planning Commission, which has determined that Comprehensive Plan Amendment, HC/CPA 17-05 (proposed land use) is inconsistent with the goals, objectives and policies of the Future of Hillsborough Comprehensive Plan for Unincorporated Hillsborough County. The Planning Commission also resolved to forward its recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners for denial of the project during its meeting in June. The effort, however, was not HRT’s first try. In its case summary the Planning Commission staff stated that a similar request, HC/CPA 16-19, was part of the July 2016 Unincorporated Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan Amendment Cycle. The summary stated that request, RES-4 to RES-9 on the same parcel, was found inconsistent by the Planning Commission and denied by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), adding
that “the applicant has now resubmitted the request as a new Comprehensive Plan Amendment, HC/CPA 17-05.” By the numbers, HRT is requesting to change the nearly 400,000 sq. ft. parcel located on the west side of the intersection of Lithia Pinecrest and Valrico Rd., between Lithia Pinecrest Rd., and Timber Knoll Dr., across from a pond and lift station to build a 53,000 sq. ft., facility with 100 parking places, with a three story building, and room for 145 suites. According to the Planning Commission the primary impact of this change would be to allow more intense uses on the property and increase the
Continued on Page 4
In This Issue CRIME BEAT .......................................PG 7 STUDENTS TOUR OSPREY OBSERVER .....PG 8
URBAN BIKING .................................PG 11 GOING GREEN..................................PG 12
CHALKLINES....................................PG 23 BELL SCHEDULE VOTE.....................PG 28 SPORTS CONNECTION .............PGS 30‐31
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