🌱 Tampa Mayor Castor Denounces Mandates + Bartow Paramedic Arrested

Hey, friends! Carlos Hernandez here with your fresh copy of the Tampa Daily, filled with all the community information you need to know right now. Let's do this.

First, today's weather:

A p.m. t-storm in spots. High: 93 Low: 76.

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Here are the top five stories today in Tampa:

1. Five families lost their homes and one resident was hospitalized with injuries after a fire broke out at an apartment complex in North Tampa Tuesday afternoon. According to Tampa Fire Rescue, firefighters were called to the Regency Square Apartments on Debeers Drive, near North 15th Street, around 4 p.m. (Tampa Patch)

2. City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said recently that masking mandates had not been effective and urged residents to get vaccinated and receive booster shots or second booster shots, which were "readily available." The mayor was one of the strongest proponents for mandates during the pandemic and actively fought to enforce them, both for employees and for the city itself, becoming one of the first cities to announce mandates. (WFLA, Fox 13 Tampa Bay, subscription: Tampa Bay Times)

3. Democratic National Committee member Alan Clendenin recently announced he is running for Tampa City Council. He is running for the District 1 seat now occupied by Councilman Joe Citro who was voted into the Tampa City Council's Chair seat in May in a divided 4-3 vote. (Florida Politics)

4. The Progressive Infrastructure Plan to Ensure Sustainability (PIPES) is one of the most significant public works projects in Tampa's history, costing nearly $2.9 billion. The nearly 100-year-old water treatment plant was overdue for an upgrade. (ABC Action News)

5. A Polk County Fire Rescue paramedic was arrested after the Bartow Police Department said he put a knee on the chest of a 67-year-old patient and punched him in the forehead while saying something along the lines of "I'm from Combee, we don't play that." Matthew Mullins is charged with felony battery on a person 65 or older. (WTSP)

Today in Tampa:

• Dunkin' & Lightning Offer Fans National Donut Day & Bolt Jolt Coffee Order at Dunkin'. (7 a.m.)
• Summer Movie: Tom And Jerry at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (2:30 p.m.)
• Art On The House at Tampa Museum Of Art. (5 p.m.)
• Rock The Park In Downtown Tampa at Curtis Hixon Park. (5:30 p.m.)
• Dumplings Of The World at Publix Aprons Cooking School Of Citrus Park. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Food Tours headed over to JW Marriott's Driftlight for a preview of their menu with chef Mathew Brennan. (Tampa Patch)
• The National Academy of Inventors (NAI), which is headquartered at the University of South Florida’s Research Park in Tampa, Florida, will bring together some of the world’s leading minds for its annual conference on June 14 and 15. Leaders from USF will speak at the event. (Tampa Bay Newswire)
• Michelle A. Turman, CEO of Catalyst Consulting Services, has made a legacy gift to USF Health in Tampa. She says she "decided to establish the Turman Memorial Fund for Depression Research to honor those we have lost, those who continue to suffer, and those who are left behind." (Tampa Bay Newswire)
• City of Zephyrhills has several full-time career opportunities, with benefits available as well including tuition reimbursement, paid time off, paid holidays, and more. (Twitter)
• Signing day is coming Tuesday, June 7 to Port Tampa Bay Cruise Terminal 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check out companies in the fields of construction, manufacturing, business and professional services, healthcare, and hospitality. There will be free food trucks on-site, free parking and more. (HCC Foundation)

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That's it for today! See you tomorrow for your next 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