🌱 Five-O Donut Company Expanding + MLK Day Free Park Admission

Hello and happy Monday! I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through all the most important things happening in Tampa. In today's issue, we have these stories and more...

• Enjoy free admission to national parks, museums, and historic sites run by the National Park Service today in honor of MLK, Jr.
• The Five-O Donut Company is expanding in the Tampa Bay area.
• Hillsborough County Republican Party has elected its first Black chairperson.

But first, today's weather:

Plenty of sun. High: 67 Low: 39.

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Here are the top stories today in Tampa:

1. Entrance fees will be waived at national parks, museums and historic sites run by the National Park Service in Florida today, Jan. 16, including places not far from the Tampa Bay area. Some places with free admission include De Soto, Gulf Islands, and more. (Tampa Patch)
2. A Tampa Republican, Rep. Traci Koster, wants to increase penalties for those who refuse to take a breath-alcohol test in Florida. A new penalty would be mandatory installation of ignition interlock devices in their vehicles for a year. (Creative Loafing Tampa)
3. The Five-O Donut Company is expanding throughout Tampa Bay into Bradenton and St. Petersburg. The concept is run by chef Christine Nordstrom and now boasts over six locations. Flavors include Glazed Croissant, Boston Cream, Oreo, Cookie Butter Cheesecake, and more. (Fox 13 Tampa)
4. The Hillsborough County Republican Party has elected its first Black chairperson. Dana Galen of Wimauma is a retired musician and paralegal. She said she moved to Florida for "retirement and a need to be with like-minded people." (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times)
5. Students at University of Tampa said they will continue to use TikTok despite security concerns raised recently around Florida universities. "I probably wouldn’t listen," University of Tampa student Hunter Rainey. University of South Florida has not decided yet on whether to ban the app. (WFLA)

Today in Tampa:

• Figure Drawing at Tampa Museum Of Art. (10 a.m.)
• Dr. Martin Luther King Day Parade at Cuscaden Park. (noon)
• MLK Day at Astro Skate. (1 p.m.)
• HIIT In The Park at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park. (6 p.m.)
• "The Wolves" at Stageworks. (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Lightning shared: ""The Lightning recovered from a slightly shaky start to produce a solid, overall performance. As a result, they begin this season-long five-game road trip with a victory." Dave Mishkin on last night's win over St. Louis." (Tampa Bay Lightning via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "🚧 TRAFFIC ADVISORY 🚧 A crowd of more 60,000+ is expected at Raymond James Stadium Monday afternoon for the Bucs/Cowboys playoff game. Allow for extra travel time. Use alternate routes if not attending." (City of Tampa via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "Did you know Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was advocating for solid waste workers in Memphis when he was tragically assassinated? Learn the history from our solid waste employees in this video and then join the Department at the MLK Parade." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Monday. I'll see you around!

— 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