🌱 TPA Wins Project Of The Year + Mayor Jane Castor Presents Budget

Hello and happy Saturday. I'm back in your inbox this morning with everything you need to know about what's happening these days in town. Without further ado...

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Now, today's weather:

A stray afternoon t-storm. High: 93 Low: 77.

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Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor presented the proposed budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year to Tampa City Council on Thursday, with a focus on strengthening resident services, workforce development, and increasing housing affordability. City union workers will receive an 18.5% increase in pay over the next three years as part of this budget. (WTSP)

2. The Florida Department of Transportation has named Tampa International Airport's Blue Express Curbsides Expansion project the 2022 Commercial Service Airport Project of the Year. The project is the first of its kind in the U.S. and aims to lower time to and from the gates for passengers without checked baggage. (Tampa Patch)

3. Tampa City Attorney Gina Grimes has resigned. "Due to personal family circumstances, it is no longer feasible for me to relocate into the City of Tampa," Grimes said. City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has 90 days to appoint and submit a new candidate to the city council for approval. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

4. A lightning strike set a home on fire on Twelve Oaks Boulevard in Town N' Country Thursday night. The fire took about 25 minutes to contain. There were no injuries reported and the occupants were not home during the fire. (Bay News 9)

5. Total office vacancy remained high in Tampa Bay in the second quarter. Total vacancy climbed from 10.1% in the second quarter of 2020 to 14.2% in Q2 2022. Direct vacancy also increased from 8.7% to 11.2% in the same period. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Today in Tampa:

• Back-2-School Health Clinics at Hillsborough County Schools. (9 a.m.)
• Domino Tournament at Centro Asturiano De Tampa. (9 a.m.)
• Back 2 School Supply Drive at Children's Board Of Hillsborough County. (10 a.m.)
• Bay Cannon Beer Company 3 Year Anniversary at Bay Cannon Beer Co. (noon)
• Tampa Water Lantern Festival at ROC Park. (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• News Channel 8 Chief Photojournalist Paul Lamison passed away on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack. He was 57 years old and leaves behind a wife, daughters and several siblings. (WFLA)
• Leaders of the Uhuru movement in St. Petersburg are condemning last week's FBI raid on their properties. They are accused being connected to political collusion with Russia, including allegations of local election tampering. (Fox 13)
• 13th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Andrew Warren has spoken out against his suspension by Governor Ron DeSantis. Warren said, "This political stunt should scare anyone who believes in our democracy. It's a blatant abuse of power, it's a flagrant violation of the most fundamental American value — that people elect their leaders," Warren said. "To be clear, I’m going to fight this. We're going to fight for democracy. We're going to fight for American values." (Florida Politics)
• Rock the Park Tampa is celebrating 12 years of the free monthly music series in downtown Tampa. (That's So Tampa)

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• Welcome Back to School-Florida Penguin Back to School Bash (August 7)
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• New winter holiday-themed comic convention coming to Tampa Bay in 2022 (Details)
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• Gorgeous & Substantial Statement Mirror (Details)
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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you around!

— 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