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Featured Story

What’s in Your Water

On the list of things you don’t think about until there’s a boil-water notice: the invisible circles on a county map that decide what can be built near your drinking-water wells and shorelines. Hillsborough is redrawing those circles and cleaning up the rulebook that goes with them.

Think of it like updating the GPS. The county’s refreshing wellhead protection maps and surface-water buffers, then tightening the code so builders, utilities, and planners all follow the same directions. Fewer “oops” moments next to a creek. Fewer mystery fluids headed for the bay.

Southshore angle? We live on the grid that feeds public wells and drains to the Alafia, Bullfrog Creek, the Little Manatee, and every Apollo Beach canal your cousin keeps fishing in. Strong buffers mean fewer headaches after a gully-washer, a busted pipe, or an overzealous backhoe.

Timing is now. Staff are taking feedback through Sept. 30, then they’ll bring the updates back for approval. You won’t taste a difference in your coffee tomorrow, but you should see steadier, clearer decisions on what gets built where.

It’s Never Too Late For Hurricane Prep

With London Baker Law

Unfortunately, most of us out here know a thing or two about water damage. When floodwater is rolling in, legal documents aren’t the first thing we think to protect. That’s why it pays to prep now.

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

Calling All Electricians

We work hard to partner with companies our readers actually need and bring you the best from the community. Most days, that means tips that save you a service call, a late night, or a flooded kitchen.

Sometimes, you have to skip the troubleshooting and go straight to calling a pro. I’ve heard enough horror stories about self-installed ceiling fans, DIY outlets, and wiring gone wrong. I’ll try my hand at a lot, but I’m not signing up to electrocute myself.

Rolling into storm season, we’ve had hundreds of requests for information on generator installs. A handful of you asked about Tesla and EV charger installs, and there’s always the “know a good handyman” question.

So we’re putting out a call to local electricians. Southshore is looking for you and we’d love to tell them where you are. If you’re a licensed electrician who can handle generators, EV chargers, and the occasional ceiling fan, email [email protected]. Let’s talk.

A Tip on Tipped Income

From our partner Rising Phoenix Bookkeeping Solutions

Tipped Income Just Got Tricky — Is Your Bookkeeping Ready?

With the changes introduced in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA), tracking tip income isn’t as straightforward as it used to be.

Some tips may now be excluded from federal income tax, but that means your books need to be dialed in to keep things clean and accurate.

How do you track, categorize, and report tips correctly in your books?

What date did this apply from?

How do you separate taxable vs. non-taxable tips for payroll and reporting?

If your answer is, “I’m not sure,” you’re not alone.

That’s where Rising Phoenix Bookkeeping steps in.

Southshore Spotlight

Wheels of Success

Wheels of Success is a Tampa Bay nonprofit that helps low- and moderate-income working families with reliable transportation—vehicle replacement, repairs, and help with licensing and payments. Through programs like Build-A-Car and other targeted initiatives, they repair and place donated vehicles so people can get to work and keep life moving.

Nominate your local hero by emailing us at [email protected]

We Know a Guy…or Girl

Southshore Services

Need a painter? A plumber? Someone brave enough to tackle that lightbulb orbiting 30 feet above your living room? We’ve got you. And the best part, they’re all right here in our community.

Interested in joining the list? Shoot us an email to [email protected]

“Keep it Local!”

Foodies Only

Your Restaurant

New menu items, promos, specials, events- feature them here. This is the place to tell 30,000 readers in Southshore what you've got.

If you’ve got a restaurant, food truck, or even a lemonade stand, it could be featured here. Email us at [email protected]

Local Sports

Football

Lennard vs Plant City, Friday 10/3 @7:30 PM - Home

East Bay vs Wharton, Friday 10/3 @ 7:30 PM - Away

Sumner vs Lakeland, Friday 10/3 @7:30 PM - Away

Riverview vs Bartow, Friday 10/10, @ 7:30 PM - Away

Spoto vs Freedom, Friday 10/3, @7:30 PM - Home

News or Events you’d like to share? Email us at: [email protected] 

Until next time,

Keep It Local.