🌱 Tampa City Center Project Hearing + Total Wine Russian Ban

Good day, neighbors! It's me again, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Tampa Daily.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and nice. High: 77 Low: 61.

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Here are the top five stories in Tampa today:

1. Starting on Tuesday, March 1st, pay station kiosks will begin being installed in Ybor City along 7th Avenue, 8th Avenue and 9th Avenue. Installation of the kiosks will take approximately two weeks and starting on March 14, street parking will be $1.50 per hour. 2 hour free parking will be eliminated. (MOR-TV)

2. Tampa Bay local business owner Jen McDonald launched her political campaign on Tuesday for the newly drawn state House District 65 that covers the Tampa area. McDonald is a Democrat, founder and owner of Liberty Bella Enterprises, and vice president at Merchant Insurance Solutions. She has served as chair of numerous boards around the county and ran unsuccessfully for office in the past. (Florida Politics)

3. Tampa's city council will hear options this Thursday for reversing its previous vote to approve the construction of the $108 million "City Center at Hanna Avenue" project. The center is currently being built on an 11-acre lot and is facing stiff opposition from the African American community despite efforts to create public support for the project. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

4. Total Wine & More, which has 34 locations in Florida and at least 3 locations in the Tampa area, has removed Russian products from its shelves nationwide. The decision was made to support Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion into their country. (Tampa Patch)

5. Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren sent a memo recently saying it is no longer appropriate to prosecute those who are stopped on bikes, whose only charges are that they resisted an officer without violence. More than 70% of cases that spring from a pedestrian or bike stop have Black defendants. Stanley Gray of the Urban League of Hillsborough County says its "an important step in large scale criminal justice reform." (Fox 13 Tampa)

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Today in Tampa:

• Mayor's Food Truck Fiesta at Lykes Gaslight Park. (11:00 AM)
• 10th Annual Music On The Bay at Whiskey Joe's. (2:00 PM)
• After School Art at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (3:30 PM)
• Baseball: College Of Central Florida Vs. University Of Tampa JV at UT Athletics. (6:00 PM)
• Gracie Solo at New World Brewery. (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Throwback Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniforms are returning in 2023. Due to global supply chain challenges, fans will have to wait one more year than hoped. (Facebook)
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's BOGO Fun Card deal has been extended. Enjoy two parks for the price of one, and get ready for three new attractions this spring. (Facebook)
• The 52nd Annual Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is coming March 5 and 6 at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. Enjoy live entertainment, food and drinks, art spotlights, interactive experiences, and more. (Facebook)
• The Offspring is playing at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, May 5. Tickets go on-sale this Friday, March 4 at 10 a.m. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Navigating Your Social Security (March 3)
• [Free Giveaway] Mental Health Matters Decal - Tampa Counseling Center! (March 4)
• RelateFest, 2022 Miami, FL: For People Endlessly Curious About Relationships (March 4)
• Alternative Products Expo - Fort Lauderdale (March 11)
• Alternative Products Expo - Fort Lauderdale (March 12)
• Jazz on the Lawn @ Riverwalk STEM Academy (March 12)
• Alternative Products Expo - Fort Lauderdale (March 13)
• Creating Income in a Low Interest Rate Environment (March 29)
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For sale:

• Buy Black Girl Decals - Shop Local Black Owned Etsy Shops (Details)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed. 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.