Bloomingdale/ FishHawk
April 2025 Volume 24, Issue 4
See Our Ad On Home to more than 12,000 animals Page and world-class 38 coasters,
Ph: 813-657-2418 See Our Ad On Page 33 Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay has camps animal C E L E for B R both ATIN G 2 3lovers YE ARS OF PUBLISHING POSITIVE COMMUNITY NEWS and thrill seekers alike.
than 12,000 animals BLOOMINGDALE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL BRING YOUR QUARTER FOR A CART th Day Camp: K-12 Grade -class coasters, BRINGS HOME FIRST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND YOUR GROCERY BAGS AS ALDI th th ® Resident Camp: 7 -12 Grade By Nick Nahas Tampa Bay ens OPENS NEWEST STORE IN FISHHAWK Staff Report The BloomingI said it after both animal lovers dale High the game, they REGISTER NOW The wait is alwill also have School girls’ were doing seekers alike. most over. Aldi is the opportub a s k e t b a l l championship bringing its signanity to win a BuschGardens.com/camps th program has things. They ture low-cost gro$500 Aldi gift p: K-12 Grade become a jugtook it to ancery card, with an (813) thexperience th to884-4FUN (4386) gernaut in other level; it mp: 7 -12 Grade FishHawk Ranch, entry available with the grand by scanning a opening of its newcode in-store est location schedbetween April uled for Thursday, 3 and April 6. ©2025 United Parks & Resorts, Inc. April 3. The store, The FishHawk located at 16751 location is the FishHawk Blvd., latest expanAldi at FishHawk Ranch will open to the public on is the fifth Aldi in sion for Aldi, Thursday, April 3, after a 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting. the area, joining bringing it one Riverview, Big Bend Road, Brandon and step closer to achieving its goal of opening Plant City in offering affordable, high-qual- 800 stores nationwide by the end of 2028, ity groceries to the community. delivering more savings to communities The grand opening festivities will kick across the country. ©2025 United Parks & ceremony Resorts, Inc. off with a ribbon-cutting at 9 Aldi’s success is built on its no-frills a.m. on April 3, just 30 minutes before the shopping model, which focuses on offering store opens its doors to the public. To make high-quality groceries at low prices. The the occasion even more exciting, the first store is stocked with exclusive, private-la100 customers will receive a special ticket, bel brands that deliver premium quality at with a chance to win up to $100 in Aldi up to 50 percent less than national brands. gift cards. Additionally, customers will be Aldi keeps costs down by eliminating ungifted an eco-friendly bag filled with Aldi necessary extras, such as elaborate disproducts. plays and add-on services like banks and In celebration of the new store, a special pharmacies. ‘sneak peek’ event will take place the day In addition to its affordable pricing, Aldi before, on Wednesday, April 2. Shoppers is known for its commitment to quality. will be able to fully explore the store and And if customers aren’t completely satispurchase their favorite Aldi products in ad- fied, Aldi offers a Double Guarantee: it will vance of the official opening. replace the product and refund the pur“At our new Lithia ALDI store, shoppers chase price. will find that every decision we make, from The new Aldi in FishHawk Ranch takes our product selection to store layout, is to up approximately half of the former provide our customers with the best prod- Winn-Dixie space, with 20,661 square feet ucts at the lowest possible prices of any of the 44,075 square-foot building still national grocer,” said Matt Thon, regional available for lease. The store underwent vice president for ALDI. “Our customers a $10 million renovation to bring the Aldi can save up to 36% on an average house- shopping experience to the area. hold’s shopping list*. As shoppers look for The FishHawk Aldi will be open from 9 better ways to stretch their dollar, ALDI is a.m.-8 p.m., seven days a week. For those providing Lithia with easier access to qual- who prefer shopping from home, Aldi ofity groceries at affordable prices.” fers pickup and delivery services through During opening weekend, customers Instacart. Visit https://shop.aldi.us/.
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ens.com/camps -4FUN (4386)
Hillsborough was really cool County. The to see.” Lady Bulls The team rehave reached turned four the state final players from Photo courtesy of Nicole Ferrante. last four in three year’s of the last The Lady Bulls won the Bloomingdale High School girls’ bas- team and had four seasons. ketball program’s first basketball state championship in school a total of six history, defeating Southridge 43-41 in Lakeland. In March, the seniors. Seteam won the program’s first basketball niors Noelle Mengle and Izellah Kendrick state championship in school history, de- have been with the program for the last feating Southridge 43-41 in Lakeland. four seasons and are a part of the winnin“I was just in disbelief,” said head coach gest class in program history, going 106Joel Bower. “I turned to my assistant 15. Both players have been a huge key to coaches and asked, ‘Did that really hap- their team’s success. Kendrick has over pen? Is this really happening?’ It just 1,000 career points and Mengle, a Univerdidn’t seem real. I watched the girls cel- sity of Tampa signee, broke the program ebrate like they hadn’t all year. I watched record for most career points. The duo bethe joy, I watched kids cry that I’ve never came the fifth and sixth 1,000-point scorseen cry, I just took in them embracing ers in team history. each other. My favorite part was watching “This championship was deserved and them enjoy it.” worked for for years by the players that Bloomingdale reached the 6A state cham- came before us and created the work pionship last season for the first time in ethic and culture that is carried over into team history but fell a little short after our team today,” said Mengle. “I hope our going undefeated until that point. The four championship has created a lasting legacy returning players felt that there was some and impact on the basketball program.” unfinished business. Bower said that they Bower, who has coached the program for went into the last offseason highly mo- 14 seasons, said that the last four seasons tivated to win that one final game. Each led to the culmination of winning the state time in the last three appearances at the championship. He said the legacy of these final four, the team won one more game seniors will never be forgotten. and went a step closer. “They accomplished something that has The Lady Bulls faced some adversity along never been done in school history,” said the way, losing four in a row and five out Bower. “They’ll never forget Saturday, of seven games in the middle of the season they’ll never forget it. They’re being treatagainst really tough opponents. The team ed like royalty right now, the celebration put together a more challenging schedule is continuing and I’m just enjoying seeing than last season in order to become more them get all the accolades.” battle-tested. The strategy paid off with the team winning their last 12 games in a row to finish the season. Bower said that it took a little while for the team to gel, BEVIS 25 YEARS................... .............PG 3 but they started to put it all together at MOTORING FLORIDA........... .............PG 5 the start of regionals. STEM FAIR AWARDS............ .........PG 15 “In the semifinal and state final, I just feel like everybody was doing whatever they SUMMER CAMPS...................SECTION 2 could to help us win,” said Bower. “I think EYE ON BUSINESS.................PGS 50-51
Not to be combined with any other offer. Only valid at Riverview, FL - Boyette location.
See Our Summer Camp Guide Section Two
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$40 OFFOFF BRAKES $40 Includes Brake Inspection Any AirFree Condition Repair Not to be combined with any other offer. Only valid at Riverview, FL - Boyette location.
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