🌱 U.S. SBA Business Recovery Center Opening + Alafia River Flooding

Hello all. I'm back in your inbox this warm morning to walk you through everything you need to know about what's happening in town. Today's issue includes news about:

• 🛣️ The Selmon Expressway returning to normal operations today.
• 💵 A Business Recover Center opening in Tampa for businesses impacted by Hurricane Ian.
• ⛪ The funeral for fallen Pinellas County deputy Michael Hartwick being held today.

Today is National Consignment Day. It's a great day to support your local thrift stores and sell things you may not be using.

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But first, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 85 Low: 64.

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📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Tampa who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our Tampa Daily readers to local businesses they need to know about. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

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Here are the top stories today in Tampa:

1. Several Florida school districts were ranked among Niche's 2023 Best Schools and Districts rankings list, which was released last week. Hillsborough County Public Schools received a "B+" rating as did Pinellas County Schools and Pasco County School District. (Florida Patch)

2. Normal operations will return to the Selmon Expressway today including regular toll charges. Governor Ron DeSantis suspended tolls last week as part of the response to Hurricane Ian. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times)

3. Homes in southeast Hillsborough County faced flooding from the Alafia River which peaked at around 18.4 feet on Friday evening. The river was inundated with water after Hurricane Ian moved through the state. Unfortunately, the flooding is regular occurrence in the area. (Fox 13 Tampa)

4. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will open a Business Recovery Center to assist those affected by Hurricane Ian in Tampa. Florida businesses from DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties can apply for Physical and Economic Injury Disaster loans from SBA. (ABC Action News)

5. Funeral arrangements are set for fallen Pinellas County deputy Michael Hartwick, who died on Thursday, Sept. 22. His funeral will be held today at the Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz starting at 7:30 a.m. with a motorcade. (WFLA)

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Today in Tampa:

• 22nd Annual Derrick Brooks Celebrity Golf Classic at Old Memorial Golf Club. (7:30 a.m.)
• School Support Committee Meeting at Temple Terrace City Council. (4 p.m.)
• Mahjong at Temple Terrace Public Library. (4 p.m.)
• Fall Chorus Concert at Sickles High School. (7 p.m.)
• Book Discussion: The Southern Book Club's Guide To Slaying Vampires By Grady Hendrix at Riverview Library. (7 p.m.)

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From my notebook:

• A robbery suspect attempted to flee from Tampa police on Saturday by jumping in the water and attempting to swim away to avoid capture. A helicopter managed to catch up to him in the unsuccessful attempt. (WFLA)
• Society of Professional Journalists Florida is "offering $200 in aid to any Florida journalist suffering financial hardship after Hurricane Ian." (Twitter)
• Sarasota County schools "will remain closed until further notice." (Twitter)
• The Tampa Bay Lightning have two remaining preseason games left to play. The team has suffered three losses during the preseason. (Subscription: Tampa Bay Times)

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Events:

• St Pete's Super Greek Festival 2022 (October 7)
• Miami Carnival Parade of Bands and Concert Set for October 9, 2022 (October 9)
• Add your event

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You're all caught up for today! I'll see you soon.

— 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