Issue #676: J.C. Newman Hiring in Ybor, Buddy Brew Adds Sprouts Cafes, Tampa Novel Goes Retro, Rays Take Division Title

9/23/2026

Author

Ted Grellner
23 Sep

In partnership with

GOOD MORNING

Congrats to the Rays! Keep it going.

Dr Ted
USAF Retired

 
SUBSCRIBE (& Access Past Issues):
Share with your friends here —> https://www.NTWCLP.com

NOTE to New Subscribers:
— If Gmail cuts off your newsletter, click “Read Online” in UR corner
— Despite minimizing sources that require a 3rd party subscription to read, we’ll use stories from these sources that are very informative: ($) businessinsider.com, tampabay.com 

In this issue of NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse

Local News

— J.C. Newman Hiring 100 Workers for New Ybor City Hotel, Restaurant and Cigar Club

— Buddy Brew Expands Across Tampa Bay With New Sprouts Cafes

Entertainment

— ‘The Painted Fan’ Turns 1948 Tampa Into Setting for Mystery and Romance

Sports

— Rays Clinch AL East Crown for Fifth Division Title Since 2008

The CBD Brand that Actually Does What It Says

CBD is having a moment and CBD brands are everywhere right now. But with so many options, it can be tough to know what to look for – and which brands actually follow through on their claims.

That’s where CBDistillery sets itself apart. For the past decade, all of CBDistillery's products have been made with non-GMO, US-grown industrial hemp and with 100% clean ingredients – no corn syrup or artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners.

They frequently introduce new and innovative products formulated to meet a variety of wellness needs and customer preferences. And every single batch of CBDistillery’s gummies, oil tinctures, topicals and softgels are tested by an independent, accredited lab to make sure what’s in the package matches what’s on the label.

Right now, CBDistillery is offering our readers a special deal: save 50% on orders of $75 or more with code NEWS50!

J.C. Newman Hiring 100 Workers for New Ybor City Hotel, Restaurant and Cigar Club

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. is hiring about 100 workers as it prepares to open a new boutique hotel, restaurant and cigar lounge across from its historic Ybor City cigar factory.

The fourth-generation family company has restored the 1910 Sanchez y Haya Building, once an important gathering place for cigar workers and neighborhood residents. The property will house The Inn at El Reloj, Elaine’s restaurant and Stanford’s Cigar Club, with all three expected to open in about nine weeks.

Open positions include cooks, dishwashers, bartenders and back-office employees. J.C. Newman says the expansion is designed to help visitors experience Tampa’s history as “Cigar City” while creating new hospitality jobs.

A job fair continues Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2701 N. 16th St. Walk-ins are welcome, and applicants should bring a resume and be prepared for on-the-spot interviews.

Buddy Brew Expands Across Tampa Bay
With New Sprouts Cafes

Tampa-based Buddy Brew Coffee is launching the largest expansion in its 16-year history, opening cafes inside Sprouts Farmers Market stores across Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida.

Its newest location opens Wednesday inside the Sprouts at 12960 S. U.S. Highway 301 in Riverview, becoming the sixth of 10 Buddy Brew cafes planned through the partnership this year. Additional locations are scheduled for Carrollwood, Palm Harbor, Trinity and Sarasota, with openings expected nearly every week through early November.

Sprouts approached Buddy Brew while searching for a Florida coffee partner, creating an opportunity for the local company to enter rapidly growing communities it had not previously served.

The Riverview cafe will offer Buddy Brew’s full menu, including espresso drinks, cold brew, matcha, smoothies and food. Wednesday’s grand opening begins at 10 a.m., with gift bags for the first 25 customers, $3 seasonal drinks and a chance to win free coffee for a year.

‘The Painted Fan’ Turns 1948 Tampa Into Setting for Mystery and Romance

Inverness author Paula Braley is taking readers back to 1948 Tampa in her new romantic historical thriller, The Painted Fan, published under the pen name P.J. Braley.

The novel follows a young woman interning at a downtown Tampa law firm who tumbles down a spiral staircase during a storm — and mysteriously awakens in the same building nearly eight decades earlier. Now a nightclub and brothel, the building places her amid Tampa’s shadowy underworld.

She soon discovers a human-trafficking plot involving three kidnapped women from Havana and a nightclub connected to the Tampa Mafia. With only three days to intervene, she must determine whom she can trust.

Braley, who once lived and worked in Tampa, drew inspiration from the city’s historic architecture, her own experience working in a law office with a spiral staircase, and her research into Tampa’s organized-crime history.

Rays Clinch AL East Crown for Fifth Division Title Since 2008

The Tampa Bay Rays clinched the American League East title Tuesday, securing their fifth division championship since the franchise dropped “Devil” from its name in 2008.

Tampa Bay entered its doubleheader against the New York Yankees positioned to finish the job after a remarkable final stretch at home. The Rays went 8-1 during their final homestand and posted a franchise-record 55 home victories this season, helping propel them to the division crown.

It marks the Rays’ first AL East championship since 2021 and guarantees another trip to the postseason, which begins Sept. 29.

Tampa Bay could also bring playoff baseball back to Tropicana Field. The Rays’ most recent home postseason appearance came in 2023, when the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers eliminated them in the Wild Card Series.

The championship adds another milestone for the franchise as plans for a new Rays stadium move forward.

Tampa Bay’s Best Live Music

Aug
Source:

Things to do Around Pasco this weekend:
Sept
Source:
Things to do Around
Tampa & WC
9/24- 9/30
Source:
tampabaybeacons.com

What Did You Think of This Issue?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

—> Comments are welcomed after voting

If you enjoy starting your day with these short daily news summaries, please refer your friends:

Reader Comments

“Always informative and interesting!”
“I always enjoy reading your updates. Thanks so much!”
“My favorite morning coffee companion!”
“As always! Appreciate the positivity!! Best morning read.”
“I always enjoy these issues. Thanks so much!”
“Best local newsletter!”
“Love seeing all the community events in one place. The calendar is
getting crowded.
“Always has good info and to the point.”
“Read this in the am. I like the new restaurants feature so I know when things will open. ”
“Keep up on the great information.”
“Good local coverage. Great job.”
“News is concise and no nonsense. I always appreciate it!”
“Good mix and balance of interesting, newsworthy and entertaining content.”
“Happy to read something other than politics. Great job.”
“This is my daily morning read. Great info. ”
“Love the attention grabbing topics that encompass what’s going on now as well as future implications. Great job. ”
“I get Information here that I might otherwise miss.”
“I love this newsletter, the type of information without the useless fillers.”

Any suggestions are always welcomed - Thanks