What Hillsborough County just announced could change property values East of Tampa

Good morning neighbors ☀️

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 🌮🎉
Hope everyone's got their margarita plans locked in. Before you head out to celebrate, we've got a packed edition with local events and businesses worth knowing about.

Quick one before we dive in: if you have a loved one who needs assisted living and you want to keep them close to home right here in Brandon or Valrico this week's sponsor is worth knowing about. Vhin Cares is a family-owned and operated assisted living provider with three licensed homes right here in our community. What makes them different is the low resident-to-caregiver ratio, meaning your loved one actually gets personal, attentive care — not just a bed in a big facility. Home-cooked meals, a safe environment, and a team that treats residents like family. Schedule a tour at vhincares.com or call 813-678-2363.

Alright, let's get into it. 👇

In today's Buzz:
🎵 Free spring concert at Newsome tonight
🌮 Cinco de Mayo parties and where to celebrate
🎸 A packed weekend in Apollo Beach
🌸 Mother's Day events, farm brunch, and spa day
🏗️ What Hillsborough County just announced about land east of Brandon
🐚 Why Apollo Beach waterfront owners need to read this

If you have a kid in the Newsome Chorus, you already know about this. But if you don't, this is still worth showing up for.

The Newsome Chorus wraps up their school year Wednesday night with their Spring Concert at the Newsome Auditorium, and if you've never seen what this program puts together, you might be surprised. These kids work all year for this moment and the final concert of the season is always the one they go all out for.

Free admission. Wednesday night at 6:30pm. Go show some love for the local kids.

Your Cinco de Mayo Weekend Playbook — East of Tampa

This guide is presented by Joe's Tree Service — local, family-owned tree care serving Hillsborough County for over 30 years. Trimming, removal, stump grinding, and 24/7 emergency storm work. Call for a free estimate at (813) 452-4910.

If you live on the water in Apollo Beach or anywhere along SouthShore, your seawall is the only thing standing between your property and the bay. Most people don't think about it until it's already failing.

Integrity Seawalls is a local marine construction company serving Apollo Beach and the surrounding area. Seawall installation and replacement, docks, boat lifts, boardwalks. Free estimates, upfront pricing, and warranties on their work. Henry and his crew show up, do the job right, and clean up before they leave. The reviews from neighbors back it up.

With storm season coming, now is the time to get eyes on your seawall before a small problem becomes a big one. Call (813) 535-1634 or visit integrityseawalls.com for a free estimate.

🎮 Esports Open Play at Emanuel P. Johnson Rec Center | 5855 S. 78th St. | Tampa (near Brandon) | May 5 | More
Free Tuesday night open gaming sessions on a full esports setup including PS5, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, and six 65-inch screens. Free to attend.

🏃 Bullfrog Pub Run | Bullfrog Creek Brewing Co. | 3632 Lithia Pinecrest Rd | Valrico | May 6 | More Lace up and hit the pavement at 6:45pm for the weekly pub run at the veteran-owned Valrico brewery. All paces welcome. Cool down with a cold beer after. 6:45pm to 9:45pm.

🚗 May Waterset Cars & Coffee | 7012 Sail View Ln | Apollo Beach | May 9 | More Exotics, muscle cars, vintage rides, and imports all welcome at this family-friendly neighborhood car meet. All ages invited. 8am to 10am.

🥳 Finn's Dockside 4th Anniversary Party | 1112 Apollo Beach Blvd | Apollo Beach | May 9 | More Four years of sunsets, live music, and cold drinks — and they're celebrating big. Join Finn's for a party on the water. Starts at 11am.

🌺 Mothers Day at Salty Shamrock | 6186 N US Highway 41 | Apollo Beach | May 10 | More Moms eat and drink special all day — free mimosa for every mom, special brunch and dinner menus, plus live music on the patio. 11am to close.

🎉 Weekly Events at Boulevard Supper Club | 15260 FishHawk Blvd | Lithia | Ongoing | More
Music bingo, trivia night, ladies' night, and karaoke on rotation throughout the week. Plus exclusive mixology and bottle release events for Wine and Locker Club members.

✏️ No School: May 25, 2026
🎓 Last Day of School: May 29
School Calendar

Big Changes Could Be Coming to the I-4 Corridor

If you own land or are thinking about buying east of Tampa along I-4, now is a good time to pay attention.

Hillsborough County planners are studying roughly 35,000 acres of rural land between Thonotosassa and the Plant City line for potential urban development. The county is legally required to maintain enough developable land to handle future growth, and this corridor is their primary solution.

The strategy being discussed focuses growth around existing highway interchanges at Mango Road, McIntosh Road, and Branch Forbes Road, with the goal of preserving rural land in between. Industrial and warehouse demand is already strong out here thanks to the I-4 and I-75 access.

Land values near those interchange corridors could shift once the county starts drawing actual lines on a map this summer. Final recommendations go to the Board of County Commissioners in fall 2026.

Nothing is decided yet, but if you have property out that way or have been eyeing land east of Brandon, this is the one to track. You can follow the process and share your input at planhillsborough.org.

Thanks for reading. See you Friday!

What Hillsborough County just announced could change property values East of Tampa

Keep Reading