🌱 Mercy Oaks Apartments Opening October + Marriott 'Edition' Chef

Hello there, Tampa. I'm here in your inbox today to get you caught up on everything you need to know about what's going on around town. Let's take a quick look:

• ✈️ Tampa city leaders denounced Governor Ron DeSantis for sending Venezuelan migrants fleeing the regime of Nicholas Maduro to Massachusetts as a "political prop."
• 🏠 A new affordable housing complex partly funded by Hillsborough County is opening this October in Tampa.
• 🚰 Tampa City Council has halted plans for a controversial drinking water project.

Today is National Guacamole Day. Is there anything better than a delicious starter of chips and guacamole at restaurant?

First, today's weather:

Heavy afternoon thunderstorms. High: 84 Low: 74.

🏡 Attention, real estate pros in Tampa! We're now offering an exclusive sponsorship opportunity for an agent interested in attracting local clients and standing apart from the competition. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top five stories in Tampa today:

1. Tampa city leaders criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' decision to send planes carrying Venezuelan migrants to Massachusetts on Wednesday, saying the people fleeing the regime of Nicholas Maduro are being used as a "political prop” by the governor. Tampa Councilman Luis Viera said he will be happy to make a motion prompting city officials to draft a letter to denounce the governor's actions and said the move angered him. (WTSP, Florida Patch)

2. An affordable housing complex called Mercy Oaks is opening in October in Tampa, the 8th new construction paid for through a partnership with Catholic Charities and Hillsborough County amid record renting prices. The apartment building was built with $2.4 million from Hillsborough County and an additional $1.9 million from Catholic Charities. The complex has 20 units with both single-family and multi-family homes. (Bay News 9)

3. Michelin-star chef John Fraser is opening several restaurants in Water Street Tampa's new "EDITION" hotel. Guests can reserve hotel rooms and tables at the on-site bars and restaurants starting on Tuesday, September 20. Room rates at the hotel will start at around $600 and can climb to nearly $5,000 a night. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times, Free: Creative Loafing Tampa)

4. The Tampa City Council unanimously halted a controversial project that would have repurposed wastewater into area drinking water. City officials said that water would be "purified to exceed federal and state drinking water standards and repurposed for beneficial use” and would cost around $400 million to $600 million dollars. (ABC Action News)

5. A new book called "The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers" explores the evolution and history of Tampa's signature sandwich. Today's Tiger Bay Club meeting at The Cuban Club in Ybor City will feature the authors, a book-signing and delicious Cuban sandwiches. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door. (Florida Politics)

Today in Tampa:

• Café Con Tampa at Oxford Exchange. (8 a.m.)
• Mexican Heritage With Chef Rene at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (6:30 p.m.)
• Kamenar: Live at Shuffle Tampa. (7 p.m.)
• Football vs. Alonso at Sickles High School. (7:30 p.m.)
• The Color Purple at Stageworks. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• A coalition of civil rights organizations are joining to sue the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office for its refusal to provide public records relating to its controversial predictive policing program. The group says refusing access is a violation of the Florida Public Records Act. (Florida Politics)
• A student at North Tampa Alternative School in Tampa was arrested for allegedly lighting a classmate's clothing on fire. A 13-year-old boy used a lighter to set fire to the sweatshirt the victim was wearing, according to authorities. (ABC Action News)
• The Tampa Police Department arrested a 10th grade student at Blake High School on Wednesday afternoon, after he was discovered with a loaded gun on campus. The school resource officer was called to the office to secure the weapon. (Tampa Police Department via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Anime St. Pete (September 17)
• Add your event

Alrighty, you're all good for today. 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