🌱 Armature Works Haunted Carnival + Kojak's Returns + Tampa Heights Sprouts

Get on up, Tampa! Here's everything you need to know to get this Thursday started off right.

In this issue, you'll learn about a new grocery store now open in Tampa Heights, the return of a popular restaurant, a haunted carnival, and more. Now, let's get started.

First, today's weather:

Showers and a heavier t-storm. High: 84 Low: 75.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Get shopping: There is a new Sprouts Farmers Market now open in Tampa Heights at the Armature Works 101 West 7th Avenue. The Tampa Heights store carries a variety of locally-grown produce. It is the grocery chain's 25th location in Florida. Sprouts is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Patch Tampa)

2. Kojak’s House of Ribs has reopened at what was once a Pizza Hut in Seffner at 1809 South Parsons Avenue. The popular BBQ spot closed its doors last year in South Tampa to make room for new apartments. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

3. Boston-based cybersecurity firm Rapid7 Inc. is opening an office in Tampa. The opening will create more than 100 jobs in data and software engineering, development, customer support, IT and HR. City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor praised the opening in a press release. (St. Pete Catalyst)

4. Developers who want to build more than 400 apartments along the Anclote River in Tarpon Springs are receiving pushback from environmentalists. Activists say there are traffic and wildlife concerns with the project. There are eagles, gophers, and other wildlife who call the area home. (Fox 13 Tampa)

5. A 200,000-square-foot haunted carnival is coming to Armature Works this Halloween weekend with an early start on Thursday. It will feature carnival rides and fair food such as cotton candy, funnel cakes, and elephant ears. DJs will be spinning daily with acts including Carnage, Duke Dumont, Malaa, and more. Tickets are now available. (That's So Tampa)

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Today in Tampa:

• Special Called Board Meeting - Hillsborough County Schools. (11:30 AM)
• 2021 Ybor Chamber Business Expo. (3:00 PM)
• Pied Piper's Haunted Carnival. (4:00 PM)
• The Haunted Tavern: A Dark Pop-Up Cocktail Experience. (4:00 PM)
• Creatures Of The Night At ZooTampa (4:00 PM)

Tampa Patch Notebook

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: "Congratulations to Jerel McCants, Principal-In-Charge of Jerel McCants Architecture, for being recognized as our first Business Game Changer!" (Facebook)
• City of Tampa: "JOB OF THE WEEK - The City of Tampa is hiring a Communications Technician I to help dispatch calls for the Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue. The ideal candidate must be able to react quickly, calmly, and rationally in emer..." (Facebook)
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: "Why wait until the weekend when you can celebrate Halloween now?! Enjoy trick-or-treating daily, today through Sunday in Sesame Street Safari of Fun." (Facebook)
• Hillsborough County Public Schools: "The annual Magnet Schools & Career Technical Education (CTE) EXPO is coming! This year it's bigger and better than ever at a new location! Join us on Friday, November 5, from 5 - 8 PM on the campuses of Riverwalk STEM Academy at Just Ele..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Convention Center: "Join us this Saturday (Oct. 30th) for Sneaker Games - the premier sneaker convention for sneaker enthusiasts to buy, sell, & trade their most valuable sneakers. There will be video games, pick-up sporting events, celebrity meet & greets,..." (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Thursday off right. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update! If you're into these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— 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? Reach out anytime to carlosreportsnews@gmail.com.