🌱 Merry Christmas + Christmas Dining Options + Flight Delays Impact Tampa International

Rise and shine, Tampa! Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Let's get you all caught up to start this day off on an informed note. Here's what's going on in town today.

First, today's weather:

Pleasant with plenty of sun. High: 75 Low: 63.

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Here are the top five stories today in Tampa:

1. Several Tampa Bay restaurants are open for Christmas dining this year including Fleming's, Willa's, Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar, Ruth's Chris Steak House, and more. Tampa Patch has a full guide up for those who need a break from cooking this holiday. (Tampa Patch)

2. Tampa International Airport was slammed with delays as hundreds of Christmas Eve flights were canceled due to the Omicron COVID-19 variant and weather. Most of the flights impacted were from United or Delta flights. Travelers are reminded to regularly check the status of their flights for updates. (WTSP)

3. St. Petersburg is getting a new Sprouts Farmers Market in the former Kmart plaza in Kenneth City. Sprouts Farmers Market specializes in natural and organic products. It is the fourth Sprouts location in Pinellas and 11th store in Tampa Bay. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

4. 53-year-old William Skaggs of Floral City is facing a charge of making a destructive device after Citrus County deputies found 3 devices at his home. Skaggs told deputies the device they found in his room was “active and ready to go” and that the last device he had detonated was a few months ago in an empty field across the street from his house, according to the affidavit. (WFLA)

5. "Bounty hunter" Stanley Wilson is facing charges, including unlicensed bondsman felony, after allegedly kicking in a Seffner family’s door looking for a woman who has a bond violation. Wilson denies he went to the home as a bondsman despite video and audio footage showing otherwise. (WFLA)

Today in Tampa:

• Christmas Brunch & Dinner Experience at Rusty Pelican Restaurant Tampa. (10:00 AM)
• King Charles Christmas Brunch at Don CeSar. (10:15 AM)
• Christmas Day Flow at Lucky Cat Yoga. (11:00 AM)
• Christmas Night at 7th & Grove. (10:00 PM)
• Christmas Day Dinner at Fountain Grille Safety Harbor. (3:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Florida reached its daily COVID-19 case record on Friday, recording with more than 31,700 new infections. (NBC Miami)
• St. Petersburg and Tampa earned perfect scores in a nationwide assessment on LGBTQ+ equality. (WUSF)
• South Tampa Chamber of Commerce's 2021 Volunteer of the Year is Michael Dervech from Breezin' Entertainment and Productions. (Facebook)
• Winter Village at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park is open today from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Enjoy ice skating, holiday drinks/eats, festive lights, and more. (Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you around!

— 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.