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Featured Story

Why Literacy Matters Here at Home

International Literacy Day lands on September 8, and as an author who practically lived in a library growing up, I can tell you: those stacks were my first passport. Libraries felt, and still feel, like magic, doors you can open for free that lead you anywhere. That is the beauty of a place that costs you nothing at the door but hands you priceless information on the way out, built on the belief that an educated community is a stronger one.

I learned to trust that belief early. A quiet corner, a card in my pocket, and suddenly the world got bigger. Books taught me how to ask better questions, try again, and imagine more. This day matters because it reminds us that literacy is not some abstract goal, it is fuel for real lives. We have made progress, but not fast enough, and too many neighbors still do not have the skills they need to thrive. That is not a statistic, it is people.

Closer to home, the SouthShore Regional Library is more than shelves, it is a community engine. You will find space to read, study, and create, along with classes and hands-on tools that turn learning into discovery. Peek into The Hive and you will see why, recording gear, maker tools, creative workshops, the kind of resources that make curiosity contagious. Access is simple. A library card opens ebooks, audiobooks, research tools, and even local perks that can turn reading time into field trip time.

Kofi Annan said it best: “Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.”

Hope looks like a parent reading bedtime stories, a teen recording a first podcast at the library, a job seeker polishing a résumé, a new neighbor learning English with a tutor, or a retiree finally picking up the history books they never had time for. Hope looks like Southshore showing up for each other, sharing books, sharing skills, and sharing time.

So if it has been a while, stop by the library, grab a card, and wander. Check a book out for yourself and one for a kid in your life. Ask a librarian what you can learn this month. International Literacy Day is one date on a calendar, but the story it celebrates is ours, every day, right here in Southshore.

Southshore Story Time

Unearthed in Ruskin

Part 4: The Mystery Remains

Even now, the Ruskin fossil beds don’t give up their secrets easily. Every dig brings more shark teeth, mammal bones, and fragments of creatures that stretch the imagination. But the mystery bones remain a puzzle, partly reconstructed, never fully explained.

Did Ruskin once host a species no one’s ever officially identified? Was it a freak fossil, carried by ancient currents from far away? Or is the “Ruskin beast” still waiting to be uncovered in full, just below the surface?

For scientists, it’s a call to keep digging. For the rest of us, it’s a reminder that beneath the quiet neighborhoods and traffic on US-41 lies a buried history of giants, predators, and mysteries millions of years in the making.

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

Southshore Spotlight

Aaron’s House

Aaron’s House provides free support groups for caregivers of loved ones living with mental illness. Founded in memory of Aaron Robinson, the nonprofit also promotes mental health awareness in Tampa Bay.

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

AROUND TOWN

Local Sports

Football

Lennard vs Blake, Friday 9/5 @7:30 PM - Away

East Bay vs Newsome, Friday 9/5 @ 7:30 PM - Home

Sumner vs Wharton, Friday 9/5 @7:30 PM - Home

Riverview vs Middleton, Friday 9/5, @ 7:30 PM - Away

Spoto vs Plant City, Friday 9/5, @7:30 PM - Away

Show Us Your Southshore

We know Southshore is full of great views, great people, and the occasional photo-worthy moment (yes, even the rogue peacock sightings).

Send us your best shots from around the community—whether it’s a stunning sunset, a favorite local hangout, or just something that screams “Southshore life.”

We’ll feature our favorites in upcoming editions of the Circle!
Email your pics to [email protected] and show off your slice of Southshore.

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

Until next time,

Keep It Local.