The Road Less Traveled

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Featured Story

Different Strokes For Different Folks

Not every student wants to sit behind a desk, and Hillsborough County Schools just made a big move to recognize that. The district is expanding its workforce training programs, adding new spaces for students interested in trades like welding, HVAC, electrical, and construction.

It’s a shift that feels overdue. And trust me, the trades are beyond necessary. Just wait until your AC breaks in the middle of July and they tell you their first opening is two weeks out (speaking from experience). So I think it’s a great idea to give students real-world skills, taught by professionals, that lead straight to high-paying jobs that are in demand right now. For Southshore students, that means more chances to build, fix, and create a future without drowning in student loans.

Sometimes college isn’t the only path. Sometimes it’s the one you build yourself — one weld, one wire, one skill at a time.

Southshore Story Time

Home For The Holidays

Part 1: Just In Case

Thanksgiving was three weeks away, and the Morales house in Ruskin was already full of half-finished plans. Elena had pulled out her grandmother’s tablecloth, the one with the stitched gold leaves, and Sofia had started a list of all the pies she wanted to make “just in case Dad comes home.”

But Sergeant Daniel Morales wasn’t home, not yet. He was halfway across the world, doing what he always called “the job I signed up for.” This would be their second Thanksgiving apart. The first one, they’d tried a video call that cut out halfway through grace. This year, Elena wasn’t sure they’d even get that.

Everywhere she looked, families were together. Couples in Publix laughing in the aisles, dads walking kids to school, neighbors hanging lights side by side. It wasn’t jealousy exactly, just the ache of missing something so ordinary that everyone else seemed to take for granted.

And still, every night, before she went to bed, she checked her phone one more time. Just in case.

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

Maybe We Should Stop Growing Up

I was listening to the news this morning. I know, I’m a glutton for punishment. Anyway, a story came on about a town where, on Halloween, the kids would do what kids should do. Toilet paper houses and local businesses.

But instead of angry calls or arrests, the Heflin, Alabama, police department joined in. The kids rolled the police station, so the cops struck back, full tactical TP operation, complete with reinforcements from neighboring towns. No lectures, no tickets, just laughter and a mess everyone helped clean up.

And you know what? It worked. No arrests, no vandalism, no trouble, just fun. The chief even said, “As long as they’re doing this, they’re not doing something worse.”

It made me think of how carefree life used to be. A time when kids were allowed to be kids, and adults guided them, but didn’t overreact to their childish activities. A time when kids didn’t have to grow up so soon, and we let them be children well into their teens.

Somewhere along the way, we traded water balloon fights and prank wars for HOA meetings and road rage. Maybe we should stop growing up so fast. Maybe what our communities need isn’t more rules, it’s a little more room for joy, even if it comes wrapped in toilet paper.

Southshore Spotlight

Homeless Empowerment Program

Since 1986, HEP has helped break the cycle of homelessness for individuals, families, and veterans in the Tampa Bay region. They provide housing, meals, clothing, and a full range of support services, from mental and physical health care to workforce development and self-sufficiency efforts.

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

We Know a Guy…or Girl

Dr. Joonie’s Examinavan

Yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like. One of the coolest services I’ve seen in a minute. Especially coming on the heels of that article we wrote about the outrageous wait times just to see a doctor in person. Meet Dr. Joonie’s Examinavan, a mobile practice that brings high-quality, integrative care straight to your doorstep.

Imagine this: your kid wakes up with a fever and instead of scrambling for an appointment, fighting traffic, or sitting in a germy waiting room, you just book an at-home visit. Dr. Joonie’s team shows up ready to handle everything from newborn checkups and sick visits to developmental screenings, lactation support, school and sports physicals, and even telehealth virtual visits. They also offer holistic options like nutrition guidance and preventive care plans that focus on wellness, not just symptoms. It’s pediatric care that actually fits into family life, not the other way around.

For families in Riverview, Southshore, and surrounding areas, this is healthcare reimagined: convenient, compassionate, and personal. Less waiting, less stress, and more time for the good stuff, like actually being home with your kids instead of waiting for a name to be called in a crowded office.

Check them out at the link above. Save it in your favorites because you never know the next time you’ll hear those magic words, “I don’t feel so good.”

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

“Keep it Local!”

Foodies Only

Your Restaurant

Got something cooking? New menu items, promos, specials, events? This is the spot to share them with 35,000 hungry Southshore readers. From Apollo Beach to Wimauma, if it’s tasty, we want to talk about it.

Only 20 feature spots are available for the year, so if you’ve got a restaurant, food truck, or even the best lemonade stand on the block, claim yours now.

Email [email protected] and let’s get your business on the menu.

Local Sports

Winter sports are in session. Find times to your favorite games below.

Soccer

Lennard vs Spoto, Tuesday 11/4 @ 6 PM - Away

East Bay vs Sumner, Tuesday 11/4 @ 6 PM - Away

Riverview vs Morgan, Tuesday 11/4 @ 6 PM - Home

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

Until next time,

Keep It Local.