šŸŒ± Tampa Taco And Margarita Festival + Club Eden Shooting

Good day, neighbors! Carlos Hernandez here with today's edition of the Tampa Daily.

Want to support local news in Tampa? Become a Patch Supporter for just $5 per month and help keep the Tampa Daily going, plus get other exclusive perks. Click here to learn more.


First, today's weather:

A shower and thunderstorm. High: 58 Low: 49.


Rent this space!

Are you a local business owner or marketer in Tampa? We'd love to start showcasing trusted businesses who can solve problems for our amazing local readers. Click here to learn how it works.


Here are the top five stories in Tampa today:

1. Tampa Taco and Margarita Festival is coming to Raymond James Stadium on March 12th. The festival is expected to draw 5,000 to 7,000 people with logistics run by Tampa Sports Authority. There will be live performances by pro wrestlers, country music stars William Michael Morgan and Hayden Coffman, and pop music star Ryan Cabrera. Despite a troubled past, the event organizers say they have learned from their mistakes. (Tampa Bay Times)

2. Florida's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization Equality Florida and local artist Chad Mize will debut a new LGBTQ mural at Tampa Heights' Shuffle on Friday, January 28th at 10:30 a.m. The debut will include City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith, and local LGBTQ leaders. The ceremony will be followed by an after party at 7 p.m., with live entertainment, art, shuffleboard and more. 50% of proceeds will go to Equality Florida. (Creative Loafing Tampa)

3. Two people were shot outside Tampa nightclub Club Eden early Monday morning, according to police. Police say the shooting happened after a fight broke out inside the club that ended outside. Both victims were reported to be stable as of Monday and recovering at Tampa General Hospital from non-life-threatening wounds. (WFLA)

4. Former Bucs player Antonio Brown celebrated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday with a mocking tweet. The photo posted in the tweet was an edited version of his final moment as a member of the Buccaneers. (CBS Sports)

5. Hillsborough County has opened a fourth location for residents to receive free COVID-19 testing at the parking lot of Adventure Island (10001 N McKinley Drive). The drive-thru site will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Tampa Patch)


From our sponsor:

Doing a "Dry January" or just looking for a flavorful alternative to regular cocktails? Here's a suggestion: try a non-alcoholic drink from our partners at Betera. Created by an award-winning chef from natural botanicals, Beteraā€™s drinks come in 3 flavors ā€” Ginger-Orange, Elderflower-Lime and Rhubarb-Hibiscus. We tried Ginger-Orange, and it was excellent ā€” lightly effervescent, floral with a hint of bitterness and the sippability of a cocktail.

Betera is offering readers of the Daily a 15% discount on their first order: use PATCH15 at checkout. Highly recommended ā€” you can try Betera here.


Today in Tampa:

  • Bella Prana Yoga at Armature Works. (9:00 AM)

  • Tech Help at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. (11:00 AM)

  • School Board Meeting at Hillsborough County Schools. (4:00 PM)

  • Teen Open Studio at The Firehouse Cultural Center. (6:30 PM)

  • LinkedIn Resume Building at Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (6:30 PM)


From my notebook:

  • Meet your local first responders, learn how you can help save a life, and discover ways you can keep yourself and your family safe at the Tampa Fire Rescue x Tampa Parks & Rec Health & Safety Open House on February 8th. (Twitter)

  • The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded the HART transit agency with a Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning grant totaling $300,000 to plan for TOD at four proposed stations along the planned TECO Line Streetcar extension and HART's bus rapid transit line that will link downtown Tampa and the University of South Florida. (HART)

  • City of Tampa wants to know how many Gasparilla celebrations you have attended over the years. (Twitter)

  • Tampa-based administrative processing services company HealthAxis has received a growth investment from Revelstoke Capital Partners. (TBBW)

  • Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has specials in celebration of the Lunar New Year including at Rock N Raw February 4th to 6th & February 11th to 13th with Clams & Spicy Black Bean Sauce. Jubao Palace Noodle Bar will have Honey Walnut Shrimp on special from January 31st through February 20th. (Twitter)


More from our sponsors ā€” thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

For sale:


Loving the Tampa Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:


That's it for today! I'll see you around.

ā€” 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.

This article originally appeared on the Tampa Patch