Issue #334: Savannah Bananas Sell Out NFL Stadium, Heart Health’s Brain Benefits & USF Sailing’s Grit

In this issue of NewTampa | WesleyChapel
Local Pulse

Our Event Calendar

WEATHER

Local News

— Savannah Bananas Sell Out 65,000-Seat NFL Stadium in Tampa

Of Interest

— Mom Says Kids Thought Crawl Space Was a Party—It May Have Been Their Lifesaver

Medical News

— Stronger Heart, Sharper Mind: Study Links Heart Health to Slower Brain Aging

Sports

— USF Women’s Sailing Battles Extreme Weather for Top-Five Finish

🎵 Useful Arts & Entertainment Event Links

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Savannah Bananas Sell Out 65,000-Seat NFL Stadium in Tampa

The Savannah Bananas continue their meteoric rise in popularity, selling out Raymond James Stadium—home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—for their first-ever game in an NFL venue. Playing against their touring rivals, the Savannah Party Animals, the Bananas packed the 65,000-seat stadium Saturday night, proving their unique brand of "Banana Ball" is a major draw.

Often compared to the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball, the Bananas have sold out Major League Baseball stadiums before, but this marks their biggest crowd yet. Fans were treated to an electric game, capped by a walk-off grand slam from DR Meadows, who hit the ball into an empty outfield to seal an 11-10 victory.

The sellout also highlights the attendance struggles of Tampa’s MLB team, the Rays, who recently backed out of a $1.3 billion stadium deal and will play at Steinbrenner Field after Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field.

Read More: cbssports.com 

Mom Says Kids Thought Crawl Space Was a Party—It May Have Been Their Lifesaver

A Midwest family’s decision to take cover in their crawl space Friday night may have saved their lives as severe storms battered their neighborhood.

Elizabeth Friend, a Missouri native and mother of six, rarely seeks shelter during storms. But as a massive red radar alert loomed, she and her family of eight rushed to the crawl space beneath their home. At first, the storm seemed routine—until everything went eerily silent.

Thinking it was over, Friend’s husband helped three children out—only to sense an unnatural stillness. They quickly retreated just in time to hear a powerful burst of wind and debris hitting their home.

Though two large pine trees nearly crashed through their house, the family remained unharmed. The younger children thought hiding in the crawl space was a fun party, a perspective their mother says may have kept them calm.

Now, as the family assesses damage from hail, fallen trees, and destroyed structures, they remain grateful to be safe—a reminder of nature’s unpredictable power.

Read More: wtsp.com

One astonishing but lesser-known fact about tornado protection in the South is that bathtubs can be one of the safest places to seek shelter—especially in homes without basements.

In many Southern states, homes are built on slabs or crawl spaces due to high water tables, making underground storm shelters rare. However, bathtubs—particularly those in interior bathrooms—are often reinforced and anchored to the plumbing system, making them more structurally sound than other areas of a house.

Additionally, bathtub walls can help protect against flying debris, and if you cover yourself with a mattress or heavy blankets, it can further increase your chances of survival. Some tornado survivors have even credited their bathtubs with saving their lives after being thrown from their homes while still inside them!

While not as ideal as a purpose-built storm shelter, this unexpected tornado refuge has been a lifesaver for many in the South.

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Stronger Heart, Sharper Mind: Study Links Heart Health to Slower Brain Aging

A new study suggests that maintaining strong cardiovascular health (CVH) can significantly slow brain aging and lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Published in JAMA Network Open, the study analyzed data from over 1,000 older adults in the Chicago Health and Aging Project. Researchers used the Life’s Simple 7 tool—focusing on diet, exercise, BMI, diabetes, smoking, cholesterol, and blood pressure—to assess participants’ CVH scores.

Findings showed that higher CVH scores correlated with lower levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a biomarker for brain degeneration. Participants with better heart health experienced slower increases in NfL over 10 years, reducing their risk of cognitive decline. These effects were even more pronounced in individuals with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s.

The study highlights the importance of heart health in preventing neurodegenerative diseases, particularly for Black adults, who face higher cardiovascular risks. Encouraging healthy lifestyle choices could help mitigate dementia risk and improve long-term brain function.

Read More: news-medical.net

USF Women’s Sailing Battles Extreme Weather
for Top-Five Finish

The University of South Florida (USF) women’s sailing team showcased resilience at the St. Mary’s Women’s Fleet Race Regatta, securing a fifth-place finish out of 18 teams despite extreme weather conditions.

Saturday’s races were slowed by near windless conditions, allowing only four races to be completed. Seniors Kay Brunsvold and Kalea Woodard thrived in the tricky breeze, earning top-three finishes in multiple heats. Sophomore Kailey Warrior and junior Melissa Janes also found early success, finishing third in the opening race.

Sunday’s competition flipped dramatically as a cold front brought heavy gusts over 20 knots, leading to multiple capsizes across the fleet. The Bulls, however, remained steady. Brunsvold and Woodard finished third overall in the A division, while first-year sailor Ghislaine van Empel and Janes closed the regatta with an impressive 1-3 finish in the final two races.

With the 2025 Women’s Fleet Race National Championships set for May at the same venue, this experience is a key building block for the Bulls’ championship aspirations.

Read More: gousfbulls.com

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Useful Arts & Entertainment Event Links

The Arts
- USF College of the Arts
- USF Steinway Piano Concert Series

Theater
-NTPAC - New Tampa Performing Arts Center
- New Tampa Players
- USF School of Theatre & Dance
- Wesley Chapel Theater Group
- Carrollwood Players Theatre

Misc

- The Krate, WC
- The Shops at Wiregrass, WC

For Kids
- Fun4TampaKids

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