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- Issue #657: Forest Hills Gets $2.2M Storm Upgrade, Tampa Lands Red Bull Dance Final, AI Replaces $3,500 Costs, USF Hosts Free Bulls Fest
Issue #657: Forest Hills Gets $2.2M Storm Upgrade, Tampa Lands Red Bull Dance Final, AI Replaces $3,500 Costs, USF Hosts Free Bulls Fest
8/20/2026
Ted Grellner
20 Aug
In partnership with
GOOD MORNING
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) - Sorry - Out of Order
Local News
— Tampa Invests $2.2 Million to Storm-Proof Forest Hills Wastewater Station
— Red Bull’s National Street Dance Final Comes to Tampa for First Time
Of Interest
— $100-a-Month AI Replaces $3,500 in Monthly Business Costs for St. Pete Investor
Sports
— USF Bulls Fest Kicks Off Athletics Season Saturday With Free Family Fun
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Tampa Invests $2.2 Million to Storm-Proof Forest Hills Wastewater Station
Tampa is investing $2.2 million to modernize the Forest Hills wastewater pump station, addressing vulnerabilities exposed when Hurricane Milton flooded the North Tampa neighborhood in 2024.
Built in 1963, the station had electrical equipment underground, leaving it susceptible to flooding. The rehabilitation will raise the electrical building nine feet, add a third pump and install a permanent generator with a 600-gallon fuel tank, providing up to four days of operation without refueling.
The station serves 534 homes, businesses and schools and is one of 33 pumping stations rehabilitated through Tampa’s $3 billion PIPES infrastructure program. Seven city wastewater stations sustained damage during Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Construction began in April and is scheduled for completion in early 2027. Mayor Jane Castor said the project is part of Tampa’s broader effort to strengthen aging infrastructure and prepare neighborhoods for increasingly severe storms.
Red Bull’s National Street Dance Final Comes to Tampa for First Time
Tampa will host the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final USA for the first time on Saturday, Sept. 19, bringing 16 elite freestyle dancers to the Tampa Convention Center.
The one-on-one competition challenges dancers to improvise to mystery songs revealed only when the music starts, with styles ranging from hip-hop and house to popping, locking and flexing. There are no traditional judges — the audience votes to determine each battle’s winner.
Competitors include Marlee Hightower of Motiv Crew, Kida the Great and Kidd the Monster. The eventual U.S. champion will advance to the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final in Zurich, Switzerland, on Oct. 24.
Tampa concludes a national tour that included Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Brooklyn, Atlanta and Philadelphia. The city will also host community programming celebrating Southeast dance culture. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with competition running through 10 p.m.
$100-a-Month AI Replaces $3,500 in Monthly Business Costs for St. Pete Investor
A St. Petersburg real estate investor says artificial intelligence has transformed his one-person business, cutting more than $41,000 from his annual expenses.
Alex Jandick, owner of 131 Cash Home Buyers, previously spent $2,500 monthly on marketing and nearly $1,000 on bookkeeping. He says an AI agent using Claude now performs much of that work for about $100 a month.
After roughly two weeks configuring and refining the system, Jandick began using AI for marketing, bookkeeping and other administrative duties. He estimates Claude performs 25 to 30 hours of work weekly, roughly matching his own workload.
Jandick remains responsible for supplying instructions and verifying the AI-generated information. Because he is his company’s sole employee, no staff members were displaced.
He says the savings have reduced the pressure of covering monthly expenses, with the $41,000 annual difference helping fund his children’s future college costs.
USF Bulls Fest Kicks Off Athletics Season Saturday With Free Family Fun
USF Athletics will kick off its new season with Bulls Fest 2026, a free fan celebration Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Yuengling Center in Tampa.
Running from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., the event offers free admission and free parking, giving fans a chance to meet players and coaches from across USF’s athletic programs. The 2026 Bulls football team will be introduced on stage, while volleyball, basketball, soccer and other programs will also participate.
Families can enjoy inflatables, mascot photo opportunities, giveaways, music and stage entertainment, with food trucks available for purchases outside.
Originally planned for the Porter Family Indoor Performance Facility, Bulls Fest was moved to the 10,500-seat Yuengling Center to accommodate a larger crowd.
Organizers hope the celebration becomes an annual August tradition, bringing longtime supporters, students and families together before the season begins. Fans can attend without a ticket, although advance registration is encouraged.
Top Events in Tampa Bay this week of: | Best Things to Do in Tampa Bay this weekend | TB Weekend Entertainment Guide | |
|---|---|---|---|
August 17 | August | May | |
Source: tampabay.com | Source: | Source: |
Tampa Bay’s Best Live Music Aug 13-20 | Things to do Around Pasco this week: | Things to do Around |
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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