Riverview/ Apollo Beach
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November 2025 Fall Into Volume 23, Issue 11
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CELEBRATING 23 YE ARS OF PUBLISHING POSITIVE COMMUNITY NEWS
RAMELLA’S COTTAGE CORNER: THE HEART OF A SWEET FAMILY DREAM
COUNTY BREAKS GROUND ON FIRE STATION NO. 47 IN RUSKIN
Meet Taylor and extra time on her Jared Ramella. hands, she perfectTheir dream of ed her cookie recipe starting a family is and launched Rawhat inspired them to mella’s Cookie Corbuild the small businer. ness they run today — After months a story of resilience, of hard work — and sweet treats and a setbacks caused whole lot of love. by Hurricanes HeIn 2014, everything lene and Milton — changed when Jared they decided to exwas involved in a mopand. That’s when torcycle accident that Ramella’s Cotleft him paralyzed. Detage Corner was spite the challenges, born: a charming the couple remained self-serve spot offocused on one shared fering mangoes, goal: becoming par- Ramella’s Cottage Corner, a self-serve spot homemade cookies, offering mangoes, homemade cookies, ents. Over the next brownies, candied brownies, candied nuts, jams, three years, they exnuts, jams, paspasture-raised eggs and more. plored various fertility ture-raised eggs and options, undergoing more. multiple procedures, The Ramellas incountless tests and vite you to stop by, consultations with nusupport their growmerous doctors. Evening business and be tually, they were prepart of their joursented with in vitro ney toward parentfertilization (IVF) as hood. They’ve also their best path forset up a GiveSendward — a process Go page — www. with an estimated cost givesendgo.com/ of around $28,000. babyramella — With both Taylor where any donation, and Jared working big or small, brings full-time, saving for them closer to their IVF hasn’t been easy. dream. Their side hustle beThey’ve been gan in March 2023, featured on Fox when Jared started selling mangoes from 13 and ABC Action News and partner the tree in their backyard at a small stand with Missy, owner of Apollo Beach Bakon their front porch. But with mangoes ery, who sells her sourdough at the cotbeing seasonal, he soon launched his own tage. Visit them at 103 1st Ave. NW in landscaping business: O My Lawn LLC. Ruskin or catch them at the Ruskin SeaIn 2024, after eight years as a dental food Festival on Saturday and Sunday, assistant, Taylor made the leap to help November 15-16 — be sure to stop by grow their lawn business. With some and say hello.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue marked National First Responder Day with a groundbreaking ceremony for a new fire station that will expand emergency services in South Hillsborough County. Fire Station No. 47, a $7.8 million project, will be a modern twobay facility designed to improve response times and support the Photos By Denise Sansosti rapidly grow- Hillsborough County commissioners help break ground on the future Fire Staing Ruskin tion No. 47 in Ruskin on National First Responder Day. c o m m u n i ty. The full-service station is scheduled for on wildfire response, will operate side completion in October 2026 and will by side on the property along U.S. 301, house at least five full-time firefighters where a future traffic light is planned to per shift, along with a fire engine and support safe emergency access. Similar rescue ambulance. Fire rescue person- land-use agreements already support nel respond to approximately 140,000 Fire Station No. 36 in Dover and the emergency calls each year countywide, planned Fire Station No. 49 north of and the added resources are expected to Tampa International Airport. County commissioners, many of whom strengthen coverage across the region. participated in the ceremony, joined fireThe new station will include a deconfighters for a series of commemorative tamination area with showers and launphotographs marking the start of condry facilities that firefighters can access struction. immediately after returning from a fire For more information, contact Hillsscene. These features are aimed at reborough County Public Relations Officer ducing exposure to harmful carcinogens Jessica Coy at coyj@hcfl.gov or Media commonly found in modern fire environRelations Strategist Jose Patino at 813ments. 247-6607 or patinoj@hcflgov.net. Fire Station No. 47 also highlights a strong partnership between local and state agencies and will serve as an example of them working together to en- AB TREE LIGHTING.....................................PG. 3 hance public safety for local communi- KIWANIS HOLIDAY SHOP �...........PG. 8 ties. The building will sit on land owned BINGO FUNDRAISER......................PG. 18 by the Florida Forest Service and be shared at no cost to the county. Both NEW AC FOR FIVE FAMILIES..PG. 22 agencies, which frequently collaborate EYE ON BUSINESS...............PGS. 33-34
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