AdventHealth Wesley Chapel is on Healthgrades’ America’s 250 Best Hospitals list for the second year in a row and is in the top 10% in the nation for Critical Care AdventHealth Wesley Chapel was named a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Failure for the third consecutive year a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Stroke for the sixth year in a row named among the Top 10% in the Nation for Overall Pulmonary Services for the third year in a row a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of GI Bleed for the seventh consecutive year “There is nothing more important than providing the best medical outcomes for our patients,” said Dr chief medical officer for AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and to be recognized for the hard work of our doctors AdventHealth Zephyrhills received accolades for neurosciences Its honors include being named a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Stroke for the second year in a row honored among the Top 10% in the Nation for Overall Pulmonary Services for the third consecutive year a Five-Star Recipient for Colorectal Surgeries for five years in a row and it was named among the Top 10% in the Nation for Critical Care for the fourth consecutive year “Our community depends on us to deliver quality care in their time of need,” said Dr chief medical officer for AdventHealth Zephyrhills “All of us at AdventHealth Zephyrhills are proud to provide these life-saving services to our community each and every day.” Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for over 30 of the most common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to determine the top performers in specialty care By offering easy access to objective performance measures Healthgrades helps consumers find and select a hospital that excels in providing the care they need “Healthgrades commends AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills for their clear commitment to delivering consistently superior patient outcomes in critical service areas,” said Brad Bowman chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades and unwavering dedication to clinical excellence sets a high mark for specialty care in Pasco County Consumers can visit healthgrades.com to learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality and access a patient-friendly overview of how we rate and why hospital quality matters here *Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2021 through 2023 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only Click here to view the complete 2025 Specialty Awards and Ratings Methodology Our website uses cookies. Please review our privacy policy to find out more about the cookies we use Browsing our website means you accept these terms Here is a complete list of those selections: Offensive player of the year: Cayden Thomas Defensive player of the year: Aiden Holewski River Ridge Golfer of the Year: Jack Hudson Cypress Creek Golfer of the Year: Gracie Sullivan Sunlake Swimmer of the Year: George Patrocinio Wiregrass Ranch 200 Individual Medley George Patrocinio Wiregrass Ranch 200 Freestyle Relay (Land O’ Lakes) Victor Nock Land O’ Lakes 100 Breaststroke George Patrocinio Sunlake 400 Freestyle Relay (Sunlake) Owen Kerrigan Second team 200 Medley Relay (Land O’ Lakes) Chase Urban Sunlake 200 Individual Medley Juan Benitez Land O’ Lakes 100 Freestyle Robert Avakian Sunlake 200 Freestyle Relay (Zephyrhills) Kai Singleton Wiregrass Ranch 400 Freestyle Relay (Wiregrass Ranch) Liam Moats Land O’ Lakes Honorable mention Ian Hayman Anclote Swimmer of the Year: Kayden Haxton Mitchell First team 200 Medley Relay (River Ridge) Kayden Haxton Mitchell 200 Individual Medley Eijah Noles Mitchell 200 Freestyle Relay (Mitchell) Bruce Williams Mitchell 400 Freestyle Relay (Mitchell) Bruce Williams Mitchell 200 Individual Medley Carlos Borges River Ridge 200 Freestyle Relay (River Ridge) Aiden Uy River Ridge 400 Freestyle Relay (River Ridge) Carlos Borges Sunlake Swimmers of the Year: Sadie Minich Sunlake Diver of the Year: Alexis Mironova Wiregrass Ranch First team 200 Medley Relay (Sunlake) Lili Ramsay Wiregrass Ranch 200 Individual Medley Sadie Minich Wesley Chapel 50 Freestyle Micaela Vasquez Zephyrhills 500 Freestyle Emelia D’Alessio Land O’ Lakes 200 Freestyle Relay (Land O’ Lakes) Katherine Purcell Wesley Chapel 400 Freestyle Relay (Sunlake) Regan Bright Second team 200 Medley Relay (Cypress Creek) Kiley Naramore Land O’ Lakes 200 Individual Medley Abby Hissa Sunlake 200 Freestyle Relay (Wesley Chapel) Sadie Minich Wiregrass Ranch 100 Breaststroke Jena Ruste Sunlake 400 Freestyle Relay (Wiregrass Ranch) Emily Hissa River Ridge Swimmer of the Year: Paityn Roberts Mitchell Diver of the Year: Genevieve Tucker Mitchell First Team 200 Medley Relay (Mitchell) Maya Miller River Ridge 200 Individual Medley Emily Roosevelt Mitchell 200 Freestyle Relay (Mitchell) Paityn Roberts Mitchell 400 Freestyle Relay (Mitchell) Paityn Roberts So.; Brooke Stotesberry Sr.; Isabella Navarro Mitchell Second team 200 Medley Relay (Gulf) Savannah Grinage Ane Belaustegui 200 Freestyle Paityn Roberts Mitchell 200 Individual Medley Nicole Kymenko River Ridge 200 Freestyle Relay (River Ridge) Isabella Arwood River Ridge 400 Freestyle Relay (River Ridge) Macy Valliere So.; Isabella Arwood Follow SBLive Florida throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App CHRIS BERNHARDT © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Chest Pain and HeartCare Center Accreditations AdventHealth Heart of Florida: Heart Failure Cath Lab and HeartCare Center Accreditations AdventHealth North Pinellas: Heart Failure Transcatheter Valve and HeartCare Center Accreditations This positions these hospitals as part of one of the top health systems in the U.S for providing top-quality care to heart patients in 2024 AdventHealth is one of only 95 health systems nationwide to be included News & World Report issue recognizes this commitment to drive preeminent hospital care for heart patients Through participation in the ACC’s NCDR and Accreditation programs AdventHealth is informing a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart patients “Our teams are dedicated to delivering exceptional care to every heart patient by combining the latest in medical advancements with compassionate care,” said Dr medical director of AdventHealth West Florida’s Cardiovascular Institute “This recognition by the American College of Cardiology reflects the hard work and expertise of our physicians nurses and team members as we continually strive to improve outcomes and transform cardiovascular care for our communities.” ACC’s NCDR is cardiology’s most established Participants are committed to ensuring evidence-based cardiovascular care improving patients’ outcomes and lowering health costs ACC Accreditation Services provides hospitals with practical resources and support to minimize gaps in the assessment diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease “The ACC is proud to recognize all eligible hospitals within the AdventHealth West Florida Division as some of the ACC’s top-quality providers of 2024 These leaders and hospital teams are providing dependable comprehensive treatment for cardiovascular patients based on current clinical guideline recommendations and standards from the National Clinical Data Registry (NCDR) and ACC Accreditation products,” ACC President Cathleen Biga Find out more about the AdventHealth Cardiovascular Institute in West Florida and take your free online heart disease risk assessment to help you identify your potential risk level for developing heart disease here If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below) so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue retention ponds or in low-lying neighborhoods will be battling river flooding in Pasco County into the middle of next week "Right now we have the local rivers are starting to flood and crest into the neighborhoods and we are running continuing operations of pulling people out of their homes that need assistance," Interim Fire Chief Ryan Guynn said More than 100 people have been rescued from the rising floodwaters so far according to a spokesperson for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office Officials advise any resident who lives near a lake retention pond or low-lying area to be on high alert for rising water Emergency management director Andrew Fossa called the rising rivers a "200-year flood event" for the county One river was in moderate flood stage and projected to reach major flood levels by next Wednesday Here is where to track the river levels in real time: The Anclote River and Hillsborough River near Zephyrhills crested on Friday morning The Hillsborough River recorded the highest flood level to date High-water rescue missions were ongoing on Friday were staged at Bealls Florida near SR-56 and the Anclote River as well as at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport near the Hillsborough River The Withlacoochee River is in major flood stage and Cypress Creek is 1 foot from reaching major flood stage Both rivers are forecast to crest between Monday and Wednesday of next week which crested on Friday morning at around 26 feet The Hillsborough River near Zephyrhills flows south until it deposits to the Hillsborough Bay Cypress Creek eventually deposits into the Hillsborough River south of Pasco County The Withlacoochee tracks east into the center of the state and "swamps out near Polk County which could create issues for nearby areas in the middle of next week," according to emergency management coordinator Nolan Ristau There's dozens of road closures, viewable here: mypas.co/Map Several neighborhoods are inundated with water Officials say historic river flooding is also spilling over into nearby lakes retention ponds and threatening neighborhoods that typically stay dry Two shelter locations from Hurricane Milton are remaining open: The county also reopened sandbag locations for residents facing river flooding. One location flooded late on Thursday, according to officials. These sandbag locations remain open: https://pascocountyfl.net/_T18_R294.php Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — First responders rescued 150 people across Pasco County as communities from Elfers to Zephyrhills saw what the county referred to in media alerts and on social media as "historical flooding." "It's unbelievable," said Nick Burgess who lives in the Silver Oaks community in Zephyrhills Nick and his family said they woke up Thursday morning thinking they'd made it through Hurricane Milton mostly unscathed and a large tree Nick's grandfather planted in the front yard of his home — which was once owned by his grandparents — was uprooted Burgess pointed out a bench he put in the yard in honor of them wasn't damaged "We've never seen anything like this before," said Nick's father spreading from the front entrance on Eiland Boulevard The Burgesses said the only water in the immediate area is a large pond in the neighborhood and the water levels keep rising further into the neighborhood He used sandbags and plastic to seal off his front entrance "It was actually given to me by one of my wonderful neighbors who 'I don't have any need for this because the water's waist high in my house,'" Nick said A Pasco County spokesperson said the Hillsborough River to the south of the city is in major flood stage Zephyrhills got a huge amount of rain from Milton According to Spectrum News Meteorologist Brian McClure the city was in a heavy rain band to the north of Milton's eye and saw 14 inches fall That's an amount the area would normally see throughout several days — not all at once The west side of the county saw unprecedented flooding Water covered the parking lot of the Wyndlake plaza on Old County Road 54 near the intersection of State Road 54 in New Port Richey Friday afternoon the Seven Springs Travel Park RV Resort and Best Treatment Network were also surrounded by water The county is recommending voluntary evacuations for Elfers and anyone in low-lying areas prone to flooding A spokesperson said flooding in these communities was caused by the overflowing of the Anclote River Nick said he's hopeful things don't get worse in Silver Oaks "We thank God we have our health and our life and we made it through the storm this is just material items," he said Brian McClure said the Hillsborough River crested Friday night at 16.6 ft flood stage and is expected to go down through the weekend and into next week He said the Anclote also crested Friday at 26.3 feet and would drop in the coming days.  that water levels in neighborhoods were expected to continue to rise People are reminded not to drive through flood waters and to be prepared to leave their home if they live in an impacted area A new shelter for flood victims was opened at the Wesley Chapel Recreation Complex at 7727 Boyette Creek Road. A full list of shelters can be found here 2022LAND O’ LAKES — A stumble in the school grade for West Zephyrhills Elementary School has led to a shuffling of several Pasco County principals West Zephyrhills dropped to an F after the most recent round of state testing Scott Atkins, who took over the school five years ago after a successful run leading A-rated Sand Pine Elementary had gotten the school off the state’s watch list But because it had D grades in 2016 and 2017 the latest grade meant the school falls under a Florida law that requires a change in leadership Atkins was transferred to the principal job at Odessa Elementary School “That creates a domino effect,” superintendent Kurt Browning said but will now move to the district office as a principal trainer Christina Twardosz, who had been reassigned to run Mittye P. Locke Elementary in May will shift gears to take over West Zephyrhills Browning said Twardosz fit the state criteria as a turnaround leader from previous work at Centennial Elementary He selected Tammy Berryhill, principal at Cypress Elementary since 2019 Berryhill previously led the school in New Port Richey and Browning said her strong community ties made her a perfect fit for the post Jeanne Krapfl, principal at Deer Park Elementary since 2017 The district will advertise for a new leader at Cypress Anclote High School also will get a new principal — at least temporarily Nancy Guss, who retired as principal of the Irvin Education Center in 2016 was appointed as acting principal of Anclote High who officials said is taking a leave for personal reasons Every Thursday, get the latest updates on what’s happening in Tampa Bay area schools from Times education reporter Jeffrey S. Solochek. Click here to sign up. Jeffrey S. SolochekEducation Reporter (CBS12) — Authorities have shut down a massive network of illegal gambling arcades operating across Florida—stretching from West Palm Beach to Fort Pierce Investigators say it was all part of a sophisticated money-laundering scheme with suspects pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars One of the locations is in a Publix shopping plaza on Military Trail just west of Tanger Outlets in West Palm Beach Sandwiched between a dentist’s office and a dry cleaners is VIP Sweepstakes The windows are blacked out and covered in posters advertising weekly drawings A sign on the door claims the arcade is closed due to air conditioning issues But the real reason VIP Sweepstakes—and other similar locations—are now locked up has nothing to do with air conditioning Investigators allege that VIP Sweepstakes operated as a Vegas-style casino offering high-stakes games and cash payouts—all under the radar of Florida law it may have seemed like harmless entertainment I can’t imagine why it’s shut down,” said another customer According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBCSO) the investigation into VIP Sweepstakes began in 2019 back when it was known as the Treasure Hunt Arcade Then they came back with new machines and called themselves VIP Why would we not think it was legal?” said Elsie when the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Money Laundering Unit took over that investigators connected VIP Sweepstakes to three other arcades: Treasure Hunters in Fort Pierce “I would see ladies in my neighborhood saying they were going to the arcade I thought they were talking about pinball machines,” Ann said Deputies call it “Operation Fool’s Treasure.” The investigation has already led to five arrests including the alleged masterminds behind this operation and her husband David Roffey as the owner of JJE Technologies LLC The other "targets" identified in this investigation are listed as follows: investigators confirmed that the arcades were operating video slot machines that pay out cash prizes Investigators say the arcade used ‘reload cards’—a tactic resembling cruise ship casinos and cashed out their winnings—all in violation of state gambling laws the possession of slot machines offering cash prizes is illegal such as certain tribal locations and pari-mutuel sites in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties investigators observed that only cash was being offered as prizes The investigation also uncovered significant money laundering activities associated with the arcades involving three bank accounts linked to two LLCs These accounts are held by JJE Technologies LLC at Wells Fargo and PNC Bank a total of $763,196 in cash was deposited into the West Palm Beach arcade's accounts and even luxury expenses like a Mini Cooper Authorities say it was all part of a larger scheme to disguise the operation’s profits $527,010 was deposited into the Vero Beach arcade and $571,414 into an account associated with the Fort Pierce arcade deputies reported the operation of multiple automated teller machines (ATMs) without traditional bank oversight are owned by private companies rather than financial institutions Investigators noted that access to these independent ATMs is tightly controlled; only patrons of the illegal gambling establishments can use them as arcade employees manage entry through a locked security system The machines are allegedly installed to facilitate illegal gambling operations and are frequently stocked with cash generated from the arcades' illicit activities The criminal network extended beyond the arcades The investigation also led authorities to Miami-based Grandview Products a company accused of supplying slot machines to these illegal arcades investigators found hundreds of slot machines linking the supply chain directly to the Treasure Hunt Arcade and other locations The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) was created in 2021 during a special legislative session with one key goal: to make sure gaming in Florida stays fair and safe and investigate all legal gaming activities across the state—everything from pari-mutuel wagering and cardrooms to slot machines and other forms of gambling allowed by law The FGCC also enforces Florida’s gaming laws and fights against illegal gambling though it does not oversee the Florida Lottery In response to our request for more information Nova Roffey has been accused of 50 counts of unlawful possession of slot machine devices being an agent or employee of a gambling house unlawful use of a two-way communication device and conspiracy to commit money laundering of $100,000 or more is also accused of facilitating this operation When deputies entered the arcade on January 16 they found Patel in the manager's office with a backpack full of cash bundles labeled for Roffey and payroll Patel stated that he was delivering $20,000 in cash to Roffey to make payments for ownership of the arcade Patel faces accusations of 50 counts of unlawful possession of slot machines and David Roffey have been accused of money laundering of $100k or more conspiracy money laundering of $100k or more conducting an unlawful lottery and unlawful manufacturing of sale or possession of coin-operated devices Legal gaming facilities in Florida provide player protections, generate state revenue and foster game integrity. Locations can be found here. Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day's top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can't miss video 2024ZEPHYRHILLS — Once his plastic paddle hit ground Travis Geiger jumped out of his boat to guide it through the murky waist-high water that inundated the road of a golf course community he prodded the ground ahead with a 10-foot pole checking for hazards lurking in the depths Pushing aside a swath of Spanish moss hanging from a twisted and shattered branch overhead he could pass for an early explorer wading through the dense Florida wilderness But his yellow life vest and safety helmet — both provided by Pasco Fire and Rescue — break the illusion Thirty-six hours after Hurricane Milton dumped record-setting rain onto Florida as it cut east through the state Pasco’s riverways rose to the highest level in nearly a century the manicured neighborhood through which Geiger led his four-person swift water rescue team The low-lying Silver Oaks neighborhood in eastern Pasco County was inundated by 8 feet of floodwater after Hurricane Milton dumped more than a foot of rainfall here over the span of 36 hours [ MAX CHESNES | Times ]The tight-knit team already had pulled five people out of this neighborhood over the span of the afternoon It’ll take weeks to pump water out of this community “Whenever people decide they want to leave Pasco’s team of rescue workers pulled more than 200 residents from their inundated homes Friday Most rescuers hadn’t slept but a few hours a night in the past two weeks as they dealt with a back-to-back blow from major hurricanes Nearly all of these rescuers had flooded or damaged homes of their own A rescue team member with Pasco County Fire Rescue motors an inflatable boat through the flooded streets of the Silver Oaks neighborhood on Friday This community was inundated by more than 8 feet of water in places [ MAX CHESNES | Times ]‘Construction where there shouldn’t be’Industrial water pumps had already been humming here for months since the neighborhood of 1990s single-family homes was drenched by Tropical Storm Debby in August Hurricane Helene left ankle-deep water in front of most houses But when Milton dumped more than a foot of rain on eastern Pasco The adjacent golf course’s driving range was under 30 feet Silver Oaks is just “one example of many across the state of the same problem,” Geiger said as the boat floated next to the roof of the community clubhouse “Construction in places there shouldn’t be construction Water piles up when it has nowhere to go.” A Pasco County fire rescue crew wades through Hurricane Milton's floodwaters at the Silver Oaks community in eastern Pasco County on Friday This crew had pulled five people out of their homes over the course of the afternoon [ MAX CHESNES | Times ]Geiger has called Pasco County home his entire life and he has seen it change over four decades into something almost unrecognizable Subdivisions have replaced swamps and forests When you build in areas that are prone to flooding We need to allow the experts to be the ones to guide you to have some sort of balance between growth and nature.” Pasco’s population has increased seven-fold Many of those new residents have settled in pre-planned communities like Silver Oaks county officials estimate at least 10,000 homes were damaged It’s a number that is sure to rise as surveys continue Just south, in Clearwater, rescue workers evacuated a similar low-lying apartment complex which sat under 6 feet of water Thursday A house in the Silver Oaks community in eastern Pasco County saw roughly 8 feet of floodwaters after Hurricane Milton More than a day after the storm had passed this community remained inundated on Friday [ MAX CHESNES | Times ]An elite rescue teamUrban flooding is among the most complex scenarios these teams face Cloudy waters hold hazards that are hard to anticipate — from downed tree limbs to swamp eels Floods often carry chemicals and bacteria that make it toxic to touch It takes at least 64 hours of training to qualify for the swift water rescue team and it can take years to prove you’re worth a spot joined Pasco Fire and Rescue five years ago and has taken courses in everything from rope tying to navigating collapsed structures She almost drowned during a rapid water rescue training in West Virginia when a snagged safety rope nearly pulled her under a crew member with Pasco County Fire Rescue surveys flooded homes in the Silver Oaks neighborhood on Friday after Hurricane Milton Pellham joined this rescue boat team for her first mission early Friday morning [ MAX CHESNES | Times ]With long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail Pellham was the only member of Geiger’s team without a handlebar mustache she’d long dreamed of putting those strengths to use helping others “I’ve always been a water person,” she said just days back from her honeymoon — itself interrupted by Hurricane Helene — she was getting her chance Each turn through the flooded cul-de-sac required careful consideration to avoid hidden debris A rescuer retold the story of finding a fish inside one woman’s home Another acquired the unfortunate nickname “swiftie” after remarking on his own light-footedness has spent most of the past two days saving people from floodwaters You can’t get attached to the people you rescue and you can’t let them get attached to you Especially when you have your own worries waiting back at home he won’t get a break: His 72-year-old mother’s house nearby is under more than a foot of water “It’ll be one of the first issues I start managing,” Geiger said he’ll deal with the 20-year-old oak tree that fell across his driveway After working for 30 hours during Milton’s peak He spent four of those in the dead of night His team had barely finished refitting their equipment from Helene when they were called to respond to Milton a rescue team member with Pasco County Fire Rescue surveys flooded homes as the sun sets behind him in the Silver Oaks community of eastern Pasco County after Hurricane Milton on Friday [ MAX CHESNES | Times ]‘When they call we go’It took three hours for Geiger and his team to safely evacuate five people from their homes jumping over submerged fences and climbing deluged decks to get to those trapped in their homes When asked by a Tampa Bay Times reporter if he’s ever annoyed by those who decide to remain when asked to leave Geiger responded with a furrowed brow: “How much do you know about emergency response?” Weaving the boat through homes and live oaks Geiger spotted a woman walking her dog along the edge of the water 5 things to know about the 2024 hurricane season, according to forecasters. Forecasters predict ‘extremely active’ 2024 hurricane season. Here’s why. Could Tampa Bay flood insurance rise after a hurricane? A warning from Hurricane Ian Want to know what areas are flooding in Tampa Bay? Here’s where to look Checklists for building all kinds of storm kits. Ian Hodgson is the higher education reporter. Reach him at ihodgson@tampabay.com. Max Chesnes is an environment and climate reporter, covering water quality, environmental justice and wildlife. Reach him at mchesnes@tampabay.com. A diagnosis of cancer can be difficult and all-consuming — but at the Simpson Breast Health Center at AdventHealth Zephyrhills The Simpson Breast Health Center is a center of care dedicated exclusively to breast health we provide some of Florida’s most advanced detection tools to support a full spectrum of care — from diagnosis to treatment and ongoing patient education and recovery Thanks to the generosity of people like you we can continue to fund state-of-the art technology and provide heartfelt support to brave women and men facing breast cancer Give Now The Simpson Breast Health Center is a place my family trusts It's been an honor to help bring state-of-the-art technology to the center friends and neighbors seeking care can feel safe and loved during difficult times." Simpson Breast Health Center Patient (pictured above) Our AdventHealth Zephyrhills Foundation’s goal is simple: support programs and needs that serve Zephyrhills patients By partnering with us to support our areas of greatest need you have the opportunity to move health forward by funding patient care priorities Your donations stay within our hospital and 100% goes to the area you designate Thanks to generous contributions from community members our Foundation funds programs that shape the future of innovative Some of these incredible initiatives include a robotic surgical system We hope you'll join us to experience how generosity heals Here is our latest event to highlight a recently funded project Vice Chair – Executive Vice President & Chief Lending Officer Ryan Alston, Finance Committee – Financial Advisor “Bill” Gerrell – Community Leader & Entrepreneur Oakley – District 1 Pasco County Commissioner nicholas.burgess@adventhealth.com These “A” hospitals in Tampa Bay include AdventHealth Carrollwood AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills AdventHealth Lake Placid and AdventHealth Sebring in Highlands County as well as AdventHealth Ocala in Marion County also achieved ‘A’ ratings from The Leapfrog Group "We're honored to receive Straight 'A' grades from The Leapfrog Group in Tampa Bay validating our commitment to patient safety and the best clinical outcomes," said Dr AdventHealth West Florida Division Chief Nursing Executive “Consistent performance in patient safety reflects our culture of putting the well-being of our patients first treating them the same way we would treat our own families.” As part of AdventHealth’s commitment to providing the highest standard of care our hospitals are actively recruiting the best and brightest clinicians and team members including Graduate Medical Education programs in family medicine we are ensuring our patients can access the best in faith-based fostering a legacy of exceptional care and service,” said Dr AdventHealth West Florida Division Chief Medical Officer 29 AdventHealth Hospitals earned an “A” rating in Fall 2023 from The Leapfrog Group “Earning an ‘A’ Grade means these AdventHealth hospitals made a true commitment to put patients first,” said Leah Binder staff and volunteers that all had a role to play in this achievement.” The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program exclusively based on hospital prevention of medical errors infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day nationally The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is peer-reviewed Grades are updated twice annually in the fall and spring To see AdventHealth West Florida’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter AdventHealth is a faith-based, not-for-profit health care system with a mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. AdventHealth has hundreds of care sites and more than 50 hospitals across the United States. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com  One of the debates that has raged for at least ten years in our area has been over the boundaries of the community we love — Wesley Chapel.  included only the communities within zip codes 33543 The mail delivery of all three of those zip codes is still handled by the Zephyrhills Post Office even though most of Wesley Chapel is 20-30 minutes (or more) from it Our version of Wesley Chapel now includes more than 33,000 homes our editorial researcher and current Realtor (with Florida Executive Realty in Tampa Palms) Joel Provenzano who previously was a transportation engineer with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) says that the zip code map on this page isn’t the only way to determine the boundaries of Wesley Chapel.  Joel was put smack-dab in the middle of this controversy ten years ago when he was responsible for placing a road sign that said simply “Wesley Chapel” on the east side of Wesley Chapel Blvd. The problem was that since the zip code of the land upon which the sign sat was in Lutz’s 33559 zip code (as is everything west of I-75 on both sides of S.R our friends from Lutz basically insisted that FDOT remove the sign — which today no longer sits at that location Joel says that although the zip code in that area says Lutz Census Bureau’s list of Census Designated Places (CDPs) includes portions of both Lutz and Land O’Lakes within its Wesley Chapel boundaries (see map there also are portions within zip codes 33543 which is what I always have called “Wesley Chapel proper,” that aren’t included in the Census Bureau’s Wesley Chapel CDP the population within the boundaries of the Wesley Chapel CDP was only about 60,000 people because of the communities that are and are not included in the CDP boundaries one person’s Wesley Chapel is another person’s Lutz and vice-versa Although the name “Wesley Chapel” seemed relatively new to those of us whose families haven’t lived in this area since before “The Chap” became one of the fastest-growing communities in the U.S. according to the super-interesting book Images of America: Wesley Chapel by historian Madonna Jervis Wise the name “Wesley Chapel” actually dates back to before the Civil War and much of the land that today is known as Wesley Chapel was at one time owned by a land trust headed by none other than the financier John D Although it became more commonly known as “Wesley,” as shown on the map below from 1917 Wesley Chapel was a small community located due west of Zephyrhills and east of the adjacent town of Godwin It extended south basically to the Pasco/Hillsborough county line where it met up with the community of Branchton or what we more commonly refer to as New Tampa today most of the area west of what is now called Old Pasco Rd likely wasn’t considered part of the original town of Wesley Chapel as the property owned by four families — the Boyett(e) Godwin and Kersey families (see marker signs below) — only encompassed the area between Old Pasco Rd the county line to the south (when all of what is now Pasco County was considered to be part of Hernando County) “Over Pass Rd.” to the north and Handcart Rd to the east were included in the homesteads of those families several other ranch/farming families ended up buying up most of the land the Rockefeller-Weyerhauser Trust owned including 15,000 acres purchased by James Barney Porter it wasn’t until former publishing magnate Tom Dempsey purchased (around 1979) a few hundred acres on the south side of S.R nothing more than a two-lane country road that connected New Port Richey on the west side to Zephyrhills on the east side) to develop into Saddlebrook Resort (which opened in 1981) that anyone other than those ranching old timers really used the name Wesley or Wesley Chapel at all The only other part of Wesley Chapel already developed before Saddlebrook was Williamsburg a small community with still fewer than 300 single-family homes that was originally intended (in the 1970s) to be a retirement community to be called “Levittown Florida,” after developer Abraham Leviitt who developed the original (and much larger) Levittown on Long Island as other portions of the former ranch lands in Wesley Chapel began developing (beginning with Meadow Pointe in the early 1990s) the name Wesley Chapel still didn’t really catch on the first shopping center built in Meadow Pointe was called “The Shoppes at New Tampa,” as the developers tried to capitalize on the more-developed and better-known community located south of the county line The shopping center’s name was changed to “The Shoppes at New Tampa of Wesley Chapel,” as people who lived in the newly burgeoning community north of the county line resented being referred to as “New Tampa.”  the reason there’s even a story to tell here is primarily because the developers and the businesses located within those developments had different goals than the people who already lived in those areas.  The greatest example of this had to do with the long-awaited construction of the Cypress Creek Town Center the mall and all of the businesses that have popped up around it have Lutz zip codes even though those businesses often referred to themselves (and still do) as being located in Wesley Chapel This problem was definitely exacerbated by the fact that not only did many of the people who lived in the more rural Lutz not want their community to become part of the sprawl they saw happening in Wesley Chapel there also were two chambers of commerce serving that area — the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber (which was renamed and rebranded as the North Tampa Bay Chamber in 2018) and the Central Pasco Chamber (which was renamed the Greater Pasco Chamber The Central Pasco Chamber fought along side the long-term residents of Lutz to not only prevent anything located in a Lutz zip code from being considered part of Wesley Chapel they also resented that what had long been referred to as “Old C.R and that the sign saying “Wesley Chapel” had been placed on property with a Lutz zip code.  according to both our editorial researcher Joel Provenzano who worked for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) at that time and Hope Kennedy — who was the president and CEO of the former Wesley Chapel Chamber who now holds the same titles with the NTBC — neither of them had anything to do with the sign being placed at that location.  “FDOT put the sign where it was on Wesley Chapel Blvd Census Bureau said that everything east of Old 54/Wesley Chapel Blvd. was part of the Wesley Chapel Census Designated Place (or CDP),” Joel says the Census Bureau never recognized that the community of Lutz which was historically only part of Hillsborough County as even extending north of the Pasco County line The Pasco portions of Lutz are part of the Central Pasco CCD just as the people who lived in Wesley Chapel didn’t want to be part of New Tampa the people of the Pasco-based portions of Lutz did not want to be thought of as Wesley Chapel the county or the State of Florida thought about it.  Hope says she remembers when the Central Pasco Chamber tried to not only get the name “Wesley Chapel Blvd.” removed from the roadway that currently provides some of the zip code boundaries between Lutz extension that one day will extend to the Pasco-Hillsborough county line (as we reported in the Feb 2016 edition of the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News) with new developments already planned in that area (that we plan to update you about in a future issue).  The Central Pasco Chamber and Lutz community also fought against a plan for Wesley Chapel to incorporate as its own city that never gained enough traction to be brought before the Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BCC) Hope says that part of the reason that idea failed was because neither side could get the county to come to an agreement as to what areas the boundaries of the “City of Wesley Chapel” should include.  Hope also says that she was told that the Census Bureau tries to use “natural” boundaries whenever possible to create census tracts but even that methodology failed when it came to establishing the Wesley Chapel CDP Cypress Creek runs from south of where I-75 meets the Pasco-Hillsborough county line to the north and slightly to the west of Wesley Chapel Blvd if Cypress Creek was used to establish the Wesley Chapel CDP boundaries instead of in the Central Pasco CCD (see map) also not within the boundaries of the Wesley Chapel CDR are Chapel Crossings and New River Township/Avalon Park Wesley Chapel we had no idea why these Wesley Chapel communities are not included in the Wesley Chapel CDP.  We also were surprised that other communities located north of S.R are considered by the Census Bureau to be part of the Pasadena Hills CDP I always thought of Pasadena Hills as being more of a Zephyrhills-area development with most of the CDP located east of Handcart Rd./Eiland Blvd. and had no idea that Watergrass was considered part of it even though Watergrass does extend all the way east to Handcart.  The exclusion of these large-scale developments from the Wesley Chapel CDP boundaries explains why the Census Bureau believes there are so many fewer residents — 60,000 compared with our zip code count of just over 90,000 in 33543 What it unfortunately doesn’t clarify is where the boundaries of Wesley Chapel really are or should be I admit that this article has been something of an exercise in futility even though it definitely has been an extremely interesting one — at least to yours truly.  You must be logged in to post a comment Photos show damage and flooding from Hurricane Milton in the Tampa Bay area and beyond 2022 at 8:17 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Zephyrhills Chief of Police Derek Brewer awards Officer of the Year honors to Officer Pedro Miliano (Zephyrhills Police Department)ZEPHYRHILLS FL — The Zephyrhills Police Department held its annual awards and recognition ceremony Thursday at the Zephyrhills City Hall Council Chambers Led by Zephyrhills Chief of Police Derek Brewer the event spotlights the feats and accomplishments of members of the Zephyrhills Police Department from the previous year Officer Pedro Miliano received the 2021 Officer of the Year award Miliano has displayed a high degree of professionalism and proficiency while carrying out his duties His level of problem-solving and attention to detail far exceeds the expectation of a one-year officer and he is always committed and ready to take on his daily responsibilities Lisa Jones received the Employee of the Year award presented to non-sworn personnel who've displayed a high degree of professionalism She is proficient and has a high level of competency but she is constantly seeking ways to gain more knowledge Her dedication to the department and its mission is easily recognized through her work ethic and daily interactions with coworkers and visitors Gwendolyn Beasley was named the Volunteer of the Year Beasley safely directs and assists children at the busy school zone of West Zephyrhills Elementary School "Aunt Gwen" promotes positivity to every student and goes beyond her duties by teaching students traffic and pedestrian safety Officers Steven Chimeri and Rocco DeSio received the 2021 Life-Saving award given to an employee whose actions are directly responsible for saving a life Chimeri was traveling west on C Avenue and saw a person hanging over the guardrail by Zephyr Park He noticed the man was discolored and had no pulse DeSio arrived on the scene and performed chest compressions while Chimeri resumed pulse and breathing aid John Oleson received the Distinguished Performance award day shift officers were dispatched to the railroad tracks by Chancey Road following a call about a suicidal man with a firearm convinced the man to place the firearm on the ground showing extraordinary awareness in using de-escalation techniques to prevent a potential use-of-force incident Stephanie Nelson and Sandra Waters received the Chief's Award Stephanie Nelson fills many roles within her unit of the department She has extensive experience and knowledge that has been passed onto members of her team She has been a mentor to many within the agency Despite the number of extra duties she takes on she never hesitates to roll up her sleeves to get the job done Sandra Waters has been a staple at the department for many years She has worked under the tenure of five police chiefs and has been a part of the evolution of the agency for 23 years While she is being recognized for the Chief's Award this could also be considered a Lifetime Achievement award other ZPD personnel were spotlighted for assignments Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. current president and CEO of AdventHealth Lake Placid AdventHealth Sebring and AdventHealth Wauchula has announced he is retiring September 30 Randy has over three decades of health care experience and has served in our organization since 1997 He has been in his most recent position since 2017 Randy has had direct oversight of significant growth and expansion including the opening of a new facility for AdventHealth Wauchula in late 2017 and a state-of-the-art expansion at the Heart and Vascular Center at AdventHealth Sebring bringing one-of-a-kind heart care to the region AdventHealth Sebring launched the division’s first residency program to help recruit and retain physicians in the rural region and the team has repeatedly earned top patient safety scores from the prestigious Leapfrog Group with AdventHealth Wauchula achieving Top Rural Hospital Randy also has a very close relationship with community leaders and played a crucial role in building the partnership with Sebring International Raceway where we serve as the official health care partner and provide onsite care at the track during key events “Randy is rooted in faith as a leader and with that perspective has done tremendous work to support our mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ,” said Jennifer Wandersleben regional president and CEO of the Heartland Region of West Florida Division “He has laid a strong foundation that will make it easy for us to continue on this path towards success.” Prior to his leadership role at AdventHealth Lake Placid Randy served as president and CEO for AdventHealth Zephyrhills vice president and COO for AdventHealth DeLand and assistant vice president of development and acquisitions for AdventHealth Orlando “When Randy joined the West Florida Division I knew immediately we had someone in our ranks who would be a force for growth and clinical excellence,” said Bruce Bergherm senior executive officer of acute care services for the division and president and CEO for AdventHealth Tampa “It has been a pleasure to work alongside Randy and see the tremendous impact he has made in the health and wellbeing of our communities.” Randy and his wife Jo have three adult children and eight grandchildren He plans to spend retirement enjoying time with them and finding more time for hobbies like photography “I have enjoyed every minute with this team and our community,” said Randy “I have found a home here in the open space of Hardee and Highlands counties and the tight knit family we have built within our hospital walls While I will miss the day-to-day interaction I am confident we have built something together that will lead our hospitals to continued success.” Randy will continue to lead the hospital while a search for his replacement is underway A nurse at AdventHealth Palm Coast surprised a colleague with an extraordinary gift: a car AdventHealth is expanding its nursing workforce enhancing hands-on training programs and reinforcing its commitment to exceptional patient care AdventHealth Manchester hosted a heartfelt celebration for National Day of Prayer The event began with a flag presentation by Clay County High School JROTC our organization embarked on multiple global mission projects that made a significant impact on the lives of two families in need AdventHealth Carrollwood has been awarded an “A” Hospital Safety Grade by The Leapfrog Group a national nonprofit upholding the standard of excellence in patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory.. Dozens of community members and several organizations came together to help support the AdventHealth Lake Placid and Wauchula Foundations during the 11th annual Clays and Camo fundraiser we honor the extraordinary acts of kindness and compassion demonstrated by our nurses across the region Three remarkable nurses from AdventHealth Avista's surgery center have embarked on.. AdventHealth is proud to join Nemours Children’s Health System as the official medical services provider for the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona A local nurse and a CEO were recognized by the Central Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce AdventHealth North Pinellas achieves elite national status as a straight- ‘A’ for patient safety  All AdventHealth hospitals in Pasco County continue to earn straight ‘A’ hospital safety grades from The Leapfrog Group (CBS12) — A 30-year-old man received the maximum sentence for producing child sexual abuse material of a child he was babysitting Department of Justice (DOJ) said Olejuwan Lamar Steele was sentenced to30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for the production of child sex abuse material "This babysitter exploited the innocence of a child in his care and violated the sanctity of childhood itself,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs “Through HSI’s law enforcement partnership with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office this predator will now be held accountable for his vile actions against a child.” Steele was a babysitter in the Dade City community in Pasco County while Steele was babysitting a two-year-old child he made videos of child sexual abuse material of the victim and shared them on the internet via live video Steele entered a guilty plea on April 17 following his arrest the DOJ said the court ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim and register as a sex offender "It's time for WIN!" Bacot announced, as she projected a writing prompt question on a screen in the front. "Do you know where to be?" Some children grabbed their journals and started scribbling thoughts about what animals do with their tails, while a few advanced students got together to sample more difficult reading materials. A couple of English language learners focused on tablets with language review programs. A group of three youngsters headed to Bacot's desk for intensive work on letter and sound identification, something they desperately needed if they hoped to close the learning gaps with children who are at grade level and higher. WIN stands for "What I Need" at West Zephyrhills. And it's what the school's educators strive to provide in different ways as they try to keep moving ahead in the state's accountability system. A year ago, West Zephyrhills faced the possibility of closure or takeover if it didn't improve on its student test performance. Long a highly rated school, it began slipping on the state grading chart in 2013, becoming Pasco County's lone D-rated school in 2016-17. Principal Scott Atkins transferred in from A-rated Sand Pine Elementary for the following year. He made big changes in planning and instruction, not to mention climate and culture, that helped lift the school barely into C range — and out of state oversight — for the current academic year. "But we're still fragile," Atkins said. "If we don't continue to work on the right type of work this year, we could drop back into that DA (differentiated accountability) status." Rather than cut off the services that came with being on the state watch list, the district allowed Atkins to keep many of them in place so the school can continue its forward momentum. He has two floating substitute teachers available on campus most days, for instance, and a second assistant principal beyond the usual one to help with leadership. Extra reading, math and science specialists visit the school twice monthly to help teachers develop lessons. New teachers get regular assistance with classroom management. A specialist works with teaching teams as they devise approaches to deal with the various levels of attention that children require, from the highest to the lowest achievers. And they're paying extra attention to the lowest 35 percent, not just the bottom quarter the state requires, to catch more kids from falling further behind. "We work with the schools to help overhaul systems, with tiered supports," said Iravonia Abiola, the specialist assigned to West Zephyrhills. "We want to ensure all kids are getting the highest level of supports." While data drives many discussions and decisions, the effort includes much more. It involves volunteers, including St. Leo University education students who help tutor English language learners after classes end. It meant replacing several teachers who weren't finding success with the children, who come largely from low-income families. It even included bringing in new classroom furniture and freshly painting the walls, after Atkins nearly lost staff members because of the campus' poor conditions. "We are expecting good things," Atkins said. "There's a lot going on here, and it's pretty layered." Bacot, who has stuck through the good and bad over 16 years at West Zephyrhills, sounded enthusiastic about the latest approach. "I think we're headed in the right direction," she said. "This side of the county needs good, strong, compassionate teachers." She sat at a small table with Addison Thompson, Imani Henley and Bryson Zachman for WIN time, which every available adult participates in each morning. Her group began with Letter Sound Bingo. Bacot would pull out a popsicle stick and point to the letter written in black marker on it. "What's this one?" she asked, turning to Addison. "You have it in your name." "D!" the group responded. "D like d-d-dog. D like d-d-deer." Bacot told them to think of the color yellow, and they changed over to "ye-ye-ye." She watched throughout to see if they continued to track the letter by marking it on their bingo sheets. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't, giving a glimpse into whether they were making progress. "Pay attention to your cards," Bacot reminded them as they went through more sticks. After the game, they turned to books in which all the words started with the same letter. Pictures offered added hints, and not just for the children. Bacot held up a page that showed a dog playing the drums. The word on the page was "dog." The response she got was a hesitant "drum?" She knew that more work remained. But she made sure not to let that dominate the lesson. It would become part of her planning with other teachers for additional instructional strategies. "You all did such an amazing job today," Bacot told the group, who offered huge smiles before heading off to math. Atkins said many of the things his team is putting in place should not be new. But at West Zephyrhills, several systems weren't in place. His goal remains to get a solid team and approach in front of the children, keeping everyone moving in the right direction. Abiola, who has advised the school over several years, said she is enthusiastic about what she sees. "The instructional leadership he has provided for this school is amazing," she said. "I can see the turnaround." Contact Jeffrey S. Solochek at jsolochek@tampabay.com. Follow @jeffsolochek. The Times will continue to follow West Zephyrhills Elementary throughout the school year, with regular updates on its efforts to remain off the state accountability watch list. The final results will come next summer, when the state reveals spring testing results that will show whether the school improved upon its low C, or not. The moist holiday cake made with candied fruit and raisins is among the products produced by Bauducco, a company that snagged a $4.4 million economic incentive package from Pasco County on Tuesday. The company, which is based in Brazil, plans to build a new factory on a 72.5-acre site at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Chancey Road near the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. The company’s chief executive officer, Stefano Mozzi, told county commissioners he was looking forward to the new location. The factory will go on property annexed into the city. Zephyrhills will provide water and sewer. The project will eventually include two phases of construction totaling 403,000 square feet. The first, smaller phase is set for completion by 2026 followed and the larger second phase by 2029. Pasco County commissioners, officials with the Pasco Economic Development Council, the city of Zephyrhills and officials from Bauducco Foods pose after the county approved an economic incentive package for the food manufacturer. [ Pasco County Economic Development Council ]The company expects to create approximately 600 new jobs. The county property tax incentives are stretched over a 10-year period and require the company to already have its certificates of occupancy before the incentives are granted. There is also a reimbursement incentive for employee training capped at $100,000. Zephyrhills approved incentives this week based on job creation. Part of the subsidy comes through waiving or reimbursing transportation impact fees and permitting fees. Officials said that Pasco beat out a strong push from San Antonio, Texas to attract the company. Mozzi said the family-run business had always wanted a strong footprint in Florida but had outgrown its facilities in Miami. He said that an architect was already hired and he hoped that he would have continued help getting permits secured so work can begin. Bauducco chose Pasco County after a long and very detailed analysis of prospective locations in seven states and more than 10 counties around the country, Mozzi said in a news release. “Due to the business-friendly environment and the support and professionalism we received from the business development teams in the State, County and the City; as well as the great location, we decided to make Zephyrhills our new and main production hub for the U.S.A. market.” Bauducco is a Brazilian multinational company established in 1950 by an Italian immigrant and is now one of the fastest growing cookie companies in the United States, according to the release by the Pasco Economic Development Council. The company manufactures baked food products such as biscuits, wafers and breads, and is the largest producer of panettones in the world and market leader in the United States. The Bauducco brand is sold in all 50 states in regional supermarket chains, national grocery stores, pharmacies and other retailers. The company holds the rank of the No. 2 sugar wafer brand in the U.S. and is the market leader in many states, including New York, California, and Florida. Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. Bauducco has five manufacturing plants in Brazil, with the capacity to produce more than 400,000 tons of baked goods annually, with over 8,000 employees worldwide. There is one manufacturing plant and warehouse in Miami. Barbara Behrendt is a reporter covering Pasco County. She can be reached at bbehrendt@tampabay.com. Two adult arcades were shut down on the Treasure Coast in a statewide law enforcement operation Thursday targeting multiple suspected illegal gambling establishments 901 14th Lane in the Majestic Plaza off U.S were raided and closed in a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office operation dubbed "Operation Fools Treasure," according to a news release from the agency Also raided and closed were Treasure Hunt Arcade in West Palm Beach and Arcadia Arcade in Zephyrhills which law enforcement officials said supplied unlawful slot machines to the four establishments were the targets of an investigation into suspected money laundering and illegal gambling activities across the region dating back to 2022 The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office assisted Palm Beach County and gaming commission agents in the Pharaoh’s Treasure raid “It’s a multi-raid bust from around the state,” said Sheriff Eric Flowers Officers were removing items from Pharaoh’s Treasure Thursday afternoon loading them into trucks Five arrest warrants and nine search warrants were issued Thursday according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office of Indian River County was arrested and charged with money laundering over $100,000 and money laundering under $20,000 along with keeping or being an agent or employee of a gambling house and 50 individuals charges of manufacturing She was in the Indian River County Jail without bond Thursday evening According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office the Las Vegas-style video slot machines were found in use in what were deemed “illegal gambling houses.” communications director for the Florida Gaming Control Commission said regardless of their corporate structure or licensing status “They are not licensed to offer any kind of legal gaming in the state.” She said outside of tribal locations, there are only eight facilities in the state and four in Miami-Dade County considered legally allowed to operate as gambling or gaming businesses More: Arcade shut down in St. Lucie County; 3 arrested, over $18K seized additional agencies involved were the Florida Gaming Control Commission’s Gaming Enforcement Division Miami-Dade Police Department and the Florida Statewide Prosecutors Office Pharaoh's Treasure was temporarily closed in 2023 amid raids and closures of several arcades across the Treasure Coast Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers. Follow @coreyarwood on X, email corey.arwood@tcpalm.com or call 772-978-2246 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page — The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) has linked one business in West Palm Beach and two on the Treasure Coast to illegal gambling and money laundering a multi-agency investigation launched by PBSO in September 2022 found multiple businesses in Florida were running illegal gambling houses that offered "Las Vegas-style" slot machines and cash prizes A manager at a nearby business wanted to remain anonymous but told us he saw deputies raiding the VIP Sweepstakes arcade formerly known as the “Treasure Hunt Arcade," on Thursday in West Palm Beach He said “well over 50 machines were being taken out.” The arcade is one of four that has been on law enforcement's radar as part of the investigation dubbed Operations Fools Treasure the following businesses were linked to illegal gambling activity and shut down: Two people were arrested: Ritesh Patel and Nova Roffey in Palm Beach County Deputies say they were not only operating illegal gambling houses but also accused them of laundering money using several bank accounts and ATMs inside the arcades “I think it's a shame,” said Vincent Cassidy who drives from Jupiter to play slots at the West Palm Beach arcade He noticed the sign on the front door that says "Closed no A/C," which the nearby business manager told us was put up by the arcade owners after the raid “PBSO said they put it up there so that people would stop knocking on the door," he said Roffey and Patel appeared in court for the first time Friday both facing 25 counts of unlawful possession of slot machines plus several other charges tied to the alleged money laundering and gambling operation Deputies say five arrest warrants and nine search warrants have been issued as part of the investigation with more pending Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and Miami-Dade Police Department were also involved in the investigation The investigation revealed that a Miami company supplied the illegal slot machines to these establishments  Is The Two Rivers Development Expanding Both Wesley Chapel & New Tampa To East Of Morris Bridge Rd.?  I believe you probably should do so.  While Wesley Chapel and New Tampa residents online complain about how every remaining shred of land in our communities is being developed adding to our ever-increasing traffic at the expense of open space and a more pastoral way of life it seems that others outside of any known boundary of Wesley Chapel (as I presented in our Oct 3 issue) are now creating new communities that may ultimately finally move what even I call Wesley Chapel (and Before the creation of the huge 6,000-acre Two Rivers Master-Planned Unit Development (MPUD) the only community in Zephyrhills that pretty much anyone would confuse with being Wesley Chapel-like was Lake Bernadette which has fewer than 1,000 total households with entrances on both Eiland Blvd it seems that you could fit all of Lake Bernadette inside Two Rivers which is being developed by Eisenhower Property Group Two Rivers is actually larger than the 5,000-acre Wiregrass Ranch development to its west.  the zip code for the Pasco portions of Two Rivers that began being developed in December of 2023 is 33541 That means that if I decide to start mailing the Neighborhood News there I will be expanding our all-direct-mail distribution east of Wesley Chapel for the first time.  Although I had heard of Two Rivers before now I didn’t really take notice of it until I saw a billboard on S.R 54 near mine and Jannah’s apartment (which has a Land O’Lakes address) that proclaimed Two Rivers as a “New Community — Wesley Chapel.” What Did I somehow miss that Two Rivers was actually west of Morris Bridge Rd.?  The answer is a resounding “No,” but the community is being marketed as basically an extension of Wesley Chapel — and who could blame the developer or the home builders?  Two Rivers is “near Wesley Chapel” and will “give residents a best-of-both-worlds living experience.” Two Rivers will feature more than 7,500 planned residential homes apartments and villas: “Those who make their home here will enjoy access to clubhouses sports courts and shared green spaces…and plans include K-12 schools One of the first two villages already selling homes in Two Rivers is Childers by Lennar Homes about 100 sold and 65 closed or moved into,” according to new home consultant Brooke Politano Homes in Childers start in the mid-$300,000s.  The other village now selling is Northwater by D.R with about 30 homes already with residents When Wayne Thomas purchased the first portion of the Two Rivers Ranch in the 1930s he couldn’t possibly have known that his cattle ranch would expand to more that 17,000 acres stretching from northeast Hillsborough through Pasco and even reaching to Hernando counties.  A little more than 500 acres of that property was located in Crystal Springs sort of between Thonotosassa and Zephyrhills and which today is home to Poland Springs waters the large company now bottling and selling Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water.  the Thomas family has been good stewards of their land since before World War II Two Rivers Ranch was honored as one of seven regional Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) winners the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation is presented to farmers and ranchers “who work hard to protect America’s natural resources.”  Two Rivers Ranch began as a cow/ calf operation that has now been owned and managed by Robert Thomas’ family for more than 90 years.  “The Hillsborough River supplies approximately 90 percent of the city of Tampa’s drinking water so it’s very important for the city,” said Wayne Thomas and himself a fourth-generation cattle rancher.  “We have a very high profile here as a result of the importance of our natural resource,” added his father Robert Thomas The ranch was honored with the ESAP award for its proven land management techniques to enhance their operation “The Thomas family keeps their herd size limited so as not to negatively impact wetlands water quality of the adjacent river bodies native vegetation or wildlife populations,” was part of the reason the family received the award.  the Thomas family is no allowing Two Rivers to be developed as another huge Master Planned Unit Development but which promises to have more than 3,000 acres of wooded landscapes Also expected to be part of the Pasco portion of Two Rivers is a central health various interior and exterior gathering spaces and a bar and restaurant There also is a planned regional district park as well as shopping Now that the first two villages are well under way here are the plans for additional villages and home builders that are planned to arrive this year:  • Tamarack Village (early 2024) – This gated village will include homes by Park Square Homes and William Ryan Homes.  • Ryals Field Village (mid-2024) – Gated village featuring Homes by WestBay.  • Delyle Village (mid-2024) – Offering Pulte homes.  • Shortgrass Village (late 2024) – Offering M/I Homes.  • Additional villages and phases will feature Casa Fresca Meritage Homes and Taylor Morrison Homes.  Two Rivers also is planned to expand into Hillsborough County by sometime next year.  The first new section to be built across Morris Bridge Rd described in Two Rivers’ marketing materials as “Our luxury section (that) will be home to Flatwoods Golf & Country Club This community will feature a private country club with a spa recreational amenities and an 18-hole golf course designed by renowned Scottish golf course architect David McLay-Kidd of DMK Golf Design DMK Golf has designed several very prestigious resort and private golf courses in the world Although Two Rivers’ Flatwoods village will be set back quite a bit from both Morris Bridge Rd according to plans filed with Hillsborough County there will be another future connection from Two Rivers to Morris Bridge Rd which will be located basically on the county line adjacent to a TECO-owned power substation and aligned with Camerton Rd There currently are plans for three future traffic signals along S.R all of which the developer will pay for and construct (under permit) when warrants are met The locations will be for the intersections with Two Rivers Blvd. all where the existing full median openings are currently located 56 might be considered between Lodge Grass Blvd depending upon the amount of traffic that portion of the development which also will be signalized by full build-out is now 80’ but the MPUD conditions for Two Rivers requires the family to convey a 44’ wide strip of its property over to the county.  also was required to provide a similar strip which will allow for the potential widening of Morris Bridge Rd the county also will require Two Rivers to construct left and right turn lanes along Morris Bridge Rd The only other entrance/exit along Morris Bridge Rd for Two Rivers will be a gated emergency-only access near the southern part of the development.  This will bring the grand total of traffic signals for Two Rivers to potentially eight: four on S.R subject to meeting warrants and final approval by the transportation departments of the local and state governments.  You must be logged in to post a comment LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRESIDENT NAMED TO INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL: The Board of Directors of the International Economic Development Council has elected Bill Cronin, president and CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council, to serve on its board of directors. The nomination took place during the International EDC’s 2019 conference in Indianapolis Oct. 13-16. Cronin’s term begins Jan. 1. GRAND RE-OPENING OF HOSPITAL WOUND CARE CENTER: Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point held a grand re-opening of its Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center on Nov. 13. The center underwent a $500,000 renovation that took six months and included renovations of everything from podiatry chairs to updating all the furniture. Hyperbaric chambers were added, and the wound care center has been expanded to two suites, totaling 3,865 square feet. MD [ Medical Center of Trinity ]NEW DQ GRILL & CHILL OPENS: American Dairy Queen Corporation announced its new DQ Grill and Chill restaurant has opened in Hudson The restaurant is owned by Carlos and Pam Saenz The Saenzes have been owners of a DQ Grill and Chill since 2016 with their first location in Land O’ Lakes ALARM COMPANY MOVES TO PASCO: AFA Protective Systems recently relocated to a 5,800-square-foot facility in the West Pasco Industrial Park off State Road 54 in Odessa CARES NAMES NEW DIRECTOR: Community Aging and Retirement Services (CARES) has named Melissa Kehler its new director of community engagement Kehler has more than 20 years experience in nonprofit leadership roles most recently serving as executive director of Chinsegut Hill Retreat and Museum in Hernando County CARES director of community engagement Melissa Kehler [ CARES ]EventsHEALTH SEMINAR: AdventHealth will host a seminar a fellowship-trained pain specialist who is double-board certified in preventative and occupational medicine HOLIDAY PARADE: The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce will host its 43rd-annual Holiday Parade on Dec The deadline for sponsorships and to enter a company float is Dec • Trinity Positive Business Network: 8:30 a.m • Women’s Connection of New Port Richey: 11:30 a.m the second Monday of each month (September through May) at Spartan Manor Cost is $15 and includes lunch and a speaker • BNI Overachievers Chapter: 7 to 9 a.m. Wednesdays at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church, 2017 Reigler Road, Land O’ Lakes. Call (813) 317-5556 or visit facebook.com/bnioverachievers the third Tuesday of each month at Beef O’ Brady’s Suncoast WIN is a group of professional businesswomen • Rotary Club of Lutz: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays at Heritage Harbor Golf and Country Club, 19502 Heritage Harbor Parkway, Lutz. Cost is $12, includes lunch and speaker. Call (813) 857-7089 or visit lutzrotary.org the fourth Tuesday of the month at First National Bank of Pasco The event is hosted by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce in partnership with First National Bank of Pasco the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at IHOP • Trinity Business Association: 6 to 7:30 p.m the first and third Tuesdays of each month at Fox Hollow Country Club Wednesdays at Heritage Harbor Golf & Country Club • Pasco Business Connections: 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays at the Broken Yolk, 3350 Grand Blvd., Holiday. Email noworries@tampabay.rr.com • Wednesday Morning Networking Group: 7:30 a.m the first Wednesday of each month at Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que A short networking presentation will be followed by a chance for all attendees to do a 30-second commercial Call the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce at (813) 909-2722 • Pasco Aging Network: 8 to 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of each month. Location changes each month. For information or to RSVP, visit pascoagingnetwork.org PAN is a coalition of agencies and private providers of elder services in Pasco • Keep It Local-Wesley Chapel Chapter: 8:30 a.m Wednesdays at Lexington Oaks Golf & Country Club • Keep It Local-Christian Women’s Network Chapter: 9:30 a.m • Free Networking International: 11:30 a.m • Keep It Local-New Port Richey Chapter: 11:30 a.m • Keep It Local-Odessa/Trinity Chapter: 11:30 a.m Wednesdays at Seven Springs Golf & Country Club Thursdays at Vallarta’s Mexican Restaurant • Christian Business Connections of Central Pasco: 7:45 to 9:15 a.m • Trinity/West Pasco Chapter of NPI: 7:45 a.m Cost is $5 and includes a continental breakfast • Women-n-Charge: 11:30 a.m. on the first Friday of each month, Plantation Palms Golf Club, 23253 Plantation Palms Blvd., Land O’ Lakes. The cost is $15 for members and $18 for guests who RSVP by Monday prior to the meeting. Tuesday and after, the cost is $20 for members and $23 for guests. To RSVP, visit women-n-charge.com/meetings/ • Women of Wesley Chapel (WOW): 7:30 to 9 a.m. first Friday of each month, Beach House Assisted Living and Memory Care at Wiregrass Ranch, 30070 State Road 56, Wesley Chapel. WOW is the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce’s women only networking group. The cost is $5, includes breakfast and networking. To RSVP, call (813) 994-8534 or email office@northtampabaychamber.com. Phyllis DayFormer Times staffer Marlowe's outgoing principal, Hilda Martin, will head a new district-level conflict resolution department The School Board already has approved that move The board will consider Mitchell's promotion on May 29 Mitchell would transfer to Marlowe the following day Mitchell had led the district Office of Teaching and Learning She had not held a school-level leadership position and was interested in becoming a principal When superintendent Kurt Browning replaced the leadership at West Zephyrhills as part of an improvement plan, Mitchell agreed to take a post there to help with the turnaround. She has worked in the district since 2013. The story of Elena Hoyos and the man who called himself Count Carl von Cosel is a Key West legend It's a true story if unbelievable in its macabre details. And it's been retold in histories, websites — and on stage. A new version of a musical about the story, Undying Love though everybody still refers to him as Von Cosel He showed up in Key West in the 1920s where he worked as a radiologist at the local hospital She was a beautiful young Cuban-American woman who had tuberculosis But the treatments didn't work and she died he took her body from the mausoleum and lived with it Ben Harrison is a singer-songwriter who lives in Key West "And it became the song most requested while I was playing there." In the song he details how von Cosel preserved the body: "With piano wire Harrison would walk around town with his young son on his shoulders Both play and book have the same title: Undying Love He found an old Miami Herald story about the case that referred to a song: La Boda Begra https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=EZ_d00icJz0 With the help of a local music historian (this was in the early '90s, before the Internet), Harrison found the song: La Boda Negra Harrison thinks it was this song that inspired von Cosel to do what he did the character of Elena describes the song's story to von Cosel "It's about a young man whose fiancée dies and he's so sad that he digs her up from the grave and he takes her home and he carries her to his bed that is covered with flowers," she says "He says his wedding vows to her and then he takes his own life." Harrison said he thinks that Hoyos had to be the person who introduced von Cosel to the tale von Cosel felt she was singing the song to him And this was the justification for him to take her home with him." von Cosel removed her body from the mausoleum He kept her in his home — a wingless airplane with giant wheels that he'd built himself His plan was to fly her to the stratosphere where cosmic rays would cure her illness And he gave her some fresh hair," Harrison said Von Cosel lived with Hoyos' body in three different places on the island — moving the wingless airplane farther out of town each time Discovery — and a public viewing nine years after death his secret was discovered by Hoyos' sister Her sister called the cops and von Cosel was arrested "That was the last time he saw her," Harrison said But a lot of other people saw her after that — 6,850 people came to the funeral home when they held a viewing of the remains "He had rouge on her cheeks and glass eyes and she was wearing a kimono and little shoes on her feet," Harrison said There's one question just about everyone has about this story "It wasn't found out about until 20 years later when the doctors finally confessed You just didn't talk about things like that." Von Cosel was initially charged with wanton and wilful destruction of a grave But the charges were dropped because the statute of limitations — two years — had run out Harrison said he thinks von Cosel genuinely believed he brought Hoyos back to life he was not having sex with a dead person," Harrison said having sex with this woman he had restored life to." 'You have to play the person as they saw themselves' where actor Jamie Callahan portrays von Cosel "You have to play the person as they saw themselves I can guarantee you that von Cosel didn't think he was weird." Harrison said the reaction largely broke along gender lines "being the cynical pigs that we are," had a different reaction He has a song in the play that captures the response: "She was pickled and he poked her "Typical of one of the letters that were written to him from people all over the country was 'How dare you challenge this doctor who's trying to bring back someone to life when the rest of the world is trying to kill each other?' " Harrison said the authorities had to figure out what to do with Hoyos' remains "A lot of people thought she should be put in a glass case and kept as a tourist attraction," Harrison said They couldn't put her back in the mausoleum or in a marked grave in the cemetery "because von Cosel would find her and dig her up again," he said the sheriff and the cemetery sexton took care of it They took the secret of where they buried Hoyos to their own graves though Harrison said he thinks it's somewhere in the city cemetery Von Cosel decided to leave town and go back to Zephyrhills where — it turned out — his wife and daughters had been living all along he paid one last visit to the mausoleum he had built for Hoyos and where he'd stolen her body The mausoleum "blew up two hours after he left town," Harrison said He said he has no doubt that was von Cosel's doing "What other person would have the motive to show the officials what the real wanton and willful destruction of a tomb looks like?" He eventually wrote his own account for a pulp magazine called Fantastic Adventures. The piece was titled "The Secret of Elena's Tomb." It was published in 1947 The man was found in a pond in the woods behind the Home Depot at 32715 Eiland Boulevard, near where State Road 54 intersects with Morris Bridge Road. Deputies received a call about the body at about 4:30 p.m. The pond is located near a homeless camp, deputies say. The death remains under investigation, the agency said Wednesday, reiterating that foul play is suspected in this case. The Sheriff's Office released no other details about the incident, including whether the man has been identified. Contact Carl Lisciandrello at clisciandrello@tampabay.com. Follow @carlmarks Times Carl LisciandrelloFormer Times Staffer – A 40-year-old Zephyrhills man riding a bicycle was seriously injured after being struck by a pickup truck on Chancey Road on Monday morning at 10:02 am The accident occurred just west of Zephyr Preserve Place The bicyclist was traveling westbound in the eastbound lane of Chancey Road when he was hit by an eastbound Chevy Silverado driven by a 29-year-old Zephyrhills man Read: Florida Lawsuit Blames CSX Train Crossing For Deadly Collision That Killed 6 In Hillsborough County but the bicyclist sustained serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital The investigation into the crash is ongoing Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality Android Users: Download our free app to stay up-to-date on the latest news Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox – A 40-year-old Zephyrhills man tragically lost his life after being struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle on Chancey Road on Monday The bicyclist was traveling westbound in the eastbound lane of Chancey Road when he collided with a Chevy Silverado driven by a 29-year-old Zephyrhills man Read: Odessa Teen Motorcyclist Seriously Injured in Collision With School Bus In Pasco County The bicyclist sustained serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital where he sadly succumbed to his injuries at 7:00 PM that evening The driver of the Silverado was uninjured in the collision The Florida Highway Patrol is currently investigating the incident – A Zephyrhills woman was arrested in Lakeland by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) on Friday evening after being found in possession of a stolen vehicle and methamphetamine a deputy spotted a white 2022 Subaru Outback which had been reported stolen to the Zephyrhills Police Department a week prior traveling on West Bella Vista Street in northwest Lakeland at around 7:30 p.m The deputy followed the vehicle while other units responded to the area READ: Illegal Immigrant Arrested In Polk County For Identity Theft, Fraud The Outback turned onto Waldrup Lane and entered a mobile home park The driver then exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot The deputy quickly parked his patrol car and apprehended the suspect on foot the suspect dropped a small tin containing methamphetamine The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Mariah Jean Fisher of Zephyrhills READ: Polk County Sheriff Swears In 13-Year-Old Texas Boy Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel As Honorary Deputy Fisher was arrested and claimed she was unaware of the contents of the tin stating that someone gave it to her at a gas station and she had not looked inside Fisher was transported to the Polk County Jail and charged with grand theft motor vehicle Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.