In this issue of

NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse

This Week’s Events

WEATHER

Local News

👩‍🔬USF Student Braves Antarctic Extremes for Groundbreaking Ocean Research

✈️Engine Failure on Southwest Flight 554 to Tampa Leads to Emergency Landing in New Orleans

👨‍🦽 Lutz Veteran Receives Life-Changing Smart Home from Tunnel to Towers

Crime

👦Young Hero Emerges as 15-Year-Old Stops Assault on Elderly Woman

Sports

🏈USF's Strategic Recruitment Elevates Team to National Spotlight

Medical News

😟Early Loss of Parent May Heighten Separation Anxiety in Adult Relationships, Study Finds

This Week’s Events in the NewTampa | Wesley Chapel FL Local Area

December 21 — Santa & Skates, AdventHealth Center Ice, 5pm: SOLD OUT

December 21 — ^{Standup Comedy: Ricky Reyes, SideSplitters, WC}, 8pm

December 22 — Gasparilla Bowl: UCF vs Georgia Tech, Raymond James Stadium, 630pm

December 23 — Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Amalie Arena, 230pm, 730pm

December 23 — Holiday Lighted Boat Parade, Curtis Hixon Park, 6pm

December 24

December 25

December 26

USF Student Braves Antarctic Extremes for Groundbreaking Ocean Research

Hannah Hunt, a University of South Florida graduate student, is spending her holiday season on a global research expedition in the Antarctic's Amundsen Sea.

Part of a collaboration between the USF College of Marine Science and U.S. GEOTRACES, this project aims to study the distribution of iron and other trace elements in the ocean. These elements are crucial for marine life, like plankton, which absorb carbon dioxide.

The research is challenging due to the Antarctic's freezing conditions and the difficulty of collecting uncontaminated samples. Alongside other researchers, Hunt, who specializes in chemical oceanography, is gathering samples until the end of January.

Back on land, her colleagues, including USF associate professor Tim Conway, will analyze these samples to understand their role in the ocean's ecosystem and global carbon cycling.

This project, significant for its potential insights into global environmental processes, is supported by the National Science Foundation and contributes to the international GEOTRACES dataset.

Engine Failure on Southwest Flight 554 to Tampa Leads to Emergency Landing in New Orleans

Southwest Airlines Flight 554, en route from New Orleans to Tampa Bay, was forced to return to the airport following a bird strike that caused an engine failure.

The crew's calm management ensured passenger safety during the emergency. The incident temporarily closed the airport's runways, leading to flight delays and diversions, but Southwest Airlines quickly arranged an alternative flight for the 164 passengers affected.

This event highlights the importance of preparedness and effective response in aviation, particularly in unexpected situations like wildlife strikes.

Lutz Veteran Receives Life-Changing Smart Home from Tunnel to Towers

In Lutz, Florida, Army veteran Dustin Magner, injured in Iraq, has received a transformative gift from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation: a custom-designed smart home.

The residence, equipped to accommodate Magner's needs after losing the use of his legs in a 2009 roadside bomb attack, features innovative adjustable appliances, accessible facilities, and ample space for his family. This four-bedroom, three-bathroom home symbolizes independence and a new beginning for Magner, his wife Rebecca, and their two children.

The Magner family expressed deep gratitude for this gesture, which significantly enhances their daily life and security.

This donation is part of Tunnel to Towers' broader initiative, which has already provided over 1,000 homes to veterans, illustrating the community's ongoing support and appreciation for military service members.

Young Hero Emerges as 15-Year-Old Stops Assault on Elderly Woman

In a remarkable act of bravery, 15-year-old Andrew Papp from Riverview, Florida, intervened in a carjacking at a Publix supermarket parking lot, saving 65-year-old Billie Richert. A student at Riverview High School, Papp sprinted across the parking lot to thwart the assailant as he attacked Richert, demanding her car keys. His prompt action prevented the situation from escalating.

Acknowledged by his principal, Brian Spiro, during a Junior ROTC class, Papp's heroism was celebrated, although he remained humble about his actions. He insisted he did what felt right, motivated by the thought that the victim could have been a family member. Papp's courageous deed was later recognized through a FaceTime call, arranged by school officials, where Richert, making Christmas cookies with her granddaughters in Virginia, expressed her deep gratitude.

The perpetrator, 42-year-old Robert Moore, was apprehended and faces charges including robbery and battery. This incident highlights the profound impact of bravery and quick thinking in critical situations.

USF's Strategic Recruitment Elevates Team to National Spotlight

In a landmark achievement for USF Football, the team secured its highest-ranked recruiting class in the American Athletic Conference and beyond the autonomous five conferences, according to Rivals.

On the NCAA Early Signing Period's opening day, Head Coach Alex Golesh and his staff welcomed 25 new Bulls, propelling the team's 2024 class to No. 48 nationally. This impressive roster includes two four-star and 16 three-star recruits, marking a significant upswing in the team's recruiting prowess.

Standouts like four-star tight end Jonathan Echols and defensive back Fred Gaskin highlight the strategic and successful recruitment efforts. The addition of legacy player Nico Gramatica on special teams further emphasizes the team's blend of new talent and historical connections.

With a strong focus on local talent from Florida and surrounding states, USF Football's strategic recruitment and celebrated class signal a promising future for the team.

Local High School Sports Scores

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Early Loss of Parent May Heighten Separation Anxiety in Adult Relationships, Study Finds

A recent study in the journal Stress and Health has uncovered a correlation between early parental loss and increased attachment issues in adult relationships among women.

The research involved 120 women, half of whom had lost a parent in their youth, and the other half with living parents. It found that women who experienced parental loss early in life displayed higher levels of separation anxiety and anxious attachment in their romantic relationships as adults. This anxiety manifested as distress when separated from partners and worry about their partner's availability in times of need.

However, there was no notable difference in avoidant attachment, which involves a desire for emotional independence, between the two groups.

The study, led by Dr. Ora Peleg, observed that separation anxiety and anxious attachment were most intense during the first five years of a relationship, gradually decreasing after a decade. The findings suggest a need for further research into the long-term effects of early parental loss on adult relationships.

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