Mini Golf On The Riverwalk + Liquid Oxygen Shortage + Halloween on Central Coming Soon

Happy Friday, people of Tampa! Let's get you all caught up on what's happening locally to start today off on an informed note.

First, today's weather: Rain in the afternoon and evening. High: 91 Low: 77.

Here are the top stories today in Tampa:

1. Walmart announced Thursday afternoon it will be temporarily closing its store at 1720 East Hillsborough Avenue for deep cleaning and sanitation until Saturday at 6 a.m., due to the spread of COVID-19. (WFLA)

2. A Tampa woman and a Lutz woman have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with sexual exploitation websites. Under the guise of "child modeling," most of the child-victims were recruited from Ukraine, Moldova and other nations in Eastern Europe. Law enforcement officers have disabled the servers hosting the websites. (Tampa Patch)

3. Hillsborough County is asking residents to conserve water by eliminating non-essential water use, which includes cutting back on irrigating lawns, pressure washers, and washing vehicles. There is a liquid oxygen shortage due to a surge of COVID-19 patients in hospitals, forcing a change in water treatment. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

4. Golfing on the Tampa Riverwalk? A mini golf tournament will take place at Armature Works in Tampa Heights on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost $10 per person and can be purchased beforehand on Eventbrite or on site. (That's So Tampa)

5. Halloween on Central planned for October 31st will promote a car-free culture by closing 22 blocks of Central Avenue, a nearly 2-mile stretch. The event will feature trick-or-treating, costume contests, entertainment, local business vendors, and more. Pets are welcome as well. (St. Pete Rising)

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Today in Tampa

• Cafe Con Tampa at Oxford Exchange. Margaret Miller, Director of The USF Institute for Research in Art. (8:00 AM)
• Fourth Friday In Downtown Tampa. (9:00 AM)
• Bier Fest Takes Place Each Weekend At Busch Gardens. (10:00 AM)
• Tampa Tarpons at Clearwater Threshers. (6:30 PM)
• Varsity Football vs. East Bay - Robinson High. (7:30 PM)
• V Football @ Strawberry Crest High School. (7:30 PM)

Tampa Patch Notebook

• City of Tampa: "Today Mayor Jane Castor announced that effective September 30th, COVID vaccinations will be required for City of Tampa employees in order to protect the community from the spread of the virus. Watch the full press conference: https://fb...." (Facebook)
• ZooTampa at Lowry Park: "We're hiring and offering a $500 sign-on bonus*! You can be an important part of a respected nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting conservation efforts, not only in Florida but also globally. Join our incredible team! Attend our..." (Facebook)
• Tampa Tarpons: "Join the Tarpons this 9/11 for our Appreciation Night - Never Forget There will be raffle prizes very half inning and a post-game firework show! Get your tickets on Tarponsbaseball.com" (Facebook)
• Tampa Museum of Art, Inc.: "Artist Libbi Ponce speaks about her artwork on view now at the Tampa Museum of Art. Skyway 20/21: A Contemporary Collaboration is a celebration of artistic practices in the Tampa Bay region. Working together, curators from four different..." (Facebook)

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That's it for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with another update. If you're enjoying these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. 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? Reach out anytime to carlosreportsnews@gmail.com.