U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is warning that privatizing the passenger screening process at Tampa International Airport will jeopardize hundreds of federal jobs and associated benefits. (Photo courtesy of TPA) Tampa International Airport (TPA) finds itself at the center of a deepening controversy over its voluntary participation in a federal program that outsources passenger screening. ​ Privatizing the airport’s passenger-screening workforce through the Transportation Security Administration’s...

A Duke Energy truck in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The company no longer has a franchise agreement in St. Petersburg, and is warning city officials of the potential fallout. (Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg) St. Petersburg is entering uncharted territory as its 30-year franchise agreement with Duke Energy Florida has officially expired, triggering a high-stakes standoff between city leadership and the utility giant. ​ Duke, in an Aug. 7 letter addressed to Mayor Ken Welch,...

One of Troy’s most notable international achievements occurred at the Skylon Tower in Niagara Falls, Ontario. (Photo via Troy Alston) In the world of endurance sports, few athletes possess the sheer vertical tenacity of Troy R. Alston. Recently, the Tampa Bay region celebrated a milestone as Alston was officially certified by Atlas World Records for his latest feat: achieving the most documented stair-climbing race victories within a single state or province. Between 2010 and 2026, Alston...

Caption: An African American couple holding hands. (Stock image) A quiet demographic shift has been unfolding in Pinellas County for more than two decades, one that mirrors a national pattern but now sets the county apart from other parts of the Tampa Bay region. Census data, released in early 2026, shows for the first time in measured history, a majority of Black adults in Pinellas have never walked down the aisle. According to data spanning 2000 to 2024, the share of ‘never married’ Black...

A regional lifeline for transportation-disadvantaged residents in Pinellas County has ended due to an unexpected lapse in state funding. (Photo courtesy of Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority) The road to life-saving medical care has hit a dead end for hundreds of low-income Pinellas County residents who lack reliable, affordable transportation. ​ A stroke-of-the-pen veto by Gov. Ron DeSantis has dismantled the Pinellas County Transit Authority’s (PSTA) lifeline for...

The Links Inc. was founded in 1946, is one of the nation's oldest and largest volunteer service organizations. Last year, the organization partnered with Miles College and donated essential items and food supplies to the campus student food pantry. The check was presented by Vanessa Falls, Southern Regional Director. ( Photos courtesy of Crystal Pruitt) Tampa will take center stage in 2027 as it welcomes one of the nation's premier gatherings of Black and brown professional women leaders. The...

This year's winners include Ashley Reed and Dr. Lara & Memi of The Marriage Pinnacle (Photo: Famous Amos) The local culinary scene in St. Petersburg is buzzing with pride as Ashley Reed, the visionary founder of the popular food truck "The Brunch Munch," has been officially named a winner of the 2026 Famous Amos "Ingredients for Success" (IFS) Entrepreneurs Initiative. This prestigious national recognition places Reed among a select group of trailblazing Black business owners who are showing...

Members of NAAIA at a networking event. (LinkedIn). As Tampa Bay continues to experience unprecedented growth, local Black insurance professionals are working to ensure the industry's leadership reflects the communities it serves. Earlier this year, the National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA) created a Tampa Bay Chapter. Chartered on Feb. 26, the chapter joins the national organization founded to increase representation and provide professional development, mentorship and...

Jude Bruno is the first Black man, Haitian American, and millennial elected as Florida PTA president in the organization's 103-year history. (Photo courtesy of Florida PTA) Jude Bruno is breaking barriers as the new leader of the Florida Parent Teacher Association (PTA). For the first time in its 103-year history, the organization has elected a Black man, a Haitian American, and a millennial as its president. This historic moment happened earlier this month, starting a fresh chapter for child...

Bishop J Drew Sheard (right) is the Presiding bishop of COGIC. (COGIC Facebook) The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) annual Auxiliaries in Ministry (AIM) Convention has officially announced its next destination, with plans set to head to Tampa, Florida, in July 2027. The Bay Area has COGIC congregations that take part in the day. Bishop Anthony W. Gilyard, bishop of the Southwestern Florida Jurisdiction, shares his excitement via Facebook. “Please know that we have grown, and it’s so much more...

Deanna Joseph continues the fight for justice in her son's memory. The family remains in pursuit of the $15 million judgment awarded in 2022. (Photo by Luis Santana |Times) Twelve years ago, the life of 14-year-old Andrew Joseph, III was cut short, triggering a grueling decade-long saga of grief and legal combat for his parents. The teenager’s death occurred in February 2014 after Hillsborough County deputies expelled him from the Florida State Fair. Left in a dangerous area away from the...

Lonnie G. Bunch III, the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian, speaks on stage during National Archives Foundation Records of Achievement Award Ceremony and Gala 2023 (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for National Archives Foundation/TNS) Smithsonian Secretary Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch, III, has disputed a White House report that accuses the National Museum of American History of promoting “thinly veiled anti-Americanism” and “extreme political activism.” The 162-page report was...

The Woodson Museum reopened to the public on 7/11/26 (Photo by Kaylen Ross) A New Era for the Museum The Woodson Museum African American Museum of Florida in St. Pete celebrated a momentous milestone this week, marking its 20th anniversary with the grand reopening of its facility. Following a six-month, $1 million renovation project, the museum has emerged as a beacon of cultural preservation. It’s a declaration of intent to show the complex narrative of African American history in Florida...

J. Carl Divine joins Carl Lavender Jr. on The Grapevine for a powerful conversation about service, recovery, identity, self-love and community empowerment. Divine shares the story behind the Banyan Tree Project, which is celebrating 20 years of helping people rebuild their lives. He also reflects on nearly 40 years in recovery, the importance of education and civic engagement, and why meaningful activism begins with taking action—even when an issue does not affect you personally. Watch Full...

The Jackson County Sheriff's Department released this photo during the search for Nolan Xavier Wells, 18, in Mississippi. Hundreds of people gathered in Mississippi to remember Nolan Wells while urging investigators to provide more information about the circumstances surrounding the case. Family members, friends, community leaders, and supporters participated in the event, honoring Wells' life and expressing a shared desire for a thorough and transparent investigation. Throughout the...

Andrew Gillum, the former Tallahassee mayor and 2018 Florida gubernatorial nominee, was arrested July 2 in Daphne, Alabama, on charges of possession of dangerous drugs (three packages of a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine) and drug paraphernalia, all found in his possession according to an incident report, along with marijuana according to jail records. He was later released, and police have not shared further details. As the news spread, many across social media chose grace...

The list of Black American billionaires features visionaries who have built massive empires across technology, private equity, media, sports, and entertainment. As of 2026, here are 18 prominent U.S.-based Black Americans who have officially entered the billionaire club: Read more at www.thegrio.com.

The Woodson African American Museum of Florida, in partnership with the Smithsonian, commissioned renowned artist Najee Dorsey to create a 30-by-10-foot mural. (Photo courtesy of Black Art in America) As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, the Woodson African American Museum of Florida will help anchor a national conversation on the nation’s diverse history. ​ The Smithsonian has selected the St. Petersburg-based Woodson Museum to present “Many Voices, One Nation:...

The Southern Black Girls and Women Consortium’s “Joy and Justice Tour,” its first since 2022, is coming to Florida. (Photo courtesy of Southern Black Girls and Women Consortium.) Research shows that less than 1% of the $4.8 billion in philanthropic funding flowing into the South reaches Black girls and women. A nonprofit consortium is hellbent on closing that gap. ​ Founded in 2017, the Southern Black Girls and Women Consortium has already awarded over $11.4 million to more than 250...

From left: Thompson Whitney Blake, founder of Blake Investment Partners; Neil Brickfield, executive director of the Pinellas County Housing Authority; and St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch discuss the latest plans to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District on Thursday. (Photo by Mark Parker / Power Broker Magazine) Mayor Ken Welch, standing a stone’s throw from where his grandfather once owned a woodyard in St. Petersburg’s former Gas Plant neighborhood, declared that a long-deferred dream is...