Issue #462: New Season at New Tampa Arts Center | From Pastures to Plazas in Wesley Chapel | Rays $1.7B Deal Moves Forward

9/23/2025

Author

Ted Grellner
23 Sep

Keep your finger on the Pulse!

GOOD MORNING

Dr Ted
USAF Retired


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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

— Curtain Up: New Tampa Arts Center Unveils Boldest Season Yet

— Where Cows Once Roamed: Wesley Chapel Now a Retail Powerhouse

OMG!

— “I’m Awake”: New Tool Sees the Silent Signals of Coma Recovery

Sports

— MLB Approves $1.7B Rays Sale, Local Leaders Eye Hillsborough Move

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Curtain Up: New Tampa Arts Center Unveils
Boldest Season Yet

The New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) is launching its most ambitious season yet with a diverse blend of classics and fresh programming.

Alongside returning favorites like the Tampa Bay Symphony, Tampa Jazz Club, and New Tampa Players, this season introduces a new Solo Spotlight series, showcasing acclaimed one-person plays from the Fringe Festival circuit, including The Light Bringer and Every Brilliant Thing.

Music fans can enjoy tribute concerts honoring The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Meat Loaf, Stevie Wonder, and Santana. The Unplugged Series highlights local talents like Lisa Casalino and Broadway performer Alexis Carra.

NTPAC is also expanding access with $10 reserved seats, a free film series, and Broadway Open Mic Nights. The venue’s cultural offerings now reflect the diverse New Tampa community, including performances from international cultural groups.

With growing attendance and an increasingly packed calendar, the NTPAC continues to flourish as a cultural hub in Tampa Bay.

Where Cows Once Roamed: Wesley Chapel Now a Retail Powerhouse

Wesley Chapel has transformed over the past decade from rural sprawl to a vibrant shopping, dining, and entertainment destination.

The Grove offers 14 shops, 13 restaurants, and 8 entertainment venues, including mini golf, movies, axe throwing, and comedy nights. Krate boasts 32 restaurants and frequent events like Market Elaine, Throwback Thursdays, and Jeep/Bike Nights, all in a dog- and family-friendly setting.

Tampa Premium Outlets draws shoppers with nearly 100 stores, from luxury brands to outlet deals, plus food courts and entertainment like Main Event and Pop Stroke.

The Shops at Wiregrass blend local dining, national brands, and activities from brunch to boutique shopping. Live entertainment, trivia nights, and the upcoming Center Court renovation aim to enhance its outdoor mall appeal.

Once known for farmland, Wesley Chapel is now a lifestyle hub, with ongoing growth and construction solidifying its role as Pasco County’s go-to destination for retail and recreation.

“I’m Awake”: New Tool Sees the Silent Signals
of Coma Recovery

A new AI tool named SeeMe may revolutionize how doctors detect consciousness in comatose patients by identifying microscopic facial movements days before humans can.

Developed by researchers at Stony Brook University, SeeMe uses computer vision to detect twitches as small as those in a single skin pore. In a recent study, the tool identified early signs of covert consciousness—especially in eye and mouth movements—up to four to eight days earlier than physicians.

Patients appeared completely unresponsive, yet SeeMe detected movements during commands like “stick out your tongue” or “show me a smile.” These early signs strongly correlated with better recovery outcomes upon discharge and six months later.

Unlike expensive brain imaging, SeeMe offers a non-invasive, cost-effective alternative that could make rehabilitation more timely and effective.

Researchers caution it won’t replace doctors, but it may provide a vital “window into the brain”—potentially giving families a way to reconnect sooner with loved ones thought unreachable.

MLB Approves $1.7B Rays Sale, Local Leaders Eye Hillsborough Move

Major League Baseball has approved the $1.7 billion sale of the Tampa Bay Rays to a new ownership group led by Jacksonville-based developer Patrick Zalupski. The deal is expected to finalize this week, with full control transferring after Sunday’s season finale.

Zalupski’s group reportedly favors a move to Hillsborough County, though no specific stadium location has been announced. In the meantime, the Rays will return to Tropicana Field for the 2026 season, where repairs from storm damage are on track for an April 6 Opening Day.

Local leaders expressed cautious optimism. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor praised the team’s performance, while Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan said he felt “ecstatic” about renewed chances to bring the team across the bay. Pinellas County officials also welcomed the change but admitted they have “no inside baseball” on the team’s next home.

The new owners are expected to hold a press conference next week to outline their vision.

Top Things to do in Tampa Bay
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Things to do Around Tampa & WC
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This Weekend in Tampa:
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