🌱 RV Fire Kills 5 Dogs At Fairgrounds + Kids Tag Art Program Winners

Hi all. It's me, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out the most important things happening around town. Today we'll cover:

• Hillsborough County Tax Collector has announced the winners for the Kids Tag Art Program.
• Five dogs were killed in a RV fire at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Tuesday.
• Tampa-based Metropolitan Ministries has received a $175,000 donation from TD Bank.

But first, today's weather: Clouds and sun, hot and humid. High: 94 Low: 79.

Photo of the Day:

I managed to make it over to Dave's Hot Chicken for their media preview. I loved their chicken sandwich and chicken tender combo. The meat was perfectly moist, and spiciness can be customized. The Grand Opening will held at 2540 E. Fowler Ave. on Friday, June 16.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Winners have been announced for the Kids Tag Art Program for the 2022-2023 school year by the Hillsborough County Tax Collector. The program raised more than $37,800 this year with 43 Hillsborough County schools participating in the program. (Tampa Patch)
2. Tampa-based Metropolitan Ministries has received a $175,000 grant from TD Bank's TD Charitable Foundation to go towards affordable housing. The units are expected to cost families around $350 a month. Metropolitan Ministries is hoping to double its capacity in Pasco County sin the near future. (Fox 13)
3. Tampa Police held a practice for active shooter training on Wednesday at Moffitt McKinley Hospital. The simulation was used to evaluate officer preparedness. The exercise was closed to the public and media. (ABC Action News)
4. Hillsborough County Tax Collector's North Tampa office at 3011 University Center Drive in Tampa is temporarily closing starting on June 16 at noon to make plans for an expansion project. Hillsborough County is expected to add 100,000 new residents by 2025 as Florida continues to grow. The number of drivers in Hillsborough County has grown by 20 percent since 2010, according to state records. (Tampa Patch)
5. Five dogs were killed on Tuesday at the American Kennel Club All-Breed Dog Show at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa during a fire at a RV. People rushed to help the dogs but could not get through the smoke or flames before firefighters arrived at the scene. No people were injured in the fire. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times)

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Today in Tampa:

• Celebrate Tampa Restaurant Week at Bulla Gastrobar. (9 a.m.)
• Friends Of The Riverview Public Library Monthly Meeting. (1 p.m.)
• Third Thursdays at 7th + Grove. (5:30 p.m.)
• Third Thursday Street Food Fest at Grand Central At Kennedy. (6 p.m.)
• Juneteenth Kickoff Mixer at Moore Eventful Event Hall. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Lightning shared: "We have re-signed forward Cole Koepke to a one-year, two-way contract." (Tampa Bay Lightning via Facebook)
• Hillsborough County Public Schools shared: "Congratulations to our graduates who were named this year's National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners. These 12 students were chosen from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists for the scholarship program." (Hillsborough County Public Schools via Facebook)
• Tampa Theatre shared: "We're excited to be opening Wes Anderson’s highly anticipated new film 'Asteroid City' on Friday, June 23. To celebrate, we’re hosting a Franklin Street Block Party from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. before the opening night screening of 'Asteroid City.'" (Tampa Theatre via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "Tampa's Green Team is hiring. 💚 The Green Team is the first city-sponsored environmental stewardship program in the State of Florida." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with 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