Good morning, East of Tampa. Joey Chestnut ate 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes on Saturday. The average American eats 70 in a year. Somewhere between those two numbers is how your weekend went.
In today's East of Tampa:
Boyette Road is about to get worse before it gets better. Dates inside.
The county has a $249 million fix for Lithia Pinecrest. There's a catch.
The Rays are in first place and the Yankees are at the Trop tonight.
Let's get into it.
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Boyette Road: circle Monday on your calendar
The South Hillsborough Pipeline project extends east to FishHawk Boulevard starting this Sunday night, July 12. Crews restripe overnight, and by 6 AM Monday, July 13, eastbound Boyette near Bell Creek Academy gets reduced and diverted through the Bell Shoals intersection, past River Springs Town Center. Westbound FishHawk Boulevard gets the same treatment from the other direction. Dedicated left turn lanes at Bell Shoals survive in both directions.
The part nobody wants to hear: this phase runs 12 to 16 months. If Boyette is your daily route, next Monday morning is the day to leave early or find a new one. Silver lining, you have 34 days to figure out your school-run detour before the first bell rings August 10. Full detour details
The $249 million intersection fix. In 2031.
The county is moving forward on a massive upgrade at Lithia Pinecrest and County Road 39: dual left turn lanes, new right turn lanes on all four approaches, the works. One detail. Construction doesn't start until 2031 because they need to buy the land first. If your kid is entering kindergarten this fall, they'll be learning to drive around the time it's done. Plan accordingly. Read the full story
The Rays are in first place. Actually.
52 wins, 34 losses, top of the AL East at the halfway mark, back home at a renovated Trop. The Yankees are in town through Thursday. Tonight's first pitch is 6:40 PM, and Thursday is a 1:10 day game if you want to smuggle a work call into the concourse. Then Seattle comes in Friday, with an Evan Longoria snapback giveaway Saturday. Yes, that Evan Longoria. Yes, you're old. Get tickets
THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS (OR AT LEAST IT SHOULD)
The Fourth exposed things. A ceiling stain someone's cousin noticed. A garage the in-laws had to shimmy past sideways. A lawn that photographed poorly in the background of every burger picture. Here's the cleanup crew.
The Florida sun spent the whole weekend working on your roof, and it doesn't take Mondays off. Roof Rejuvenate SH can extend a roof's life 5 to 15 years without a full replacement, three treatments, 5-year warranty each. Ask for Jeff before storm season asks for you. roofrejuvenatesh.com | 813-652-2777
If water is already where it shouldn't be, that's a different phone call. H2O Detections Emergency Restoration is family owned and fast, the difference between a wet spot and a five-figure renovation you didn't plan. h2odetections.com | 941-545-7612
The garage situation is fixable in one afternoon. Call Alberto at Trinity Junk Removal. Great guy, great family, and he will not judge whatever is under the tarp. trinityjunkremovalinc.net | 813-426-9257
Got a bigger project while the kids are still home to hold things? Don't buy a tool you'll use once. Gaines Construction Rentals rents to locals, so the equipment goes back to their shop instead of living in your garage forever. See above. gainesrentals.com | 813-322-2668
And the lawn. Gregory Dunn at Tampa Bay Pro Services does exceptional work and shows up when he says he will, which in the lawn business is basically a superpower. Call Gregory: 813-770-8721
THE COUNTDOWN SECTION
8 days. That's what's left on the Action Karate deal before it flips on July 15. Two weeks of classes plus a free uniform for $29, normally $108. Ages 3 and up, no contracts. 54 local families gave Mr. K five stars, and it wasn't for the kicks. It was for watching a kid who couldn't sit still learn to look an adult in the eye and finish something hard. If "I'm bored" has been the soundtrack of your house since June, this is $29 well spent. actionkarate.net | 813-535-4191
34 days until school starts. Which brings me to the thing I actually need from you today.
RATE YOUR SCHOOL. I'M SERIOUS.
The East of Tampa High School Guide is live: all 28 Hillsborough public high schools, ranked, with the official zone map. A few things in it surprised even me. Newsome is the best school-to-price ratio in the county. Strawberry Crest quietly has the best IB pass rate anywhere in Hillsborough. And the Riverview trap is real: one ZIP code, four different high schools, depending on your street.
But rankings only tell half the story. Parents tell the other half. Hit reply with your school, a 1 to 10, and one sentence why. Like this one:
"My 3 daughters graduated from Plant City and all were very active in the marching band. I've got nothing but great things to say about their experience." - George S., Proud Plant City Parent
Best replies go in the next edition with your first name and city. Good, bad, or complicated. I read every one.
WHILE WE'RE ON FAMILY
Date night that doesn't involve a kids menu: BLVD Supper Club. Pizza, burgers, and cocktails worth putting on real pants for. No occasion required. blvdsupperclub.com | 813-657-5700
If you spent the weekend at the grill and you're a veteran or a dad who puts in the work, FitDadBod Apparel is a local brand built for exactly that. Wear the job title. fitparentbod-apparel.com
And if the holiday brought family into town and the senior living conversation finally happened at the kitchen table, VHIN Cares helps East of Tampa families through exactly that. Hard conversation, easier with help. vhincares.com | 813-678-2363
THE CALLS YOU HOPE YOU NEVER MAKE
Everybody is on the road this month, and cars know. If yours quits on 301, Riverview Towing is family owned and operated, and a real person who cares about their name shows up. That's rarer than the tow itself. riverviewfltowing.com | 813-405-5973
And when life gets legal, Attorney Kou Jacobo at K&D Law handles immigration and personal injury for East of Tampa families. Real attorney, answers his own phone, zero billboards. kanddlaw.com | 786-496-2918
THIS WEEK EAST OF TAMPA
Tonight - Rays vs. Yankees, Tropicana Field, 6:40 PM. First place team, hated rival, air conditioning. Get tickets
Wednesday - Post Malone and Jelly Roll, Raymond James Stadium, 7:30 PM. Tickets started around $43, which is less than parking at some stadiums. Get tickets
Thursday - Clay with Color Express, Riverview Public Library, 3 to 4 PM. Free kids craft hour. One hour of summer break, no screens, no cost. Get details
Friday - Frozen Jr., 11311 Boyette Road, Riverview, 7 PM. Local youth theater. Somebody's kid is about to nail Let It Go and you should be there for it.
Friday - Train, Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson, MIDFLORIDA Amphitheatre, 6:45 PM. Bring a blanket and every word to One Week, which you still know. Get tickets
Heads up: FishHawk Sporting Clays is closed July 6 through 19 for maintenance. Save yourself the drive.
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Team Bunny? Team Jelly? Or Team I Don’t Care?
ONE MORE THING
Everything in that school guide connects to one decision: where you live. Choosing a school East of Tampa is choosing a neighborhood, and the boundary lines move home values six figures.
Danielle raised four boys in these schools and is the president of the FishHawk Spartans. She can verify the school zone for any address in the county before you write an offer, and she'll tell you honestly when a boundary makes a house a better or worse deal than it looks. With 34 days on the clock, if a zone question is holding up your decision, that's a five minute phone call. teamplumstead.com | 719-237-2398
Made you smile? Forward this to the neighbor who's about to find out about Boyette Road the hard way. Get 5 friends to subscribe and we'll promote your business for free.
Reply with your school rating. See you Friday.
-John
The East of Tampa Guy
My 4 sons having a ball in Michigan on vacation last week
