It's Thursday, AKA Friday Jr.

🌧️ Today's weather: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, with a high of 93 and a low of 78.

Sounds like: "National Treasures," Drake.

Today's newsletter is 907 words, a 3.5-minute read.

Tampa is investing more than $2 million to overhaul a 64-year-old wastewater pump station in the Forest Hills neighborhood.

Why it matters: Hurricane Milton inundated the neighborhood in 2024, displacing some residents for months and leaving others still repairing their homes a year later.

• The upgrades are intended to address some of the vulnerabilities Milton exposed.

Driving the news: The Forest Hills station is one of seven damaged across Tampa during the 2024 hurricane season — all of which had their electrical equipment installed below ground.

• The project will replace the aging pumps, add a third pump and move electrical equipment into a flood-proof structure nine feet above ground, according to the city.
• The city's PIPES program is paying for the upgrades. Work at the Forest Hills station began in April.

Yes, but: Much of the flooding Forest Hills saw during Milton came from stormwater, not wastewater, according to Tampa Bay 28.

• Stormwater from surrounding ponds can flow into the low-lying neighborhood, the station reported. To reduce that risk, the city is adding backup power at nearby pump stations.
• Until permanent generators are installed, the city is renting portable generators that can be deployed to stormwater pump stations during hurricane season.

Zoom out: Tampa's efforts to curb flooding haven't been as well received elsewhere.

• Next week, the City Council is expected to consider the construction price for the South Howard Flood Relief Project, a $100 million plan aimed at chronic flooding in South Tampa.
• Business owners along the busy corridor have pushed back, saying years of construction could make it harder for customers to reach them, and some worry their businesses couldn't survive it.

What's next: The city expects to complete the Forest Hills pump station upgrades in 2027.

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The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) welcomed the first of two vessels for its revamped, cross-bay ferry service and landed a $16 million grant from the federal government to build another.

Why it matters: The popular service — which, before it shuttered last year, connected Tampa and St. Petersburg — is one step closer to reopening.

Driving the news: The Bay Breeze, which the transit authority bought for $2.5 million in April, arrived in Tarpon Springs this week.

• Tarpon Marine Service will refurbish the 250-passenger vessel locally before it enters service. The Bay Breeze will later be renamed during a ceremony.
• The second vessel is expected to arrive in the coming weeks and will also be refurbished at the facility. The refurbishment of both vessels is funded by a Federal Transit Administration grant.

The big picture: The transit authority received an additional $16.5 million federal grant to build a third vessel for the service, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced this week.

• The new vessel is expected to accommodate more than 200 passengers, according to the St. Pete Catalyst.

What's next: The Tampa Bay Ferry is expected to begin service later this year.

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🏗️ The team behind the Oxford Exchange plans to build a 550-acre resort in Pasco and Hernando counties, featuring a clubhouse, a wellness spa and dozens of homes for purchase. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

🗣️ Tampa's Tiger Bay Club is hosting a candidate forum at Ybor City's Cuban Club on Friday for all candidates running for the Hillsborough Commission. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

⚖️ Attorney General James Uthmeier filed lawsuits in Hillsborough County against several online casinos, including Stake, arguing that they flout the state's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. (Fox News 13)

Journalist José Alberto Suárez, president and general manager of Telemundo 49 and other Florida stations, died in a helicopter crash in Kenya, along with four other Americans. (WFLA)

Most of Tampa Bay will see its final 8pm sunset of the year this weekend.

The big picture: We lose a little more daylight every day as the Earth's Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the Sun through Dec. 21, the shortest day of the year.

• But the farther west within a time zone you live, the later your sunsets will typically be.

Zoom in: Hillsborough County's last 8pm sunset is Aug. 23, while Pinellas County will see its final 8pm sunset on Aug. 24.

Yes, but: It could be worse.

• Parts of the Florida Panhandle never see an 8pm sunset, even at the height of summer.

Between the lines: As days get shorter, reductions in light exposure can change the balance of brain chemicals like serotonin (which can affect mood) and melatonin (important for sleep), and disrupt the body's circadian rhythm.

The bottom line: Soak up those late summer sunsets while they last. By winter you will be glad you did.

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Thanks to reader Fritz Eichelberger for this photo of a sunset over Bayshore Boulevard, featuring a cameo from SpaceX's Starship Flight 12.

• We love reader photos! Send your best snaps from around Tampa Bay to [email protected], and we might feature them in future newsletters.

📖 Yacob is reading James Baldwin's "Go Tell It on the Mountain" and marveling at the prose.

😴 Kathryn is off.

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This newsletter was edited by Jeff Weiner.