🌱 Tampa Bay Rays Clinch Postseason - Stadium Plans + Beijing House

Good morning, hello! It's me, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Tampa Patch newsletter. Here's all the community news you need to know right now, including...

• The Rays have captured their spot in the postseason and are preparing for a big announcement over a proposed new baseball stadium.
• There is a new outreach center on Nebraska Avenue aiming to help homeless veterans.
• Beijing House has a new location near USF thanks to BENTO Restaurant Group after suffering from a fire.

But first, today's weather:

An afternoon thunderstorm. High: 91 Low: 74.

From our partner:

Apple announced some big news at Tuesday's "Wonderlust" event! Click here for all the details.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) released the body came footage showing when deputies arrested a 14-year-old boy who police say shot two people in Riverview and then attempted self-harm this past weekend. The incident happened in the 11000 block of Lynmoor Drive in Riverview. (Bloomingdale-Riverview Patch)
2. Beijing House has a new location by the University of South Florida in Tampa thanks to the BENTO Restaurant Group. The popular Chinese restaurant recently suffered from a fire at its original location and raised about $3,800 on GoFundMe. The new location of Beijing House will be at 5103 E Fowler Ave. The restaurant sells traditional northern and Szechuan spicy style food. (That’s So Tampa)
3. There is a new center to help veterans at The St. Michael's Homeless Veteran Outreach Center located at 8145 N Nebraska Ave. in Tampa. The outreach center is being run by former veterans who want to help others get on their feet and hopefully find housing solutions. Services include temporary housing, meals and counseling, as well as job training and medical care. (WTSP)
4. The Tampa Bay Rays secured their spot in the MLB postseason on Sunday thanks to the Texas Rangers' loss to the Cleveland Guardians. The news comes as the Rays prepare to announce plans for a new stadium in St. Petersburg today. The Tampa Bay Rays will play the Los Angeles Angels today at 6:40 p.m. EST. (MLB.com, St. Pete Patch)
5. Tampa Police Department (TPD) is giving away free gun locks to help keep guns out of the hands of children and teenagers. Four TPD district locations are being used around Tampa to giveaway the locks. The giveaway is part of Project Locked and Unloaded. (WFLA)

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Today in Tampa:

Tuesday, September 19

• Recording Studio Orientation at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (2 p.m.)
• Crochet Buddies at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (3:00 PM)
• School Board Meeting at Hillsborough County Schools. (4 p.m.)
• Dropout Kings at The Orpheum. (7 p.m.)
• Oktoberfest Tampa Trivia & Ticket Drop at The Barrymore Hotel. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• USF Baseball shared: "Congrats to Orion Kerkering on his promotion to Triple-A IronPigs! The Pro Bull was selected in the 5th Round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Phillies and began his 2023 season in Low-A." (Twitter)
• More in Ybor shared: "Due to building maintenance, expect to see full lane and sidewalk closures on East 8th Avenue between North 15th and North 17 Streets from Sept. 19 to Sept. 20." (Twitter)
• Jeff Butera shared: "Plant High School's Educational Media Materials Committee has voted unanimously to KEEP "Blankets" by Craig Thompson in the school's library. Someone complained about the graphic novel, alleging it was inappropriate for high schoolers." (Twitter)
• Atlanta Rapper Big Boi is hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning's 2023-2024 season kick-off party on Oct. 10. The free event will feature food and drinks, photo opportunities, and plenty of fun for Bolts fans. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

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• Ready to Shuffle benefiting Former Foster Care Youth! (September 21)
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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you around.

— Carlos Hernandez

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a 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