🌱 Pride On The River Canceled + DeSantis Presidency Announcement

Hello, friends! I'm back with your new copy of the Tampa Patch newsletter. Come along to find out the most important things happening in town these days. Today you'll learn about these stories and more...

• Tampa's Pride On The River has been canceled after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an anti-LGTBQ+ bill.
• Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to announce his candidacy for President of the United States next week in Dunedin.
• San Diego's Happy Fast Delicious, a drive-thru coffee concept, has opened up shop in Lakeland.

But first, today's weather: A stray afternoon t-storm. High: 91 Low: 71.

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Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Tampa's Pride On The River has been canceled after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill targeting drag shows and LGBTQ+ events. According to organizers, members of the group "didn't feel comfortable having a public celebration on the waterfront given the current climate." Florida's Republican-led legislature and DeSantis have passed a number of bills recently targeting the LGBTQ+ after the state's "Don't Say Gay" law passed last year. (Tampa Patch)
2. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to launch his 2024 presidential campaign kickoff in Dunedin next week. Multiple venues are currently being considered for the campaign launch, which has been speculated for over a year. An announcement is expected Wednesday, May 24. (ABC Action News)
3. San Diego's Happy Fast Delicious or happyfastdelicious has recently opened up in Lakeland. The shop is located at 3601 Florida Ave. South. The business focuses on drive-thru coffee and also has a walk-up counter for customers to grab coffee to-go. (That's So Tampa)
4. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a $50,000 reward for information about a man who allegedly robbed a USPS letter carrier in Tampa. The incident happened on Monday afternoon at around 12:13 p.m. at the Whittier Shopping Center at 5101 E. Busch Blvd. Anyone with information is asked to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-245. (WFLA)
5. Gov. Ron DeSantis has approved the University of South Florida’s (USF) Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Risk to Resilience Research Lab as the official statewide repository for anonymous human trafficking data after signing SB 7064. USF professor of criminology and director of the TIP Lab, Joan Reid, welcomed the news. The site is housed at the USF St. Petersburg campus. (Florida Politics)

Today in Tampa:

• Key West And The Florida Keys Exhibit at Tampa Bay History Center. (9 a.m.)
• Busch Gardens Food And Wine Festival. (10 a.m.)
• Cafe Con Tampa at Willa's. (8 a.m.)
• Cipriano Zonin - Grand Opening — 300 FREE Slices at Tiny Tap Tavern. (9 a.m.)
• Healing Thru Cultural Arts: Dinner Show + Night Market at Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Hillsborough County Public Schools shared: "Congratulations to the phenomenal team from Strawberry Crest High School on being named this year’s Samsung Solve National Winner. They’ve won a $100,000 prize package, including Samsung products and resources to enhance their STEM classroom." (Hillsborough County Public Schools via Facebook)
• Tampa General Hospital shared: "The most advanced technology in breast imaging is now available to even more patients in Florida, from coast to coast. TGH Imaging has just expanded its Hologic Genius 3D Mammography services across 18 centers." (Tampa General Hospital via Facebook)
• South Tampa Chamber shared: "Join us next week at Grove Soho to celebrate the end of the month. Chamber members and their guests are invited to network after work while enjoying beverages and appetizers. 😊 ✅" (South Tampa Chamber via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• Sweet & Savory Croissant Class At Sur La Table With Truly Grass Fed Butter (May 20)
• Understanding Social Security - Free Online Course (May 24)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (May 26)
• Memorial Day Service (May 29)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday off right! See you all tomorrow for another 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