Pirates have invaded our fair city! They forced Mayor Jane Castor to turn over the key to the city, and then held a parade along Bayshore Boulevard and Downtown Tampa.  See photos on Facebook and share them with your networks. 

Get Involved

813 Cafecito “Una Mano”
From 9 am – 10:30 am on February 3, join the Mayor’s Hispanic Advisory Council (MHAC) to discuss the growing challenges faced by Tampa’s elderly Hispanic population. The conversation will be led by Gisselle Lopez (Telemundo49) and will feature a number of subject-matter experts, including Josie Flores (Empath Health), Jose Rincon (Homewell Care Services)) and Chris Bellersen (CarePlus Health Plans), who will touch on the types of resources catering to the unique challenges of this particular group. This free event will be located in the HCC “Ybor Room” at N. 14th Street and is open to the public. 

Bead Free Bay & Bead Reuse Program
Let’s keep beads out of the bay! In partnership with the MacDonald Training Center, salvaged and dropped off beads can be reused year after year keeping them out of the waste stream and more importantly, out of the bay. Clean and sanitized beads are packaged and sold back to parade crews for other City events. All proceeds go back to the MacDonald Training Center to fund career and education programs. There are 4 dropoff sites. 

New Water Conservation Workshop Series - “Water Smart New Year’s Resolution: In 2023, Resolve to Save Water” 
The Water Department has launched a water conservation workshop series to provide valuable tips & tricks to save both water and money. Attend one or all of the below events to learn more about water conservation: 

- Tampa's Water Use Restriction Workshop on February 2 from 10:30 am – 11:30 am at the New Tampa Regional Library

- Understanding Your Irrigation Controller Workshop on February 4 from 10:30 am – 11:30 am at the New Tampa Regional Library

“Black Love” Series Returns to Tampa Theatre
Tampa Theatre is proud to announce the return of the Black Love Classic Movie Series, presented by TECO. For its second season, the series will center around the theme “Home is Where the Heart Is.” These four films – chosen in collaboration with the City of Tampa’s Community Engagement & Partnerships Department – explore journeys of discovery and the roads that lead back, as told by Black filmmakers and diverse casts. Showings occur every Sunday in February. Visit TampaTheatre.org for tickets and details. 

5th Annual City of Tampa Black History Celebration
Join us at the 35th Annual City of Tampa Black History Celebration on February 13 at 11 am at the Tampa Convention Center as we honor the rich history and cultural contributions of black leaders past and present. This year's event will feature live music, and performances while celebrating the achievements of local Black leaders and trailblazers. 

Job of the Week
The Wastewater Department is hiring an AWT Systems Compliance Specialist to be responsible for technical and professional work in accordance with compliance regulations at the Howard F. Curren Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (AWTP). The employee in this class is responsible for ensuring reliable access, compliance, and reporting to regulatory agencies from all groups. 

Last Week's Headlines

Bead Reuse Program launched by the City of Tampa for the 2023 event season
ABC Action News
For the Bead Reuse Program, the City of Tampa will collaborate with the MacDonald Training Center, a non-profit devoted to empowering people with disabilities.

Tampa installs new 4-way stops throughout the city
Spectrum Bay News 9
Tampa is continuing to add four-way stop signs throughout the city, in an effort to make roads safer for pedestrians and drivers.

Tampa Riverwalk in running to be the best in America
WFLA NewsChannel 8 
As of this report, Tampa was second in the voting, following Detroit’s International RiverWalk.

‘Keep the city clean’: Volunteers clean up after Gasparilla
WFLA NewsChannel 8
It’s all in an effort to keep Tampa Bay beautiful.

In Tampa Bay, community members help local governments with environmental stewardship
83 Degrees
They are part of the “Green Team,” a band of service workers in a new environmental stewardship program the City launched in partnership with AmeriCorps and Volunteer Florida.

City of Tampa says it has met its goal to make massive construction projects more inclusive
ABC Action News
The City Center at Hanna Avenue will house multiple departments when construction ends this year.

Tampa expands Cass Street's protected bike lane across bridge
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Farther south, however, "fortunate" was the term used by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor on Twitter Wednesday morning as the city awoke to minimal damage and flooding.

Employee Spotlight

Meet Reshey Hardy, a Solid Waste Field Operations Supervisor in the Wastewater Department. Reshey has worked for the City of Tampa for 24 years and enjoys that his position requires frequent training that helps him serve Tampa residents and the employees he manages.

What's one of the coolest days you’ve had on the job? The coolest experience in my role is seeing employees being promoted to driver from a temp. This shows me how determination and hard work can take you very far! 

What do you like to do in your free time? I love to spend my free time fishing and playing video games.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Tampa? I love the wings at Press Box Sports Bar in Tampa.

You can go anywhere in the world for free. Where would you go and why? If I could go anywhere for free in the world, I would stay right here in Tampa! I would take my chances and spend big to win big at the Tampa Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

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