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In Today’s Edition:

• You Spoke, Somebody Listened

• Maybe It’s Time to Elevate

• Lock The Gates…Please

Road Repairs to Start in Riverview

Remember that story we ran a few issues ago about the firing squad of pebbles lying in wait on US 301? Yeah, those little windshield assassins are still at it. But there’s finally some good news—help is on the way!

Starting February 28th, FDOT will begin repaving US 301 from Whitt Road to Rivercrest Drive, swapping out the crumbling asphalt for fresh concrete. First up? The intersection of US 301 and Gibsonton Drive. Unfortunately, that means road closures, detours, and delays—aka every commuter’s worst nightmare. But let’s be real—the alternative is dodging flying rocks and budgeting for biweekly windshield replacements.

The project will be tackled in phases over roughly 140 days. In the first phase, northbound and southbound lanes on US 301 will be reduced, and a section of Gibsonton Drive (west of US 301) will be completely shut down for about 21 days—weather permitting, of course.

So, if you were hoping for a hassle-free commute, buckle up for a few months of frustration. But hey, when it’s all said and done, Southshore drivers can look forward to a smoother ride—and a lot fewer glass repair bills.

Elevate Florida

If you've ever thought, "Maybe my house would be better as a boat," you're probably either a Florida homeowner or a pirate. Either way, the state has finally decided to throw a lifeline to folks tired of watching their property turn into a part-time swimming pool. Enter Elevate Florida—a program designed to help homeowners protect their homes from floods, hurricanes, and whatever else Mother Nature decides to throw our way.

Starting soon, qualifying homeowners can get up to 75% of the costs covered for major mitigation projects, including:

✅ Structure Elevation – Literally lifting your home up so it doesn’t turn into an accidental houseboat.

✅ Mitigation Reconstruction – Tearing down and rebuilding your home to meet modern storm-proofing standards.

✅ Structure Acquisition – If your house has lost more battles with water than it’s won, the state might just buy it from you and turn the land into open space. (Translation: No more flood insurance nightmares.)

Who’s Eligible?
The program is open to Florida homeowners who legally own their property, are over 18, and can cover 25% of the project cost (because, of course, there’s always some fine print). The best part? Your house doesn’t even need to have flooded before to qualify—though if you’ve ever had to kayak to your mailbox, you might move up the list.

How to Apply
If you’re ready to stop your home from doubling as an aquarium, you can apply through the Elevate Florida Portal. The process takes about 20 minutes—assuming you have all your paperwork ready and don’t get distracted looking up Zillow listings in Colorado.

For those without computer access, the state is offering assistance to help you apply. Or you can just call 877-ELEV8FL and see if they answer with something cooler than “Hello.”

At the end of the day, this program is a solid win for Florida homeowners. So, if you’re tired of your house starring in its own disaster movie every hurricane season, now’s the time to elevate your living situation—literally.

Envera’s Open Door Policy

If you’ve noticed that your normally secure, high-tech community gate has suddenly turned into a glorified driveway, you’re not alone. Envera Systems—the company behind those fancy virtual gate guards—has been dealing with a massive outage, leaving gates in the Southshore area wide open. Literally.

For anyone who’s ever been stuck behind a visitor arguing with the virtual guard, this might feel like a small win. But for those who actually liked having a functioning security gate (looking at you, HOA board members), this is less than ideal.

What Happened?
On February 14th (yes, Valentine’s Day—because nothing says “love” like a security breach), Envera announced a system-wide meltdown affecting multiple communities. Their MyEnvera portal is down, and gates are stuck open while engineers scramble to fix the problem. At least 100 techs are on the case, so let’s hope one of them has the magic touch.

What Can You Do?

1. Check with your internet provider. If your Wi-Fi is down too, that’s probably not helping.

2. Let Envera know when your internet is back. They need to reset your system.

3. Enjoy the unintended open-door policy while it lasts. (Just maybe keep an eye out for mystery visitors rolling through your neighborhood.)

Envera promises they’re working “swiftly and safely” to restore service, so hopefully, by the time you read this, the gates will be back to providing that false sense of security we all know and love.

Stay safe, Southshore—whether your gate’s working or not.

What’s washing up on the shore this week:

• Cacao Ceremony |Breathwork| Sound Alchemy
  Self-care and healing, by Apollo Beach Wellness Spa, Jo Anne Cobb and Mandi Rose. Date & Time: Sunday, February 23, 2025, 3:00 PM Location: 256 Apollo Beach Blvd, Apollo Beach

• Sweat Lodge Ceremony
  Come sing, pray & connect with your ancient self Date & Time: Sunday, February 23, 2025, 6:00 PM Location: 3303 Yellowknife Cir, Wimauma

• Movie on the Turf at Southshore Bay Lagoon
  Come watch Rookie of the Year on the Turf of Metro Lagoon. Date & Time: Monday, February 24, 2025, 6:00 PM Location: 16881 Lagoon Shore Blvd, Wimauma

• RWC After-Hours Event
  Learn more about the Riverview Woman’s Club and how they support our community Date & Time: Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 5:00 PM Location: 6186 N US Highway 41, Apollo Beach

• Weekly Wine Society in Apollo Beach
  Please join the Apollo Beach Wine Society for our Weekly Educational Wine Tasting, every Tuesday at 7pm. Date & Time: Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 7:00 PM Location: 238 Harbor Village Ln, Apollo Beach

• WET-UP SOCA Aerobics
  Wiggle, Wave and Whine Yuh' Body to vibrant Soca Music rhythms of the West Indies. Date & Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 6:30 PM Location: 9650 Old Big Bend Road, Riverview

The Rumor Mill:

• In addition to Walmart in Apollo Beach there will be a Wendy’s coming to US 41.

Meet your neighbor:

• We met a new friend. Can’t wait to tell you all about them.

Foodies Only:

• Starting the next issue, we’ll spotlight a new Southshore gem every week! Full transparency—we've had this planned all along, but some of us hesitated at the thought of giving up our secret food spots. Then we remembered… we don’t gatekeep here at The Circle.

Local Sports:

• We’ll return next week.

The Neighborhood Post:

• Coming Soon

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