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June 2025 Volume 24, Issue 6

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CELEBRATING 23 YE ARS OF PUBLISHING POSITIVE COMMUNITY NEWS

STICKER STARS! HILLSBOROUGH STUDENT ARTISTS MAKE VOTING A MASTERPIECE By Kate Quesada

COMMUNITY INPUT ON $310 MILLION LITHIA PINECREST PROJECT

By Brian Bokor

uous sidewalks, buffered bike lanes, safer crosswalks and shared-use paths. To help slow traffic and improve the look of the corridor, officials are considering design changes like reduced lane widths, landscaped medians and added roundabouts in certain areas. A key part of the project focuses on improving 17 intersections along Lithia Pinecrest Road and Bloomingdale Avenue. Recommended alternatives include roundabouts, traffic signals and median openings. According to a recently released map, roundabouts are being suggested for intersections like FishHawk Boulevard, Lithia Springs Road, New River Hills Parkway and Guiles Road. At a previous PD&E meeting held in May 2024, residents were shown seven possible intersection designs and asked to provide feedback. “Revisions made to the original plans were based on feedback from the community,” said Steffanie Workman, project manager for engineering and operations. District 4 Commissioner Christine Miller, who represents the area, encouraged residents to get involved. “I fully support the efforts to move the Lithia Pinecrest Road expansion project forward and was grateful to join the community at last night’s public engagement meeting,” Miller said. “Together, we’re ad-

Hillsborough County held an in-person open house on May 13 at Bloomingdale High School, giving residents a chance to view the latest plans and speak directly with project staff. The Lithia Pinecrest Road Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study focuses on proposed improvements along 7.5 miles of road, stretching from FishHawk Boulevard to Lumsden Road, and including a section of Bloomingdale Avenue from Culbreath Road to Pearson Road. The $310 million project is aimed at reducing traffic congestion, improving safety and making travel easier for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. County officials gathered feedback from the public through a virtual engagement portal, which was open from May 7 through May 21, as well as at the in-person event. “We want to hear from as many voices as possible,” said Kim Byer, assistant county administrator for Public Works, “and who better to get input from than those that are Article continued...Page 12 impacted by this project?” The project includes a mix of improvements designed to help ease traffic and make the roadway safer. Proposed up- SUPERINTENDENT SCHOLARSHIP..PG 3 grades include adding through lanes to CANINE CABANA 17 YEARS........PG 4 increase capacity, building dedicated turn VBS EVENTS AROUND TOWN....PG 10 lanes and improving traffic signal timing. HAMMOCK BAY.................................PG 19 New pedestrian and bicycle accommodations are also part of the plan, like contin- EYE ON BUSINESS...................PG 33-34

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went on to explain that the winners joined him on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Elections Service Center and got to see their artwork on display in the hallway outside one of the early-voting locations. “I’m certain that the interest they are showing in our voting Randall Middle School students Lauren McGee and Gabriela Sanchez process now will received recognition at a recent Hillsborough County School Board meeting carry over to when for their submissions to the VoteHillsborough Future Voter sticker contest. they become old Children who enough to vote.” accompany their Vo t e H i l l s b o r parents to vote ough also partners in Hillsborough with Hillsborough County this year County Public may receive some Schools and visits artwork from high schools every some talented losemester to give cal students. Lauseniors the chance ren McGee and Gabriela Sanchez, who to register to vote. This month, Kramer both attend Randall Middle School in recognized the schools with the most Lithia, received recognition at a recent successful voter registration drives in Hillsborough County School Board meetfront of the school board. The winners ing for their submissions to the VoteHillincluded Durant High School, East Bay sborough Future Voter sticker contest. High School and Newsome High School, According to Gerri Kramer, chief comand the grand champion was Sumner munications officer for Craig LatimHigh School. er, Hillsborough County supervisor of “Both the voter registration contest elections, the contest, which was open and the art contests have been very popto middle and high school students, reular, and I believe that participation in ceived 134 entries. Winners were sethese events will bring about more longlected by a vote from the office’s staff term civic engagement,” said Kramer. and partners. McGee won first place and “Art teachers have thanked me for givSanchez third place. ing them the opportunity to show their Next year, the contest will be for high students how they can use their creschool students who will design an ‘I ativity to impact their community. And Voted’ sticker, which will be given out to youth especially enjoy getting a sticker voters in the 2026 election. designed by a peer.” “Our partnership with Hillsborough To learn more about voting in HillsborCounty Public Schools is a long-standing ough County, visit the county website at and important one,” said Kramer, who www.votehillsborough.gov.

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