🌱 USF President Search + First Human Trafficking Database + ZooTampa Animal Vaccines

Happy Sunday, Tampa! Here's everything you need to know today in town.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and less humid. High: 84 Low: 62.

Here are the top stories today in Tampa:

1. After more than a year and a half of being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cruises set sail from Port of Tampa Bay on Saturday. The businesses nearby are excited for the new business activity that will come reopening. The cruise industry makes up 20% of the business at the Port of Tampa Bay. (WFLA)

2. The University of South Florida (USF) has created the first centralized human trafficking incident database. It tracks trafficking by neighborhoods and ZIP codes in Tampa Bay and the state of Florida. Florida ranks third in the nation for human trafficking. (Fox 13 Tampa)

3. ZooTampa at Lowry Park is one of the first zoos in Florida to begin vaccinating animals that have been identified as most susceptible to COVID-19. Michigan-based veterinary pharmaceutical company Zoetis is providing the vaccine to zoos and animal parks free of charge. (Patch Tampa)

4. Mask mandate fight continues: The Florida Department of Health is seeking to permanently ban mask mandates and quarantining in schools. The department proposed a new rule on Friday just as the department is engaged in litigation with county districts who are suing the state. The state is being sued by Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Duval, Alachua and Leon counties Hillsborough County recently dropped their mask mandate, giving in to state pressure. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

5. President search: USF wants to hear what the university community is looking for in its next leader after Steven Currall retired in August after 2 years of service. They will host their second virtual town hall Monday, October 18th at 2 p.m. (WUSF)

Today in Tampa:

• Spooktacular Golf Tournament. (7:30 AM)
• stART With...Premiere! - Tampa Museum of Art. (9:00 AM)
• Indie Flea’s Sunday Market Showcase at Hotel Haya. (10:00 AM)
• Outdoor Yoga To Benefit Domestic Violence Programs. (11:30 AM)
• Pops In The Park. (7:00 PM)

Tampa Patch Notebook

• Tampa Bay Lightning: "Know someone who has never been to a Lightning game? Help us introduce new fans to Lightning hockey by bringing the thunder! Nominate someone you know to receive two (2) free tickets and a VIP experience for a home game this season! Nomi..." (Facebook)
• Tampa General Hospital: "Six months ago Molly Cropp became a living kidney donor. Since then, she went back to work as a firefighter, ran in a 10k, and climbed 110 stories to honor those lost on 9/11. Molly’s story is a true testament of what life is like after ..." (Facebook)
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: "There's only three weekends left to experience Sesame Street Kids’ Weekends! Plus, we’ve got some extra sweet news: guests can enjoy an additional day to trick-or-treat this Monday, October 18!" (Facebook)
• City of Tampa: "Looking for some family-friendly Halloween fun? The Riverwalk Halloween Hunt is a not-too-spooky virtual scavenger hunt along the Tampa Riverwalk. This year's Halloween Hunt will be held 10/16 - 10/31. The event is FREE and can be played..." (Facebook)
• TSRE - Tampa School of Real Estate: "Congratulations to our most recent graduates! If you or someone you know is interested in real estate, Click here is the link to view our full lists of schedule and locations..." (Facebook)

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Featured businesses:

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Events:

• Greektoberfest! Fort Myers - Friday, Saturday, Sunday! Greek Food, Drink, Music! (October 17)
• Salsa Workshop (October 17)
• 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)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around. If you're into 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 contact me at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com.