🌱 HART Suspends Transit Services + The Birdie Club Indoor Golf Center

Good morning, friends and happy Wednesday. It's me, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Tampa Patch newsletter — here to explain everything you need to know about what's happening in the community today. Today's issue includes...

• St. Pete-Clearwater Airport closed Tuesday and hopes to re-open today.
• HART is suspending transit services today due to Hurricane Idalia.
• The Birdie Club is a new indoor golf center opening on South Dale Mabry Highway.

But first, today's weather: Some wind and rain. High: 86 Low: 79.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. St. Pete-Clearwater Airport closed on Tuesday afternoon ahead of Hurricane Idalia, according to the airport's social media post. The airport plans to re-open today at 3 p.m., if the weather allows for it. Passengers are encouraged to reach out to their air carrier for updates. (St. Pete Patch)
2. Hillsborough County Water Resources is encouraging residents to conserve water usage as power outages become likely with Hurricane Idalia impacting the state and Tampa Bay area. The county is offering several tips for residents to reduce consumption. Some tips include taking shorter showers, filling bathtubs to conserve water, as well as doing full loads of laundry. (WFLA)
3. The Birdie Club is a new indoor golf simulator facility in South Tampa located at 3407 S Dale Mabry Highway. The facility includes a 280-square-foot putting green and over 150 virtual golf simulators. The business is opening soon, and reservations can be made online. Prices start at $35 an hour. Memberships are available. (That's So Tampa)
4. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) is suspending transit service today due to safety concerns from Hurricane Idalia. The service suspended include all bus, van and streetcar service. HART hopes to restore service on Thursday. (Florida Politics)
5. Tampa-based Agile Thought filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday as the company plans to go private. The company owed over $221 million to creditors as of the filing. It went public in 2021. (St. Pete Catalyst)

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Today in Tampa:

Wednesday, August 30

Events are subject to cancellation due to Hurricane Idalia.

• Musical Bingo at Sparkman Wharf. (7 p.m.)
• Small Batch Trivia from Geeks Who Drink at Zydeco Brew Werks. (7:30 p.m.)
• Trivia Game Night at Southern Brewing. (7:30 p.m.)
• Open Mic Night at Kava Culture Kava Bar. (8 p.m.)
• Blue Moon Goddess Release Ceremony at Moon Drop Yoga Studio. (8:15 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Humane Society of Tampa Bay shared: "WE ARE OPEN: 🐾 The shelter, intake, and Animal Hospital is open and ready to serve the animals and community. At this time, HSTB plans to be open today, Wednesday, Aug. 30." (Humane Society of Tampa Bay via Facebook)
• Tampa Police Department shared: "As you make your final preparations, your Tampa PD will be there to help keep you and your loved ones safe. Remember, be sure to adhere to all advisories as they are in place for your safety. " (Tampa Police Department via Facebook)
• The University of Tampa shared: "UT's Emergency Operations Team is continuing to monitor the progress of Hurricane Idalia. This is a reminder that UT is closed for all classes, activities, events and non-essential services with the expectation of resuming full campus operations." (The University of Tampa via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "Uber announced free rides to emergency shelters with the code IDALIARELIEF." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

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That's it for today! See you all tomorrow for 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at SouthTampa@Patch.com