🌱 Richard Gonzmart Opposes New FL Immigrant Law + Egmont Key Fire

Hello, everybody! It's me, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Patch newsletter. Keep reading for everything you need to know about what's going on in town, including updates on...

• A member of a white supremacy gang has been sentenced to over 20 years in prison by a federal judge in Tampa.
• The owner of a popular restaurant group from Tampa opposes a new immigrant law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
• A new family-owned Puerto Rican bakery has opened up in Lutz.

But first, today's weather: A t-storm around in the p.m. High: 94 Low: 81.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Joshua Hall, a member of the Florida-based gang, Unforgiven, has been sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison by a judge in Tampa after being convicted of kidnapping and assault. The gang is known for being involved in violent racially based crimes including murders, kidnappings, and robberies. Unforgiven has been under investigation by federal authorities since at least 2015. (Tampa Patch)
2. A Checkers drive-in location on North Dale Mabry Highway is using artificial intelligence to take orders from customers. The voice taking orders is called "Hi Auto" and it is programmed to upsell orders to customers and drive-up profits, while saving money on labor for the fast-food company. A rep described the experience as "awesome" for customers. (Fox 13)
3. Egmont Key just outside of the Tampa Bay area was temporarily closed by authorities after a fire spread almost 30 acres on Sunday. There were no injuries reported in the incident. The cause of the fire was not known as of Monday afternoon. (WFLA)
4. Richard Gonzmart, the owner of Columbia Restaurant Group in Tampa, is publicly opposing a new anti-immigrant law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Gonzmart claims finding labor is already difficult enough for his restaurant group. He praised the overall direction DeSantis has led Florida in and asked the governor to listen to concerned business owners, who will suffer under the new law. Gonzmart's business is already in a dispute with ICE over I-9 documentation for migrant workers and has been fined $500,000 by the U.S. government. (Business Insider)
5. Kinka’s Bakery and Cafe is a new Puerto Rican bakery in Lutz located at 24020 FL-54. The Latin bakery is selling guava and cheese pastries, alcapurrias, tres leches, flan and more. The bakery is family-owned and currently opened from Tuesday to Sunday. (That's So Tampa)

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Today in Tampa:

Tuesday, August 15

• School Board Workshop at Hillsborough County Schools (10 a.m.)
• Friends Of The North Tampa Library Meeting. (1 p.m.)
• Florida Flea Market at JT's Roadhouse Bar. (1 p.m.)
• Crochet Buddies at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (3 p.m.)
• City Council Meeting at Temple Terrace City Council. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Lightning shared: "We've announced the schedule for the 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase, hosted by the Florida Panthers, from Sept. 15-18 at Hertz Arena in Estero." (Tampa Bay Lightning via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "We're extending the duration of our free Cooling Centers to help residents stay cool during the heat advisory. ⏰ Hours: 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. now through Wednesday Aug. 16." (City of Tampa via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "We hear you — Tampa residents want us to fix our roads. Currently, the city only has funding to repave projects in 30 neighborhoods over 5 years. Mayor Jane Castor is proposing a 1-point millage increase." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with a new 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