GAINSWave Therapy in Brandon, FL

BRANDON, Fla. - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has trapped and relocated an alligator that had been in a Brandon neighborhood retention pond with its mouth taped shut since December.

The Division of Law Enforcement worked closely with the FWC’s State Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to capture the 5’7" gator.

After several attempts by officers and a trapper, the alligator was secured and relocated to Gatorama in Palmdale, FL.

"We are pleased the alligator was safely relocated," said SW Regional Commander Major Rob Rowe "Our priority is public safety and the FWC administers the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program to proactively address alligator incidents in developed areas, while conserving them in areas where they naturally occur."

READ: Thousands of ‘nuisance alligators’ killed each year

Anyone with information about the person who taped the alligator is asked to contact FWC by:

According to FWC, serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida. SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.

Anyone with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and a contracted nuisance alligator trapper will be dispatched to resolve the situation.

FWC says alligators are an important part of Florida’s wetlands. They help keep aquatic animal populations in balance and keep water holes open for other fish and wildlife.

READ: Shocking video: 5-foot alligator found inside Burmese python in Florida

According to FWC, Florida has approximately 1.3 million alligators of every size. Alligators occur in all 67 counties, inhabiting all wetlands where there’s adequate food and shelter.

The gators prefer freshwater lakes and slow-moving rivers and their associated wetlands, but they also can be found in brackish water habitats.

READ: 'Watch your toes': 10-foot alligator spotted relaxing on Florida beach

Alligators can be found anywhere where there is standing water.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Montour took a baby break between the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final.

With wife Ryian going into labor earlier than expected, the Panthers defenseman left Las Vegas not long after the series opener and flew back to Florida on a private jet. Montour made it in time to be there for the birth of the couple’s first child, a son they named Kai.

Montour returned for Game 2 and played 26:13, the most of anyone on either team.

“I tried to get there as quick as I could,” Montour said Wednesday recalling his whirlwind journey. “Luckily I was there for it all and got to experience it with her.”

The baby’s due date was June 18, and the plan was to induce labor on June 14. Ryian instead went into labor just before Game 1 started, but Montour didn’t learn that until General manager Bill Zito and coach Paul Maurice told him just after the final horn, and the journey began.

Montour said he left Las Vegas as the only passenger on the plane around 2 a.m. Eastern Sunday, arrived in Boca Raton around 6:30 a.m. and that Kai was born around noon. With little time to waste, he was back in Vegas by 10 p.m.

“Monty’s a physical specimen — he can handle a little fatigue,” said Maurice, a father of three. “It was a good way for him to get used to becoming a father, right? Or a mother, for that matter. Sleep (deprivation) is your life for the next 12 years. He flew back and forth a couple of times, was there for the birth, which was really a good thing to happen.”

___

Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno

___

BRANDON, Fla. - What were you doing at 24-years-old? Jason Patel just opened his first business in Brandon and sending customers away happy is his goal each day.

"I'm 24 years old, and I'm operating Duck Donuts," shared Patel. He owns and operates the confection and coffee at 821 East Bloomingdale Avenue.

While Duck Donuts is a franchise out of North Carolina, Patel is a local.

"I grew up in Plant City. My parents started their own business in Plant City," he admitted; and that background of business experience is important because his family gives him great support.

READ: Non-profit helping veterans follow their passions

"I'm learning so much in this business, and I'm learning from my dad," he shared. "First, when starting a business, you have to have a support team. You can't do it alone."

With all of that pressure, it certainly helps to have a product that almost sells itself.

"Our concept is made-to-order donuts... people get to choose their own vanilla, their own toppings, drizzles or icings along with coffees espressos," explained Patel, "All of our donuts are actually vanilla cake based donuts, and people get to choose the toppings to go on top of that."

The topping choices and combinations are endless, from blueberry pancake to strawberry shortcake, from creative confetti (strawberry icing coated with sprinkles) to the fantastic flip-flop (chocolate and vanilla icing stripes), and from the sugary sunrise (lemon icing with raspberry drizzle) to the coconut island bliss (chocolate icing with peanuts and shaved coconut on top).

Patel admits that his customers have their favorites. "Our top seller is actually maple bacon, but we have amazing ones."

MORE: Chick-fil-A to keep side salad on menus after customer feedback

"We're able to customize, that's what makes it special," said Patel so that the customer can suggest their own creation on top of the donuts.

His favorite part of the process is pleasing the patron.

"When people order them they get them in their hands warm and fresh," admitted Patel, "(the) People are amazing."

If you want to check out Duck Donuts in person, they are located a 821 E Bloomingdale Avenue in Brandon.

You can find information about them and their menu on their website by clicking here.

January 26, 2022 – HCA Florida Brandon Hospital has expanded services with the addition of a new Inpatient Rehabilitation Center. The 24-bed Center is located on the second floor of a new patient tower adding to the array of high-quality services provided to patients and has created approximately 100 new full-time and part-time jobs in the Brandon community.

“Our new rehabilitation center serves a great need for advanced inpatient rehabilitation services in the Brandon area,” said Tripp Owings, chief executive officer at Brandon Hospital. “The Inpatient Rehabilitation Center at Brandon Hospital offers an opportunity for those looking for continuity-of-care close to home after a critical illness or injury. The Center provides access to an array of rehabilitative specialists who will help patients regain strength to live life to the fullest.”

Patients needing inpatient rehabilitation services can have any number of medical conditions, including:

The Inpatient Rehabilitation Center helps patients gain independence as they overcome functional limitations brought on by injury or illness with an intense therapy regimen six to seven days a week for most patients.

The Center features 24 private patient rooms, a gym, a dedicated dining room, and an Activities of Daily Living Suite. It is housed on the second floor of Brandon Hospital’s new Tower D – providing a unique feature that allows easy access to an acute-care setting of the hospital if needed.

To learn more about the Inpatient Rehabilitation Center at Brandon Hospital, visit our website or call 813-916-4200.

About HCA Florida Brandon Hospital Accredited by The Joint Commission, HCA Florida Brandon Hospital is a 436-bed acute care facility that is nationally ranked as a Top 100 Hospital by IBM Watson. The hospital offers a number of specialty services including a Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence, Children’s Emergency Center, Burn and Plastic Surgery Center, Weight Loss Surgery Center of Excellence, Comprehensive Stroke Center, and The Women’s Center, which includes the baby suites and Level III neonatal intensive care units. Additional services include an orthopedic program, comprehensive hand program, and lymphedema surgery. The hospital’s ER is one of the busiest in the state, with adult and children’s centers on its main campus and five additional emergency locations in Lakeland, New Tampa, Plant City, Riverview and Temple Terrace. The hospital is located at 119 Oakfield Drive in Brandon, FL. For more information, visit HCAFloridaBrandonHospital.com.

BRANDON, Fla. - Brandon High School's gymnasium is known as the "Nest," but it's really a shrine to success. The wrestling team is a nationally renowned program cultivated by Russ Cozart for 43 years, but at the end of this season, the coach is retiring for a second time ending six decades of teaching.

"It was a childhood dream, and I'm getting near the end here," Cozart told FOX 13 Sports. "It was always a struggle, but it was something that I was made for."

Cozart's goal when he started was to develop just one state champion and win one state title. He eclipsed that in his first year and has smashed just about every record possible, guiding the Brandon Eagles to an unprecedented 27 state championships with 119 state champions and 153 state placer.

READ: Alonso High School flag football coach earns NFL honors

He's also earned a National Coach of the Year and has been elected to two Hall of Fames. Cozart is the GOAT of high school wrestling.

"I didn't think I could be, arguably be, one of the best wrestling coaches in the history of high school wrestling or have the credentials to even measure up to some of the guys out there," said Cozart. "Or bring Brandon wrestling to maybe arguably one of the best high school wrestling programs in the history of high school wrestling in the United States. I never believed we could do that."

His program earned national prominence for the Streak – the longest winning streak in high school sports ever. From 1973-2008, the Eagles went undefeated head-to-head winning 459 consecutive meets.

"The streak that was incredible," said Cozart. "To push it as far as we did and to take it to limits. Then to lose it and then to come back. All the records that we've set, 17 straight titles in a row, undefeated for 34 years. We will have some little records out there. We just won our 50th Hillsborough County Championship in a row, 50 years. I think that's the only one we've got going right now."

MORE: Lakewood senior signs with Ole Miss after just first football season

In 2018, Cozart turned the program over to his son Joe, who has continued to carry on the winning tradition. Cozart has been by his side the whole time as an assistant, but retiring from teaching creates some obstacles to the coach. But, he plans on finding a way to be there and continuing the youth program he started in Brandon 43 years ago.

"Maybe I can put that hat on with that little goat on the front of it and hang out at the beach and have margaritas a little bit more," said Cozart. "It's just fabulous."

Wrestling is in his DNA and jokes about spending his entire life teaching to sport he loves.

"It wouldn't be bad to be taken off the wrestling mats in a box," said Cozart. "I can't think of any other way, you know."

Cozart's legacy is already cemented into the program and soon the gymnasium will be dedicated to him – renamed and endorsed by the man who hired him. Who's name is currently on the gym now? Orlan H. Briant.

PREVIOUS: Carrollwood Day point guard given memorable senior night

What would it mean to him?

"I've had so many rewards, they wouldn't have to do it," said Cozart holding back tears. "It wouldn't mean much if it didn't happen, but if it did, it would be a great honor."

It's one well earned.