🌱 'All For Transportation' Tax Defeated + The Serengeti Flyer​ Ride

Hello again, friends! It's me, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Tampa Daily. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town, including:

• ⚖️ The "All For Transportation" tax has been defeated in court by a conservative activist and former transportation board member.
• 🎢 The Serengeti Flyer ride is coming in 2023 to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
• 🚓 16 gunshots were fired into a Riverview home over the weekend in Progress Village.

Today is National Take Your Parents To Lunch Day. The annual celebration brings parents to school lunchrooms.

But first, today's weather:

Humid; a p.m. t-storm or two. High: 87 Low: 73.

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Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. An eighth-grade student was arrested by Tampa Police on Monday morning for allegedly bringing an electronic stun weapon to school at Stewart Middle. Police say they were tipped off by a concerned parent. The accused teenager was charged with felony possession of a weapon on school property. (Tampa Patch)

2. The "All For Transportation" tax has been defeated again in court despite enjoying support from stakeholders around the city after litigation filed by conservative activist Karen Jaroch, a former vice chair of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Board. Jaroch successfully argued to a judge that the language is too broad. (Fox 13 Tampa)

3. The Serengeti Flyer is a new ride coming to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in spring 2023, according to the theme park. The ride "will feature twin dueling arms that soar progressively higher reaching speeds of 68 mph and a maximum height of 135 feet at the ride's peak." (ABC Action News)

4. Indigenous groups will rally on Saturday for the removal of Tampa's Christopher Columbus statue located at 300 Bayshore Blvd. in South Tampa. The U.S. currently observes Christopher Columbus Day despite the man never setting foot in the country and committing atrocities against the people he did encounter in the Caribbean. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

5. 16 gunshots were fired into a Riverview home in Progress Village over the weekend along 82nd Street. The homeowner said he has heard of five shootings in the last three weeks in the Progress Village neighborhood and asking local police to take action. No major injuries were reported. Officials said they are monitoring the area. (WTSP)

Today in Tampa:

• Ybor City Historic Walking Tour at The Cuban Club. (10 a.m.)
• October Tech Fest at The University of Tampa. (5 p.m.)
• I Choose You at 7th + Grove. (6:30 p.m.)
• "The Shining" Movie Night at Drip Ybor. (7 p.m.)
• Official Downtown Tampa Ghost Tour at Tampa Theatre. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa General Hospital has been named on a list of "America's Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers 2022" by Newsweek. The hospital's program was named 10th in Florida for "quality of care, quality of service, quality of follow-up care, and accommodations and amenities." (Tampa Patch)
• University of South Florida (USF) researchers have received a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to help build "more equitable communities." USF will partner with businesses and community members in East Tampa to help prevent inequality from urban infrastructure. (University of South Florida)
• A Tampa startup called CollectCoin has launched NFTs that combine with gaming. Founder Emily Julian believes now is the time to invest in the space. (Subscription: Tampa Bay INNO)
• Hillsborough County Public Schools shared: "Meet Jessica Alvarez, the school social worker at Town and Country Elementary School. She is being recognized this week as our Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight Employee." (Hillsborough County Public Schools via Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with another update!

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Tampa Daily? Contact me at SouthTampa@Patch.com