🌱 Juneteenth Freedom Fest + Gov. DeSantis Cuts Italian Club Funding

Good morning, neighbors. It's Saturday in Tampa and I'm Carlos Hernandez back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Today you'll find news about these stories and more...

• FDOH has issued a public health advisory for Ben T. Davis Beach.
• The Italian Club joined a group of projects vetoed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the state budget.
• Protesters in Tampa marched on Thursday once again against the new immigration law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

But first, today's weather: A t-storm around in the p.m. High: 89 Low: 76.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in Hillsborough County has issued a public health advisory for Ben T. Davis Beach due to high fecal matter. The public is not advised to swim during this time. The beach will be re-sampled in a week. (Tampa Patch)
2. More protests were held on Thursday in Tampa over a new immigration law called SB 1718 signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The law will take effect in less than two weeks. Employers are worried that jobs will go unfilled, and migrants flee the state to neighboring areas, harming the Florida economy. (WFLA)
3. The Italian Club was not spared by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in state budget cuts. The funding was planned to be used for building restoration and a code compliance initiative. The Italian Club is in need of upgrades and is the oldest Italian society in the United States. (Florida Politics)
4. Juneteenth Freedom Fest is today, June 17, at Tropicana Field in Pinellas County from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free and family-friendly event will feature minority and woman-owned vendors, food trucks, a live concert and more. The event is hosted by Saturday Shoppes. (ABC Action News)
5. Funding has been vetoed in the state budget once again by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for a connector road to access a Moffitt Cancer Center Life Sciences campus in Pasco County. The budget cuts were part of $511 million in vetoed projects. The Pasco campus has been a priority for Rep. Randy Maggard, a Republican from Dade City. (Florida Politics)

Today in Tampa:

• Downtown Tampa Walking Tour at Lykes Gaslight Park. (10 a.m.)
• Frostbite Theater at Seminole Heights Branch Library. (11 a.m.)
• Scratch Coding Video Game Design at 78th Street Community Library. (4 p.m.)
• Three Years Of Two Shepherds Taproom Glow Foam Party at Two Shepherds Taproom. (7 p.m.)
• Slumber Pawty at The Humane Society Of Tampa Bay. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The University of Tampa shared: "CyberSpartans, UT's cybersecurity camp geared towards high school students, took place last week. The five-day camp focuses on providing foundational cybersecurity knowledge, increasing the interest of a diverse group of students in cybersecurity education and careers, and creating awareness for safe online behavior." (The University of Tampa via Facebook)
• Tampa General Hospital shared: "Thursday we proudly cut the ribbon on the brand-new TGH Kennedy Emergency Center, marking a major addition to the emerging Tampa Medical and Research District." (Tampa General Hospital via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "After a two-year collaboration with scientists, community members, energy modelers, and city staff, the City of Tampa is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated release of Tampa's first Climate Action & Equity Plan." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Saturday.

— 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