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Big Bend After Dark

Overnight construction, lane shifts, and what Riverview drivers should expect on Big Bend Road in the coming weeks

Crews have begun overnight work along Big Bend Road, and if your drive has felt a little shuffled lately, that’s by design. This is the latest step in a project everyone in Riverview already knows like muscle memory at this point.

Most of the recent progress is happening after dark, with crews restriping lanes, shifting traffic patterns, and temporarily closing medians as part of the widening between Simmons Loop and US-301. Translation: the road you drove yesterday may not be laid out the same way when you head out this morning. Expect overnight lane closures, adjusted turn movements, and the occasional surprise U-turn that makes you question your life choices.

This work ties directly into the bigger picture. Big Bend is being widened from four lanes to six, intersections are being rebuilt to handle higher volumes, and drainage and roadway foundations are being upgraded at the same time. Some of the intersection improvements nearby are wrapping up, others are still in early construction, and everything is moving in stages so the road doesn’t have to shut down completely.

Nothing here signals a slowdown or a reset. This is the phase where progress looks like inconvenience first and smoother traffic later. Construction will stay active through 2027, which means the cones aren’t going anywhere just yet, even if they feel like permanent residents.

So if your commute feels different this week, you’re not imagining it. The work is advancing, mostly while you sleep, and Big Bend continues its slow evolution into the road it was probably always meant to be. Until then, drive patiently, trust nothing, and assume the lane you want is the one you’re not in.

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From Shell Point Road to What’s Next

A progress update on Ruskin’s septic-to-sewer conversion and where construction is headed next

If you’ve been navigating Shell Point Road for a while now, you already know the routine. Cones, equipment, lane shifts, and the steady reminder that the Ruskin Area A septic-to-sewer project is very much underway. This stretch has been ground zero for construction tied to the vacuum sewer pump station, which is one of the central pieces needed to move the entire project forward. It’s not new, it’s not surprising, and at this point, it’s just part of daily life for anyone heading toward the water.

Residents in Bahia Lakes and anyone making their way to places like The Fish House or Sunset Grill have felt it most. Access has stayed open, but traffic patterns have changed enough that locals now instinctively add a few extra minutes before dinner or a dockside lunch. That work along Shell Point Road is laying the foundation for what comes next, and according to the county’s latest update, that foundation phase is nearing completion.

From here, the focus shifts outward. Once the pump station work wraps, crews will continue expanding the vacuum sewer lines through surrounding neighborhoods in planned phases, gradually tying more homes into the system. This is the part of the project where progress becomes less centralized and more spread out, with work moving street by street instead of being concentrated in one visible spot.

The overall timeline hasn’t changed much. Construction continues through the next couple of years, with final connections expected closer to 2028. It’s still a long project, but this update confirms what many residents already suspected. The heavy lift is happening first so the rest of the work can move faster and more predictably. In the meantime, Shell Point Road remains the most obvious reminder that this isn’t just a plan on paper anymore. It’s infrastructure being built in real time, one pipe and one detour at a time.

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

Southshore Spotlight

Enterprising Latinas

Enterprising Latinas is a Tampa Bay nonprofit focused on economic empowerment for women, especially Latinas, by providing workforce development, career support, business coaching, education and training, and access to capital. Their programs help women build skills, launch or grow businesses, and find meaningful employment, while also addressing wage and opportunity gaps in the community. Each year, the organization serves thousands of women with training, mentoring, networking, and employment support that strengthens economic mobility and community prosperity.

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

Florida Is the Australia of the U.S.

A bobcat, an alligator, and another reminder that Florida wildlife plays by different rules

There are places where wildlife politely stays in the background. Florida is not one of them.

Recently, footage shared by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission showed a bobcat doing something that feels very on brand for this state: casually carrying off a small alligator like it was a bad decision made at 2 a.m. Apparently, it tastes like chicken to them too.

If you’re not from here, that sentence probably made you blink twice. If you are from here, you nodded and kept scrolling.

This is the same state where headlines regularly include words like “alligator,” “drive-thru,” and “deputies say.” We’re conditioned for this. We’ve seen gators in retention ponds, backyards, golf courses, and the occasional road they technically don’t belong on. We’ve seen bobcats, coyotes, and everything in between. What we don’t usually see is one wildlife headline calmly upstaging the other.

Somewhere, a bobcat woke up, chose chaos, and reminded everyone that Florida’s ecosystem does not care about expectations. While the rest of the country watches nature documentaries with soothing narration, ours feels more like live footage with no delay button.

This isn’t a warning or a safety alert. It’s just another reminder that living here means coexisting with wildlife that’s confident, adaptable, and apparently not interested in staying in its lane. Down here, nature doesn’t whisper. It kicks the door in and asks if you’re watching.

So while other states worry about squirrels stealing bird seed, we’re over here watching apex predators get outplayed by slightly smaller apex predators and wondering how this didn’t already happen on a reality show. Just another day in Southshore. Another headline that makes outsiders nervous and locals say, “Yeah, that tracks.”

We Know a Guy…or Girl

LLT Destinations

If you’ve been dreaming about adventures while stuck in traffic on Big Bend or dodging cones on Shell Point Road, LLT Destinations might be the escape you’re looking for. From South Africa to the South of France, they’re all about creating unforgettable experiences.

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January - Thyroid Awareness Month

Is Your Thyroid Really “Normal”?

Fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, cold sensitivity, hair thinning, constipation, and low mood are often blamed on stress or aging—but they can be early signs of thyroid insufficiency, even when routine labs appear normal.

Most thyroid testing stops at TSH, a screening marker that does not reflect how thyroid hormone is working inside the body. What’s often missed is T3, the active thyroid hormone responsible for energy, metabolism, brain function, and temperature regulation. When the body struggles to convert T4 into T3—due to stress, inflammation, or nutrient deficiencies—symptoms can persist despite “normal” results.

A comprehensive thyroid evaluation should include:
TSH, Free T4, Free T3, TPO antibodies, Anti-thyroglobulin antibodies, and Reverse T3.

This approach helps identify early dysfunction, autoimmune activity, and conversion issues—before symptoms are dismissed or disease progresses.

If your labs look normal but you don’t feel well, your thyroid deserves a closer look.

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. Only 20 spots for the year. Claim yours today.

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

Our area high schools boast state champions and multiple division titleists. Come out and show your support for these teams and for our community.

Got news, events, or press releases that the Southshore needs to know about? Submit them here. (We’ll do our best to add press releases in our regular rotation.) If you’re looking to run an actual ad, go here instead.

Until next time,

Keep It Local.