🌱 Tampa Spending $100K To Acquire Black Cemetery + Verséa Health Jobs

Hello all. Happy Cinco de Mayo! It's me, Carlos Hernandez, your host of the Patch newsletter. Come along to find out the most important things happening around town. Today you'll read about:

• Two more Tampa restaurants have received the Michelin Bib Gourmand designation.
• Verséa Health is expanding in Tampa with dozens of jobs planned over the next few years.
• Tampa City Council is spending $100,000 to acquire a historic Black cemetery.

But first, today's weather: Very warm with plenty of sun. High: 92 Low: 71.

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Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Verséa Health, a Tampa-based life science company, is planning to expand with 40 new jobs planned in the next few years. The company is currently located in downtown Tampa at 401 S. Florida Ave. The Tampa Bay Economic Development Council helped the company find real estate as well as workforce programs. (Tampa Patch)
2. Tampa City Council has agreed to spend $100,000 purchasing a historic Black cemetery from an inventory that acquired the cemetery at auction and planned to build on the land. The investor only spent $18,000 and about $12,000 in fees to acquire thousands of graves, outraging the community. Activists have called for the city to take action to prevent another incident in the future. (WTSP)
3. The construction site of Ritz-Carlton Residences on Bayshore caught fire on Thursday. Officials said the fire was caused by a contractor working at the site. Units at the upcoming building range from $1.45 million to $6.6 million. (WFLA)
4. Florida lawmakers have failed to figure out how to disperse tax money owed to Hillsborough County taxpayers after a transportation tax was found unconstitutional years ago in a lawsuit brought by a conservative Hillsborough County commissioner. Now residents will have to wait another year for any action. (Florida Politics)
5. Two more Tampa restaurants have been selected for a Michelin Bib Gourmand award. Gorkhali Kitchen and Psomi now join Rocca and Rooster & The Till in the guide. The Michelin Guide Ceremony is on Thursday, May 11. (That's So Tampa)

Today in Tampa:

• Tampa Riverfest at Tampa Riverwalk. (9 a.m.)
• Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Bulla Gastrobar. (9 a.m.)
• Zoom Drawing With Rick Austin at Life Enrichment Center. (10:30 a.m.)
• Recording Studio Orientation at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (11 a.m.)
• 2023 Mayoral Inaugural Ball at JW Marriott Tampa Water Street. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Rays shared: "Josh Lowe just crushed a baseball 455 feet. If you're into that sort of thing." (Tampa Bay Rays via Facebook)
• Tampa International Airport shared: "We've added four new electric buses (and their chargers) to our fleet. 🚌 These vehicles will shuttle employees who work at the airport — and play a significant role in our sustainability efforts." (Tampa International Airport via Facebook)
• South Tampa Chamber shared: "The South Tampa Chamber was out and about last weekend supporting the Indo-U.S. Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay at the 2023 Banyan Ball. 😊" (South Tampa Chamber via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• AI Workshop: How Top-Producers and Non Techie Realtors Can Grow their Biz (May 5)
• Ongoing Friday Jewelry Classes (May 5)
• May Marché (May 6)
• Uptown Music Festival (May 6)
• “Voices of Resistance” Benefit Concert (May 6)
• Social Security Seminar at Hillsborough Community College Student Services Building Ybor City (May 9)
• Planning for Taxes in Retirement (May 10)
• 7th Annual Tampa International Fringe Festival (May 10)
• LEADS Mardi Gras Masquerade Brunch Fundraiser (May 20)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you soon!

— 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