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August 27, 2026

More Than a Place to Retire: Sun City Center Created a New Way of Life
By Editor Holly Wagner Holly@observernews.net They arrived carrying moving boxes, family photographs and memories of the lives they had left behind. Some came from…

From Ruskin to the Rock: The Brothers Who Vanished From Alcatraz
By Editor Holly Wagner Holly@observernews.net Long before John and Clarence Anglin slipped through the crumbling walls of America’s most feared prison, they were two…

Lord’s Lighthouse: a Small Ministry Serving Big Needs
By LOIS KINDLE lekindle@aol.com Times are tight for everyone these days, but for the poorest of the poor — the people who fall outside…

Crisis Center Underscores Need for Suicide Awareness
By LOIS KINDLE lekindle@aol.com Most people assume the top causes of death are all medical conditions like heart disease, cancer and stroke. But suicide…

Rock & Roll for Rescue Hits the Firehouse Cultural Center
By LOIS KINDLE lekindle@aol.com The Firehouse Cultural Center has a special treat coming up Sunday, Sept. 20, filled with laughter, live music and community…

Regular season football kicks off in Hillsborough County for the South Shore Six Lennard nearly pulls upset; Sumner, East Bay, Spoto, and Morgan notch wins
By FRANCIS FEDOR francisfotography@outlook.com Regular season football kicked off under the lights in Hillsborough County on Friday, Aug. 21, and included a full slate…

Buffalo Soldiers memorial adds new chapter to Hillsborough’s Veterans Memorial Park
By LINDA CHION KENNEY linda@observernews.net A memorial honoring the Buffalo Soldiers will be dedicated this weekend at the Hillsborough County Veterans Memorial Park and…
August 20, 2026

Before it is a gift, it is a tragedy
By Editor Holly Wagner Holly@observernews.net People often tell adoption stories as fairy tales. A child finds a family. A family finds a child. Everyone…

Cockroach Bay: The story behind one of Florida’s most unusual names
By Editor Holly Wagner Holly@observernews.net Cockroach Bay is a name that almost always makes first-time visitors smile or wrinkle their noses. For many, the…

University of South Florida Football readies for final Raymond James season Hartline takes the reins and looks to build momentum for move to on-campus stadium
By FRANCIS FEDOR francisfotography@outlook.com As the University of South Florida readies to open a new chapter of Bulls football with a new head coach,…

South Shore Football returns to the field for preseason action Final tune-up before it gets real and the chase for glory begins
By FRANCIS FEDOR francisfotography@outlook.com In the first week of the 2026 season of Friday Night Lights in Hillsborough County, all of the South Shore…

Newly formed not-for-profit invests in South Shore communities
By LOIS KINDLE lekindle@aol.com The South Shore Legacy Fund is bringing people together — longtime residents, new families, young adults and retirees — to…

‘Blue Funk’ symposiums to explore falls, depression
By LOIS KINDLE lekindle@aol.com There's a big difference between feeling blue and being depressed. The first is a brief emotional dip that’s more temporary…

Entry deadlines set for ‘Celebrate America’ Hillsborough County Fair
By LINDA CHION KENNEY linda@observernews.net The Greater Hillsborough County Fair is weeks away, but for anyone planning to compete, exhibit livestock, enter a creative…
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