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- Issue #458: Massive Target Arrives in October, Faith & Fun at Universal, Bucs’ Smith Lights Up MNF
Issue #458: Massive Target Arrives in October, Faith & Fun at Universal, Bucs’ Smith Lights Up MNF
9/17/2025
Ted Grellner
17 Sep
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In this issue of NewTampa | WesleyChapel
Local Pulse
Our Event Calendar —> Feel free to post events of interest to our community; its quite easy to do.
Local News
— Wesley Chapel Welcomes Massive New Target in October
Of Interest
— Endangered and Inspiring: Tampa Screens Rare Sparrow Documentary
Entertainment
— Faith Meets Thrill: Rock the Universe Returns to Universal Orlando
Sports
— Tykee Time: Bucs Safety Shines Again in MNF Showdown
🎵 Useful Arts & Entertainment Event Links
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Wesley Chapel Welcomes Massive New Target
in October
The store, located at 27920 Pink Flamingo Lane in Wesley Chapel Grove, will officially open on October 12. At approximately 149,000 square feet, the new location will be one of the larger stores Target is rolling out as part of a major expansion.
Notable features include:
Apple at Target
CVS Pharmacy
Starbucks Café
Target Optical
A canopy over the pickup lanes for added customer convenience
The Wesley Chapel Grove store marks Target’s third new Florida location to open in 2025 and continues the chain’s push to add 300+ stores nationwide over the next decade.
Shoppers can expect full access to Target’s same-day services, including Drive Up, Order Pickup, and Target Circle 360 delivery.
The opening comes as part of a broader investment push by Target amid a gradual rebound in sales and in-store traffic.
Endangered and Inspiring: Tampa Screens Rare Sparrow Documentary
The Florida grasshopper sparrow, one of the rarest birds in North America, is taking center stage in a new conservation documentary, "Little Brown Bird," premiering Thursday at Tampa Theatre.
With fewer than 200 individuals left in the wild, the critically endangered bird lives only in the dry prairies of Polk, Highlands, and Osceola counties. Experts, including biologist Mary Marine, stress its survival hinges on both prairie and working ranchland preservation.
The film screens alongside two other wildlife documentaries:
"Patchwork Wild"—highlighting a 60-mile trek through Florida’s wildlife corridor—and "The Book of George," featuring Nat Geo photographer George McKenzie Jr.
The event includes filmmaker panels and a Q&A with conservationists, aiming to inspire action through storytelling.
Tickets are $10 at the box office, $12 online, with all three films showing at 7:00 p.m., Sept. 18.
Here’s a surprising and lesser-known fact about endangered birds:
Some critically endangered birds have “forgotten” how to sing their species’ song — and it's threatening their survival.
In certain isolated populations, such as the Regent honeyeater in Australia, habitat loss has left so few individuals that young males have no adults to learn their natural song from. Instead, they mimic the calls of other birds — or sometimes go silent altogether.
This matters because song is essential for attracting mates and establishing territory. Without the right tune, these birds are literally failing to reproduce, creating a feedback loop that accelerates extinction.
Conservationists are now working to reintroduce song by playing recordings of wild birds to chicks in captivity — a sort of avian language school — to restore their unique calls before they vanish entirely.
It’s a reminder that culture and communication can be just as critical as genetics in species survival.
Faith Meets Thrill: Rock the Universe Returns to Universal Orlando
Universal Orlando’s "Rock the Universe" returns January 23–24, 2026, bringing a weekend of top Christian music to Universal Studios Florida.
The event will feature performances by Forrest Frank, Phil Wickham, Switchfoot, LECRAE, and more. Additional artists include KB, Colton Dixon, Blessing Offor, Passion, Terrian, Hulvey, and bodie, among others.
Beyond music, attendees can participate in worship experiences throughout the weekend, including a special Sunday morning service on January 25.
Festival admission also includes access to Universal Studios’ attractions, such as:
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem
Villain-Con Minion Blast
Revenge of the Mummy and more
Tickets and details are available via Universal Orlando’s website.
This annual event combines faith, music, and thrill rides, making it a one-of-a-kind weekend experience for youth groups, families, and fans alike.
Tykee Time: Bucs Safety Shines Again in MNF Showdown
Tykee Smith is rapidly establishing himself as a defensive force in Tampa Bay. In Monday night’s 20-19 win over Houston, the second-year safety led the team in tackles for the second straight week, notching six stops, including his first career sack and two tackles for loss.
After switching from slot corner to safety this season, Smith’s transition has been seamless. His 17 total tackles rank top five among NFL safeties through two weeks, and he’s one of just four safeties with multiple tackles for loss.
Head Coach Todd Bowles praised Smith’s physicality and instincts, calling him "one of our most instinctive players."
Last season, Smith showed flashes of brilliance despite injuries. Now starting alongside All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr., he's helping anchor a defense allowing just 76.5 rushing yards per game, fifth-best in the league.
If this pace holds, the Bucs may have one of the league’s elite safety duos.
Top Things to do in Tampa Bay |
|
🎭 Tonight in Wesley Chapel & New Tampa (+TB area): Film & Arts Spotlight:
Date (Day) | Time | Act | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
Wed, Sept 17, 2025 | 8:00 PM–11:00 PM | Karaoke | O’Brien’s Irish Pub (Wesley Chapel) |
Wed, Sept 17, 2025 | 8:00 PM | Wednesday Comedy Open Mic | The Gimmick (Tampa/Ybor) |
Useful Arts & Entertainment Event Links
The Arts
- USF College of the Arts
- USF Steinway Piano Concert Series
Theater
-NTPAC - New Tampa Performing Arts Center
- New Tampa Players
- USF School of Theatre & Dance
- Wesley Chapel Theater Group
- Carrollwood Players Theatre
Misc
For Kids
- Fun4TampaKids
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