Good morning, neighbors. School's almost back, and this week the district handed parents a rewritten rulebook to read before day one. We've also got a $50-million project about to tear into a road many of you drive daily, a huge free family fair landing in Citrus Park, and — yes — quick check-ins on the two stories you've been following. Let's get into it.

With classes back in a couple of weeks, Hillsborough County has rewritten its student dress code, and it's worth a read before you send anyone out the door. The new additions for fall: no pajamas, shorts and skirt hemlines have to reach midthigh, face and head coverings aren't allowed except for religious reasons, spiked jewelry is out, and leggings or spandex are only okay if they're covered by something that reaches midthigh.

But the more interesting story is why it changed. District officials rewrote the policy after actually sitting down with middle and high schoolers, and the loudest theme wasn't the rules — it was fairness. The push started when a Robinson High senior told the school board last December that the code gets enforced unevenly, in a way that can single out some students over others wearing the same thing. In response, the district added language promising the code will be applied "in a fair, respectful and consistent manner," and won't be enforced differently based on a student's body type, size, gender, race, ethnicity or disability.

For parents around here, the practical takeaway is simple: skim the updated code of conduct before the first day so nobody gets surprised. And it's a fair reader question worth asking back — does a stricter written rule actually fix an enforcement problem? We'll be curious what you think.

The clock is the story now. The county approved the 1,000-student Apex Academy on July 8, and the window for opponents to appeal runs roughly 30 days from that ruling — meaning the deadline lands in early August, this week. Preserve Rural Lutz, now a formal nonprofit represented by attorney Jane Graham, has said it'll file a motion for reconsideration first and an appeal if that fails; its legal fund was hovering around $19,550 (about 97% of a $20,000 goal) heading into the deadline. Nothing had been filed as of the weekend, and the Naidip Foundation still hasn't applied for the site plan or building permit it needs. By our next issue, we'll know whether they pulled the trigger. Updates will likely happen on our Facebook page once it drops. Stay tuned.

Heads up if Waters Avenue is part of your routine: the county is about to start a $50 million replacement of an aging wastewater pipeline beneath it, and this is a multi-year job, not a weekend patch. Crews will replace 22,000 feet of pipe — about four miles, running from west of North Manhattan Avenue out to Sheldon Road, passing under the Veterans Expressway. Work is set to begin this fall and run until roughly early 2028.

The short version of why: a 2021 assessment found the old line was deteriorating, and the county says replacing it now heads off leaks, spills and emergency repairs as the area keeps growing. Residents got a first look at an open house at the Town 'N' Country library on July 13; there's a project page at hcfl.gov/cip/10323000 if you want the maps.

Plaza at Citrus Park Update

HomeGoods

sign is up!!!

Last call, and this one's genuinely this-week: after 33 years, Kumba takes its final public rides Sunday, August 2 (annual pass members get an exclusive send-off Saturday the 1st, 8–11 a.m.). The park has a "Final Roar" photo op set up plus farewell merch — a shirt ($24.99) and pin ($9.99). The softer note: it's not just disappearing. Busch Gardens is replacing it with "Kumba's Revenge," billed as part of a $100 million investment and an extension of the original coaster. Go this weekend if you want one last ride, and expect a wait.

Rode Kumba back in the day? Hit reply — first ride, worst wait, best memory. We'll run the good ones.

Saturday, August 1 · 10 a.m.–2 p.m. · Citrus Park Town Center · FREE

Tampa Bay's largest back-to-school fair is in our backyard this year. Hillsborough County Public Schools moved the 19th annual event to Citrus Park Town Center — indoor, air-conditioned, free, with 50+ retailers and resource booths. The headliner for families: free backpacks for the first 1,000 kids in line (the line usually forms around 9 a.m., so get there early). Add face painting, student performances, princess meet-and-greets, and mascots including the Lightning's ThunderBug and ZooTampa. It also falls on a tax-free Saturday, so you can knock out the supply list in the same trip. If you do one thing off this list, make it this.

Florida's back-to-school tax holiday started small — in 1998 it was a single seven-day window that only covered clothing $50 or under. This year it's a full month (July 20–Aug 20) covering clothes, supplies, and even computers up to $1,500. Some years in between, the state skipped it entirely. So the haul you'll grab at Saturday's fair is about as generous as this holiday has ever been.

This week: New school year, new dress code. What's your take? → Good — clear rules help · It's really about fair enforcement · Too strict · Kids have bigger things to worry about SHARE HERE

The Daybreak Mug Awards nominations are still open — if your go-to local coffee shop hasn't gotten a nod yet, now's the time.

Nominate HERE, or tap the QR card next time you're in line.

Know about something I should write about? Reply to this email or find me on Facebook.

See you next Thursday. 😉

— Citrus Park & Carrollwood Weekly