Brandon Patch Postings (April 18-24)

This week Brandon Patch was on the scene at events, fundraisers and volunteer efforts involving such things as Earth Day, the Hillsborough County Max Out Summer Camp Program, the Brandon Regional Hospital’s women’s health exposition and a celebrity luncheon featuring Earl Lennard as the “chef."

We offered planet-friendly tips, recipes for both Passover and Easter, news you could use about county offerings and a warning about a lottery scam involving the elderly. We reported on the theft (and most likely prank) involving the “Most Interesting Man in the World” from O’Brien’s Irish Pub in Brandon.

Stagdoor wrapped up its community theater run of “Neverland” and, in our “Over 50” feature, we talked to Joella Abbott of the upcoming Village Players production of “Bye Bye Birdie.” The Christian film, “The Message,” featuring some local talent, returned for Eastertime screenings in Tampa Bay movie theaters and churches.

Brandon Patch, with its sister Patches, each week day posts a PatchCast video highlighting events and happenings throughout the bay Area. This week’s videos included a look at the Great American Cleanup, the bonsai gardening technique and pet acupuncture.

This edition of “Brandon Patch Postings’ offers weekly headlines, summaries and links from April 18-24.

Postings from March 21 through April 17 appear below this week’s recap.

Also, archived for posterity:

•  — Dec. 15, 2010 (launch date) through Jan. 23
•  — Jan. 24-Feb. 20
• Brandon Patch Archives — Volume No. 3 — Feb. 21-March 20

Another way to find the news you might have missed, or want to revisit, is to search by keyword on the home page — or on any page you visit at Brandon Patch. Just use the search box found in the upper- right-hand corner, right under the day's weather summary.

And now, a look back at the week that was:

BRANDON PATCH NEWS COVERAGE (April 18-24)

(Note: after clicking through to an article below, please use your back-arrow key to return to this recap.) 

•  – Brandon Regional Hospital and South Bay Hospital in Sun City Center team up to explore health issues for women over age 35 at the “Healthy Women, Healthy Community” exposition at the Brandon Community Advantage Center, now open as The Regent in Riverview. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — A look at the best bet for things to do, deals to consider and words to reflect upon as the week of April 18-24 gets underway in Greater Brandon and beyond. / Kevin Brady

•  — One incident took place in Brandon where the thieves a approched a 62-year-old man outside the Denny’s restaurant on Brandon Boulevard and claimed they needed help to claim lottery winnings. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — A meeting to assist Hillsborough County residents affected by the March 31 storms is set to take place April 21 in the Greater Brandon community of Progress Village. Red Cross volunteers report on finding “shining examples” of “humanitarian kindness.” / Kevin Brady

•  — Passover is a religious observation marked with tradition, friends and food. This year’s observance began at sunset (or after nightfall) April 18. Here’s some recipes for all to enjoy and we welcome your suggestions as well. / Kevin Brady

•  — Dick Stowers, Joe Garcia and Trudy Carey join old and new friends at the Copper Bell Cafe for a three-hour “Cooking For a Cause” lunch that raised more than $3,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of Riverview. The meal was prepped and served by Earl Lennard. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — The Great American Cleanup runs nationwide March 1 through May 31. Here’s a view of the effort from one Saturday in April in Tampa. / Hank & Yvonne Charneskey

•  — Single-family home pool home is set amidst lush landscaping and is on the market for $695,000. Heated workshop, attached in-law suite and separate guest house featured as well. / Kevin Brady

•  — Registration is underway for the summer camp program offered through the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department at 33 locations, including the Brandon Recreation Center and park on Sadie Street. / Kevin Brady

•  — Discounts are steep for the remaining books at the Borders in Brandon, where earlier this year poster boards were hung on which patrons and workers paid their final respects. The signs have since been taken down, but the memories — and pictures — remain. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Greater Brandon’s newly opened grand civic space hosts its first thespians, with a luncheon preview of the upcoming spring production of “Bye Bye Birdie” at The Regent. The Village Players will stage the show in May at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Brandon businesses dealing in gold have seen supply dwindling as prices continue to set and break records in an economy marked by a weaker dollar and signs of inflation. / Kevin Brady

•  — This week's round of savings includes deals from Einstein, Smokey Bones, Curves, Firestone, Giordano’s and Oaks Bar & Grill and more. / Kevin Brady

•  — The 27th annual patron party hosted by Center Place took center stage April 9 at Greater Brandon’s newly opened grand civic space, The Regent. Here's a look back in pictures, with links to related coverage. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Was it a theft, a prank or a well-executed publicity stunt? Matters not. O’Brien’s Irish Pub is offering a reward of beer for the return of the life-size cutout of the Most Interesting Man in the World, the popular Dos Equis pitchman. / Kevin Brady

•  — Evie Lynn Johnson talks about Eve’s Garden, her long-established business in Land O’ Lakes that offers bonsai trees and instruction for do- it-yourselfers. / Hank & Yvonne Charneskey

•  — Priced at $750,000 and on the market since April 9 is this lakefront home with detached room suitable for a pool house or in-law quarters. / Kevin Brady

•  — A community yard sale and family fun day, free Internet classes and a swing dance party are among the weekend offerings on tap April 22-24. / Kevin Brady

•  — A new “Most Interesting Man in the World”is on display at O’Brien’s Irish Pub in Brandon, but it’s not the one that’s been “kidnapped.” Nor is the pilfered display at O’Toole’s, says O’Brien’s co-owner Sean Rice. / Kevin Brady

•  — Republican Terry Kemple, a former candidate for Hillsborough's School Board, and Democrat Lisa Rodriguez, a former candidate for the county's board of commissioners, react to remarks by Alex Sink to the East Hillsborough Democratic Club. / Kevin Brady

•  — Skeptical at first, a dog’s owner talks about the power of acupuncture in treating conditions affecting animals, and specifically his dog, Leno, who once had a marked limp. A look at acupuncture and its uses at Northeast Animal Hospital in St. Petersburg. / Hank & Yvonne Charneskey

•  — The production by Integrity Films is being marketed to area churches for entertainment and evangelical purposes and features two Greater Brandon actresses. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Earth Day coverage includes this local report on a planet-friendly effort from the volunteers of C.A. Technologies at the Brandon Senior Center. Also, Hillsborough County offers tips for water conservation, recycling and more. / Kevin Brady

•  — Brandon spots are still open for the reasonably priced summer camp run by the Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department at 33 sites. The April 23 event at the Brandon Recreation Center will help children in need also attend camp. / Kevin Brady

•  — Easter is a religious observation marked with tradition, friends and food. Here’s some recipes for all to enjoy and we welcome your suggestions as well. / Kevin Brady

•  — Abandoned pets are just one downfall of the well-intenioned notion to go live with Easter basket treats. Salmonella is a real threat, too, according to the HIllsborough County Health Department. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Five years ago, Hillsborough County Animal Services saw more than 36,000 animals. At a holiday themed event April 23, with egg hunt and bunny hop contest, animal advocates talked about why that number has dropped and ways to bring it down even further. / Kevin Brady

BRANDON PATCH NEWS COVERAGE (April 11-17)

•  — The April 9 breakfast draws hundreds of diners to the charity pancake breakfast hosted at the Cornerstone Baptist Church on Parsons Avenue. / Kevin Brady

•  — A futures look at the best bet for things to do, deals to consider and words to reflect upon as the week of April 11-17 gets underway in Greater Brandon and beyond. / Kevin Brady

•  — The aim is to hold two arts- and-crafts fairs a year to benefit the Florida Elks Children’s Therapy Services, a program that ensures children get the physical and occupational therapies that they need. /Kevin Brady

•  — Eleven-year-old Taylyn Olney said she has been singing and acting since age 3 and aspires to be on Broadway. She stars currently as Tinker Bell in the Stagedoor production of “Neverland.” / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — For one week for a 45th year the Florida town of Dunedin celebrated its Scottish heritage. This video takes a look at the April 9 festivities at Highlander Park.

•  — Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30 but it’s never too soon — as evidenced by the March 31 storms — to bookmark useful links to information you’ll need to know should severe weather strike. The key is to plan ahead. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Law enforcement officials believe the same two suspects are responsible for crimes at Five Guys and Steak ’n Shake on Brandon Boulevard and Liberty Tax Service on Bloomingdale Avenue. /Kevin Brady

•  — Harrison Godwin lives in the FishHawk community of Lithia, where he sells lemonade and cupcakes to aid in the fight against pediatric cancer through the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, founded by 4-year-old Alexandra Scott.

•  — A former Steak 'n Shake employee is charged with the April 2 armed robbery of the eatery at 1402 West Brandon Boulevard. He and a second suspect, still at large, are suspected in two other cases as well. / Kevin Brady

•  — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office warned the woman against making false accusations, after ruling five previous claims unfounded. The Seffner woman was arrested April 12 and charged with a felony. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — These shots were captured April 12 in the early afternoon along one of Greater Brandon’s most busiest north-south corridors for commuters. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — The Emergency Care Help Organization receives a grant from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to target hungry children over the summer months when school breakfast and lunch programs are on hiatus. / Kevin Brady

•  — Triscuit, Urban Farming and Common Ground join forces to break ground on a new community based home farm “and share how easy it is for everyone, everywhere to grow your own fresh food.”

•  — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is on the scene at Providence Road and Causeway Boulevard after a deputy reportedly shot a trespasser following an altercation. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — A report from the scene outside Barnacles and Walgreens in Brandon, where members of the YP Brandon networking group witnessed a deputy’s shooting of a man resisting arrest on suspicion of trespassing after warning. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Built with public dollars as a civic space for the Greater Brandon community, local artists want local art to make The Regent “warm and welcoming.” Artists discussed the issue at Greater Brandon Arts Council and Community Roundtable meetings April 13. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Alex Sink, the 2010 Florida Democratic nominee for governor, talked about redistricting at the East Hillsborough Democratic Club meeting at Giordano’s. She also talked about party plans to establish a think tank. / Kevin Brady

•  — Looking for the best deal for filling up your gas tank? This report aims to aid in the search. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Here’s news to know for last-minute filers and procrastinators. The good news: This year’s federal tax-filing deadline is April 18. / Kevin Brady

•  — Frederick Erwin was last seen April13 leaving his home at 1806 Bryan Road in Brandon. His wife said in his confusion he might be en route to Massachusetts, where the 80-year-old man once owned an auto body shop. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Named for their middle school, the four members of We the Kings “Rock Out For a Cause” back home in Bradenton, Fla., for a variety of charities and causes.

•  — Single family home features five bathrooms, 6,016 square feet and is priced at $639,000. / Kevin Brady

•  — At their April 14 meeting, Hillsborough School Board members will recognize art educator Greg Manley of Armwood High, five students with perfect SAT or ACT scores, National Merit honorees and the Bucs "Community Quarterback" recipient. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Each year the Mook Gallery at Center Place exhibits in April the work of Center Place art students. The April 14 reception is hosted by the Brandon League of Fine Arts. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Frederick Erwin, 80, has been found in Georgia, where he reportedly ran out of gas and was spotted walking the roadway. He had been reported missing by his family since April 13. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — The Hillsborough School District in the 2010-11 school year had five students with perfect SAT or ACT scores and 95 students recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — The Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department’s Tiny Tots program has hosted the “Tiny Tots Olympics” for 28 years. Competitors, ranging in age from 3 to 5, all go home with medals.

•   — Hillsborough County School Superintendent MarEllen Elia talks about the school budget and 2011-12 student academic calendar at the annual education update luncheon hosted by the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce at the Embassy Suites in Greater Brandon. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — An Easter Egg Hunt, variety show for cerebral palsy, Bunny Brunch Eggstravaganza and Ballerina Princess Party are among this weekend's offerings. / Kevin Brady

•  — This week's round of savings includes deals at Einstein Bros Bagels, IHOP, Tadpoles, Angelina’s, Chick-fil-A, Borders, Chili’s and more. / Kevin Brady

•  — Megan Poole loves performing. On April 16 at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Brandon, she stages a musical variety show to benefit a boy with cerebral palsy, a condition Poole herself has had to contend with since birth. Admission is free, donations accepted. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — All Children’s Specialty Care of Brandon celebrates its fifth year in business on Parsons Avenue. Turnout was strong for the “Egg-Stravaganza” fundraiser held at the center April 16. / Kevin Brady

•  — Brandon Patch caught up with Carol Todd, one of the town’s earliest bankers and most enduring promoters,at the Healthy Women, Healthy Communities Women’s Expo at The Regent on April 16. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Barbara Schwabe joins Cami Gibertini as the early candidates in the Community Roundtable race for honorary mayor of Brandon. Applications for the charity race still are being accepted. The race officially kicks off June 1 and ends July 4. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — The old house on Moon Avenue is the home of the GFWC Junior Woman’s Club, a group that provides goods for children in need at home and troops in service overseas. The group’s April 16 yard sale raised funds for both these efforts and clubhouse repairs. / Linda Chion Kenney

BRANDON PATCH NEWS COVERAGE (April 4-10)

•  — Using the crime mapping tool posted online by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Brandon Patch reports on the first-quarter findings for six zip codes in the Greater Brandon area. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Almost-free testing for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases is available today, April 4, at the downtown offices of the Hillsborough County Health Department. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Four-bedroom, three-bath home priced at $625,000 has been extensively remodeled and expanded. / Kevin Brady

•  — Donations are drying up but desperately needed to assist the families and significant others of soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan with severe and multiple traumas and injuries, according to Haley House Fund organizers. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — It’s not all sun and fun in the surf for lifeguards on the Clearwater Beach Patrol.

•  — Looking for the best deal for filling up your gas tank? This report aims to aid in the search. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — At age 16, Tyler Dowdy of Greater Brandon is sharply focused on his art. He follows in his brother’s footsteps in the pursuit of dance as a career and this summer will study with the Joffrey Ballet in New York. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Artisans, vendors, sailboats and food highlighted the 72nd Annual DeSoto Heritage Seafood Festival SeaFood Fest, a major attraction off the Manatee River. / Nick Walter

•  — Matt Joyce grew up in Greater Brandon with dreams of playing professional ball. Now a right fielder for the Tampa Bay Rays, Joyce talks about his team’s prospects and his passion for the North Brandon Little League fields. / Joel Poiley

•  — Misty Valley Drive property was built in 2007, features 2,709 square feet and is priced at $275,000. / Kevin Brady

•  — The Hillsborough County School Board approved the student academic calendar for the 2011-12 school year. Start date for students is August 23 and every Monday students will be released one hour early. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office posts surveillance video and photographs to aid in the search for the two armed robbers who struck the Brandon Steak ’n Shake at 1402 West Brandon Blvd. on April 2. / Kevin Brady

•  — As charities, like businesses, struggle to make do with less in a sour economy, the Relay For Life movement continues to show that when it comes to fighting cancer, the dollars find a way to the cause. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Single-family home built in 2006 and surrounded with mature oaks sells at the recently reduced price of $699,990. / Kevin Brady

•  — The people of Dunedin, named for Scotland’s capital of Edinbugh, during the 1800s, work to preserve the city’s cultural identity through musical education and events like the annual Dunedin Highland Games. / Hank and Yvonne Charneskey

•  — Fight cancer, support the arts, cheer on the kids, give back to the community and just have a good time dressing up, meeting the Easter Bunny and cooking together as a family. Choose one or all of the above. Our Brandon Patch planner will help. / Kevin Brady

•  — These snapshots are of a place where it’s great to get physical. Identify the area and tell us when and how you use this destination to further your strolling, fitness goals. Check back soon for answers and things to know about this featured Brandon spot. / Kevin Brady

•  — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office releases another surveillance photo captured during the April 2 armed robbery of the Brandon Steak ’n Shake. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Hillsborough County officials open a “one-stop” disaster relief center in Progress Village for residents affected by the March 31 storms and tornadoes.Meanwhile, the American Red Cross issues a response report. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — This week's round of savings includes deals at Borders, Della’s, Jiffy Lube, McDonald’s and more. Also featured, a snorkel tour in Crystal River. / Kevin Brady

•  — “Neverland” is a retelling of the Peter Pan story and marks the first performance of the Brandon-based Stagedoor Performing Arts community theater troupe on the stage at South Bay Church in Riverview. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — The Community Roundtable sets a theme for the 2011 Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade as entries are sought that reflect the community’s civic, cultural and commercial interests. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Traffic? You know how to avoid it. Tiramisu? You know where to find it. Fairs? You've been to them all. A fun list of what makes you a Brandonite. / Kevin Brady

•  — A listing of things to do for Greater Brandon residents as April 9 unfolds. Support the arts, catch a performance, shop for arts and crafts, attend a carnival or do all of the above — and all for a good cause, too. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Florida Strawberry Festival workers joined the 2011 Plant City Relay For Life at Plant City High. The April 8-9 event was the last of eight Relays organized by the Brandon-based American Cancer Society Southeast Hillsborough Unit. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — The 27th annual patron party for Center Place gets underway April 9 at The Regent with some 300 silent auction baskets, testament to the business community’s support of one of the town’s most cherished non-profits. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — The last of the eight Relays for Life overseen by the Brandon-based American Cancer Society Southeast Hillsborough Unit wraps up at Plant City High School on April 9. Collectively, the area’s eight Relays are expected to raise more than $875,000. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — Looking for the best deal for filling up your gas tank? This report aims to aid in the search. / Linda Chion Kenney

•  — A Touch of Wellness owner Scott Robinson and members of the Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority at the University of South Florida host the April 9 Fight for Cancer Carnival. / Kevin Brady

BRANDON PATCH NEWS COVERAGE (March 28 through April 3):

•  — Held March 25-27 in St. Petersburg, the Honda Grand Prix attracted thousands of racing lovers.

•  — The March 28 update on what has become the major local fundraiser of the year in terms of people participating and money raised: the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life.

•  — Every week we post landscapes, structures and internal furnishings as subjects in and of themselves is an invitation to Brandon Patch readers to challenge their knowledge of their community. Here's the answers to Round 6.

•  — Caught on the track walking a Relay For Life lap at Riverview High School, two Sessums teachers talk about what makes their first-graders tick.

•  — Looking for the best deal for filling up your gas tank? This occasional report aims to aid in the search.

•  — Richard Nimphie talks about his Suncoast Electric Vehicles business and the costs and benefits of owning an electric car, truck and van. Franchises available in the Tampa Bay market.

•  — Matt Sheehan and Alex Dunn offer tips for cooking chili at Aliquity’s Chili Fest 2011 at the Winthrop Pole Barn in Riverview.

•  — To be closer to family, Hamala Sharma moved to Brandon from Guyana. Once here, she used her training at the Peace Corps to assess her new community.

•  — Looking for the best deal for filling up your gas tank? This report aims to aid in the search.

•  — The deadline to purchase tickets for Center Place’s “Arti Gras” has been extended. A new art exhibit goes up, a woman’s club hosts Bunco and a used-book sale, a Rotary club meets and more.

•  — This week's round of savings includes deals at Borders, Petsmart, Angelina’s, Buca di Beppo and more.

•  — Most fitness instructors frown upon working out in high-heeled shoes, but not Brittany Rohr, owner of Inspired By Dance in Bradenton.

•  — The Hillsborough County Health Department coordinates the Bay Area Sharps Disposal Program for area residents whose health conditions require injected medications. Brandon Regional Hospital is one of the 12 participating disposal sites.

•  — Four-bedroom, three-bath home priced at $269,900 features 3,672 square feet.

•  — The Tampa Electric Co. is busy with storms today, March 31, as evidenced by the power outage map that residents can view online.

•  — Relay For Life, Spring Jubilee, family time activities, a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Brandon Ballet production, all on tap in the days ahead, starting with Brandon Idol teen auditions tonight, March 31.

•  — March 31 ends the way it began with storms causing hazardous conditions and power outages throughout the Greater Brandon area and beyond. TECO reports at 6 p.m. some 64,000 customers without power.

•  — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office opens its command post at 78th Street and Progress Boulevard, the area in which heavy storm damage has been reported.

•  — March ends with a massive storm system that caused massive damages for some homeowners, including the occupants of this home between Brandon and Winthrop, south of Bloomingdale Avenue and north of Symmes Elementary School.

•  — “I feel like the world is coming down on me, I really do,” said Cheryl Mestas, after three neighboring trees crashed down on her family’s cars and home in Greater Brandon. The tornado-like damage occurred March 31.

•  — Tampa Electric’s online outage map updates customers on where outages are and when power is expected to be restored.

•  — To aid yard cleanup following the March 31 storm front, the county has three yard waste processing facilities, including one in Greater Brandon.

•  — The 2011 Relay For Life season in Eastern Hillsborough County kicked off March 25-27 with events at Bloomingdale, Newsome and Riverview high schools. Up this weekend: Brandon High and Burnett Middle School.

•  — The Relay For Life season in Eastern Hillsborough County enters its second of three weekends with overnight fundraisers at Brandon High School and Burnett Middle School. The Brandon and Seffner/Dover events kick off April 1 at 6 p.m.

•  — Plan a getaway close to home without breaking the bank and draining tank.

•  — The Frenzie - Life Theatre returns for the closing weekend of its two-week run of “The Rocky Horror Show” at the Barn Theatre at Winthrop. Friday night shows are at 8 and midnight. Closing night, April 2, is at 8 p.m.

•  — An April 2 warehouse fire sends a plume of black smoke over Progress Village, where residents talk about the tornado that struck two days earlier. The smoke drifted east as well, in view of many parts of Greater Brandon.

•  — Check out this list of things to do in the Greater Brandon area and beyond.

•  — Hundreds of volunteers and neighbors fighting to rid the world of cancer gathered at both Brandon High School and Burnett Middle School for Relay For Life events April 1-2. Here’s a quick look, with more coverage to come.

•  — This April 3 report includes information about the 10th Annual Spring Jubilee at St. Stephen Catholic School, a Bay Area Renaissance Festival reminder and rough video of a curtain call audience-participation dance at “The Rocky Horror Show.”

•  — Rossi Bruno, Clark Glass, Travis Berridge, Devan Berrian and James Flint come home from the 22nd Annual NHSCA National Wrestling Championship in Virginia Beach with more lore to add to the famed Brandon High School wrestling story.

BRANDON PATCH NEWS COVERAGE (March 21-27):

•  — Watch video of Mike Jenkins, Fabian Washington and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie returning to their hometown.

•  — We'll update you weekly on what has become the major local fundraiser of the year in terms of people participating and money raised: the American Cancer Society's grassroots Relay For Life.

•  — Take a look at these photos and post your answers in the comment box below. Some are easy, some not so much.

•  — An occasional look at the 10 things you need to know, or might want to know, about the business of the Hillsborough County School District.

•  — Photographer’s pick from the 2011 St. Puppy’s Day Parade at O’Brien’s Irish Pub in Brandon.

•  — Tracey Adelhouser is one step closer to owning her own pub with the March re-opening of Brandon’s Fox and Hounds, near the corner of Lithia-Pinecrest Road and Brandon Boulevard.

•  — The St. Petersburg Times names its All-Hillsborough County wrestlers. Top honors go to Eagles Rossi Bruno and Clark Glass as Russ Cozart earns top coach honors. All 14 Brandon wrestlers make the list, which includes other Greater Brandon area wrestlers.

•  — A video view of just one effort in the nationwide effort to clean up the planet. This view, from Gulfport, Fla., was shot March 19, 2011.

•  — This round of offerings involves a free “Online Storytime," discounted Dr. Seuss books, crafts and scrapbooking, carousel rides and MOSI membership savings.

•  — Hundreds of parents, many with kids in tow, attended the second of two information sessions for the upcoming Charter Schools USA site at Winthrop. The K-6 school is under construction and set to open for the new school year.

•  — Tips are sought involving two burglaries and one attempted burglary in February, all involving entry through shattered glass in rear sliding doors.

•  — Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport hosted Elder Consumer Law Day.

•  — Business operates from a converted residence, giving it a homey feel. It is a tea room, gift shop and catering business.

•  — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has released a new tool for tracking crime in your neighborhood and beyond.

•  — Hillsborough Fire Rescue reports at 8 p.m. that firefighters are on the scene at the northeast corner of 78th Street and Progress Boulevard.

•  — The 2011 Hillsborough County Neighborhoods Conference is scheduled for April 2 at the Dale Mabry Campus of Hillsborough Community College.

•  — Col. Lenny J. Richoux spoke to Greater Brandon Kiwanians about his duties at the MacDill Air Force Base. In an interview, he talked, too, about the March 24 dinner for military families and significant others at the First Baptist Church of Brandon.

•  — Auditions kick off this week for annual song fest.

•  — Five-bedroom, four-bath home priced at $479,900 feature