🌱 Tampa Transit Leaders Seek Air Taxis + NFL's Byron Pringle Arrested

Get on up, Tampa! Let's get this Tuesday started off right. Here's what's going on today in town.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and comfortable. High: 88 Low: 71.

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Here are the top five stories in Tampa today:

1. Chicago Bears wide receiver Byron Pringle, 28, was arrested Saturday in Wesley Chapel after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper says he caught him driving in circles on State Road 56 around 6 p.m. in his orange 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. Pringle is charged with reckless driving and driving with a suspended driver's license. (Lutz Patch)

2. Meals On Wheels of Tampa (MOW Tampa) is now providing diabetic and renal menus to homebound recipients in addition to the heart-healthy diet. The meals are freshly prepared daily at the MOW Tampa facility and delivered to the homes of seniors and homebound neighbors in the Greater Tampa area. All menus have been evaluated by a registered dietician to ensure nutritional integrity. (Osprey Observer)

3. Nevada-based Capriotti's Sandwich Shop opened a second Tampa Bay location in Lutz at 1948 Collier Pkwy on April 25. Their Odessa location was the first in Tampa, and there are currently plans to open 15 more throughout the Tampa Bay area, according to a press release. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

4. Transportation leaders in Tampa and in St. Petersburg have been working to attract companies that will make Tampa Bay a testing ground for EVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and land) aircrafts or air taxis. Officials on both sides of the bay agree that business and population growth are outpacing local governments' ability to expand transportation options. (Fox 13 Tampa)

5. Nearly half of Floridians or 48% said inflation is making it tougher to pay the bills, according to a new survey from Tampa-based University of South Florida. 24% said they're having a tough time keeping up with rent or mortgage payments in the past year. At least 1 in 3 Floridians also said their household income does not support the cost of renting or buying a home in the state. (WTSP)

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Today in Tampa:

• Bella Prana Yoga at Armature Works. (9:00 AM)
• School Board Workshop at Hillsborough County Schools. (10:00 AM)
• Tech Help at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (11:00 AM)
• Downtown Tampa Food Tour. (5:30 PM)
• Getting Crafty for Poetry Month at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Museum of Art is thanking Dick Corbett for his generous contribution to their Centennial Renovation and Expansion. Read more about the historic $25 million lead gift towards the $100 million Centennial Campaign online. (Tampa Museum)
• The Tampa Bay Lightning visited the White House on Monday to celebrate the team's back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships. "It's a pretty good time to be a sports fan in Tampa," the President said. "I don't know what the hell you have in the water down there." (ABC Action News)
• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke at a press conference at Rookies Sports Bar & Grill in Spring Hill on Monday afternoon. The governor used the venue to sign a new election law. (WFLA)
• The Children’s Board Family Resource Centers will be offering free adult English classes to parents or caregivers who reside in Hillsborough County beginning on Tuesday, May 31. All seven locations of the centers will be participating, which includes Brandon, South County, Central Tampa, North Tampa, Plant City, Town ’n’ Country and Temple Terrace. (Osprey Observer)
• Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce has launched the Ernest Fernandez Jr. Scholarship for Brandon High School graduates. Fernandez died on December 20 at age 83, leaving behind a career in education that spanned 42 years with Hillsborough County Public Schools, where he worked as a teacher, principal and administrator with an eventual focus on adult and community education. (Osprey Observer)

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That's it for today! See you 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.