🌱 Tampa Families Need To Make $88K To Survive + Opioid Summit 2023

Hello all. I'm Carlos Hernandez, back in your inbox this morning with your new copy of the Tampa Patch newsletter. Come along for the most important things going on in town these days, including updates on:

• Tampa Bay area families need to make $88,000 to live comfortably, according to United Way.
• A new bill making its way through Tallahassee would threaten the wages of thousands of Floridians, including those in the Tampa Bay area.
• Jerry Springer, a true fan of the Sunshine State, has died at age 79.

But first, today's weather: Showers and a heavier t-storm. High: 82 Low: 70.

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I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Hillsborough County organized "Opioid Summit 2023 - Fighting for the Future of Florida Families" on Thursday to address the epidemic impacting the area. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has called on U.S. President Joe Biden to declare the drugs "weapons of mass destruction." Moody has created the Dose of Reality Florida website for more information. (Tampa Patch)
2. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Philadelphia reportedly stopped six combined gallons of an industrial chemical solvent known also known as liquid ecstasy bound for Hillsborough County. No arrests have been made in the incident. (WFLA)
3. Jerry Springer, a fan of the Sunshine State, died on Thursday at the age of 79. Springer was a fan of the Sarasota Opera and St. Armand’s Circle. Spring also previously served as grand marshal of the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’Yago Knight Parade in Ybor City. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times, Free: WWSB)
4. A new study suggests that Tampa families need to make $88,000 a year to live comfortably, a sharp increase in the cost of living in the area. Nonprofits have worked to plug the gaps but are strained. Florida is now ranked 44 out of the 50 states for financial insecurity, according to United Way. According to United Way Suncoast, 615,627 people in the greater Tampa Bay area are unable to afford basic needs. (WFLA)
5. A new bill making its way through the Florida legislature threatens to lower the wages of thousands of Floridians, including those living in Tampa Bay. HB 917 would prohibit local living wage ordinances, such as one recently passed in St. Petersburg. The bill also would allow the MLB to pay minor league players below the minimum wage. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times, Free: Law360)

Today in Tampa:

• Cafe Con Tampa at Willa's Tampa. (8 a.m.)
• Vintage Roost Market. (9 a.m.)
• Busch Gardens Food And Wine Festival. (10 a.m.)
• Island Paws Fundraiser For Humane Society at Water Works Park. (6 p.m.)
• Etched Feathers: A History Of The Printed Bird at Tampa Bay History Center. (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Rays shared: "Hot start, even hotter tickets. 🥵 We're making thousands of additional seats available in the upper deck to pack Tropicana Field for our 5/5, 5/6, and 5/7 series against the Yankees." (Tampa Bay Rays via Facebook)
• Tampa Police Department shared: "Thank you to the commercial business owners of Drew Park who recently attended the Front Porch Roll Call at All Art Studio." (Tampa Police Department via Facebook)
• The University of Tampa shared: "University of Tampa alumni, parents, faculty, staff, volunteer boards and friends contributed more than $1 million last week during the annual UT Give Day." (The University of Tampa via Facebook)
• Visit Tampa Bay shared: "We want to send you to the third Annual Uptown Music Festival. That's why we're giving away two complimentary, reserved tickets to one winner ($120 value)." (Visit Tampa Bay via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Taxes in Retirement Seminar at Carrollwood Cultural Center (May 1)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (May 2)
• Uptown Music Festival (May 6)
• LEADS Mardi Gras Masquerade Brunch Fundraiser (May 20)
• Add your event

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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Tampa Patch newsletter? Contact me at SouthTampa@Patch.com