The Southshore Storm Tracker...Not Really

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Storm Watch 2025

As hurricane bingo continues, we’ll keep a steady eye on the horizon. The Atlantic is currently on chill mode, but it doesn’t take much for that warm bath to start bubbling. NOAA shows a slight disturbance way out west southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Too far and too uncoordinated to worry about right now.

And literally the second I typed that, the plot thickened. Now it has a 70 percent chance of spinning up, and the chatter says it could become Tropical Storm Gabrielle. A lovely name, unless she is hovering near your city. Stay tuned, keep that “Florida voodoo” going, and do not anger the spaghetti models.

Hurricane season runs until November 30, but I am pretty sure storms do not keep calendars. Even if the season has not ramped up to expert level, this is your reminder to get it together. Official Floridians keep the basics year-round. If that is not you yet, grab a couple cases of water, batteries, a flashlight that actually works, and some candles. If you have a grill, a spare propane tank is a crowd pleaser. Toss in a power bank for phones, a small stash of cash, pet food, and your prescriptions. Pro tip: Put a quarter on a frozen cup of water in the freezer. If the coin sinks while you were gone, your freezer warmed up, and your leftovers have joined the afterlife. The point is to avoid being that person in Publix raiding the shelves as a Cat 3 stares us down.

While we are here, a little house homework never hurts. Get that leaky roof checked before it becomes indoor rain. Make sure your AC is in fighting shape. Clear the gutters. Trim the branch that has been auditioning for a window smash. If you see your street drain wearing a leaf hat, give it a quick clean. Call the plumber before the sky is falling, and maybe take a vitamin so you can at least carry the sandbags with dignity. If you need a pro, most of them are in this newsletter, and our services database has the rest.

Now let’s all knock on wood, toss a lawn chair in the yard for luck, and hope whatever supplies you buy become nothing more than a very tidy hurricane kit. Southshore had a full dance card last season, and our feet are still sore. We will keep watching, you keep prepping, and let’s root for peace and quiet in the tropics for once.

The Southshore Vacuum Thief

The title is a little misleading. No, it’s not about a thief who steals vacuums. It is about a vacuum that steals your money. If you live out here, it has probably gotten you. And before we go any further, yes, this is me complaining.

I cannot verify this, but anecdotally, I would put it at 86%. That is my very scientific estimate of Southshore gas stations with vacuums that will not clean your car but will clean you out. A dollar seventy-five here, three dollars there. Take, take, take.

Why are so many of these things broken? There is a business idea here hiding in plain sight. Give me a tracker that tells me which vacuums actually work before they take my money. Field report for today: 7-Eleven on 301 across Paseo Al Mar Blvd, no. 7-Eleven on 19th near Lennard, no. Marathon now a 7-Eleven on 41 near Salty Shamrock, no. Circle K on Apollo Beach Blvd, no, no, and then no.

Am I doomed to keep dead grass from weekend soccer games, living in the back seat forever? And yes, I know I can go to Woody’s or whatever new car wash pops up on the next empty patch of grass. After a year of paying for a membership that got my car about as clean as a good thunderstorm, I refuse.

The gas station vacuum idea is perfect in theory. You are out riding around. Little Timmy dumps Cheerios in the back. You swing into a gas station and boom, problem solved. Not out here. You will not only still have Cheerios in your backseat, but you are three dollars poorer.

Dear local gas station owners, please fix your vacuums. Or at least tape an out-of-order sign to the ones that just eat quarters.

Southshore Story Time

Apollo Beach, A Town Built by Tides

Part 1: From Marsh to Map

Before there were backyard lifts and sunset selfies, Apollo Beach was a swirl of mangroves, mosquitoes with ambition, and water that kept its own schedule. Then came the idea that changed everything. Cut canals, lift the land, and build a community where the dock is a driveway and the bay is your front yard. Neighbors traded lawn mowers for tide charts. Skeptics said it would never work. The fish did not comment.
What took shape was a different kind of Florida neighborhood. Streets met seawalls, pelicans joined the HOA, and the dream was simple. Live on the water, work a little, boat a lot. That spirit still hums here. It is the reason an afternoon breeze feels like an invitation and not just weather.

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

New Catholic school coming to Ruskin

Southshore families will soon have a new K-8 Catholic option close to home. The Diocese of St. Petersburg has broken ground on a school in Ruskin, planned to serve about 300 students from Ruskin, Gibsonton, Apollo Beach, and nearby neighborhoods. The campus is slated to open in fall 2027, and it will sit next to St. Anne Catholic Church.

The name is Mater Dei, Latin for “Mother of God.” According to the diocese, this is the first new diocesan school in a decade, and it is being built to meet demand in South Hillsborough’s fast-growing communities. The initial program will run from Pre-K through eighth grade.

Why it matters for Southshore: local families who currently face long commutes to existing Catholic schools could have a much shorter drive and more available seats once doors open. Church and school leaders say they have studied sites for several years to land on a location that fits the area’s growth.

We will share updates on construction timelines, enrollment details, and info sessions as they are released. If Mater Dei could be the right fit for your family, keep an eye on this space.

Southshore Spotlight

Retreat for Heroes

Retreat for Heroes is an Apollo Beach nonprofit that supports first responders and their families with healing retreats, peer support, and mental health resources. Their focus is healing, suicide prevention, and strengthening the family unit.

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

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

Until next time,

Keep It Local.