Maggie Rogers, executive director of Catholic Charities, said Tampa Hope has served nearly 2,000 people in just over four years and will continue expanding. All images: City of Tampa. The Tampa Hope campus began in 2020 with an ambitious vision to temporarily shelter 100 people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapidly evolving facility […]

Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Patrick Zalupski and CEO Ken Babby at the team’s 2026 home opener in St. Petersburg. The team’s lease at Tropicana Field terminates following the 2028 season. Photo by Mark Parker. ​A proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium financing deal includes $1.065 billion in public funding and a self-imposed deadline of June […]

Multiple city council members want St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch to wait for the results of an Urban Land Institute study before selecting a developer to reimagine the Historic Gas Plant District. His administration prefers to complete the work simultaneously. Photo by Mark Parker. ​St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch plans to select a proposal to […]

Barry Brown, principal at Gibbs High School, walks through a new weapon detection system. Image: Pinellas County Schools. Two schools in Pinellas County began testing new weapon detection systems on Tuesday. Hyper-responsive settings and rain dampened the launch at one site. ​Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg and Palm Harbor University High School are participating […]

On Monday, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor (second from left) and St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch (second from right) simultaneously threw out ceremonial first pitches at Tropicana Field, which hasn’t hosted a game since September 2024. All photos by Mark Parker. ​When asked who had the better ceremonial first pitch before Monday’s historic home opener at […]

Hurricane Helene flooded the existing homes at 421 15th Ave. S. in St. Petersburg. All images: Screengrabs, city documents. A developer will soon demolish several storm-damaged, 101-year-old apartments to build an environmentally resilient complex in the Bartlett Park neighborhood of South St. Petersburg. ​The city’s Development Review Commission approved the approximately $2 million project at […]

Ebony Vaz (second to right) with innovators and leaders at the 2022 Synapse Summit conference. The Black Innovation Leaders of Florida (BILF) is changing the economic architecture of the Tampa Bay area. With co-founder and board president Ebony Vaz at the helm, BILF works tirelessly to close the gap between local talent and established businesses, […]

Myiah Moody Huff (MyiahPink), founder of HappySoul Revival Inc., has built her creative practice around faith, wellness, and helping others find their voice through art. Photo Courtesy of HappySoul Revival Inc. The fourth annual Soul Revival Art Festival and Fundraiser returns with a three-day experience shaped by art, healing, wellness, and sickle cell awareness, April […]

Pinellas County Commission Chair Dave Eggers (standing) greets David Baldwin, grandson of Dansville’s founder, Dan Henry, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a long-awaited park on March 31. All photos: Pinellas County Government. What was once a dumping ground in a historic yet long-neglected Black neighborhood in Pinellas County is now home to a 12-acre park. […]

BayCare Ballpark opened in 2004 at 601 Old Coachman Rd. in Clearwater. The Philadelphia Phillies have held spring training in the city since 1947. Photo: MLB.com The Philadelphia Phillies are seeking approximately $110 million in public funding to renovate their spring training complex in Clearwater. ​Pinellas County’s other stadium saga is seemingly nearing a conclusion […]

From left: Lynn Harrell-Johnson, president of the National Council of Negro Women’s St. Petersburg Metropolitan Section; Melissa Seixas, president of Duke Energy Florida; Rita Wesley, executive assistant to the mayor; Jeannine Williams, assistant city attorney; and Stephanie Morge, vice president of learning and development for Power Design, at the Sunshine Senior Center on Tuesday. Photo […]

Hillsborough County Commissioner Josh Wostal asserted on Wednesday that documents related to a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium financing deal exist and should be released to the public. Mounting concerns over the lack of transparency surrounding a Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal stoked ardent debate on Wednesday at a Hillsborough County Commission meeting. ​Commissioner Joshua […]

Commissioner Roger Goodell believes its Rooney Rule, which promotes diversity in hiring practices, does not violate Florida law despite a recent letter from Attorney General James Uthmeier emphatically stating otherwise. Photo: NFL.com ​Recent threats of legal action from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier will not stop the NFL from enforcing its Rooney Rule. ​Commissioner Roger […]

City officials have recommended that four of eight proposals for a reimagined Historic Gas Plant District, currently home to Tropicana Field, advance to the next phase of evaluation. They will host a public meeting with those development teams this month. Photo: City of St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg residents will have several opportunities to offer their […]

Jocelyn Howard, vice president of customer experience for CivicReach, recently showcased the startup at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub event. Photo by Mark Parker. A civic-focused startup is utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to help ensure that communities receive responsive, accessible assistance from overwhelmed nonprofits and local governments. ​CivicReach launched in 2024 from North Carolina’s […]

St. Petersburg officials have recommended that four of eight proposals to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District, currently home to Tropicana Field, advance to the next phase of evaluation. ​However, stakeholders should not expect Mayor Ken Welch, who recently provided a process update, to make a final decision until sometime before the end of the […]

Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is one of just three Black head coaches in the NFL. Florida’s attorney general wants the league to abolish its rule that helps ensure equitable hiring practices. Photo: NFL.com. The State of Florida is extending its widespread ban on policies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to […]

Basha Ferdinand is the creator of CTRL+Create, a curated one-day experience that blends art, technology, and community. Photo credit: Basha Ferdinand. Tampa Bay Tech Week is coming to the region in less than two weeks. Beginning next Tuesday, April 7th, this citywide celebration of technology, culture, and community is set to connect innovators and creators […]

Mark Ferguson, owner of Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill, expects business to increase by 30% when the Tampa Bay Rays return to St. Petersburg. Photo by Mark Parker. Baseball will soon return to St. Petersburg for the first time since September 2024, and tickets to see the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day have nearly […]

St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway (left) and Mayor Ken Welch. Photo by Mark Parker. City and community leaders recently sounded the alarm over a surge in youth crime at Jordan Park. Stakeholders now say the situation at St. Petersburg’s first public housing development has improved. Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders requested a committee discussion in February […]