Good morning!
It’s Monday Tampa Bay! After a somewhat gray but reasonably pleasant weekend, we wake up to… gray skies. And that trend should continue for the foreseeable future. On the plus side, it is keeping the plus side of June high temperatures down below the 90 degree mark. There’s always a silver (gray) lining!
Today’s weather: And, on that note…from the good folks (and crazy smart) folks at the National Weather Service Office in Ruskin:
“Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Heat index values as high as 97. East wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible..”
If you stay up until some unholy hour (or rather, if you just wake up in time to go to work), you should see the forecast low of 73 in the morning.
Personal forecast: Potentially soggy. We’re nearly 60 percent water, anyway. Embrace it!
Eye on the tropics: Twelve days into the 2017 hurricane season and thus far, all is well according to the National Hurricane Center:
For the North Atlantic…Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 5 days.
What to do?
Looking for some respite from warm weather, humidity and rain outside of your home or office? Centro Ybor 20, as part of the AMC Summer Movie Camp, is offering tickets to Trolls for just $3 at 10 a.m. this morning. The film is rated PG-13.
Join the Adult Writing Group at the SouthShore Regional Library from 1 to 3 p.m. today. According to the library, it is an opportunity to “Connect with fellow writers to inspire, encourage, and exchange ideas about the writing process. Opportunities to share your writings and receive feedback will be available. If you’ve ever wanted to be a writer, this is the group for you! All levels of writers are welcome.” Visit http://hcplc.evanced.info/signup/eventdetails?eventid=134362&lib=10&return=
For your teen looking for something to do on a near-summer Monday, the library will be screening “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” at 3:30 p.m. According to the library, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) Explore writer Newt Scamander’s secret community of New York wizards seventy years before Harry Potter discovers his book. Rated PG-13 for some fantasy action violence. 2h 13min.” Visit http://hcplc.evanced.info/signup/eventdetails?eventid=140709&lib=10&return=
And finally at the SouthShore Regional Library, Adult and Teen Watercolors with art instructor Diane Simon from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Teens must be 16 or older and there is a class size limit of 25. This program is funded by the Friends of SouthShore Regional Library. Visit http://hcplc.evanced.info/signup/eventdetails?eventid=143914&lib=10&return=
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/
Monday date night? Check out a blockbuster movie at the Ruskin Family Drive-In.
Happenings in Hillsborough:
The Ruskin Senior Center is offering a seminar on Getting a Good Night’s Sleep at 11 a.m. this morning at the center located at 905 6th St. S.E. in Ruskin. Visit http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/calendar/06-seniorcenters/ruskin/2017/20170612-sleep
Hillsborough County is offering a free event on how to “Smart Start Your Business” from 1 to 3 p.m. today at the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center in Tampa. Visit http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/calendar/02-business/2017/20170612-smart-start-your-business
There will be a Planning Commission meeting at County Center in downtown Tampa today at 3 p.m. Certainly a little planning couldn’t hurt, huh? For information, visit: http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/calendar/05-publicmeetings/2017/20170612-planning-commission-meeting
www.annefrank.ch image, Anne Frank Fonds, founded by Otto Frank. http://www.annefrank.ch/diary.html
And, in the end:
There has been a lot of history. In the span of geological time, we are all just a mere blip, of course, but we still have a lot of recorded history. We really are a clever little bipedal species. Some days seem mundane, others pop out at you. December 7, September 11, November 22 — all horrific things that have stood time: all you need is the date and you know.
But there also days of beginnings and June 12 is one of them.
On June 12, 1931, Al Capone (yep, you guessed it, a Florida snowbird) was indicted on 5,000 counts of prohibition violations and perjury. That marked the beginning of the end of the gangster era (and quite possibly the beginning of the end of prohibition itself, two years later in 1933).
In 1942, Anne Frank received a diary as a birthday present in Amsterdam. Her words filling that diary would go on to not only record but to ultimately change history. Because of Ms. Frank’s diary, the bulk of humanity will never allow something like that to happen again.
Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929 and died at the age of 15 in either February or March 1945.
Certainly, in her case, on this, her 88th birthday, a simple gift — a diary for a young girl, like so many young girls have — marked the beginning of something that would change the world.
In another beginning, on this day in 1964, Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life in prison in South Africa. That would not stand, of course, because the world keeps changing, even when beginnings are simple or difficult. Nearly 30 years later to the very day, Mr. Mandela would become the first president of South Africa.
In all things, we have the capacity to change. We have the ability to improve. We have the ability to overcome the darkest times and to emerge in our finest hours. Despite gray skies, the lining is most definitely silver. Humanity sometimes marches, sometimes limps, but always moves on. Our better days always remain ahead.
Have a great Monday! See you tomorrow.
