Hillsborough schools mark big gains in AICE program
TAMPA – Hillsborough County Public Schools is celebrating another year of outstanding achievement in its Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) programs, with significant gains in student participation, exam performance, and diploma attainment across the district.
This year, 500 HCPS students earned the prestigious Cambridge AICE International Diploma, an increase of 149 students from 2025. The diploma is recognized worldwide for its academic rigor and can help students qualify for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
HCPS students earned 15,860 qualifying Cambridge exam scores, an increase of 1,415 qualifying scores over the previous year. These gains come as participation in Cambridge coursework continues to grow, with 3,784 additional exams administered in 2026 compared to 2025, the school district noted.
Several subject areas posted exceptional results:
• More than 900 students passed Cambridge Spanish Language exams, achieving a 96.5% pass rate, while participation increased by more than 400 exams compared to last year.
• More than 150 students passed Cambridge Drama exams, earning a 92.2% pass rate.
• AICE English General Paper remained the district’s largest Cambridge assessment, with 9,340 exams administered, introducing thousands of students to college-level coursework and academic writing.
HCSO arrests 116, rescues 2 in trafficking operation
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, working with state prosecutors, has arrested 116 persons on charges of human trafficking in a two-month-long campaign dubbed “Operation Relentless Summer.”
The law enforcement operation, announced Aug. 12, resulted in the recovery of five victims of human trafficking.
From June 8 to Aug. 5, HCSO’s Human Trafficking Section, Internet Predator Squad, and Sexual Predator Unit worked together to identify and arrest individuals preying on children, women, and vulnerable members of the community.
Among those arrested was Frank Amiekumo, 35, who is accused of trafficking women and girls across Texas, Louisiana, and Florida for approximately four years. Detectives identified five victims in the case, three adult women and two juvenile girls, and believe additional victims may not yet have come forward. Amiekumo is being held at Orient Road Jail on no bond.
“These human traffickers and child predators prey on the most vulnerable in our communities, exploiting women and children for their own gain,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Thanks to the outstanding work of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of Statewide Prosecution, 116 of these criminals are behind bars, five victims have been rescued, and one trafficker is facing three life sentences. Florida has zero tolerance for this evil, and we will continue to hunt down every last one of them.”
Selah Freedom and One More Child provided victim services throughout the operation.
Anyone who believes they may have information about these cases or may have been victimized is asked to contact detectives at 813-247-8200.
Schedule changes coming to HART routes
TAMPA – The Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) has announced several schedule changes for a number of routes that will go into effect on Sunday, Aug. 16.
Routes 1, 12, 30, 34, 39, 45, 360LX, 400, and HARTFlex East Fletcher will see schedule changes.
Additional changes to Route 360LX (Brandon/South Tampa) include:
• Service to the J.C. Handly Park-n-Ride will move to a bus stop on Kings Avenue.
• Route 360LX will no longer serve the shelter located inside the J.C. Handly Park-n-Ride parking lot.
• A new timepoint will be added at Providence Park to accommodate layovers.
Updated schedules and trip-planning information are available at GoHART.org. Customers may also visit a HART Customer Service Center or call 813-254-4278 for assistance.
Separately, HART announced the return of the HART Youth Pass, which will give half-price fares to registered riders between the ages of 6 and 18: $1 for a one-way ride, $2 for a one-day pass or $32.50 for a monthly pass. Riders 5 and under remain fare-free with a parent or guardian.
To receive the discounted fare, eligible riders must register for the Youth Pass by presenting a valid form of identification, such as a state-issued ID, birth certificate or student ID, at one of the following HART Customer Service locations:
• Marion Transit Center, 1211 N. Marion St.
• University Area Transit Center, 13110 N. 27th St.
For more information, call 813-254-4278 or visit www.goHART.org.
Tampa PD to redo annex for forensics lab, evidence unit
The city of Tampa and the Tampa Police Department have begun converting the vacant Howard Avenue Annex building into a secure, state-of-the-art complex for the Tampa Police Department Forensics Investigations Unit, Evidence Section, and impound lot.
The renovation, expected to be completed by May 2028, centers on the adaptive reuse and renovation of the roughly 38,000-square-foot warehouse, paired with a 7,300-square-foot expansion. It will bring the department’s Evidence Section, Forensic Investigations Unit, impound lot, and related personnel workspace functions together in a single location.
Currently forensic and evidence operations are spread across various locations citywide, including downtown headquarters and McKay Bay.
The upgrades will feature high-density evidence vaults, secure intake bays, and long-term storage racks designed to handle an immense volume of criminal evidence, contraband, and property securely. Dedicated, contamination-controlled spaces for processing physical evidence, including specialized rooms for ballistics, latent print analysis, and biological/digital evidence examination are also part of the upgrade. Specialized HVAC systems designed for chemical safety and air filtration in labs, and continuous power solutions, will also be included.
The layout also includes a secured, dedicated vehicle impound lot spanning the adjacent Albany Avenue space. It will have the capacity to hold more than 150 vehicles for processing and storage.
The work, being done by Kokolakis Contracting, will cost approximately $27 million.
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North hosts Girl Scouts
Girl Scout Troop 24402 from Spring Hill recently visited Lutz’s St. Joseph’s Hospital-North to learn about the use of robotics in surgery. St. Joseph’s Hospital-North has three robots that are guided by surgeons specially trained and experienced in robotic surgeries.
The troop donned surgical gear and toured a St. Joseph’s Hospital-North operating room and got a hands-on experience with a surgical robot. The classic table game, “Operation,” was used in their learning. Presentations included describing the various roles of team members assisting the surgeon during procedures. Marissa Davis, a representative from the robot’s manufacturer also participated and provided insight.
Jefferson High named hospitality magnet school
TAMPA — Hillsborough County Public Schools have inaugurated the district’s Magnet School of Hospitality and Tourism at Jefferson High School.
In a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 6 at the school attended by community leaders, educators,students, and industry partners, Jefferson became is the first and only magnet program in Hillsborough County dedicated to the study of travel, hospitality, and tourism.
The program will build on the Travel and Tourism Program the district launched in January 2024.
“Jefferson’s Magnet School of Hospitality and Tourism is a powerful example of what’s possible when education and industry come together with a shared purpose,” said Van Ayres, superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools. “Students will have the opportunity to explore exciting career possibilities while developing skills that will benefit them long after graduation. We thank Visit Tampa Bay, TECO, and our community partners for their commitment to our students and for helping create innovative learning experiences that connect education to the world around them.”
The celebration also recognized the unveiling of the newly enhanced Hospitality and Tourism Classroom at Sumner High School, made possible through sponsorship from TECO.
Tampa students attend American Enterprise Summit in Washington D.C.
Students from Williams Middle Magnet School in Tampa were among nearly 150 students and educators from across the country who attended the Horatio Alger Association’s third annual American Enterprise Summit in Washington, D.C.
This fully-funded program was an immersive experience focused on civic learning, entrepreneurship, and the principles of the American Dream.
During the summit, students visited the U.S. Capitol, National Archives, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and national memorials. The summit also connected students with Horatio Alger members, who shared their personal stories of perseverance and success in the face of adversity. Students then put those lessons into practice by developing and presenting business ideas during a “Shark Tank”-style competition that encouraged creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.
The Williams Middle Magnet School students’ participation was supported by Horatio Alger member Toni DiBenedetto and his organization, Think Big for Kids.
Tampa woman serves summer internship with Youth Villages
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tyara Smith, a Tampa native, recently served as a summer intern at Youth Villages, a national nonprofit that helps young people with behavioral and emotional challenges and their families live successfully.
Smith, who is pursuing her undergraduate degree at Belmont University, worked at the Youth Villages group homes in Nashville.
This summer, 63 college students from across the nation traded in their classrooms and books for work experience with Youth Villages’ summer internships. This year’s internship class represented 37 different colleges and universities from across 23 states.
The Youth Villages summer internship program is highly competitive. For its 2026 summer internship program, Youth Villages received more than 650 applications.
Summer interns served at the organization’s Memphis residential campuses and Nashville-area group homes. Hailing from degree programs in social work, psychology, education and more, interns gained hands-on experience working with youth ages 6 to 17 by supporting their positive development and helping them implement individual goals; planning and leading recreational activities; and serving as positive role models by demonstrating a healthy, wholesome approach to life.
AdventHealth Tampa’s teaching hospital designation to address doctor shortage
TAMPA — AdventHealth Tampa has been designated as a statutory teaching hospital from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. The designation recognizes hospitals that demonstrate a significant commitment to physician education through accredited residency programs, specialized clinical training and academic medicine.
According to the Florida Hospital Association, Florida could face a shortage of approximately 36,000 physicians by 2035. Training and retaining physicians locally is a key part of the solution, with more than 64% of doctors who complete residency in Florida remaining in the state to practice, AdventHealth said in a press release.
At AdventHealth Tampa, residents learn through hands-on patient care, physician mentorship and simulation-based training designed to prepare them for real-life clinical situations. For patients, that means care delivered in an environment focused on learning, collaboration and continuous improvement, the hospital said.
Residents train within a 626-bed tertiary hospital, which has accredited residency programs in Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Transitional Year, Obstetrics and Gynecology and General Surgery, with fellowships available in Cardiovascular Disease and Critical Care Medicine.
As an example, before delivering a baby for the first time, Dr. Paige Thompson, a resident physician, practiced the moment repeatedly in AdventHealth Tampa’s simulation lab.
There, she worked through real-world delivery scenarios, learning where to stand, how to respond and what to expect before ever entering a patient’s room.
“All of that really prepared me to be with patients for the first time, because especially for a delivery, you don’t want to feel like you have no clue where you’re supposed to be, or what you’re supposed to do,” Thompson said.
“Behind every resident physician is a patient, a family and a community counting on them,” said Dr. Raj Wadhawan, chief clinical officer for AdventHealth’s West Florida Division. “Graduate medical education allows us to prepare physicians in the environment where they’ll ultimately care for patients. As our community continues to grow, it is important that we create opportunities for talented physicians to train here, build relationships here and, we hope, continue practicing here. This designation recognizes the work our teams have done to develop high-quality training programs while helping ensure our community has access to exceptional care for years to come.”
Property appraiser says TRIM notices in the mail
TAMPA — The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s Office has begun mailing Truth in Millage (TRIM) Notices to property owners, with an initial mailing on Aug. 13.
The TRIM Notice is not a tax bill. It is a Notice of Proposed Property Taxes containing information about a property’s market value, assessed value, exemptions and proposed property taxes.
Property owners are encouraged to carefully review their TRIM Notices upon receipt. The notice reflects proposed tax rates and budgets established by the various taxing authorities. The reverse side includes the dates, times and locations of public budget hearings at which comments regarding proposed tax rates and budgets may be presented directly to the appropriate taxing authorities.
Questions concerning a property’s market value, assessed value, exemptions or classification should be directed to the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s Office. If any information appears incorrect or requires clarification, property owners are encouraged to contact the office promptly to request a review.
Property owners may contact the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s Office at 813-272-6100 or visit any of its four locations in downtown Tampa, Brandon, Plant City or Ruskin, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the week of Aug. 17, the downtown Tampa office will offer extended office hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.