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NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse

This Week’s Events

WEATHER

Local News

🎬Ali Scher's 'Popular Theory': A Cinematic Journey from Tampa Outsider to L.A. Storyteller

💻 Rising to the Top: USF's Online Programs Make National Waves!

⚙️ Wheel of Fortune's Big Winner: Parrish's Reesa Cooper Takes Home Over $50K!

Crime

👮‍♂️ Cash Flight: Tampa Resident Nabbed for Smuggling $100K from Cuba

Medical News

👃A Whiff of Insight: How Odors Drive Rapid Decision-Making in the Brain

Of Interest

✈️ Jet Tracker Jolt: Taylor Swift's Legal Notice to UCF Student

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

 NT | WC AI Event Bot — Check dates and Submit Events (Beta)

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February 8 - 5 events —> see Event Bot

February 9 — Heights Unites Music & Arts Festival - 2/9-10, Common Dialect Beerworks, 5023 N Fla Ave, Tpa, times vary

February 10 — Gulfport Fine Arts Festival - 2/10-11, Gulfport Veterans Park, 10am-5pm

February 10 — Children's Storytime, Barnes & Noble, Shops at Wiregrass, 11am

February 11 — Author Joshua Ginsberg, Barnes & Noble, Shops at Wiregrass, 2pm

February 12

February 13

February 14 — Valentine’s Day! WC Valentine’s Movie Event for Seniors: The Notebook, WC The Grove 16, 1130am-2pm

Ali Scher's 'Popular Theory': A Cinematic Journey from Tampa Outsider to L.A. Storyteller

 Tampa native and filmmaker Ali Scher's journey from a self-described "mega nerd" to a Hollywood director culminates with the release of her new film, "Popular Theory," starring Cheryl Hines. The movie, premiering this Friday, features two high school outcasts who concoct a chemical formula that makes them popular through a pheromone-releasing chewing gum. Reflecting on her own experiences of feeling excluded during her school years, Scher's film is a personal testament to her realization that what truly matters is the quality of friendships, not their quantity.

Scher, a Plant High School alumna and graduate of Smith College, found her voice and acceptance in college, embracing her unique qualities. Her directorial break came with "Jessica Darling’s It List," and "Popular Theory," her own script, was a project 11 years in the making, delayed partly due to the pandemic.

This Sunday, Scher will host Q&A sessions after the 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. screenings at Tampa’s AMC Veterans. The film, shot in Atlanta and featuring St. Petersburg actress Eugenie Bondurant, aims to impart a message of self-acceptance and the value of genuine connections to its young audience.

Click HERE to read the original article in TBT

Rising to the Top: USF's Online Programs Make National Waves!

In a remarkable achievement, the University of South Florida (USF) has been celebrated for its online graduate programs, with a special commendation for serving veterans, according to a recent U.S. News & World Report. The university's commitment to providing top-tier online education has placed its programs among the nation's best.

The USF online MBA program has made a significant leap, now ranking at No. 22, a 73-spot jump in five years. It also secures No. 20 in business analytics and No. 40 in the best for veterans category. Additionally, the online graduate business program (non-MBA) is ranked No. 23 for veterans and No. 52 overall. The online graduate engineering and education programs are not far behind, ranking No. 58 and No. 70, respectively.

USF President Rhea Law attributes these rankings to the university's dedication to high-quality online education tailored to student and workforce needs in Tampa Bay and Florida. This recognition follows USF's placement among the top 50 public universities in the U.S. and its invitation to join the prestigious Association of American Universities in 2023, becoming the first public university in Florida in nearly four decades to do so.

Wheel of Fortune's Big Winner: Parrish's Reesa Cooper Takes Home Over $50K!

Reesa Cooper, a resident of Parrish in Manatee County, realized a lifelong dream by not only appearing on "Wheel of Fortune" but also emerging victorious with a total winning of $58,750. Inspired by Pat Sajak's retirement announcement, Cooper, a Southern California native, embarked on her "Wheel of Fortune" journey in the summer of 2023. Her path to success began with a short video audition, followed by several video auditions and interviews, culminating in a studio recording on December 1.

On the January 26 episode, Cooper's long-standing familiarity with the game paid off. She won both the game and the bonus round, solving the bonus puzzle "I want to buy a few things" on her second guess, which added a $40,000 bonus to her winnings. Her experience as a singer at Bayside Community Church helped her manage stage fright and feel comfortable under the studio lights.

The theme for Cooper's episode was "sand and sea," and she won an 11-day trip to Italy, a bucket list destination for her, in addition to her cash winnings. The victory was made even more special with her husband and children present in the audience, witnessing her fulfilling a lifelong aspiration.

Cash Flight: Tampa Resident Nabbed for Smuggling $100K from Cuba

Mirtza Ocana, a 38-year-old Tampa resident, faces charges of smuggling over $100,000 from Cuba to the United States, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Upon conviction, Ocana could face up to five years in federal prison. The charges stem from an incident on February 5, 2024, when Ocana arrived at Tampa International Airport from Cuba.

Claiming to carry less than $10,000, Ocana did not declare any cash, but a routine luggage inspection by the Department of Homeland Security revealed $30,000 in bulk cash. Ocana later admitted to regularly smuggling cash from Cuba to Tampa, averaging two to three flights per month, and acknowledged her awareness of the illegality of her actions. An additional $70,000 was discovered hidden in her clothing. Ocana's flight records indicate she made 45 trips from Cuba to Tampa since May 2023.

It's important to note that a criminal complaint is merely a formal charge, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The case, under investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.

A Whiff of Insight: How Odors Drive Rapid Decision-Making in the Brain

Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have uncovered a groundbreaking connection between odors and specific brain cells involved in rapid decision-making. Published in "Current Biology," the study focuses on the hippocampus, a brain area pivotal for memory and learning, and its 'time cells' previously known for their role in hippocampal function.

The team, led by Diego Restrepo, PhD, discovered that these cells are crucial in associative learning and decision-making processes. By observing mice who had to choose between a fruity smell linked to sweet water and the smell of mineral oil, they found that the fruity odor prompted the mice to lick a spout for a reward, while the mineral oil did not. This learning process involved the stimulation of specific brain cells, enabling the mice to rapidly identify and react to the fruity smell.

The discovery hinges on how odors are processed: they travel up the nose, sending signals to the olfactory bulb and the hippocampus, which then swiftly make a decision. This study is pivotal in understanding the brain's decision-making mechanisms, particularly the previously unknown role of hippocampal time cells in these rapid choices.

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Jet Tracker Jolt: Taylor Swift's Legal Notice to UCF Student

Taylor Swift has taken legal action against Jack Sweeney, a University of Central Florida student, for tracking her private jet movements through his social media accounts. Swift's attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Sweeney, warning of potential legal consequences if he continued. The letter, highlighted by The Washington Post, expressed safety concerns, as Sweeney's real-time updates could assist those with harmful intentions towards Swift, who has faced security threats and break-ins at her homes.

Sweeney, known for using public Federal Aviation Administration data to track celebrities, defended his actions as a pursuit of transparency. His accounts were shut down by Meta. Previously, his Twitter account tracking Elon Musk's jet movements led to a ban after Musk's takeover of the platform.

This incident has reignited discussions on privacy, public information, and free speech, with Sweeney's lawyer arguing against the restriction of publicly available data. Swift's legal move comes amidst her busy schedule, including speculation about her travel plans between her Tokyo concert and the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

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