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- Issue #099: Nine New Michelin Stars in Florida, Tijuana Flats Closes in Tampa, Rising USPS Scams & Fascinating Study Results
Issue #099: Nine New Michelin Stars in Florida, Tijuana Flats Closes in Tampa, Rising USPS Scams & Fascinating Study Results
042324
Ted Grellner
23 Apr
iKeep your finger on the Pulse!
GOOD MORNING!
Although we’ve covered the Michelin Stars earned by local restaurants previously, the article referenced has links to ALL Florida restaurants who earned stars this year, should you wish to check them out.
Dr Ted
In this issue of
NewTampa | WesleyChapel Local Pulse
Local News
✨ Florida Dazzles with Nine New Michelin Stars in Latest Culinary Guide
🍕 Tijuana Flats Shuts Down Four Tampa Bay Locations Amid Bankruptcy and Ownership Changes
Crime
📮BBB Warns of Escalating Impersonation Scams Involving USPS and Top Companies
Of Interest
WXYZ - End-of-Alphabet Names Linked to Lower Grades, University of Michigan
This Week’s Events in the NewTampa | Wesley Chapel FL Local Area
NT | WC AI Event Bot — Check dates and Submit Events (Beta)
Got News?—> CLICK HERE To Share with NT | WC Local Pulse
See Creative Loafing for Live Music Events Calendar Apr 18-25
April 23
April 24
April 25 - 28: “Big Irish” Jay Hollingsworth, Side Splitters Comedy Club at the Grove, 8pm
April 26
April 27 - 28: Tampa Bay Home Show, Fl State Fairgrounds, for tickets and information: tampabayhomeshows.com
:April 28 - Harvest Market at the Grove, 10am-2pm
April 28 - Kidpreneur’s Club, The Grove Theater, 6333 Wesley Grove Blvd, 12-3pm
April 28 - The Reflections Chamber Orchestra, NTPAC, 3-5pm
Florida Dazzles with Nine New Michelin Stars in Latest Culinary Guide
Florida's culinary prestige has risen with nine new Michelin stars awarded to restaurants across Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, as announced at the Tampa Edition hotel. The 2024 Michelin Guide now boasts 26 starred establishments in the state, with L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami maintaining its two-star rating among a diverse selection of 149 restaurants showcasing 38 types of cuisine.
This year's star recipients highlight global flavors, featuring Japanese, Peruvian, Vietnamese, and Scandinavian dishes. Orlando's Michelin newcomers include Camille, Natsu, Papa Llama, and Victoria & Albert’s. Miami's new star winners are EntreNos, Ogawa, and Shingo, while Tampa celebrates Ebbe and Kosen.
The guide also introduced Green Stars for sustainable dining, awarded to Kaya in Orlando and Los Felix/Krüs Kitchen in Miami, recognizing their commitment to local sourcing and eco-friendly practices.
Gwendal Poullennec, Michelin Guides' international director, praised Florida's vibrant gastronomic scene, noting the significant enhancement since the guide's introduction in 2022, marking Florida as a prime gastronomic destination.
Tijuana Flats Shuts Down Four Tampa Bay Locations Amid Bankruptcy and Ownership Changes
Tijuana Flats has closed four Tampa Bay locations as part of a larger downsizing that included 11 store closures last week, following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The closures are strategically chosen based on financial underperformance, high occupancy costs, and overall market conditions. Locations closed in Tampa Bay include South Tampa, New Tampa, Westchase, and Sarasota.
The company, which transitioned ownership from TJF USA, LLC to Flatheads, LLC earlier this month, faced these challenges amidst broader company changes, including a failed menu overhaul in 2021. Despite these setbacks, CEO Joe Christina remains optimistic about the new direction under the recent ownership change, emphasizing plans to rejuvenate the brand.
Tijuana Flats, founded in 1995 by Brian Wheeler, a University of Central Florida student, expanded significantly under his leadership until 2015. The brand has extended its reach into Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Despite the recent store closures, more than a dozen Tijuana Flats locations continue to operate in the Tampa Bay area.
BBB Warns of Escalating Impersonation Scams Involving USPS and
Top Companies
Impersonation scams are on the rise, with fraudsters increasingly posing as reputable organizations to deceive people. The U.S. Postal Service is the most impersonated entity, as highlighted in a recent Better Business Bureau (BBB) report. This scam trend also targets major companies like Amazon, Publishers Clearing House, GeekSquad, and Norton AntiVirus. According to the Federal Trade Commission, over 330,000 business impersonation and 160,000 government impersonation cases were reported in 2023, showcasing a shift from phone-based to email and text message scams.
Scammers employ tactics like sending fake delivery notifications or subscription renewal alerts to extract personal information. The BBB advises the public to verify such communications by directly accessing their accounts and to be cautious with unsolicited messages. It’s important to remember that entities like the USPS will only send notifications if customers opt in for services like package tracking.
This evolving landscape of digital fraud calls for heightened vigilance to protect personal information against sophisticated phishing attempts.
End-of-Alphabet Names Linked to Lower Grades, University of Michigan
Study Reveals
A new study from the University of Michigan reveals that students with last names towards the end of the alphabet are often assigned lower grades, likely due to the default alphabetical sorting in online learning systems like Canvas. Analyzing 30 million grading records from their own archives, researchers uncovered that these students not only receive lower grades but also face more critical and less polite feedback on their assignments.
The findings suggest a bias that could be influenced by grader fatigue, as those assessing numerous assignments in alphabetical order may lose concentration over time. This effect was reversed in cases where graders assessed assignments from Z to A, with students at the end of the alphabet receiving higher grades.
Associate Professor Jun Li and doctoral students Helen Wang and Jiaxin Pei suggest that even minor grading disparities, such as a 0.6-point difference, could significantly affect students' overall GPA and future opportunities. They advocate for systemic changes to grading practices, including randomizing student name lists and increasing grader awareness of potential biases.
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