🌱 ZooTampa Makes USA Today Top List + 'The Rooster's Tale' Finale

Morning, everybody! I'm Carlos Hernandez, back in your inbox this morning with your fresh edition of the Tampa Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town today, including:

• ZooTampa at Lowry Park and its David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Critical Care have been named by USA Today's 10Best Reader's Choice Travel Awards for 2023.
• A former New Port Richey resident said she moved after being allegedly harrassed by police and code enforcement officials.
• "The Rooster’s Tale," a new play by Paula Fell, will close this weekend in Tampa.

But first, today's weather:

Humid; an afternoon t-storm. High: 81 Low: 51.

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Here are the top stories in Tampa today:

1. Tampa is the national radar after ZooTampa at Lowry Park and its David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Critical Care were named on the list of the 10 best zoos and best zoo exhibits in the country in the 2023 USA Today's 10Best Reader's Choice Travel Awards. (Tampa Patch)
2. A former New Port Richey resident said she left town after she was allegedly harrassed by police and code enforcement in the city. The resident said police used an illegal search warrant to search her property on the grounds of code violations and CL said the police then made jokes on body camera footage about Anne Frank, a victim of the Holocaust during World War II. The former resident is Jewish and said the code enforcement official failed to be certified for the Florida Association of Code Enforcement before issuing charges against her. The code enforcement official has been terminated twice in Florida for violations. (Creative Loafing Tampa)
3. "The Rooster’s Tale," a new play by Paula Fell, will close this weekend in Tampa at LAB Theater Project. The final performance in Tampa will be Sunday, March 19 at 3 p.m. Taped performances will be available on demand from March 16 through 30. Tickets are available online. (Tampa Patch)
4. Former Florida state legislator Janet Cruz and candidate for Tampa City Council has flip-flopped her position on "Toilet to Tap," which is a controversial program to reuse treated wastewater for drinking water. Her opponent, incumbent Lynn Hurtak, has not been shy about her opposition to the water program. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times)
5. Drone delivery is now available from Walmart in the Tampa area at six locations with more planned soon. Shoppers can use the service on thousands of different products under 10 pounds by paying a $3.99 fee. The retail giant has partnered with tech-company DroneUp for the deliveries. (Fox 13 Tampa)

Today in Tampa:

• Poppin' With Pups at Don Me Now. (8:30 a.m.)
• Friends of the Riverview Public Library Book Sale. (10:15 a.m.)
• Borgeous | Pool Party at WTR Pool. (noon)
• Sal Y Mar Tasting Dinner Series at Midtown Tampa. (6 p.m.)
• Tampa Heights Cultural Festival Presents: Healing Through Cultural Arts. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers shared: "We've released TE Cameron Brate." (Tampa Bay Buccaneers via Facebook)
• Humane Society of Tampa Bay shared: "ISLAND PAWS 2023 🌴 Join us for Tampa Bay's BEST party for the animals on April 28 from 6 p.m.-11 p.m. at Water Works Park, right next to Ulele, on the beautiful Tampa Bay Riverwalk." (Humane Society of Tampa Bay via Facebook)
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay shared: "Green beer and St. Patty's cheer! 🍀 Join us all weekend long for St. Patrick's Day treats like a corned beef pretzel annd green beer at Twisted Tails, Irish dogs at Dragon Dog, and an Irish cocktail at the Dragon Fire Pub." (Busch Gardens Tampa Bay via Facebook)
• City of Tampa shared: "We had a blast at Senior Day in the Park last week, a free community event featuring group fitness, live entertainment, vendors, raffles, and more." (City of Tampa via Facebook)
• Tampa Theatre shared: "Our Family Favorites series returns for its 10th year with a new film every Sunday in April. With the hopes of bringing a new generation of fans to the Tampa Theatre, we’ll be offering a discounted kids’ ticket." (Tampa Theatre via Facebook)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. See you all 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.

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