State Approves New College Entrance Exam, Bulls Win a Football Game, and Goats Do Yoga
Plus, the weather outlook, important civic meetings and the week in local stocks.
WEATHER
Mostly sunny and hot with chances of isolated or afternoon thundershowers, according to this week’s forecast from The Weather Channel:
MONDAY 🌦 Morning sunshine gives way to isolated afternoon thunderstorms.
🌡️94° / 74° 💦 65% / 83% 🌅 7:13 a.m. / 7:39 p.m.
TUESDAY 🌦 Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms.
🌡️92° / 75° 💦 71% / 87% 🌅 7:13 a.m. / 7:38 p.m.
WEDNESDAY 🌤️ Mostly sunny with a chance of a stray shower or thunderstorm.
🌡️91° / 75° 💦 71% / 85% 🌅 7:14 a.m. / 7:37 p.m.
THURSDAY 🌦 Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds and possible scattered thundershowers.
🌡️91° / 74° 💦 69% / 86% 🌅 7:14 a.m. / 7:36 p.m.
FRIDAY 🌤️ Mostly sunny with scattered thunderstorms developing later.
🌡️90° / 72° 💦 72% / 81% 🌅 7:15 a.m. / 7:34 p.m.
SATURDAY 🌦 Sunny early with scattered thunderstorms.
🌡️89° / 72° 💦 65% / 78% 🌅 7:15 a.m. / 7:33 p.m.
SUNDAY ⛈️ Partial cloudiness with scattered afternoon thunderstorms.
🌡️88° / 73° 💦 67% / 80% 🌅 7:15 a.m. / 7:32 p.m.
TODAY’S SPONSOR
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Interested in sponsoring the Navigator? We need to talk.
CURRENTS
Florida Board of Governors approves new exam called Classic Learning Test for university admissions. Florida Phoenix
On 9/11, Ron DeSantis says Mexican border could be the next terror threat. Florida Politics
FL Supreme Court hears arguments over the future of abortion in this state. Florida Phoenix
California tries for a different path than Florida on insurance. Politico
Nancy Millan files for re-election to Hillsborough Tax Collector. Florida Politics
Flamingo found off St. Pete Beach after Hurricane Idalia released back into the wild. Fox 13 Tampa Bay
Hillsborough County's pet euthanization hits five-year low despite more intakes. Axios
Florida gas drop 24 cents since mid-August as winter blend returns. Florida Politics
Not predicted to impact Florida, Hurricane Lee expected to bring hazardous surf, rip currents to western Atlantic beaches. ABC Action News
Marine heat waves off the coast of South Florida could continue into the fall, threatening the health of marine ecosystems. Spectrum Bay News 9
Free period products: New pantry offers accessibility and affordability to women in need. Spectrum Bay News 9
USF's request for on-campus football stadium gets final approval. Spectrum Bay News 9
Buccaneers top Vikings 20-17 as Baker Mayfield finishes strong in his debut. ABC Action News
Eflin gets 14th win, Rays beat Mariners 6-3 to take 3 of 4 in series between contenders. Spectrum Bay News 9
USF football breaks 11-game losing streak. The Oracle
WHAT HE SAID/WHAT SHE SAID/WHAT THEY SAID
GET INVOLVED
Civic meetings of note during the coming week.
TUESDAY: Fourteen members of the Hillsborough County state legislative delegation will hold a meeting to discuss upcoming legislation and hear from members of the public. Member of the public may participate virtually and in person. SkyCenter, 5403 Airport Service Rd., 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
TUESDAY: The Board of Directors of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority will hold its first hearing regarding the tentative property tax millage for fiscal year 2024. Online and at 1201 E. 7th Ave., 3rd floor Florida Conference Room. 5:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: In the wake of the Tampa City Council’s rejection of Mayor Jane Castor’s proposed property tax increase, the council will hold a budget workshop to discuss changes to the fiscal year 2024 Budget and Capital Improvement Plan for the City of Tampa. Tampa City Council Chambers, City Hall, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd., 3rd floor, 3:00 p.m.
THURSDAY: Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency staff will report on the feasibility of extending the Riverwalk from the Aquarium to Adamo Drive, bisecting the land between Channelside Drive and the water. CRA staff also will provide updates on the renovation of Tampa Union Station and Tampa Theatre. Tampa City Council Chambers, City Hall, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd., 3rd floor, 9:00 a.m.
THURSDAY: The Tampa City Council will hold a public hearing regarding an ordinance to allow the construction of accessory dwelling units in the Tampa Heights overlay district. The council also will hold a hearing related to amending the Tampa Comprehensive Plan in Ybor City to accommodate developer Darryl Shaw’s proposed Gas Worx development. Tampa City Council Chambers, City Hall, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd., 3rd floor, 5:01 p.m.
THURSDAY: The Board of County Commissioners will hold its first public budget hearing for the 2024 fiscal year. Sign-up to speak opens on Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., 2nd flood board room, Tampa. 6:00 p.m.
REPORTER
Kidding Around
By Judith M. Gallman
Goats and yoga go well together.
Yoga purists may scoff, but the consensus among the 30 animal-loving yoga enthusiasts at Goat Yoga Tampa’s class on Aug. 27 is that it’s great.
Chris Traina, a class participant, said, “It’s super fun. It’s nice to get outside since it’s been so hot for so long.”
Her friend, Jen Abreut, agreed and offered, “I work at home, so to be able to get out like this is great. It’s not super serious. I’m amazed at how agile they are.”
Goat Yoga Tampa is a sideline business for couple Kelly and Jeff Harris. She’s a former zookeeper at Busch Gardens and current TV personality for the Home Shopping Network who rescued some baby goats in 2017. He’s a Paso County employee. This class was held at In the Loop Brewing, a Land O’Lakes brewery on the banks of Lake Padgett. Both Harris’ wore T-shirts that said, “We Goat Your Back.”
Lutz residents and parents, the Harris’ share their six goat “pets” with yoga students at these semi-regular outdoor get-togethers. For $40, you can spend 45 minutes doing yoga poses as the multicolored, free-spirited goats skip, trot, and possibly slip beneath your tummy while you’re in the downward-facing dog pose. Participants receive a free drink post-class. At this class, there were four goats to go around.
Before class started, Kelly provided the lowdown on the goats: They weigh up to 50 or 60 pounds, they’ll hop on your back and shoulders largely unprompted, they may poop pellets on your mat, one just might pee on you, and if you’d rather not get up close and personal, that’s OK, too. Once class was underway, the pigtailed goat wrangler tossed treats from her waist pack to the cavorting critters to encourage more human-animal interaction. Someone circled the perimeter with a broom in hand to sweep up any poop.
“Tighten your abs,” she told a student as the smallest goat, Boots, an 11-month-old, plopped onto the student’s back while she was in tabletop pose. The woman smiled and laughed as Kelly caught the moment with her cellphone camera after encouraging the woman to smile and look up at her.
The clownlike critters continued the game, rewarded for their behavior. Students gladly interrupted their poses to pet, kiss, and cajole their furry, funny new friends.
Kelly describes goat yoga as a combination of animal therapy and calming yoga poses.
“Our goats have a calm Zen-like, non-judgemental energy which allows yogis to relax, let go of any inhibitions, and experience an hour of pure joy from all of the goat love, all while reenergizing for the week,” Kelly posts on her website, GoatYogaTampa.com. “When we say your cheeks will hurt from smiling and laughing, we aren’t kidding!”
First-timer Charlotte Purcell, a new Land O’ Lakes resident fresh from Chattanooga, Tenn., said she’s inclined to sign up for an upcoming October event, Goats, Gulps & Goblins, on Oct. 29 at the same venue.
“I did like it,” she said. “It makes you giggle.”
Sherri Krugh-Summers, also a new resident who lives in New Port Richey, is a yoga instructor and was wholeheartedly behind the animal-human relations.
“It felt great,” she said in praise of the goats. “They’re joyful, and that’s what yoga is all about. Whatever makes you happy.”
Two friends, Alicen Ambrosia and Rinzine Sammut, also approved of their experiences.
“It was fun—more fun than I expected. It’s just so fun,” Ambrosia said.
“It was hard to focus on the yoga,” Sammut confessed, adding she was pleasantly surprised about how friendly the goats were.
Goat Yoga Tampa isn’t the only game in town, and Alexis Huff of St. Pete and Danielle Luniewski of Sarasota had teamed up to do goat yoga before. They both loved it.
“I’m glad we came. It’s very relaxing and fun. It’s just nice,” Huff said.
“And I’m glad she called,” Luniewski said. “I thought, sure, we might as well have another adventure.”
“They’re so funny, the way they jump around,” said Kim Wheeler of Wesley Chapel. “It was fun. I like animals, and it was something different to do.
Class ended with a lively “merry-goat-round in which students assumed tabletop pose shoulder-to-shoulder as two goats, lured by tasty treats, lept and stepped from one back to the next for the entire circle. Then Kelly took photos to make sure everyone had a chance to cross-pollinate with the grown up kids.
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