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Neighborhood briefs

News from around the town.

By - SAUNDRA AMRHEIN, BRADEN HENDRICKS, ANDREW MEACHAM, JESSICA KLIPA
Published June 23, 2006

WIMAUMA

Two fathers were honored at the sixth annual Exemplary Father of the Year awards for being role models to their families and the community.

Elias Charles and Julian Martinez both won the honors this year during the event held on the eve of Father's Day by the Florida Institute for Community Studies Inc.

Men from the community designed the Exemplary Father program.

The award nominees are chosen each year based on their involvement with their families and the community.

This year's competition saw five nominees: Martinez of Wimauma, Charles of Riverview, Adan Ochoa of Wimauma, Jorge Reyes of Wimauma and Victor Morales of Wimauma.

Charles and Martinez were chosen for their devotion to their families, their work with their churches, their volunteer work with youth soccer and their overall commitment to helping families in southern Hillsborough County, institute leaders said.

The event was started six years ago to showcase overlooked contributions by Latino fathers to their families and communities, according to institute leaders.

RIVERVIEW

All four of the parks closed two weeks ago - Bell Creek Preserve, Golden Astor Scrub Preserve, Stephen J. Wortham Park and Rhodine Scrub Preserve - have been reopened.

The county parks department shut down the parks in Riverview after wildfires a month ago damaged the nature trails and burned down many trees.

In some parks, fires continued to smolder for days.

But Tropical Storm Alberto brought cooling rain last week. And workers restored trails and paths scarred by fire, making them safe again for visitors.

BRANDON

The Brandon All Stars cheerleading team won $4,000 for placing fifth in the World Series of Cheerleading. The competition featured teams from all around the country.

Only teams that have distinguished themselves by outstanding performance in other competitions compete in the World Series.

The All Stars took home $4,000 out of a total of $75,000 awarded to six teams. Twist and Shout, a team from Norman, Okla., won the $30,000 top prize.

VALRICO

Bloomingdale residents say they wouldn't mind a tax office in their neighborhood - but not behind their library.

Tax Collector Doug Belden approached Bloomingdale neighbors earlier this month hoping to make a deal: The county would build a functional tax office in their neighborhood if residents would give their blessing.

Instead, they gave him the boot. More than 20 members of the Bloomingdale Homeowners Association attended the meeting at the Bloomingdale Regional Library, as did representatives of the Bloomingdale Friends of the Library.

The board voted against backing the county's request. Some residents worried that adding a tax collector's office would prevent the library from using that same property in an expansion, board member Myron Magedanz said.

"The issue is, the library is already jammed up," Magedanz said. "They're saying they need room. But if they want to expand, will there be any room?"

APOLLO BEACH

Residents of MiraBay gathered at their community clubhouse on Wednesday to put together packages to send to troops overseas.

The MiraBay Fun Bunch likes to meet monthly to box up items like coffee, tea, candy, potato chips and instant noodles for troops in Iraq.

They need flavored water packets for the troops, said founder Latanya Henry, who began the group a year and a half ago after her husband was sent to Iraq. Henry is also in charge of making quilts for troops at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa.

"My goal is to let people know that we can all do something no matter how small," Henry said. "I don't like to let the troops think that we have forgotten them.

To make donations, contact Henry at 244-1637.

[Last modified June 22, 2006, 12:33:43]