In this issue of

NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse

This Week’s Events

WEATHER

Local News

🏠Home Sweet Home? The Rise of Corporate Landlords in Tampa Bay

🚂 Choo-Choo Choose Adventure: Largo's Latest Train Attraction

Crime

👮‍♂️ Bear-ly Believable: Friendly Cubs Turn Florida Deputy's Night Into a Wild Encounter!

Medical News

🩺Training Today for Tomorrow's Health: BayCare's Answer to Tampa's Doctor Shortage

Sports

🏈Kelce and Mahomes: The Dynamic Duo Propelling Chiefs to Super Bowl

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

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February 2 — SLICK, MUSIC, AND MOVEMENT, USF Barness Recital Hall / College of the Arts, 6/7pm

February 2 — Jazz with Jim present Ballads, Carrollwood Cultural Cntr, 730-9pm

February 2 — New Tampa Players: Dreamgirls 2/2-10, NTPAC, times vary

February 3 — Miles for Migraine Walk/Run, USF Tpa - Simmons Park, 12101 USF Beard Dr, 930am

February 3 — TB Whiskey Riot - A Festival of Whiskeys, The Coliseum, St Pete, 3pm

February 4

February 5

February 6

February 7

Home Sweet Home? The Rise of Corporate Landlords in Tampa Bay

Corporate investors are transforming Tampa Bay's housing market, with around 27,000 homes in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties now corporate-owned. St. Petersburg resident Tamika Morris, who bought her home in 2004, is frequently approached by companies like “HomeInc” and “HomeVestors” offering cash for her property. Large firms, often backed by Wall Street and private equity, are responsible for a substantial portion of these properties. This trend is squeezing out individual buyers and inflating rental and home prices, according to experts.

While these investments are not solely responsible for high housing costs, their methods of rapid, bulk buying and maintaining ownership limit opportunities for individual homeownership. The largest landlord, Invitation Homes, owns nearly 6,000 homes in the region. Most corporate purchases are done through myriad LLCs, making tracking ownership challenging. The impact of this trend includes higher eviction rates and neglected property maintenance, significantly affecting areas with lower median incomes and historically Black neighborhoods.

Click HERE to read this well researched article in TBT

Choo-Choo Choose Adventure: Largo's Latest Train Attraction

LARGO, Fla. – This weekend, Largo Central Railroad unveils 'Sparky,' a new ride-on-top model electric locomotive. Since 1991, the railroad, nestled in Largo Central Park, has charmed visitors with its miniature trains, operating on donations every first weekend of the month.

Santino Jones, a high school senior and conductor, discovered the 7.5-gauge railroad and became enamored with its world. His passion led him to help rebuild Sparky, alongside Jim O’Connor, who employed his electrician skills to revitalize and sound-enhance the train.

Jones, whose love for trains dates back to childhood museum visits, finds joy in sparking similar interests in younger generations. The arrival of Sparky, embodying both nostalgia and innovation, is set to continue this tradition, inviting visitors to experience the magic of miniature railroading.

For more information, visit lcrailroad.org.

Bear-ly Believable: Friendly Cubs Turn Florida Deputy's Night Into a Wild Encounter!

In a remarkable incident in Florida, a deputy from the Okaloosa Sheriff's Department encountered two Kodiak bear cubs, approximately 3,600 miles away from their natural habitat in Alaska. Around 3:30 a.m., while responding to an emergency call on a rural road, the deputy was greeted by these brown bear cubs, captured in the department's video footage. Displaying unexpected friendliness, the cubs approached and sniffed the deputy's patrol car, even jumping on the deputy at one point, leading a bystander to humorously instruct the bears to sit.

The origin of these wandering cubs was traced to a local resident claiming to be a bear trainer, who kept them in an inadequate enclosure. This discovery led to the identification of various wildlife violations by the resident. Kodiak bears, known to be the world's largest bears, usually reside exclusively in the Kodiak Archipelago in Alaska, with males capable of standing over 10 feet tall and weighing up to 1,500 pounds. Interestingly, these bears are not typically sociable and tend to become nocturnal in human presence, as noted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

I

Training Today for Tomorrow's Health: BayCare's Answer to Tampa's Doctor Shortage

 Tampa Bay's largest healthcare provider, BayCare Health System, is addressing Florida's doctor shortage by launching multiple residency programs. BayCare, which operates 16 hospitals, plans to train young physicians at seven medical centers across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, and Polk counties. The health system currently offers four residency programs with 77 positions. By 2029, it aims to expand to more than 650 positions, potentially bringing about 200 new resident physicians and fellows to the region annually.

The upcoming programs, including internal medicine, family medicine, surgery, and various specialties, will significantly increase the number of trained doctors in the area. Two programs have already received approval from the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education and will commence this summer. The key sites for these residencies include St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa and its North counterpart in Lutz, as well as St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview, in collaboration with Tampa Family Health Centers.

BayCare’s initiative is a response to Tampa's increasing demand for doctors, particularly following a population surge during the pandemic. A recent report indicates that Florida is projected to meet only 65% of its demand for general internal medicine doctors by 2030, highlighting the urgency of this expansion.

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Kelce and Mahomes: The Dynamic Duo Propelling Chiefs to Super Bowl

In a gripping AFC Championship, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens 17-10, securing a Super Bowl berth. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce led the offense, with Mahomes completing crucial passes, including a game-sealing 32-yard throw to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Kelce had 11 receptions, surpassing Jerry Rice's postseason record. The Chiefs' defense shone, effectively containing the Ravens' Lamar Jackson.

This win marks Kansas City's fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years, as they aim to be the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Patriots 19 years ago.

The Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers, with anticipation high for another showdown on football's biggest stage.

Click HERE for the full TBT article

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