🌱 Tampa Bay Restaurant Week Underway + Juneteenth Observed Monday

Hello all. It's me, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Tampa Daily. Let's get this Friday started off right, with a quick dive into the most important things happening around town.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and humid. High: 96 Low: 81.

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Here are the top five stories today in Tampa:

1. Tampa Bay Restaurant Week is now underway. Dozens of local restaurants across the Tampa Bay region are offering affordable three-course prix fixe meals for 11 days as well as specials on libation. Creative Loafing is also sponsoring a photo contest for Restaurant Week where diners can enter to win $500 in deals and $700 in gift cards from participating Restaurant Week locations. (ABC Action News)

2. Most Hillsborough County offices and facilities will be closed on Monday, June 20, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. There will still be regular solid waste collection on Monday, June 20, (including garbage, recyclables and yard waste) in the unincorporated Hillsborough County service area, which also includes Tampa Palms, Hunter's Green and New Tampa. (Tampa Patch)

3. Reptrics, a Tampa-based tech company, has received a $600,000 investment from TampaBay.Ventures. The investment is part of a $1 million seed round. Reptrics was founded by Kevin Goodwin and Zack Simon, who previously founded Colorado-based US Based Techs, which was acquired in 2014. (Subscription: TampaBayINNO)

4. The troubles for crypto continue with Celsius, which opened a Tampa office in September 2021, recently announcing a pause of all withdrawals, swaps and transfers between accounts. The New Jersey-base company managed $11.8 billion in assets as of May 17. (St. Pete Catalyst)

5. A 21-year-old Tampa man, Cedric Durham, has been indicted in U.S. District Court on charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. If convicted, Durham faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. (Tampa Patch)

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See important Reg A Disclosures

Today in Tampa:

• Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Exhibit Arrives In Tampa at WestShore Plaza. (10 a.m.)
• Dinosaurs Around The World at Museum of Science & Industry. (10 a.m.)
• 3rd Annual Tampa Juneteenth Flag-Raising And Festival at Old City Hall. (10:30 a.m.)
• Mahjong at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (2 p.m.)
• Tampa Roller Derby Home Game at Skateworld Of Tampa. (9 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• All Children's Hospital has released a statement on vaccines for children saying, "We typically await vaccine supply from the state's program, Florida SHOTS. While we understand the state of Florida has not ordered vaccine supply, we are looking into other ways to provide the vaccine for this vulnerable age group." (Twitter)
• Fatburger's parent company recently announced that the burger chain will head to Tampa Bay for the first time. Its sibling brand, a concept called Buffalo's Express, will also open concepts in Tampa. (Creative Loafing Tampa)
• Tampa International Airport is resuming tours that will cover the history, structure and design of TPA, as well as other topics after a pandemic-related pause. Tours are complimentary, held daily and can accommodate up to 40 people. (Tampa Patch)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• The Lyrical Moment: Helen Frankenthaler and Heather Gwen Martin (June 17)
• The Lyrical Moment Gallery Conversation + Opening Reception (June 17)
• SAT Diagnostic Test, Proctored & Timed Live Online (June 18)
• Father's Day Bourbon-Inspired Celebration At Rivers Edge (June 19)
• AfroCAN Fest: Juneteenth Tampa Bay (June 19)
• Hire A Pro To Clean Up The Yard For Dad (June 19)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. See you all tomorrow morning 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 Daily? Contact me at SouthTampa@Patch.com