Hillsborough Passes School Mask Mandate+Cigar Factory Restoration

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

In this issue, you'll learn the latest on the mask mandate fight in schools, a new airline route, changes come to a cigar factory, and more. Now, let's get started.

First, today's weather: Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day. High: 92 Low: 77.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Hillsborough school board members voted to tighten mask rules for the next 30 days after an intense 4 1/2 hour debate in defiance of Governor Ron DeSantis. This comes after 10,722 students and staff have been placed under quarantine and 1,421 students as well as 537 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. A written note from a doctor is needed to exempt kids and the order applies to students, teachers, and staff. (Tampa Patch)

2. Allegiant Airlines has announced plans to begin a new nonstop service between Key West and St. Petersburg in November for as low as $39. Flights must be purchased by August 19th, 2021 for travel by May 17th, 2022. (WFLA)

3. 64% of Floridians say that more action is needed to protect the state's environment from population growth and development. They also overwhelmingly approve of the $400 million Florida Wildlife Corridor Act. (Tampa Patch)

4. The Y. Pendas y Alvarez Cigar Factory in West Tampa will become a winery and bar. $3 million will be spent restoring the building. (Tampa Bay Times)

5. The Tampa City Council says the 2022 budget should have more money to tackle the affordable housing "crisis". Council Chair Orlando Gudes says more needs to be done for "underprivileged residents who need quality, accessible housing" and other council members echoed concerns. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

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Today in Tampa

• Bilingual Story Time: Spanish/Español. (9:30 AM)
• STCOC Education Committee Meeting - South Tampa Chamber of Commerce. (3:00 PM)
• Tampa Theatre's Summer Classics Series. (3:00 PM)
• Evening Stories: Back to School Edition. (6:00 PM)
• Downtown Tampa Food Truck Rally. (6:00 PM)
• Bar Method Class At Armature Works (6:30 PM)

Tampa Patch Notebook

• Florida leads the country in percentage of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.
• Norwegian Cruise's CEO blasted Florida and Governor Ron DeSantis for appealing its vaccine mandate calling it "shameful."
• Kiera | Tampa Bay Foodie: "Everything Bagel with scallion cream cheese from @petes_general! bagel + some cold brew from one of my favs, @madecoff..." (Instagram)
• Clean Recovery Center: "Is it time for a new, sober life? Contact us to discuss treatment options with Clean Recovery Centers. Call 866-595-5..." (Instagram)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you around! If you're loving 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? Email me at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com.