What Happened This Week in Valrico

Here's your weekly check-in for everything going on in Valrico, Bloomingdale, and eastern Hillsborough County for the week of March 16-21, 2026.

The Rundown

• Spring break + 24/7 construction on Boyette Road. Hillsborough County schools were out all week for spring break, and the South Hillsborough Pipeline contractor took full advantage. From Monday through Saturday, crews worked around the clock on Boyette Road between Pure Pebble Drive and Wickerwood Drive. The 24/7 schedule was specifically timed to reduce impact while school traffic was minimal. If you live near Boyette, you probably heard it.

• HCSO dismantles $388K luxury car theft ring with Riverview chop shop. Three suspects — Yoan Gonzalez Solorzano (25), Javier Penate Berbe (24), and Christien Ravi Bisnath (31) — were arrested after detectives traced a multi-state vehicle theft operation to a chop shop in Riverview. Between December 2025 and March 2026, the trio targeted high-end vehicles from dealerships and auctions across Florida and other states. Recovered vehicles included GMC Yukons, Cadillac Escalades, and a Dodge Charger. The suspects used fraudulent VIN swaps to resell stolen cars.

• Burn ban extended for 10th consecutive week. On March 19, Hillsborough County renewed the emergency burn ban again. The county has now been under continuous burn restrictions since mid-January. Register for HCFL Alert at HCFL.gov/HCFLAlert to get text or email updates.

• Strawberry Crest cheerleading makes history. The Strawberry Crest High School cheerleading program — 40 athletes and seven coaches — now holds the most cheerleading titles in all of Hillsborough County. The Osprey Observer highlighted the program's dominance this week.

• South Kings Avenue still closed. The S. Kings Ave closure between Center Avenue and Bloomingdale Avenue continues for the pipeline project. No timeline change announced. Continue using John Moore Road or Providence Road as alternates.

• Rotary Club stays active. The local Rotary chapter published its March spotlight covering meetings, community service projects, and upcoming events. The club continues to be one of the most active civic organizations in the Valrico-FishHawk corridor.

• Water restrictions remain at Stage 3. Once-a-week watering only. Tampa Bay Water has not indicated when restrictions might ease. With no significant rain in the forecast, plan for this to continue into April.

New Business Spotlight

Scandinavian Designs at Lake Brandon Village is settling in nicely since opening its first Florida location at 11345 Causeway Blvd. in Brandon. If you missed the opening last fall, now is a good time to check out the 30,000-square-foot showroom of modern, Scandinavian-style furniture. The space replaced the old Buy Buy Baby and is a genuine upgrade for anyone shopping for quality furniture without driving to Tampa. Open seven days a week. More details in our full write-up.

Weather Outlook

Spring break weather cooperated — highs in the low 80s east of I-75, upper 70s closer to the coast. Expect dry, sunny conditions to continue through the weekend. Lows in the low 60s. No rain relief in sight for the drought.

Community Question

What did your family do for spring break this year — staycation or road trip? We're always looking for local activity ideas to share. Let us know what worked (and what was overcrowded).

More on Valrico.blog

• Scandinavian Designs Opens Its First Florida Store in Brandon
• Porch Pirates in Valrico: How to Protect Your Packages
• History of Valrico, Florida