🌱 Tampa City Council Rejects Mayor Budget + Stone's Pizza Joint

Hello, hello! I'm Carlos Hernandez, back in your inbox this morning with your new edition of the Tampa Patch newsletter. Here's what you need to know about what's happening in the community today. In today's issue of the newsletter, you'll learn about these stories and more...

• City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's budget was voted down by the Tampa City Council this week.
• Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams has died at the age of 36.
• Nearly 100 homes were damaged by Hurricane Idalia in Sarasota County.

But first, today's weather: A t-storm around in the p.m. High: 93 Low: 77.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue quickly extinguished a fire at 5204 S 80th St. in Tampa on Tuesday afternoon. No one was injured or home during the house fire. An investigation is underway by officials into the cause of the fire. (Tampa Patch)
2. Hurricane Idalia left around 100 homes with flooding damage in Sarasota County this past week, according to county officials. At least $2.6 million in damages is expected just in the county despite the storm not hitting the area directly. The emergency declaration has been extended as damage continues to be assessed. (WTSP)
3. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams has died in the Tampa area after a work accident, as of Wednesday evening. He died at the age of 36. Williams suffered injuries doing electrical work about seven months ago. (Fox 13 Tampa, WFLA)
4. City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor suffered a close defeat this week by the Tampa City Council over proposed property tax increases to the tune of 16 percent. Councilmembers voted 4-3 against the mayor's $1.9 billion budget. Budget negotiations will now begin between Tampa City Council and the mayor's office. (ABC Action News)
5. Stoner's Pizza Joint is planning to open multiple locations in the Tampa area soon. The first location will open on North Dale Mabry Highway this fall. Most of the locations of the franchise have been located on the east coast of Florida and throughout multiple states on the east coast. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

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Today in Tampa:

Thursday, September 7

• Art On The House at Tampa Museum Of Art. (4 p.m.)
• Networking After Hours at Hilton Downtown Tampa. (6 p.m.)
• Drops Of Gold Blind Tasting at Chateau Cellars. (6 p.m.)
• Recording Studio Orientation at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (7:30 p.m.)
• "FRESH" Art Show at The Bricks. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa International Airport shared: Our friends at Spirit Airlines are expanding their presence at TPA this fall. ✈️ Learn more and book a ticket today." (Tampa International Airport via Facebook)
• Tampa Theatre shared: "The Tampa Theatre has turned into the Mojo Dojo Casa House. 🐎🎀 'Barbie' will be playing daily from now until Wednesday, Sept. 13. 💖" (Tampa Theatre via Facebook)
• Tampa Bay Rays shared: "In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and in partnership with MLB and Starlight Children's Foundation, we're excited to donate a Starlight Virtual Reality headset to Orlando Health's Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children." (Tampa Bay Rays via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "The Mayor's Hispanic Heritage Committee will host our 35th Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration on Sept. 27 at 11 a.m. at Tampa Theatre. Join us for food, performances, and guest speakers — the event is free and open to the public." (City of Tampa via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at SouthTampa@Patch.com