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THE SKINNY

• Data Center Drama

• Singing Rain Songs

• The Flock Fiasco

Featured Story

Pumping the Brakes on AI

Hillsborough County commissioners move to draft a one-year pause on new AI data centers while studying impacts on infrastructure, water use, and local communities

Artificial intelligence may be moving at lightning speed, but Hillsborough County is pumping the brakes. This week, county commissioners unanimously voted to begin drafting a temporary moratorium on new AI data centers in unincorporated Hillsborough County while staff studies the potential impact these massive facilities could have on local communities, infrastructure, utilities, and land use. The vote doesn't ban data centers outright. Instead, it gives the county time to determine what the rules should look like before large-scale projects begin moving forward.

Modern AI data centers are enormous. They require vast amounts of electricity to power thousands of servers and, in many cases, significant amounts of water to keep those systems cool. Commissioners directed county staff to evaluate whether future facilities should face limits—or even a prohibition—on using county drinking water for cooling. They'll also examine what new land-use regulations may be needed before these projects arrive.

Much of the available land in eastern and southern Hillsborough County has made the area a frequent target for large development proposals. (Like carwashes and storage units 😆) While there aren't any active AI data center applications currently pending with the county, several residents who spoke during the commission meeting raised concerns about the possibility of future projects in East Hillsborough and what they could mean for traffic, utilities, noise, and long-term growth. County staff confirmed that no formal application is currently under review.

The timing is also interesting. Because of a state law tied to recent hurricane recovery, Hillsborough can't immediately enact a new development moratorium. Instead, county attorneys will draft the ordinance now so it can take effect after those restrictions expire on October 1, 2027, or sooner if the law changes or is struck down in court.

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Rain Rain…Don’t Go Away

Despite weeks of steady rain, Tampa Bay remains nearly 14 inches below normal rainfall as regional reservoirs continue recovering from drought

If it feels like it's rained every afternoon for the past month, you're not imagining it. The good news is all that rain is finally starting to help. The bad news? We're still playing catch-up.

According to Tampa Bay Water, the recent stretch of wet weather has allowed crews to begin refilling the region's reservoir for the first time in quite a while after months of drought left river levels too low to contribute to the area's water supply. Over the last several days, the reservoir has climbed to just over 2 billion gallons, but the goal is to have it reach roughly 15 billion gallons by October. That's because the drought dug a much deeper hole than many people realized.

Earlier this year, low river levels forced Tampa Bay Water to rely much more heavily on groundwater after the Hillsborough and Alafia river systems stopped providing enough water to replenish the regional reservoir. The recent afternoon thunderstorms have finally allowed water from those rivers to begin flowing back into storage. Think of it like adding money back into a savings account after spending months making withdrawals.

For those of us in South Shore, it's an important reminder that a few weeks of soggy afternoons don't erase months of dry weather. The rain has certainly made the lawns greener, the ponds fuller, and the mosquitoes much happier, but our regional water supply is still recovering from one of the driest stretches we've seen in quite some time.

The encouraging news is that we're finally headed in the right direction. If the rainy pattern sticks around a while longer, reservoirs should continue to recover, and groundwater systems can get a much-needed break. But water officials say it will take more than a handful of afternoon downpours to fully erase the rainfall deficit we've built up over the past year.

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

One Bad Bird in the Flock

A former police officer faces charges after allegedly using Flock Safety cameras for personal reasons, raising new privacy concerns

A week or two ago, we wrote about the growing number of Flock Safety cameras appearing around South Shore and the debate surrounding them. Readers were pretty evenly split. Some saw them as another tool that helps law enforcement solve crimes and recover stolen vehicles. Others viewed them as a growing invasion of privacy.

One of the biggest concerns many of you raised wasn't necessarily the cameras themselves. It was the possibility that someone could misuse them. That's a concern that can be applied to just about any technology. A smartphone, a drone, artificial intelligence, or a security camera can all be incredibly useful in the right hands—or abused in the wrong ones.

The latest example comes out of North Carolina. A former police officer has been arrested after investigators say she improperly used the Flock Safety camera system to track her boyfriend's ex-wife. According to authorities, the officer conducted unauthorized searches through the license plate reader database dozens of times over several months, despite having no legitimate law enforcement reason to do so. She's now facing felony charges related to computer misuse and unlawful access to government systems.

The incident highlights exactly what many readers were worried about after our previous story. Technology is only as trustworthy as the safeguards surrounding it and the people entrusted to use it.

Southshore Spotlight

Wheels for Success

For many families, losing reliable transportation doesn't just mean missing a few appointments. It can mean losing a job. That's where Wheels of Success steps in.

The Tampa Bay nonprofit helps working individuals and families in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties overcome transportation barriers by providing vehicle repairs, replacement vehicles, licensing assistance, down payment assistance, and car care education. Their mission is simple: keep people working by keeping them on the road.

Whether you're looking to donate a vehicle, volunteer your time, or support a local organization that's helping neighbors achieve greater independence, Wheels of Success is making a real difference—one set of keys at a time.

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

We Know a Guy…or Girl

Southshore Services

Need a painter? A plumber? Someone brave enough to tackle that lightbulb hanging 30 feet above your living room? We've got you. And the best part? They're all right here in our community. Click the link above to find your next Southshore professional because we know a guy...or gal. And now you do too.

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

“Keep it Local!”

Foodies Only

Seasons 52

There's Always Something New in Season 🍷

If you're looking for an excuse to venture over to Westshore for dinner, Seasons 52 is built around a pretty simple idea: food tastes better when the ingredients are actually in season.

Their menu changes throughout the year to take advantage of what's fresh right now, with everything from seafood and steaks to seasonal vegetables, flatbreads, salads, and lighter dishes.

Add an extensive wine selection and their famous little Mini Indulgence desserts, and it's an easy spot for date night, dinner with friends, or one of those evenings when you want something a little nicer without making the whole night feel overly fancy.

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

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.