Arts Fest to celebrate Tampa Bay performing arts
New Tampa Performing Arts Center will open its doors for Arts Fest ’26, Friday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept.13. This third annual celebration of theatre, dance, music, comedy and more marks the start of the 2026-2027 season.
On Saturday, Sept. 12, the festival offers a family-friendly lineup of performances and activities including a screening of Zootopia 2 at 10 a.m., followed by Hillsborough County Library’s Mobile Literacy Unit, food trucks, and The Florida Orchestra’s instrument petting zoo, where kids can explore and play musical instruments.
The entire weekend of events and performances is free to the public.
Nearly 20 performance groups are scheduled, including Tampa City Ballet, Wharton High School Band, Rudram Indian Dance, Drama Kids and Devine Madness Sketch Comedy.
Patrons can also enjoy lobby performances by students and professional artists, along with backstage tours.
For the complete festival schedule, visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org.
Local woman’s half marathon to aid Parkinson’s research in memory of grandpa
FISH HAWK — For local Girl Scout leader and avid runner Sarah Miller, the 2027 Disney Princess Half Marathon is about much more than crossing a finish line. She’s running for her grandfather, Ralph.
Miller, a Girl Scout Troop Leader in the Fossil Valley community, will participate in the 2027 Disney Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World as a Parkinson’s Champion, raising funds and awareness for the Parkinson’s Foundation.
The cause is deeply personal.
“My Grandpa Ralph was an amazing man but watching him battle Parkinson’s disease changed my life and shaped so many of my memories of him,” Miller said. “I’m running a half marathon and raising funds to help put an end to this disease so other families won’t have to go through the same journey.”
Her goal is to raise $1,750 before the race.
A fundraiser QR code will be available at a Girl Scout workshop in Ibis Park, Sept 12, in Fish Hawk from 9 a.m. to noon.
New middle school named after former principal, district official
TAMPA — A new middle school scheduled to open in 2027 in Wimauma has been named after Kenneth R. Otero, the Hillsborough County School Board has announced.
Otero was a long-time employee of the school district. He taught at Plant High School beginning in 1975, before serving as assistant principal at Plant and then principal at Sligh Junior High and Tampa Bay Technical High School. In 1996 he was promoted to district leadership as general director and was then appointed assistant superintends for administration and deputy superintendent.
The middle school, which will cost approximately $72 million, will accommodate up to 1,600 students.
Extension Service offers September classes
Hillsborough County Extension Service is offering a varied lineup of educational classes and workshops both in person and online in September.
The classes include gardening and landscaping, water conservation and sustainable living, food preservation, raising chickens in your backyard, financial education and health and wellness.
Many programs are beginner-friendly and open to residents across the county.
Advance registration is required for most classes. For more information, call 813-744-5519 or visit the Extension Service Calendar of Events.
District, school employees reach tentative salary agreement
TAMPA — Hillsborough County School District announced Sept. 1 that a tentative agreement has been reached with the Hillsborough School Employees Federation.
This agreement would provide a compensation package of $5.4 million, including over $2.8 million in recurring costs and over $2.6 million in non-recurring costs.
All employees assigned to the transportation department would receive a one-time, non-recurring recruitment and retainment incentive of $2,500.
All other eligible employees would move one step on the salary schedule and receive an additional one-time, non-recurring payment of $200. Those at the top of the salary schedule would receive a one-time, non-recurring payment of $1,250.
The employees represented in HSEF include those in the areas of transportation, student nutrition services, security, maintenance, and custodial services.
Employees in the bargaining group would also receive a $3,000 supplement approved by voters in a 2024 referendum.
“We are proud to have reached a tentative agreement that reflects the appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the employees in our bargaining unit. This represents an important investment in our workforce and our future. We are grateful to all of our staff members for their unwavering commitment to our schools, students, and community,” said Iran Alicea, President of Hillsborough School Employees Federation.
YMCA selected in annual Community Harvest
TAMPA — The Tampa Y has been selected for Community Harvest, a yearly initiative developed by the 1905 Family of Restaurants to support local nonprofit organizations.
As a participating nonprofit, the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA will be included on ballots distributed during lunch and dinner in September at any establishment in the 1905 Family of Restaurants — Columbia, Ulele, and Casa Santo Stefano in Tampa, and Cha Cha Coconuts of Sarasota. Donations are provided by the Gonzmart Family Foundation, at no additional cost to diners.
Guests may select the nonprofit of their choice, and 5% of the bill (excluding tax and gratuity) will be donated to that organization.
“Here at the Tampa YMCA, we are truly grateful to the 1905 Family of Restaurants for including us in this year’s Community Harvest. Every vote cast for the YMCA helps support our mission in more ways than one,” said Senior Vice President of Mission Advancement Jody Thorson. “This partnership provides valuable resources that help offset costs for events and donor engagement, allowing us to direct more of our funds toward the programs and initiatives that make a meaningful impact in our community.”
Across 16 centers throughout the Tampa area, the Y serves more than 27,000 children through early learning, after-school programs, childcare, and summer camp. The Tampa Y also reaches 13,810 children through water safety and drowning prevention initiatives and has provided 262,350 meals to families living in food deserts through the Veggie Van mobile marketplace.
Hillsborough College names new board chair, student trustee
The Hillsborough College District Board of Trustees has selected Brian Lametto as chair of the board and Kamila Baez as student trustee for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Lametto is the corporate vice president of marketing at New York Life. Previously, he served as corporate vice president of strategy development and corporate vice president and chief retention officer with New York Life. He has also held leadership positions with Progress Telecom, GTE and Philip Morris International. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Alabama.
Lametto swore Baez into her position on Aug. 26. Baez is pursuing an associate in arts with a concentration in business administration and serves as president of the SouthShore Campus Student Government Association.
The student trustee position was created at the direction of the Board of Trustees to provide a student perspective on policy making decisions. Baez is an ex officio member of the board.