Oldsmar city leaders are poised to transform the city’s downtown by attracting development at an 8-acre piece of city-owned land that’s adjacent to Oldsmar City Hall. The city has described the site as a potential “catalyst” for downtown development.
OLDSMAR â For several decades, many Pinellas County communities have hosted a monthly Friday night street festival, starting with St. Peteâs First Friday celebrations in the 1990s and continuing today with similar events in Safety Harbor (Third Friday) and Tarpon Springs (First Friday).Â
Now you can add Oldsmar to the list of municipalities blocking one Friday off the calendar each month as the Oldsmar City Council recently voted 5-0 in favor of waiving application fees for the Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerceâs proposed Second Friday events, scheduled to take place on State Street from 6-10 p.m. on July 9, Aug. 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12, and Dec. 10.Â
Lots of jobs, few hires: Labor shortage puts Tampa Bay restaurants in a pinch
Worker advocates say itâs the start of an overdue reckoning for industries that rely on low-wage jobs.
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A marquee at the McDonald s at 1905 N Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa indicates a starting salary of $13 an hour for new hires on May 12. The restaurant had previously offered applicants $50 just for coming in for an interview, a sign of the current high demand for food service workers. [ IVY CEBALLO | Times ]
At the Oxford Exchange in Tampa, business isnât just back. Itâs booming.
Sales are up 68 percent compared to 2019, said owner Allison Adams. A waitlist for a Motherâs Day brunch listed more than 1,200 people. The restaurantâs reservation system was similarly backlogged for Easter and Valentineâs Day.