Good morning and happy Friday!
MITCH TRAPHAGEN PHOTO
When I was young, a century ago, we would have nuclear attack drills in elementary school. An alarm would go off, we would all walk single file into the hallway, sit down against the wall, close our eyes tightly and put our heads between our knees.
It wasn’t all that different from the tornado drills except: we were told to never, ever look into the flash. None of us ever bothered to ask why the Soviet Union would fire a nuclear missile into Worthington, Minnesota. Nor did we ask why we didn’t just go into the fallout shelter, extremely well labeled, presumably beneath the center of the school. Well, at least someone got to go into the fallout shelter but as 4th-graders, we were apparently relegated to the hallway.
Things have changed a lot since then but every so often the nuclear specter rears its ugly head. So here is a photo taken just yesterday: The Fearless Girl near the New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan. Use her for what you will.
Today’s weather: Yep, pretty much like yesterday except for a slightly higher heat index. Hydrate, people! From the National Weather Service Office in Ruskin:
“Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 103. Light and variable wind becoming west around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%.”
Overnight? Scattered showers and thunderstorms then partly cloudy and a low around 76. Sorry, I didn’t retype that from last night.
Personal forecast: Three words: Netflix binge day.
Eye on the tropics: Tropical Depression Four is still out there. But no threat to us so far. The last sentence is the best news. From the National Hurricane Center:
For the North Atlantic…Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:
The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Tropical Depression Four, located well to the east of the Lesser Antilles.
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 5 days.
What to do?
Check out a Broadway Show: Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” will be playing at the Straz Center July 11 to July 16. Tickets start at $38. For more information visit: http://www.strazcenter.org/Events/Straz/Shows/1617_Broadway_Encores/Disney-s-The-Little-Mermaid
The Tampa Museum of Art will be holding a Portfolio Workshop for children ages 13 and 14 on July 7 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The description reads: “Perfect for Middle School students interested in applying to or who have been accepted into a Magnet Art Program. Taught by Lenny Cabanero-Harvey of Blake High School. $125 Members, $150 not-yet Members.” Visit: https://tampamuseum.org/museum-events/event-list/?regevent_action=register&event_id=1267
Also at the Tampa Museum of Art will be Art Spot: Yarn Painting inspired by Nathan Skiles on July 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit: https://tampamuseum.org/museum-events/event-list/?regevent_action=register&event_id=1249
C’mon…it’s Friday! The SouthShore Regional Library has a free matinee, assuming you choose to ignore the 100,000 or so books to read. The movie? Moana (2016) In Ancient Polynesia, a chieftain’s daughter answers a call to break a curse and save her island. Rated PG. 2 p.m.
Tomorrow there will be a “Recording Studio Open House” at 1 p.m. Also, check out the “Call for Artists” on Sunday.
The SouthShore Regional Library schedule is found here: http://hcplc.evanced.info/signup/calendar?lib=10
Busch Gardens in Tampa celebrates “Summer Nights” with extended hours.
MOSI, the Museum of Science and Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa is offering free admission to exhibit galleries to active duty military personnel and up to five immediate family members from today through Aug. 13. Proof of service is required. https://www.mosi.org/explore-mosi/plan-your-visit/special-offers/
Check out what’s playing at the Ruskin Family Drive-In.
Happenings in Hillsborough:
Hey! It’s Friday to the county, too! But still, check out the “Brown Bag Pitch Practice” at the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center. It’s free. It’s cool. It’s at 11 a.m.
Check out the Hillsborough County calendar here: http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/calendar
Happenings in Manatee:
Coming up on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is household waste scrap collection at the Palmetto Fairgrounds, utilities Building, 3333 Lena Road. The county calendar is located here: https://www.mymanatee.org/home/county-calendar.html
The print edition of The North Manatee Observer News also contains numerous things to get you out of the air conditioning and into the beauty of Manatee County.
News to know:
The Observer News website contains only a small portion of what is in the print editions (yes, there are four editions!). Pick one up. If you can’t find one (well, you won’t find one in Greenwich Village or some place like that (actually, you might)), then email me and I’ll help.
And, in the end:
On this day in 1947, we may have been visited from outer space. Or not. This was the day of the infamous Roswell incident in Roswell, New Mexico. For a few moments, we had a crashed spaceship, and one apparently not of our making. A few moments later, it was a rogue weather balloon. Do you believe?
On this day in 1981, President Ronald Reagan appointed Sandra Day O’Connor to be the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States (also known as SCOTUS or “The Supremes”). Seriously, that just happened in 1981.
And on this day in 1992, the New York Supreme Court ruled that women had the same right as men to go topless in public. I am reporting to you today from New York and…there are no topless women in sight. My apologies to adolescents and the male population in general but I think it important to add: neither women nor men are randomly tearing off their tops in New York City.
Have a great day and a fantastic weekend! See you back in Florida on Monday.
Observer Today is a morning briefing out (usually) by 7 a.m. (or so) and updated until around 10 a.m. Do you have news tips or suggestions for this feature? Please email or leave a comment.
