🌱 Pasco Bus Driver Shortage + Lakeland Swan Roundup + I-275 Construction

Hey, people of Tampa! Carlos Hernandez here with a brand-new issue of the Tampa Daily. Let's get this Wednesday started right.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and mild. High: 88 Low: 69.

Here are the top stories today in Tampa:

1. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Monday that he is awarding $6.1 million to go toward a new education center for workforce training programs in Hernando County. It is part of an initiative to improve Florida's workforce. The funds will be used to build a new facility at Pasco-Hernando State College. (WUSF)

2. Traffic Watch: Construction will begin on Monday, October 25th to add additional lanes to I-275. It is a $85.3 million project and will add one lane in each direction from I-4 north to Hillsborough Avenue, spanning 2.5 miles. Expect traffic at night between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. throughout. (Patch Tampa)

3. The 41st annual Swan Roundup began in Lakeland's Lake Morton on Tuesday. It gives Lakeland a chance to monitor the swans' health and vitality of the population in collaboration with My Pet's Animal Hospital. The swans were originally a gift from Queen Elizabeth in 1957. (WTSP)

4. Come thirsty: The Inaugural "Beer at the Pier" festival will be held in downtown St. Petersburg next month on November 13th and include over 20 local breweries. The event is a partnership between The Florida Brewers Guild and Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

5. Pasco County leaders are discussing some potentially big changes to school start and end times due to a major bus driver shortage. It could lead to schedules changed by over an hour. The county is short more than 100 bus drivers. (Fox 13 Tampa)

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Today in Tampa:

• 31st Annual Gift Of Peace Lunch. (11:00 AM)
• South Tampa Chamber Membership Luncheon At Tampa General Hospital. (11:30 AM)
• Tampa Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Meeting. (1:30 PM)
• Wellness At The Wharf F45 Boot Camp. (6:30 PM)
• Remix: Monotypes at Winthrop Arts Inc. (7:00 PM)

Tampa Patch Notebook

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: "What's becoming clear in the larger picture is that this is the best offense the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have ever had." (Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Lightning: "Congratulations to our captain on being named the NHL's Third Star of the Week!" (Facebook)
• Stuff to Do in Tampa Bay: "Calling all seafood lovers! Stone crab season is FINALLY here and we're kicking off the festivities with Cooters Restaurant and Bar this weekend at its 28th Annual Crab Fest https://loom.ly/Uv2Ye3M" (Facebook)
• Hillsborough County Public Schools: "The Great American Teach-in is one month away! This year, we will hold a Hybrid Teach-In on Thursday, November 18. We are looking for individuals, businesses, and organizations interested in sharing their careers with our students in a c..." (Facebook)
• City of Tampa: "TEENS: Don't forget to apply for the Tampa Mayor's Youth Corps Class of 2022! The Youth Corps provides #Tampa teens opportunities for hands-on, effective community service and gives them a glimpse into the workings of local government. A..." (Facebook)

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Events:

• 4th Annual Grow Gardens Conference (October 22)
• Tall Tales of Old Florida (October 23)
• St. Andrew's UMC 53rd Annual Fall Craft Fair (October 30)
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• LeRoy Neiman's "Ocelot" Serigraph (Details)
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You're officially in the loop for today! See you tomorrow morning for your next update. If you're loving these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to follow 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? You can reach me at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com.