Valrico News

Rhonda Gee sustained only bumps and bruises after a car driven by Dover gang member Raul de Alejandro, plowed into her car at the intersection of Bloomingdale Avenue and Lithia-Pinecrest Road.

News Report A breezy May morning greeted runners and walkers at E.G.Simmons Park on May 19, when East Bay's Student Government Association hosted its first 5K4Q Run to help a former student and SGA member who was brutally attacked outside the Bloomingdale Regional Library in 2008.

Brandon is a town full of traditions. One of the time honored traditions is the annual Honorary Mayor's Race which has been run by The Community Roundtable since 1959.

News Report Eisenhower Middle School recently received more than $350 in books though Usborne Books and More's Literacy for a Lifetime Program, according to Christine Ans, independent educational supervisor for Usborne Books.

A It seems as if there is a special day for just about everything, and the donut is no exception.

The wife of Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee was injured in a traffic crash Thursday morning in Valrico when her car was struck by a reported gang member who had just threatened to kill a gas station clerk, authorities said.

On Wednesday, FBI officials took 42-year-old Thomas Meyer into custody at his house along the 2700 block of Briarpatch Drive in Valrico.

Country superstars Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw bring their "Brothers of the Sun" tour to Raymond James Stadium, 4210 N. Dale Mabry Highway, at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Jarrod Gelling strikes a pose inside his Brandon store, Southern Muscle, near the trophy shelf where he and business partner Anneliese Perez show off their awards.

Parents, students and former employees upset with the principal at Connerton Elementary protested outside the school this afternoon, while inside Superintendent Heather Fiorentino met with the school staff to discuss the complaints.

A State Rep. Rich Glorioso's plans for leaving the Florida House of Representatives puts him in a three-way race for the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections seat currently held by Earl Lennard, who is not seeking reelection.

Florida education officials crisscrossed the state this week offering a series of apologies over the admittedly botched roll out of tougher writing assessments that if taken at face value showed that seven of 10 Florida students did not make the grade.

Former state Rep. Bob Henriquez, a Democrat from Tampa, former four-term member of the state House and longtime football coach at Tampa Catholic High School, files his paperwork to run for the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser.

With the emphasis today on eating natural foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, the Happy Tomato Produce Market at 3623 Lithia-Pinecrest Rd., Valrico, is attracting enthusiasts from nearby Bloomingdale and as far away as FishHawk Ranch.

Newcomers Club, Publicity and Charity ChairA Renaulda Dangremond, joined by 6-year-old Andrew Smith and his mom Michelle after receiving a generous donation of $1,600 from the members of the Club.

Grow Brandon, a nonprofit group dedicated to supporting local small businesses, has organized its first "cash mob." The event will take place Thursday, May 24 at 5:45 p.m. at Plaza Bella on Bloomingdale Avenue in Valrico.

Out of all the American Idol hopefuls, it's been narrowed down to the final two, Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips.

A man assaulted a female passenger while driving and then crashed into several cars at a dealership Monday night, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said.

It was 1987, and everything at Bloomingdale High School was new, including the school's physics and chemistry teacher, Mark West.

At the Brandon Business Expo and Taste of Brandon event, sponsored by the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce May 17, Jaymer-Que Southern BBQ took home the award for Best Dessert for its homemade bread pudding with caramel sauce.