Bucs Visit White House + Olympus Pools + Charter School Reversal

Good morning, people of Tampa! It's me again, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Tampa Daily.

In this issue, you'll learn the latest on charter schools in Hillsborough County, a fight over swimming pools, The Tampa Bay Bucs White House visit, and more. Now, let's get started.

First, today's weather: Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day. High: 91 Low: 79.

Here are the top stories today in Tampa:

1. Local sweets hotspot Bake’n Babes is planning a second location on Davis Islands. The brand became famous for partnerships and support from celebrities including Lizzo. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

2. The Hillsborough County School Board has reversed course on charter schools after threats from the state. The state could have withheld up to $950 million if they didn't renew the schools' contracts. The school board voted 6-1 to renew on Tuesday morning. (Fox 13 Tampa Bay)

3. 40 “Notice of Intent to Foreclose” letters are being sent to Olympus Pools customers and homeowners including many in the Tampa Bay area by a national commercial collections company. Olympus and/or the homeowner will have 45 days to pay the debt or a foreclosure lawsuit will be filed. It's especially terrible for homeowners with unfinished pools and massive holes in their backyards who have mostly already paid for the services. (WFLA)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers champion Tom Brady visited the White House with the team on Tuesday. It was Brady's first visit since 2005 with the New England Patriots when George W. Bush was in office. (Patch)

5. Marine biologists are on high alert and monitoring dolphins for any impact from red tide. In 2018 and 2019, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found 180 of Florida’s West Coast dolphins were killed by the toxic algae blooms. (ABC Action News)

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Today in Tampa

• Summer Days at Painting with a Twist Tampa West. (12:00 PM)
• Posie's Flower Truck at Hyde Park Village. (12:00 PM)
• Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays. (12:10 PM)
• Hip Hop Dance Workshop at TRIBE Seminole Heights. (1:00 PM)
• Central Park Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Community Advisory Committee Meeting. (4:00 PM)
• Pokemon and Popcorn at TRIBE Seminole Heights. (5:00 PM)
• Armature Works Run Club. (6:30 PM)
• Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (2021) at Tampa Theatre. (7:30 PM)

Tampa Patch Notebook

• The Hill: Tom Brady: "Not a lot of people think that we could've won [the Super Bowl]. In fact, I think about 40 percent of the people still don't think we won. You understand that, Mr. President?" (Twitter)
• The 4th annual Grow Garden Conference is on July 24th from 9 AM to 3 PM.
• Darden Rice: "Yes, this is a thing. Be smart, people. Lives are at stake. -> Stop leaving guns in unlocked cars. The habit contributes to St. Petersburg’s shootings crisis | Editorial" (Twitter)
• Tampa General Hospital: "TGH is experiencing nearly 4x more #COVID19 admissions than a month ago, with nearly all of them involving unvaccinated patients. With less than 50% of Floridians fully vaccinated, Dr. Wilson explains to @FOX13News how important it is to get your vaccine." (Twitter)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Jeff Bezos is about to soar on his space travel company’s first flight with people on board." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "The woman told investigators that he grabbed her hair, kissed her and tried to rape her but stopped because he didn’t..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "The coronavirus tool of managing crowds at Busch Gardens has ended. You no longer need a reservation in advance." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "No matter how far over the speed limit you drive, be it on an interstate highway or a local by-way, whether crossing ..." (Facebook)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (July 31)

Housing:

• 4-bed/3-bath Beach House for sale in Madeira Beach (Details)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you soon. If you're into these newsletters, consider bringing some more friends and neighbors on board. 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? I'm all ears. You can email me at SouthTampa@Patch.com.