🌱 New 'Ocean Of Solutions' Mural + Oktoberfest Plant City Celebration

Welcome back, Tampa! I'm here in your inbox today to get you up to speed on everything you need to know about what's going on in town, including news about...

• A new mural has opened called "Ocean of Solutions" in Hyde Park Village.
• The second annual Oktoberfest celebration is coming to Plant City on Sept. 23.
• Residents in Riverview are pleading for disaster aid from FEMA after Hurricane Idalia.

But first, today's weather: A stray afternoon t-storm. High: 92 Low: 75.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. There is a new mural in Hyde Park Village created by artist Gustavo Oviedo. It is called "Ocean of Solutions" and located near Timpano Chophouse. Oviedo's murals reflect his life experiences, and this piece is inspired by Miami's sea life and cityscapes. (Tampa Patch)
2. Popular local Filipino food truck, Manila Eats, is opening a restaurant on Sept. 28 at 1601 S. 22nd St. The restaurant will have 48 seats and offer karaoke and live band on the weekends, according to a social media post from the business. The restaurant is owned by Veronica Meneses, who always dreamed of having her own cooking business and is now seeing that dream come true. (That's So Tampa)
3. Local residents living along the Alafia River in Riverview are hoping for a FEMA disaster declaration after flooding from Hurricane Idalia. FEMA has yet to declare anywhere in Hillsborough County as a disaster area yet, which is needed for aid to be provided from the federal government. Hillsborough County is advising residents to submit their damage online to help the county push for it. (WFLA)
4. A new program at Lakewood High School is preparing children for a future where Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is dominant in the workforce. The 3-year program is called "AI Foundations," and the curriculum was created by the University of Florida. Eighty students are already enrolled in the program. (WTSP)
5. Plant City Main Street's second annual Oktoberfest is coming on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 5-10 p.m. The event will be held in historic downtown Plant City at 100 N. Collins St. The event is family-friendly and will include plenty of food, a costume contest, and more. (Osprey Observer)

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Today in Tampa:

Friday, September 15

• Baby Time at Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library. (10:15 a.m.)
• Crafting with Jessica at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (4:30 p.m.)
• Sunshine Cinema Film Series at The University Of Tampa College Of Arts and Letters (7 p.m.)
• Miami Connection (1987) By Y.K. Kim at Screen Door Cinema. (7 p.m.)
• Art & Aces at Tampa Museum Of Art. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers shared: "We've re-signed G John Molchon to our practice squad." (Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Facebook)
• Tampa Theatre shared: "Join us this Sunday at 3 p.m. for our September Sing-along series as we belt out the tunes to 'Jesus Christ Superstar' with special guest star, Ted Neeley." (Tampa Theatre via Facebook)
• Tampa General Hospital shared: "Newsweek and Statista has just named Tampa General Hospital one of the World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2024 based on its innovative use of smart technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, telemedicine and advanced imaging." (Tampa General Hospital via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "The Southeast Seminole Heights Flooding Relief Project is underway. Join this community update meeting for a brief presentation on construction progress, challenges to date, & future work - followed by Q&A. 🗓️ Sept. 27 at 6 p.m." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

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• Ready to Shuffle benefiting Former Foster Care Youth! (September 21)
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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! See you tomorrow morning for your next 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