Local Government

Adorable puppies stand together on a lush green lawn, embodying innocence and playfulness.

Local Government

Petition demands Hillsborough protect pet shelter's $30M funding

A petition with more than 2,000 signatures is pressing Hillsborough County commissioners to protect roughly $30 million in Community Investment Tax funding for a new Pet Resource Center, as advocates worry the $796 million Rays stadium deal could crowd out the long-promised shelter replacement before a Sept. 24 budget meeting.

September 4, 2026 · 3 min read

Pipeline, site, excavation, dig, constructions, crane, construction site, pipeline, pipeline, pipeline, pipeline, pipeli

Local Government

Apollo Beach pipeline hits tunneling milestones on $505.7M project

Tampa Bay Water reports several tunneling crossings are complete on the $505.7 million South Hillsborough Pipeline, with additional work underway at State Road 60 and the Alafia River ahead of a late 2028 service deadline.

September 4, 2026 · 2 min read

Excavators, construction machine, site, road, machines, construction, tool, construction workers, repair, labor, helmet,

Local Government

Ruskin's South Kings Avenue loses lane for four-week bridge repair

South Hillsborough Pipeline crews will close the exterior southbound lane of South Kings Avenue in Ruskin from Sept. 8 through early October for Buckhorn Creek bridge wall repairs, with a 24-hour closure Sept. 15–18.

September 3, 2026 · 2 min read

A person holds an open laptop in a tilled farm field with two tractors in the background.

Local Government

USDA plan targets survey burden for Ruskin-area farmers

The USDA announced a Data Modernization Plan on Tuesday, Sept. 1, to cut survey burdens and improve crop estimates using satellite technology, with the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District distributing the news to Ruskin-area farmers.

September 3, 2026 · 2 min read

Workers and a crane lower a large steel pipe into a street trench.

Local Government

Woodberry, Limona roads reopen after pipeline tunnel work

Woodberry and Limona roads have reopened at Lakewood Drive after South Hillsborough Pipeline microtunnel work finished, but open-trench construction on Woodberry Road is scheduled to begin in mid-2027 and last about a year.

August 31, 2026 · 2 min read

Hillsborough County FL Satellite Topographic Map 3D Render Color

Local Government

Tampa pays $585K after millions of gallons hit Hillsborough Bay

Tampa settled with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for $584,734 after treated water released into Hillsborough Bay failed to meet water-quality standards more than 80 times between 2022 and 2025, and millions of gallons of untreated and partially treated wastewater entered the bay during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, raising concerns for Apollo Beach and Ruskin waterfront communities.

August 31, 2026 · 3 min read

Engineer, engineering, civil engineer, maps, diagram, plans, flood prevention, civil engineer, civil engineer, civil eng

Local Government

Hillsborough staff complete NOAA flood-mapping training

Twenty-six GIS professionals and floodplain managers from across Tampa Bay, including Hillsborough County staff, completed a two-day NOAA inundation mapping course on Aug. 19-20, strengthening the region's ability to model flood risks in fast-growing coastal areas like Apollo Beach and Ruskin.

August 28, 2026 · 2 min read

Young children sit at a school cafeteria table eating breakfast with food trays and milk cartons.

Local Government

Hillsborough nutrition leader earns statewide hunger award

Hillsborough County Public Schools regional supervisor James Lykins was named one of five 2026 Summer Hunger Heroes by No Kid Hungry Florida after the district distributed more than 650,000 free meals at over 150 sites, including grab-and-go locations serving Apollo Beach and Ruskin families.

August 28, 2026 · 1 min read

Wooden boardwalk with metal rails stretching over a calm, tree-lined river.

Local Government

Ruskin crew removes 100 derelict vessels from Hillsborough waterways

Hillsborough County's three-person Marine Safety Unit, based at E.G. Simmons Conservation Park in Ruskin, maintains more than 1,000 waterway signs and has removed over 100 derelict vessels from local rivers and Tampa Bay in six years.

August 28, 2026 · 2 min read

Exterior of a wastewater treatment plant with large cylindrical tanks and chain-link fencing.

Local Government

Hillsborough utility earns AAA rating ahead of $700M bond sale

Hillsborough County's water utility earned a AAA credit rating upgrade from S&P, joining Moody's and Fitch at the top mark, as the county prepares its largest-ever bond sale of up to $700 million for the One Water Campus serving Apollo Beach, Ruskin and surrounding communities.

August 28, 2026 · 2 min read

Multi-lane highway interchange with concrete barriers and elevated bridge structures.

Local Government

Hillsborough TPO takes public comment on 22-project road plan through Sept. 8

The Hillsborough TPO is accepting public comments until 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8 on a 22-project amendment to its five-year transportation plan, which the board will vote on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

August 27, 2026 · 2 min read

The cultivation of, vegetables, tamato, watering, watering can, water, tomatoes, cocktail, nature, breed, water the gard

Local Government

Aquifer deficit deepens; weekly watering limit stays through October

The Southwest Florida Water Management District's 12-month rainfall deficit has grown to 15 inches, and water experts say summer thunderstorms cannot recharge the aquifer fast enough to lift the Modified Phase III restrictions keeping Apollo Beach and Ruskin residents on once-a-week watering through Oct. 1.

August 26, 2026 · 3 min read

Apollo Beach-Ruskin Tribune

Apollo Beach-Ruskin Tribune

Apollo Beach-Ruskin Tribune