🌱 Historic Tampa Golf Course Revitalization + Little Skimmer Progress

Hey, Tampa. TGIF! I'm here right on time with your fresh copy of the Tampa Daily, filled with all the community news you need to know right now. Let's do this.

First, today's weather:

Hot; a stray p.m. t-storm. High: 94 Low: 80.

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Here are the top five stories in Tampa today:

1. Rat lungworm, a parasite which can cause meningitis, has been found in Pasco County's invasive giant African land snails. 2,000 specimens have been collected by Florida Department of Agriculture since the discovery of the snails in late June. The snails have reportedly not expanded after a quarantine zone was established. (WFLA)

2. Swimply is an app that allows homeowners to rent out their swimming pools by the hour. The service is now available in Tampa. The price ranges from $15 an hour to several hundreds of dollars an hour and many pools on Swimply allow parties to be thrown. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times)

3. Bird Rides Inc. has filed a lawsuit against the city of Tampa for an alleged public records violation and seeks to reverse a decision by Tampa to take the company's e-scooters off the streets. A city of Tampa spokesperson told Tampa Bay Business Journal that the city cannot comment on pending litigation. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Business Journal)

4. First Tee of Tampa Bay and the Tampa Sports Authority are working together to bring a par 3, 9-hole short course to Tampa's historic Rogers Park at 7910 North 30th Street. The public will be able to play for a small admission fee once open. During segregation, Rogers Park was the only picnic area for the Black community in Tampa and was named after a well-respected Black businessman, Garfield Devoe Rogers Sr. (Tampa Patch)

5. The City of Tampa's new Litter Skimmer collected 840 pounds of debris in its first week. The trash boat collects items including plastic bags, water bottles, pieces of wood and Styrofoam. (ABC Action News)

Today in Tampa:

• Jurassic Quest at Florida State Fairgrounds. (9 a.m.)
• Essential Oils With Brooke Layton at Bruton Memorial Library. (11 a.m.)
• 'The Art Of Life' Tribute To Suzanne Camp at The Florida Museum of Photographic Art. (noon)
• Fourth Friday Along Tampa Riverwalk. (5 p.m.)
• Tampa Roller Derby Game: Black Widows Vs. Cigar City at Skateworld Of Tampa. (9 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• President Joe Biden will not visit Tampa on Monday after receiving a positive COVID-19 test result. (Tampa Patch)
• The Bureau of Justice Assistance has allocated $152,766 in fiscal year 2023 local Justice Assistance Grant funds to Hillsborough County for use beginning October 1. Grant funding will be used by the county for various criminal justice programs. (Tampa Patch)
• Local activists plan to protest Turning Point USA's Student Action Summit this weekend in downtown Tampa. Planned speakers include former President Donald Trump, Trump Jr., Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, Senator Ted Cruz, Rick Scott, Gov. Ron DeSantis, congressman Matt Gaetz, and others. (Creative Loafing Tampa)
• John 'Buck' O'Neil, the first Black coach in Major League Baseball and a talented first baseman in the Negro League, will now has a permanent mural in Sarasota in the Rosemary Art and Design District. (WTSP)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday! 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 Daily? Contact me at SouthTampa@Patch.com