Axios Tampa Bay

July 26, 2021
🧜♀️ Welcome to Monday!
☔️ High of 91, with scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon
- Sounds like: "Hot and Heavy" by Lucy Dacus.
Today's newsletter is 943 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Get vaccinated or get COVID
A nurse prepares paperwork with a patient during the Vaccinate at the Plate event at Tropicana Field in June. Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
We're headed back into the COVID woods, as cases rise in Tampa Bay.
What's happening: The Florida Department of Health's weekly report on Friday showed Hillsborough County with an 18.1% average positivity rate in the last week — five percentage points higher than the previous week, per Florida Politics.
- Cases in Pinellas County have doubled. Pasco County also came close to doubling.
But, but, but: More people are taking the coronavirus vaccine in Hillsborough County — 8,918 people were vaccinated in the past week, compared to 7,002 the week before. Pinellas and Pasco are also reporting slightly higher vaccination rates.
Why it matters: We're looking at an even bigger surge this fall if we can't get this under control.
- A University of South Florida epidemiologist told the News Service of Florida that Hillsborough County could reach enough daily COVID-19 cases in September to exceed hospital bed capacity.
Between the lines: When cases started falling in late spring, the Florida Department of Health stopped sharing key data points with the public, like hospitalizations, infections in nursing homes, and county level infections and vaccinations by race, age and gender.
- But now, the Tampa Bay Times reports, health experts are saying that not sharing that data could have consequences for disease control.
- Gov. Ron DeSantis' press secretary, Christina Pushaw, told the Times the state has no plans to re-up daily reports, adding, "Anyone who is worried about COVID should get vaccinated."
The bottom line: We know we sound like a broken record, but we'll say it again. If you're not getting vaccinated, be prepared to get COVID.
2. 🏅 Champa Bay from 7,000 miles away
Anastasija Zolotic celebrates after defeating ROC's Tatiana Minina during the women's under-57 kilogram taekwondo gold medal contest on the second day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Maja Hitij/Getty Images.
Tokyo 2020 kicked off with wins for Tampa Bay.
🥇 Anastasija Zolotic, 18, who's from Largo but trains in Colorado Springs, earned the United States' first gold medal in women's taekwondo.
🥈 Emma Weyant, 19, from Sarasota, took the silver in the women's 400m individual medley swim.
One to watch: Brandon tennis player Austin Krajicek won his first round men's doubles match with Tennys Sandgren yesterday against Australia's Max Purcell and John Peers.
3. We're home to Florida's most overpriced houses
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Hold on to your wallets.
What's happening: A new report from Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University called Tampa Bay "the most concerning of the state's metro areas" for overpriced homes.
By the numbers: Florida homes were selling for 21.8% above their long-term pricing trend as of June 30 — up from 19.2% in May and 17.2% in April.
- Tampa-area homes sold in June for a 32% premium, compared to 28.5% in May and 26.1% in April.
What they're saying: Researchers aren't predicting a housing crash, and said property appreciation eventually will taper off. People who paid top prices recently risk being stuck for a while before they can get solid returns on their investments.
Be smart: You're better off renting right now and reinvesting the money you would have spent on homeownership, according to Ken H. Johnson, associate dean in FAU’s College of Business, and Eli Beracha of FIU's Hollo School of Real Estate.
- Rents are increasing, but nowhere near the spike in home prices, they said.
4. The Pulp: You can't always pit what you want
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
🦠 A Cape Coral doctor is the 'chief online spreader' of coronavirus and vaccine misinformation. (New York Times)
🤑 After Zoom gave him $14 billion for his company, John Sung Kim is investing it in Tampa Bay's tech scene. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
🧑💻 Hackers may have stolen 58,000 people's personal data, including Social Security and PIN numbers, through Florida's unemployment website. (Bradenton Herald)
🍔 Quote du jour
"The nonstandard McDonald's is an endangered species."— Max Krieger, who has found some of the nation's wildest, weirdest golden arches in Tampa Bay. The Kickstarter for his documentary is so close to its goal.
5. Rays fall to Cleveland
Wander Franco after flying out during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 25. Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images
In the 100th game of the season, set to lead the American League East, the Rays lost their grip yesterday.
What happened: The game started off strong for the Rays but ended with the Cleveland Indians edging them out 3-2.
State of play: They move on without one of their best: reliever Collin McHugh.
- McHugh was placed on the 10-day injured list for "arm fatigue," the Tampa Bay Times reports.
What's next: They face the Yankees tomorrow night back at home.
6. 🥕 Try this: Naked Farmer
A bowl from Naked Farmer. Photo: Becca Meier/Axios
👋 Ben here. I'm almost totally over bowls as a food trend — the whole grain-veggie-protein thing has long felt lazy and uninspired. I will debate you.
- But hold the phone: I absentmindedly ate almost all of my girlfriend's bowl of farro, kale, sweet potatoes and chargrilled chicken from newcomer Naked Farmer when we plopped down at Sparkman Wharf the other day. And it was delicious.
- I now see why Naked Farmer raised enough funding for "rapid expansion."
👋 Selene here. I second this. The salmon and cilantro avocado dressing are my favs.
🍽 Have you eaten anything great lately? Hit reply and let us know. Or join us at The Feed on Nextdoor.
7. Another drop in the Summer Bucket List
The week 1 winner of the Summer Bucket List contest is ...
Katherine Anderson!

Her favorite retreat from the heat: The Dalí Museum. She writes in:
"Dalí takes typically boring geometry and twists the eye's perception, giving you the pleasure of an optical spa day. Visiting the Dalí reminds me that it's more important to normalize the bizarre than to find comfort in the mundane. Where's the fun in that?"
🎉 Congrats, Katherine!
💎 This week's theme: Hidden Gems
- Show us your favorite place to go to get away from everyone, whether it's for a quiet walk, great food/coffee/drinks, shopping, swimming or anything else (that's legal).
- Reply to the newsletter or send an email to [email protected] with the subject line "Hidden Gem" to enter.
- Don't forget: The winner gets a $25 gift card to a local business of their choice!
😭 Ben is reading this fascinating Jason Fagone story and listening to Albert Collins. 🌒
📚 Selene is reading "The Other Black Girl" and Ali Wong's "Dear Girls." 👩👧👧
See yous guyses tomorrow.
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