🌱 Mayor Jane Castor Re-Elected + Last Tampa Hamburger Mary's Closing

Hello again, everybody! It's Wednesday in Tampa and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in town. In this issue, you'll learn about...

• City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has been re-elected, while Citro has been outsted and Gudes could lose his seat on the Tampa City Council
• Electric bills in Tampa Bay are rising after Florida state officials approved rate hikes for TECO, Duke, and FPL
• The last remaining Hamburger Mary's in Tampa Bay will close March 12

But first, today's weather: An afternoon shower; warm. High: 85 Low: 61.

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Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castro has been re-elected as analysts expected, according to unofficial results from Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer. "Thank you, Tampa, for four more years. Together we'll continue lifting up every neighborhood and improving the quality of life of every resident," said Castor. Meanwhile Tampa Commission chairman Joseph Citro has been outsted and incumbent Orlando Gudes could lose his seat when the official vote is in. (Tampa Patch)
2. Tampa Councilman Bill Carlson has secured re-election after being challenged by McDonald's millionaire Black Casper, according to unofficial results. Carlson was badly outspent by Casper but kept an edge with the grassroots. Casper was controversial for a number of reasons, including suggested arresting people panhandling to deal with homelessness amid an affordable housing crisis in Tampa. (Creative Loafing Tampa, Florida Politics)
3. The last remaining Hamburger Mary's in Tampa Bay will shut down on March 12. Locations have suffered since the health department incorrectly shut one location down for alleged Hepatitis A. The location will host events through their closing date. (WTSP)
4. Two small planes collided Tuesday afternoon in Winter Haven and left at least two people dead, according to Winter Haven Police Department. It is not clear yet how many people were aboard the plane or how many people were impacted by the crash. (WFLA)
5. Local electric bills will be rising after Florida state government officials approved rate hikes for TECO, Duke, and FPL. The increases come amid record inflation rates in Florida, including in Tampa Bay. The current monthly 1,000 kWh residential bill of $146.72 will jump $14.41 to $161.13 beginning in Apri 2023. (Bay News 9)

Today in Tampa:

• Women In Business at USF Muma College Of Business Atrium. (11:30 a.m.)
• Gov. Ron DeSantis 'Courage to Be Free' Book Signing at Books-A-Million. (1:30 p.m.)
• Donuts + Deep Dives Workshop at Industrious Tampa Downtown. (5:30 p.m.)
• An Evening With Author Deb Rogers at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (6:30 p.m.)
• Census Records for Genealogy at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers shared: "Thank you for everything the past eight years, Donovan 🙏" (Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Lightning shared: "Hockey is for everyone. 🏳️‍🌈" (Tampa Bay Lightning via Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Lightning shared: "Mark your calendars and grab your gear! Head to Sonny's BBQ on March 14 to get your free fanny pack." (Tampa Bay Lightning via Facebook)
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay shared: "Get ready to jam with Kansas and Maddie and Tae throughout the weekend as a part of our Food & Wine Festival. Plus, you can elevate your experience one step further by going VIP." (Busch Gardens Tampa Bay via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "Don your best green attire 🍀 and join us in Ybor this Saturday for the Rough Rider's St Patrick's Parade. The parade starts at 7 p.m. along 7th Ave. See ya there." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

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• "Go Moan For Man" Kerouac Documentary Fundraiser (March 12)
• Taxes in Retirement Seminar on March 14th and 16th at Tampa Museum of Art (March 14)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Wednesday off right. See you all tomorrow morning 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