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- Issue #532: Farewell to Lloyd Sowers · Train Travel Boost Brings Union Station Upgrade · Globetrotters’ 100-Year Tour Stops in Tampa · Bucs Fall Short
Issue #532: Farewell to Lloyd Sowers · Train Travel Boost Brings Union Station Upgrade · Globetrotters’ 100-Year Tour Stops in Tampa · Bucs Fall Short
1/06/2026
Ted Grellner
06 Jan
Keep your finger on the Pulse!
GOOD MORNING
Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed their time off.
Dr Ted
USAF Retired
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In this issue of NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse
Our Event Calendar
Please post events of interest to our NT|WC Live Events Calendar; its easy to do.
Local News
— Lloyd Sowers Bids Farewell After 38 Years of Tampa Storytelling
— Union Station to Get Facelift as Train Travel Surges
Entertainment
— Harlem Globetrotters Celebrate 100 Years with Tampa Showdown
Sports
— Bucs Miss Playoffs After Falcons Top Saints
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Lloyd Sowers Bids Farewell After 38 Years of
Tampa Storytelling
Veteran FOX 13 reporter Lloyd Sowers is retiring after more than 38 years of covering the Tampa Bay area. Sowers joined WTVT—then "Pulse 13"—in the 1980s and has since chronicled the region’s transformation, from urban growth to hurricane devastation.
He’s covered historic moments, including a 1991 visit from Queen Elizabeth, and major storms like Charley, Frances, Jeanne, and Debbie. Sowers explored everything from Ybor City’s secret tunnels to Tampa’s cigar-making roots, even reporting globally—from U.S. Navy submarines to the Titanic wreck site.
Colleagues and local leaders honored his career, with former Mayor Bob Buckhorn saying, “You've told our story as well as anybody in the business could.”
Sowers leaves behind not just a career, but a legacy of heartfelt storytelling that helped define Tampa Bay’s media landscape.
Thank you, Lloyd.
Union Station to Get Facelift as Train Travel Surges
Tampa’s Union Station, a 113-year-old landmark, is set to undergo a $6 million renovation beginning early this year. The project, overseen by architect Jerel McCants, aims to restore and preserve the station’s Italian Renaissance Revival design, which has suffered from termite damage, water leaks, and general aging since its last major update in the 1990s.
The upgrades will include new historically appropriate windows, bathrooms, and amenities—along with modern additions like coworking spaces and a drink vendor area, turning the station into more than just a travel hub.
In 2024, over 156,000 passengers passed through the station—a 21% increase from the previous year—highlighting renewed interest in rail travel.
Brandie Mikklus, president of Friends of Union Station, says the station is often a visitor’s first impression of Tampa, and preserving it ensures it remains a community destination for generations to come.
Demolition is expected to start in Q1 of 2026.
Harlem Globetrotters Celebrate 100 Years with Tampa Showdown
The Harlem Globetrotters are bringing their 100th anniversary tour to Tampa this Sunday, Jan. 11, at the Yuengling Center, promising their trademark mix of basketball wizardry and theatrical fun.
Founded in 1926 by Abe Saperstein, the team began as a group of talented Black players touring under a fabricated name—“Harlem” to signify Black heritage, “Globetrotters” to suggest world travel, though they mostly played in small Midwestern towns.
Over the decades, the Globetrotters evolved into a global sensation, defeating NBA teams in the 1950s and becoming the first basketball team to sell out Madison Square Garden. With high-flying dunks, comedy, and crowd engagement, they pioneered a new form of basketball entertainment.
Tickets start at $60 for the centennial show, which blends legacy with modern flair and continues the team’s mission of spreading joy through sport.
Expect trick shots, big laughs, and a tribute to a century of showmanship.
Bucs Miss Playoffs After Falcons Top Saints
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2025-26 playoff hopes officially ended Sunday, Jan. 4, after the Atlanta Falcons edged the New Orleans Saints 19–17, creating a three-way tie in the NFC South. Carolina, holding the tiebreaker, wins the division, marking their first NFC South title since 2015 and earning a Wild Card home game.
The Bucs, who opened the season with a strong 6–2 record, collapsed late, losing seven of their final nine games, including their finale against the Panthers. Despite a promising start, the late-season skid proved costly.
Head Coach Todd Bowles, seen braving the rain during Sunday’s loss, now faces an offseason of questions, with fans and analysts speculating on leadership changes and roster adjustments.
For Tampa Bay, this marks a disappointing end to a rollercoaster season, and the first time in five years the team won’t represent the NFC South in the playoffs.
Top Events in Tampa Bay for week of |
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Useful Arts & Entertainment Event Links
The Arts
- The Exhibiting Society of Artists (new)
- 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
- Carrollwood Center Events
- Craft Festivals (new)
- Fall (Farmer’s) Market Guide for Tampa Bay (new)
- The Krate, WC
- The Shops at Wiregrass, WC
- visitflorida.com
For Kids
- Fun4TampaKids
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