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Good Morning Neighbor,

At this point, I think we should either start an early-morning golf league before the rain rolls in or just take up indoor pickleball. In our house, we’ve had a bunch of Little League games and practices canceled lately. It’s a big weekend, though, so hopefully you can still light the charcoal and enjoy some college football, if that’s your thing. I hope you have a great Labor Day weekend!

-Mike

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Michelin-Starred Team Brings Sushi To Odessa

Now this is a restaurant opening worth getting excited about. Toro, a more casual sushi and ramen spot from the team behind Michelin-starred Koya, Noble Rice and Kinjo, is coming to the Shoppes at Starkey Crossing on Gunn Highway.

Expect specialty sushi, nigiri, ramen and rolls, with fish sourced from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market. They’re also putting a big focus on doing takeout well, and the restaurant could open as soon as October.

Tampa Premium Outlets Gets Book Vending Machine

Here’s a fun little find for the next time you’re shopping at Tampa Premium Outlets. A new Got Books vending machine holds up to 250 books across 25 titles, ranging from children’s stories to current bestsellers.

A portion of every purchase is also donated to the Glazer Children’s Museum to support community literacy.

Wesley Chapel YMCA Nearly Ready To Open

Families won’t have to wait much longer for the new Mary W. Sierra Family YMCA at 4379 Wellbeing Way. It’s expected to open sometime in September with fitness equipment, group exercise and cycling studios, youth sports, swim lessons, camps and senior wellness programs. There will also be indoor and outdoor playgrounds and a Stay & Play child care area.

More than 100 families signed up during the first few days of presales, and some youth programs are already accepting registrations. Charter members can join without a fee, lock in their rate for five years and immediately use other Tampa YMCA locations. An exact opening date has not been announced yet.

The Rays Have Bigger Plans Than Baseball

The new Rays stadium may get most of the attention, but the neighborhood planned around it could be nearly as interesting. The team wants to create “Champions Quarter” around the Hillsborough College campus, with housing, offices, shops and entertainment.

There’s still a lot we don’t know. The approved agreement does not require a minimum amount of development or include a deadline for completing it, although significant progress is expected by the stadium’s planned opening in 2029.

Dade City Welcomes Its First Chick-fil-A

Dade City finally has a Chick-fil-A of its own. The new restaurant is now open at 12645 US 301, offering dine-in, drive-thru, carryout, delivery and mobile pickup while creating about 80 jobs.

There’s a nice community piece to this opening, too. Chick-fil-A donated $25,000 to Feeding Tampa Bay and $10,000 to Meals on Wheels of Pasco, and the new location will also donate surplus food through the Shared Table program.

Driverless Rides Have Arrived In Tampa

This is another story about that big city down south but it’s a fun one, and I’m still not sure how I’d feel getting into a car with nobody behind the wheel, but some Tampa riders can now find out. Waymo has begun offering fully driverless rides after spending months testing its vehicles on local roads.

Don’t expect to hail one everywhere just yet. Access is expanding gradually, and residents who signed up for Waymo updates will be notified when they’re eligible to ride.

New Wesley Chapel Fire Station Already Busy

It didn’t take long for Wesley Chapel’s new Fire Station No. 2 to show how badly it was needed. The station opened July 14 on Wesley Chapel Boulevard and serves about 9,000 properties and 20,000 to 25,000 residents.

During its first month, crews responded to four structure fires, 18 advanced life support cardiac calls, a confined-space rescue and several other emergencies. The station was built to shorten response times, and county leaders said it could also help lower homeowners insurance costs.

Thousands Push For A New Pet Shelter

This is a tough one for local animal lovers. Hillsborough County’s only open-admission shelter is 40 years old, and more than 2,000 people have signed a petition asking the county to follow through with plans for a new facility. Advocates say kennels flood, most do not have air conditioning or heat, the veterinary clinic is outdated and there isn’t enough space to isolate sick animals or perform surgeries.

County staff are considering either a major renovation or an entirely new shelter. The original estimate was around $30 million, but the county says that cost has likely increased. A recommendation is expected near the end of 2026 or during the first few months of 2027.

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