GTE Financial opens 25th branch in Wesley Chapel
WESLEY CHAPEL — GTE Financial has opened its 25th Community Financial Center, expanding the Tampa-based credit union’s reach in fast-growing Pasco County.
The full-service center at 8040 Curley Road offers everyday banking, lending and financial guidance, the credit union said. Staff members can also discuss business banking, financial planning, student scholarships and a new Carefree Checking account.
Barbara Sattoe, who has spent more than a decade with GTE Financial, will manage the branch. She previously led the Ocala branch, which the credit union said became one of its top performers, and later ran the New Tampa branch.
“This community is growing quickly, and we have an opportunity to build meaningful relationships from day one,” Sattoe said. “I’ve seen firsthand how a local branch can make a difference by connecting people with the right financial tools and guidance.”
GTE Financial, chartered in 1935, is a not-for-profit cooperative with $3 billion in assets and more than 230,000 members and business accounts across West Central Florida. It is the official credit union of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The branch is open. Hours are posted at gtefinancial.org.
Free meals at 38 Pasco schools; applications open for others
Students at 38 Pasco County schools will eat breakfast and lunch at no charge next school year, regardless of family income, under a federal program for high-poverty campuses.
Families at every other school must apply for free or reduced-price meals if they want them. Applications for the 2026-27 year are open now, and households must reapply every year — last year’s approval does not carry over.
Eligibility is based on federal income guidelines. Applications, guidelines, menus and answers to common questions are at www.pascoschoolmeals.com.
The schools serving free meals to all students are:
Anclote Elementary, Anclote High, Bayonet Point Middle, Centennial Elementary, Centennial Middle, Chasco K-8, Chester W. Taylor Elementary, Cotee River Elementary, Cypress Elementary, East Pasco Education Center, Fivay High, Fox Hollow Elementary, Gulf High, Gulf Highlands Elementary, Gulf Middle, Gulf Trace Elementary, Hudson Academy, Hudson Primary, James M. Marlowe Elementary, Lacoochee Elementary, Learning Lodge Academy, Mary Giella Elementary, Mittye P. Locke Elementary, Moon Lake Elementary, Pasco K-8, Pasco High, Paul R. Smith K-8, R.B. Stewart Middle, Richey Elementary, Rodney B. Cox Elementary, Schrader Elementary, Seven Springs Elementary, Shady Hills Elementary, Sunray Elementary, West Pasco Education Center, West Zephyrhills Elementary, Woodland Elementary and Zephyrhills High.
Spring Hill chorus medals in Orlando, seeks new singers
SPRING HILL — The Suncoast Harmony Chorus took third place in the small chorus division at a regional barbershop competition in Orlando in May, and now the group wants more voices.
The all-women chorus, which draws singers from Hernando, Pasco and Citrus counties, will hold an open house Sept. 15 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Women of all ages are invited, and organizers said they are especially eager to attract younger singers.
“Receiving that medal highlights the hard work and passion each member brings,” said Cheryl Redding, the chorus director.
The group sings four-part harmony in lead, tenor, baritone and bass. It is marking its 40th anniversary this year.
The May contest was the last held under the Sweet Adelines name before the organization became Sing United International.
Singers who don’t want to wait until September can sit in on a rehearsal. The chorus meets Tuesdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at 191 Astaire Lane.
Information: Cindy LaPorte, 352-597-4376.
Pasco offers small businesses a guide through permitting
Pasco County is assigning staff members to walk small business owners through its development and permitting process, one project at a time.
The Small Business Concierge Service is open to locally owned businesses with 25 or fewer employees. Staff members from the county’s planning and development and building construction departments will review a project proposal, then serve as a single point of contact throughout permitting.
The county said the approach can save applicants time and, in some cases, money.
“By connecting early in the process to determine the most efficient path forward, we can help Pasco’s small business owners meet their goals and achieve long-term success,” said David Allen, assistant county administrator for development services.
The service is the first piece of a broader county effort called the Work Local Small Business Support Program, which also includes grants and incentives.
Business owners can start by filling out an intake form at mypas.co/worklocal or calling county customer service at 727-847-2411. The county said it will follow up to schedule a meeting.
Local TV show on aging wins national award
ST. PETERSBURG — A television program about senior issues produced by the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas has won a national award.
“Aging on the Suncoast” was one of 33 programs locally to receive a 2026 Aging Achievement Award from USAging, the national association of area agencies on aging. The awards were presented July 18-21 at the group’s annual conference in San Diego.
The show is produced with Pinellas County Government TV and airs on the Pinellas and Pasco county government channels. Episodes are also posted on the agency’s YouTube channel. The program covers services available to seniors through the federal Older Americans Act and through the agency’s helpline.
“With video storytelling and interviews with experts in senior services, Aging on the Suncoast is an excellent resource for seniors and caregivers in our community,” said Ann Marie Winter, the agency’s executive director.
The awards recognize work in categories including caregiving, elder abuse prevention, housing, nutrition, transportation and volunteerism.
The agency is a not-for-profit that serves seniors, caregivers and people with disabilities in Pasco and Pinellas counties. Information: agingcarefl.org.
9/11 Heroes Run comes to Mirada Lagoon on Sept. 13
SAN ANTONIO — Runners will set off at 8:46 a.m. Sept. 13 at Mirada Lagoon, the minute the first plane struck the World Trade Center 25 years ago.
The Tampa 9/11 Heroes Run, held with the Travis Manion Foundation, is open to runners and walkers of all ages. Proceeds support the foundation, which works with veterans and families of service members killed in action.
New this year is a 1-mile run and walk named for Sgt. Antwan Walker, a father of three who was 22 when he was killed May 18, 2005, in an attack on his camp during the Iraq war.
“This event is a meaningful way to honor a promise to never forget, connect with our community and support veterans, families of the fallen and first responders,” said Matthew Marsan, the race director.
Registration is $41 for the 5K run, $46 for the 5K ruck and $23 for the 1-mile memorial run and walk. Prices go up after Aug. 31. Volunteers are needed.
Mirada Lagoon is at 31461 Mirada Blvd. Register at runsignup.com.
Free Dade City workshop targets breast cancer risk
DADE CITY — A free workshop here Aug. 28 will cover ways to lower breast cancer risk through diet, exercise and screening, and some who attend may leave with a voucher for a mammogram.
Prevention Kitchen: Breast Cancer starts at 10:30 a.m. at the One Stop Shop, 15029 14th St. The Pasco County extension office of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is the host.
Staff members from Moffitt Cancer Center and the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County will staff tables at the event. Moffitt is offering mammogram vouchers to participants who qualify, to be used at a later appointment.
The program includes a cooking demonstration and food samples.
Seating is limited. Register at mypas.co/PreventionKitchen or call 352-518-0156.
Saint Leo merges business and tech into one college
ST. LEO — Saint Leo University is combining its business school and its computing school into a single college this fall, betting that employers want graduates who can do both.
The Donald R. Tapia College of Business and Technology merges the Tapia College of Business with the College of Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Data Science. It opens in the fall term with programs in accounting, finance, marketing, computer science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, robotics, software engineering and data analytics.
“Business leaders must understand cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data analytics, while technology professionals must understand finance, operations, risk management and organizational strategy,” said Derek Mohammed, the new college’s dean.
The university is adding a bachelor’s degree in business analytics and a drone program aimed at students headed into public safety and logistics work.
Faculty members plan to fold AI tools into existing coursework — fraud detection and financial forecasting for accounting students, threat detection and malware analysis for cybersecurity students.
Saint Leo, founded in 1889 in east Pasco County, is Florida’s oldest Catholic university.
Moffitt’s new Pasco proton center treats first patient
LAND O’ LAKES — A breast cancer patient rang the bell July 31 at Moffitt Cancer Center’s new proton therapy center in Pasco County, the first person to finish a course of treatment there.
Shannon Ruetz was diagnosed in February. Because her tumor sat near her heart and lungs, her doctor recommended proton therapy, which delivers radiation in a tighter beam and spares more of the surrounding healthy tissue than standard radiation.
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Proton Center opened July 27 at Speros, Moffitt’s 775-acre research campus off Wilton Way. The cancer center is the anchor tenant on the site, which Moffitt is developing with industry partners.
Moffitt, based in Tampa, is one of 58 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute and the only one headquartered in Florida.