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Restaurant, reefs in store for snowbirds

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By LOIS KINDLE

lkindle@tampatrib.com

Published: November 4, 2009

SOUTH SHORE - We missed those of you who ventured back north as part of the annual snowbird migration. And now that you're back, we'd like to share some of the news we reported in the South Shore News & Tribune while you were gone. Welcome home. We're happy you're back.

May

Ruskin Buffet opened in Cypress Village Shopping Center, where King Buffet was formerly located. Owner/chef Tony Wang, a native of Hong Kong, features 180 items for lunch and dinner.

Aiming to keep a number of songbirds off the endangered species list, a team of biologists snagged and tagged members of their species at Cockroach Bay to study their migration patterns.

In Balm, Turf Grass America withdrew a two-year-old zoning request and scrapped plans to build a 1,087-home subdivision on a 537-acre sod farm.

The Sun City Center Community Foundation awarded $52,000 in grants to the South Shore Arts Council, Performing Arts Club of Sun City Center, Museum of Science & Industry and Teaching Tools for Hillsborough Schools. Each group was required to use the money to benefit South Shore residents.

Victoria's 5th Avenue Salon in Apollo Beach hosted a fundraiser for City of Hope and Beckman Research Institute to fight cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

The East Bay High School Theatre Department presented the Tony Award-winning musical "Annie."

Thousands of visitors enjoyed a bit of old Ruskin at the Ruskin Community Development Foundation's annual Tomato and Heritage Festival. In a twist, the foundation solicited seniors instead of teens to enter, and Aleta Jonie Maschek and A. "Mac" Miller were named Tomato Queen and King.

Leadership Hillsborough donated bookshelves and more than 100 books for troubled teens involved in the Youth Environmental Services rehabilitation program in Wimauma.

About 100 volunteers joined Tampa Bay Watch to build 300 feet of new oyster shell reefs on Whiskey Stump Key, a small island just south of the mouth of the Alafia River in Riverview.

June

Due to county budget cuts, summer camp fees were raised from $50 to $300 per child. To help low-income families, the Apollo Beach Woman's Club donated $1,200 in subsidies.

Give A Dog A Bone in Apollo Beach hosted the first of several pet washes, raising more than $2, 000 over the summer for the Critter Adoption and Rescue Effort in Ruskin.

Ana Banana Fishing Charters owner Joel Brandenburg announced his bid to run for honorary mayor of Apollo Beach.

Sarah Goscinski of Riverview earned the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Aldon and Dorothy George of Riverview celebrated 65 years of marriage.

Replacing George Keith, Allen Witt was named president of South Shore campus of Hillsborough Community College in Ruskin.

Nearly 1,400 South Shore seniors graduated from the South County Career Center, East Bay, Riverview, Lennard and Spoto high schools.

Tuesday Morning opened its first South Shore retail store in Sun City Center.

Leaving behind many broken hearts in the community, businessman Bert Wallin of Apollo Beach, 74, died of cancer. His wife, Kathy, continues to operate K&B Travel.

Keller Williams Realty South Shore hosted its second annual South Shore Cares Walk-a-thon and raised more than $5,300 for the Good Samaritan Mission in Balm.

The South Hillsborough Soccer League moved into the new $3 million, seven-field Summerfield Soccer Park and renamed itself Florida Revolution. Since its inception in 1979, the league had played at Vance Vogel Park in Gibsonton.

Rumors of the demise of the Riverview Civic Center turned out to be unfounded, as the county announced it would inspect the 53-year-old building this fall and find money to make repairs.

A statewide seat-belt safety law clicked into effect.

In a freak incident, lightning killed 15 head of cattle in a Lithia pasture.

Apollo's Bistro hosted its first One Day, One Night: A Tribute to Fathers. Part of the proceeds went to the Riverview High School orchestra for its upcoming trip to Carnegie Hall.

Good Samaritan Mission hosted its 13th annual health fair, serving more than 200 people.

Owners Mark Vargo Sr. and Kevin Talbert of Southern Funeral Care began offering Webcasts of memorial services as part of the company's funeral services.

July

Riverview resident Kyeong Bae, 24, finished fourth at the McDonald's LPGA Championship tournament and prepared for the U.S. Women's Open.

The Hillsborough County water department office at the SouthShore Regional Service Center became a casualty of continued budget cuts.

Freedom Plaza hosted its sixth annual health fair, with hundreds in attendance.

Calvary Lutheran Church hosted its 15th annual Christmas in July fundraiser for Mary and Martha House and collected backpacks for needy kids.

The Apollo Beach Chamber of Commerce gathered at Circles Restaurant to name Isabel Darcy of Apollo Beach Physical Therapy as its new president; Gracie Guinto of Trustco Bank, Ambassador of the Year; Kevin Conlan, 2009 Bill Gramigna Memorial Community Award; Jill Canavan of Cherry's, Business Person of the Year; Kathy Wallin of K&B Travel and Mary Lou Luce of the Apollo Beach Beautification Committee, Community Volunteers of the Year; and Joel Brandenburg, honorary mayor.

About 1,000 people turned out for the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce's first Summerfest Business Expo.

Lennard High received a $2,500 grant for its baseball program from the Community Foundation of Greater Sun City Center.

W. Nick Bennett of Bennett Building & Construction, Krystal Selke of the Ruskin Junior Woman's Club, Stacy Self of Sam Cook Home Service Center and Mary Ann Wilhelm of Wilhelm Heating & Air Conditioning entered the race for honorary mayor of Ruskin.

Area fishermen and recreational boaters packed a meeting of the South Shore Anglers to strategize about the county's plan to restrict daily access to its 10 regional parks, which include the heavily used E. G. Simmons Park in Ruskin.

The Apollo Beach Woman's Club announced the selection of Mary Ann Wilhelm of Wilhelm Heating & Air Conditioning as its Top 10 Woman of the Year.

The Riverview Little Theatre wowed audiences with four performances of the musical "Gypsy."

The Friends of Uzita Heritage Park hosted its organizational meeting. The group planned to lobby for a new county park within the Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve.

Camp Christina in Riverview completed $750,000 in renovations, which included a paintball area, building improvements, new signs and resurfaced sports fields. The money was bequeathed by Riverview philanthropist Roy Campo.

Anne Madden of Ruskin filed her intent to run for a seat on the Hillsborough County Commission.

En Vogue Salon opened in Riverview at 11343 Big Bend Road.

The Summerfield Women's Golf Association donated $3,600 for Ronald McDonald's Charities of Tampa Bay.

August

Owner Anne Pidgeon hosted Colorfield Farms' inaugural Mango Festival in Wimauma.

After 35 years in law enforcement, Maj. John Marsicano, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office district IV commander, announced his retirement.

State Senate President Jeff Atwater and Sen. Ronda Storms presented Dave Brown of Sun City Center the state's Senate Medallion Award for his community service and volunteerism. Brown worked for years to get the county and Federal Emergency Management Agency to update Hillsborough County flood hazard maps. His efforts resulted in reduced flood insurance rates for county residents.

A new state law paved the way for more Florida-friendly landscaping in neighborhoods that restricted some of the plants and grasses considered most suitable for the area's climate. The law, which went into effect July 1, prohibited cities, counties and homeowners associations from enacting or enforcing rules against Florida-friendly landscaping, which aims to reduce the use of water, pesticides and fertilizers.

T-N-T Academy of Judo and Dance relocated its facility from Ruskin to 6546 Krycul Ave. in Riverview.

Camp Bayou hosted its second annual Back to Nature - Back to School event. About 250 children and parents attended.

Riverview's Bell Creek Nature Reserve closed briefly for fuel reduction and habitat restoration.

Hundreds of first-time students received free immunizations, school physicals and school supplies at the Back to School Coalition's annual health fair.

Ron Hartley, 58, was named District IV commander by Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee.

Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful honored its annual recycling champs. Yard Guard on Doody in Riverview received the 2009 Business Award. Eisenhower Middle School in Gibsonton was recognized for collecting the most recyclables - 34,390 pounds, an average of 22 pounds per student. Symmes Elementary School in Riverview placed second with 30,092 pounds.

September

The Greater Riverview and Ruskin chambers welcomed 200 new teachers to South Shore by providing them breakfast and gifts.

An estimated 189,000 students started the 2009-2010 school year.

The South Shore Anglers hosted a redfish tournament to raise money for South Shore's Big Give, which will take place Thanksgiving Day.

WCI Communities Inc. emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a newly reorganized private company.

About 1,000 volunteers from 33 Brandon and South Shore churches pitched in to help needy families in Feed the Bay 2009. Nineteen area stores participated in the event, which saw more than 20,000 shoppers purchase 51.5 tons.

A Dunkin' Donuts outlet opened inside Radiant Store No. 290 at 6190 U.S. 41 N. in Apollo Beach.

Rachel Demers Mushow of Rachel's Salon celebrated her first anniversary in Apollo Beach with a customer appreciation party.

Jill Canavan, owner of the Cherry's Apollo Beach, celebrated two years in the community.

Dayman Baker, Geri Brooks, Jeannie Bush and Margie Soto tossed their hats into the race for honorary mayor of Riverview.

Two of the five historic Giants Camp cabins were moved to Camp Bayou in Ruskin to be preserved and used for educational purposes at the nature preserve.

As part of the 24th annual International Coastal Cleanup sponsored by Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, 85 volunteers cleared Marsh Creek in Ruskin.

Cathy Green of Southern Comfort Bed & Breakfast announced she and her husband will convert half of the business to an assisted living facility for six residents.

October

The staff of Century 21 Beggins Enterprises in Apollo Beach hosted the fourth annual Beggins Bazaar and raises $5,150 for Easter Seals.

In Gibsonton, the Humane Society gave free vaccinations to more than 800 cats and dogs, thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Sun City Center.

The month-long Ruskin Big Draw, an annual celebration of the arts, began.

The county released a reprint of the ecotourism guide titled, "SouthShore: What a Difference a Bay Makes."

Due to low usage, Wimauma's waste collection center closed.

Riverview High School graduate Brian Kleinschmidt and his wife, former Miss America Ericka Dunlap, became contestants on "The Amazing Race."

Thanks to a new Ruskin chamber program called Partners for Success, Southern Grace Gifts & Accessories got a new look when fellow chamber members Dynamic Painting, South Shore Signs, Sherwin Williams and Weimer Mechanical Services donated materials and labor.

Hosted by Unity Community of Joy, the fourth annual pet blessing drew several hundred people and 100 pets at The Three Legged Poodle in Sun City Center.

All Bay Insurance Group in Riverview celebrated three years in business Oct. 17 with owner Joel Meek hosting a customer appreciation event.

Thousands of fish washed ashore at an Apollo Beach pond in South Shore Falls. The kill was due to low oxygen levels in the water that environmental consultants say are due to sudden temperature changes.

The East Bay High School Theatre Department began rehearsals for "Steel Magnolias."

The Rev. Demetrio Lorden of Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Wimauma was named recipient of the Luis de Cancer Distinguished Priestly Service Award by the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg.

The 13th Judicial Circuit's Southshore Community Justice Center celebrated 10 years assisting area residents with mediation services.

Aaron Fredricks of East Coast Pizza in Riverview opened his second location in the Ace Hardware Shopping Center at 10433 State Road 39 S. in Lithia.

Reporter Lois Kindle can be reached at (813) 627-4760.

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