Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Tampa man’s 30-year fentanyl sentence reveals a dangerous local supply chain.

Be sure to catch 9/11 Memorial Ceremony on the Tampa Patch calendar

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Greetings Tampa! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Tampa man's 30-year fentanyl sentence reveals a dangerous local supply chain.
  • How Tampa Hope is helping neighbors move from the streets to stability.
  • What the new federal housing law could change for Tampa veterans.

Also on today's calendar: 9/11 Memorial Ceremony and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why are elevator jokes so good ? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Sunday: Humid with a thunderstorm, with a high of 92 and low of 78 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
  • Monday: Humid; an afternoon t-storm, temps: high: 91, low: 75.
  • Tuesday: Humid; an afternoon t-storm, with a high of 89 and low of 75 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Tampa man sentenced to 30 years for multi-county fentanyl conspiracy (fox13news.com) — A 31-year-old Tampa man has been sentenced to more than 30 years in federal prison for running a fentanyl distribution operation that reached into Pinellas and Pasco counties. Investigators seized over 250 grams of fentanyl mixtures and processing equipment from a local stash house and tied him to more than two kilograms trafficked in late 2024, underscoring ongoing overdose risks in the region.
   

2. Catholic Charities getting Tampa's homeless back on their feet (fox13news.com) — Catholic Charities' Tampa Hope site on 3rd Avenue hosted a pancake breakfast, haircuts, raffles, and a large clothing giveaway to support Tampa residents working to escape homelessness. Participants say the program is helping them regain stability, sobriety, and housing, while local data show more than 1,700 people remain homeless in the city. Organizers stress that community support and dignity-focused services are key to lasting change.
   

3. From VA home loans to housing assistance: What a new law means for veterans (baynews9.com) — A new federal housing law could expand rental assistance eligibility and clarify VA home loan benefits for veterans, with major implications for those served by Tampa's James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital. By excluding disability compensation from HUD-VASH income calculations and requiring clearer mortgage disclosures, the law aims to help more local veterans move from homelessness or unstable housing toward homeownership. Tampa veterans and advocates say the demand for housing support remains intense.
   

4. Tampa Bay veterans urged to prepare for Sept. 11 triggers (baynews9.com) — Veterans in the Tampa Bay area are being urged to prepare emotionally for the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11, which can trigger difficult memories and feelings. The nonprofit Stop Soldier Suicide is highlighting its counseling and educational resources, noting Florida veterans die by suicide at much higher rates than civilians. Families and community members are encouraged to use these tools and call 988 during crises.
   

5. Delta abandons diverted passengers after TSA employees go home (wheninyourstate.com) — Severe storms near Tampa recently forced a Los Angeles–Tampa Delta flight to divert to Fort Myers, where confusing instructions left some travelers stranded more than 100 miles from their destination. Passengers who followed directions to baggage claim couldn't re-clear security after TSA closed, while those who stayed at the gate continued on to Tampa, prompting Delta to apologize and offer guidance for future diversions.
   

📸 Around Tampa

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Veterans and Civilians Invited to Meet and Greet on Saturday —Leslie Farrell Read on Patch
  • Literacy Gap Eased by Local NonProfit That Helps Children SOAR —Leslie Farrell Read on Patch
  • Checking my trail cam today I saw the attached.
    It is a coyote. Anyone in the Sugarwood subdivision please be careful with your animals. In the almost 30 years living here we've never seen one… (Nextdoor Sugarwood Grove)
  • OWNERS FOUND AND REUNITED THANK YOU!!
    cat on Dawnview near Northdale. Belong to anyone? The baby is panting like crazy. (Nextdoor Oakmanor Dr)
  • Clearance Jobs posted a job opening for Inventory Control Specialist 2 (Temp) Jobs in Tampa. Apply here.
  • Philip Morris International posted a job opening for Supervisor Customer Service in Tampa. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Tampa here.

Ok Tampa! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Because they work on so many levels ! (Thank you Gary M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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