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Are We Drinking From The Pool?

Starting this week, Brandon residents might notice something... different about their drinking water. Maybe it’s the nostalgic smell of summer camp. Maybe it’s that subtle flavor note of “backyard pool party.” Either way—don’t worry, it’s on purpose.

The Tampa Water Department has announced a temporary switch in how it disinfects our drinking water. From now through June 30, they’ll be swapping out their usual chloramine mix (that’s ammonia + chlorine) for good ol’ fashioned chlorine. Straightforward. Potent. Pool-scented.

But before you start Googling "how long a human can survive on bottled water," know this: it’s a routine preventative measure, not a chemical experiment gone rogue. The goal is to keep Tampa’s water mains squeaky clean and bacteria-free—just with a little extra... zing.

If you’re particularly sensitive to chlorine (or just don’t want your pasta to taste like a lifeguard’s whistle), here are a few tips:

• Run your tap for a few minutes before using.

• Fill a pitcher and let it chill in the fridge (chlorine will evaporate with time).

• Install a carbon filter or swap out the one you’ve been meaning to replace since last hurricane season.

Also, if you run a dialysis center, own a very expensive aquarium, or have fish that are bougier than most people’s pets—take note. This switch is temporary, but chlorine plays by different rules than chloramine. Adjust accordingly.

And remember: if your morning coffee has a splash of pool flavor, it’s not a mistake—it’s just Tampa being proactive.

So drink up (responsibly), don’t panic, and if your water tastes a little more Olympic swim meet than natural spring, just know—it’s part of the plan. 🏊‍♂️

A Story Worth Sharing

The Road Less Traveled

Health is a topic we all have in common. Whether it’s our own or that of a loved one, it’s never far from our minds. It’s personal, it’s political, it’s divisive—but no one can argue its importance.

In today’s age of “we have a pill for that,” finding a trusted health professional seems to have gone out the window. We’ve become a society that doesn’t cure problems—we treat symptoms.

Can’t sleep? Here’s a pill.
Can’t focus? Here’s another pill.
Can’t lose weight? Yep, there’s a pill for that too.

Meanwhile, the underlying issues go overlooked and unresolved—because treating symptoms creates customers. And customers create revenue.

But The Brandon Buzz knows at least one healthcare professional who still actually cares.

A profession made personal.

Carine began her medical career with the idea that she could help others while doing something she loved. She wanted to empower individuals to take control of their health and live their most vibrant lives. But the industrial medical complex quickly rained on that parade. She got a front-row seat to how medicine was actually “practiced”: a conveyor belt of patients being prescribed pills with little to no investigation of their real issues. The goal wasn’t to cure—it was to process. Get them in, get them prescribed, get to the next patient.

This wasn’t what Carine had in mind. This wasn’t health. This wasn’t helping.

After becoming a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner in 2019, Carine found herself in the middle of a global pandemic. We all remember how we felt: scared, confused, stressed, uncertain. But COVID wasn’t just a physical health crisis—it was a national mental health crisis too. And Carine wasn’t immune.

She was juggling her own fears, caring for her patients, facing personal health challenges, and navigating a new autism diagnosis for her oldest son. That trifecta would knock anyone off their feet. But for Carine, it was the push she needed to take back control of her future.

Exhausted but determined, the idea for Wellness Vitalized was born.

Carine shifted her focus to understanding the why behind health issues. After researching ways to heal her own hormone imbalances and care for her family naturally, she knew she had to share what she’d learned. And now, her clients rave about how her approach has changed their lives.

From real and lasting weight-loss solutions to hormone replacement therapy and everything in between, Carine is one of the few practitioners whose goal is not to see you back in her office—unless it’s just to say, “I feel amazing!”

Wellness Vitalized focuses on the whole person. Carine believes true wellness means identifying the root cause and creating sustainable, life-improving change. Her results aren’t medicine—they’re a method.

If you just want to be treated, see a doctor.
If you want to be well, see Carine.

Wellness Vitalized.

Things to do

🐝 WHAT’S BUZZING AROUND TOWN 🐝

THE BEES KNEES

Not really sure what it means, but we’re sure you’ll find it here.

Local Sports

School’s out. Summer’s in. Training starts today!

Local sports news. Hometown Heroes.

A Final Note

The Brandon Buzz — Not just news. It’s how Brandon lives.

Until next time,

Buzzing Local