Joffrey's Coffee Opening At Midtown Tampa + New Testing Site

Happy Wednesday, Tampa! Let's get you all caught up to start today off on an informed note.

In this issue, you'll learn about 813 Day, a new COVID-19 testing site, a flagship Joffrey's Coffee coming to Tampa, parents opting out of masks in Hillsborough County schools, and more. Now, let's get started.

First, today's weather: Humid throughout the day. High: 93 Low: 76.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Residents and businesses are getting creative to show their love for the 813 area code on August 13th. Participants are encouraged to post their "813" to their own social accounts using the hashtag #813Day in support. (Tampa Patch)

2. The City of Tampa is opening a new COVID-19 testing site at Al Lopez Park. The site is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cordelia B. Hunt Center. Testing is free to the public and no insurance is required. (WFLA)

3. Joffrey's Coffee will open its flagshig café at Midtown Tampa on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. It will offer a variety of coffee and tea beverage options, including espresso, lattes, cold brew, nitro cold brew, ready-to-drink offerings, as well as premium iced and hot teas. (Tampa Patch)

4. Hillsborough County says more than 16,500 parents have filled out the opt-out form for masks in schools or nearly 9% of all students. This is as the coronavirus surges in the region and hospitalizations are at an all-time high at more than 14,000. (Fox 13 Tampa Bay)

5. More affordable housing is coming to Tampa with Legacy ENCORE! which will be five stories tall and have 228 apartments that are intended to become market-rate multi-family housing. Other projects in the works include The Independent at ENCORE!, The Adderley, Precinct Pizza, and ENCORE Community Job Training Center. (83 Degrees Media)

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Today in Tampa

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (8:00 AM)
• Small Business Consulting with SBDC - South Tampa Chamber of Commerce. (10:00 AM)
• Daniel Tiger Appearance at the Glazer Museum. (10:00 AM)
• Ribbon Cutting for Canopy Road Cafe - South Tampa Chamber of Commerce. (11:00 AM)
• Yoga At Westshore Marina District. (10:00 AM)
• Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization Meeting (Hybrid). (10:00 AM)
• Toddler Throwdown at Community Roots Collective. (1:00 PM)
• Book Club - Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (2:00 PM)
• Virtual Teen/Tween Comic Book Club - Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (5:00 PM)
• Heights Night Market at Armature Works. (5:30 PM)
• Tampa Heights Night Market. (5:30 PM)
• Tech Topics: Middle School Resources. (5:30 PM)
• Dancing, Drinking And Eating The Latin Way. (6:00 PM)
• Noche Del Habano at Hotel Haya. (6:00 PM)
• Wednesday Gathering: Meditation Service, Conversation & Music. (6:30 PM)
• Safety Superhero Academy: Escape Plan! (6:30 PM)

Tampa Patch Notebook

• Tae Bae has joined Tampa’s ‘Loud on 7th’ festival in Ybor City next month.
• Greg Angel: "WATCH: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki: Dept of Education is looking at a range of options to help protect teachers and students in Florida. Adds: Florida has not distributed any of the money set aside for them in the American Rescue Plan to help schools reopen safely." (Twitter)
• City of Tampa Jane Castor: "The @MyFDOT_Tampa & @cityoftampa partnered on the installation of a new traffic light at Dr. MLK Jr Blvd & 26th St, a popular pedestrian area. So many residents, officials, & organizations to thank for each playing a part in making this neighborhood a safer place for everyone." (Twitter)
• TECO Line Streetcar: "Celebrate the place we call home on #813Day at @sparkmanwharf! $8.13 specials, and more from 5 PM - 9 PM on 8.13.21. Hop off at @AmalieArena Station." (Twitter)
• City of Tampa: "Calling all student artists! Use your artistic expression to enter the Mayor's Hispanic Heritage Committee Poster Contest! K-12 students can submit by Sept 3rd. Winners will receive a gift card & their artwork will be displayed at @FlyTPA!" (Twitter)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Does the executive branch ... even have a legal authority to be usurping the obligations of a local school district?..." (Facebook)
• The University of Tampa: "The University of Tampa has been ranked as the safest college campus in Florida, and the 19th safest college campus i..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "“I feel pretty anxious, or nervous or maybe even a little bit scared about what do I do to protect myself if I’m goin..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "To mandate masks, or not to mandate masks? That is the question facing Florida school districts as classes resume." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "It's another strange school year and we're wondering how you're feeling this week. Give us your feedback." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Around 40 percent of incarcerated people in state custody have been vaccinated. But staff vaccine rates are opaque." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "At the press conference Crist announced a new policy that would aim to help new residents transition." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Local meteorologists aren't too concerned about the storm, which still has to pass over mountainous Caribbean islands..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "The lawsuit lays out a number of ways that Florida says Piney Point's owner failed. But critics say there's another w..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Families of at least seven residents who died after contracting COVID-19 at the facility have filed suits against its..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "The Pinellas school district is moving full-steam ahead with masks "highly recommended" but not required despite a Sc..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "The pandemic has reshaped how Americans exercise and upended the fitness industry, accelerating the growth of a new e..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Businesses large and small are reinstituting mask mandates as U.S. coronavirus cases rise." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "“The whole purpose of this is they entered into an agreement in order to get higher densities, and now they got it an..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Deputies said he told them he wanted to conduct a mass shooting of 70 to 80 people." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "The motorcyclist, who was from Brooksville, later died from his injuries at a local hospital." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Some Tampa Bay providers are helping older adults reduce the number of unnecessary – and at times risky – medications..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Today begins the third school year affected by the coronavirus pandemic as students in Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernan..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "College coaches all over the country counted on him. When talented players couldn't afford his camp, he snuck them in..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Times: "Tributes to Bobby Bowden continued to roll in from across the state Monday, a day after the FSU football legend's death." (Facebook)
• TAMPA Downtown Magazine: "Counting down the days until the Tampa Bay Lightning take the ice again on October 12 ️ @tblightning #tam..." (Instagram)

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You're all caught up for today! I'll see you around. If you're liking these newsletters, consider bringing some more friends and neighbors along for the ride. 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? Contact me at SouthTampa@Patch.com.