The governor could remove Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, the city’s first female police chief, from office for not disclosing the immigration status of crime victims and witnesses, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. Photo: City of Tampa. ​Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has threatened to remove Tampa Mayor Jane Castor from office for failing […]

Pinellas County native Maranda Douglas made a historic first this month when she became 1st Klass Enterprise LLC’s first Black Woman Mariner Captain. Maranda Douglas made a historic first this month when she became 1st Klass Enterprise LLC’s first Black Woman Mariner Captain. In a majorly white male-dominated field, Douglas has carved out a space […]

City council members must still approve a contract with the recommended design-build team, which includes six local certified small, minority, and women-owned business enterprises. Photo by Mark Parker. ​An evaluation committee has selected a global firm with local expertise to breathe new life into the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina – now a $162 million project. […]

An aerial view of Palmetto Park, which, according to a new neighborhood plan, is “experiencing gentrification.” All images: City of St. Petersburg. An evolving South St. Petersburg neighborhood along the 22nd Street South (Deuces) corridor, near the Historic Gas Plant District, has a new guiding vision for the first time since 1992. ​City council members […]

Developers have long eyed the former Army-Navy Surplus Market site in downtown Tampa. The city plans for it to now house a mixed-used development with over 1,100 residential units. All images: City of Tampa. Underutilized land on the northern fringes of downtown Tampa is slated for a drastic transformation, featuring hundreds of affordable housing units, […]

Two of eight proposals to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District follow the same outline as a previous bid by the Tampa Bay Rays and Hines, which former team owner Stuart Sternberg walked away from in March 2025. Photo: City of St. Petersburg. Mayor Ken Welch is currently considering eight proposals to reimagine the Historic […]

A community health workshop at The Willa Carson Health & Wellness Center, founded in 1997 by Willa Livingston Carson. Carson worked as a registered nurse and sought to meet the needs of those uninsured in her community. She formed a free, not-for-profit clinic that continues to uphold her legacy almost 30 years later. Image courtesy […]

Alton Skyway will replace the former St. Petersburg College Allstate Center at 3200 34th St. S. All images: City documents. ​A 17.25-acre property in St. Petersburg’s rapidly evolving Skyway Marina District will soon feature an upscale, 619-unit apartment community, despite ardent opposition to the project. ​The city’s Development Review Commission approved a site plan for […]

Baseball fans entering Tropicana Field have likely walked over human remains. Photo by Mark Parker. St. Petersburg will excavate possible graves found underneath Tropicana Field’s parking lots. However, the next step in a long-overdue process must wait until the baseball season concludes in October. ​City council members unanimously approved a $380,000 architectural and engineering contract […]

Due to changes in the law, all Florida voters who vote by mail must submit a NEW mail ballot request to their county Supervisor of Elections. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is 5pm, 10 days before the election. Photo image courtesy of League of Women Voters If you’re a Florida voter, here’s something you need to know: the state legislature is considering a bill that could make voting way more complicated. The proposed Election Integrity Act (HB 991/SB 1334) would require all...

St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch speaks at a recent Black History Month celebration outside of City Hall. State legislation would ban such ceremonies. Photo: City of St. Petersburg. ​Municipal leaders from across Florida are warning residents and business owners about the unintended consequences of ambiguous legislation that bans any actions related to diversity, equity, and […]

Students and young adults participate in a Powerful Young Adults Inc. program session in Clearwater’s North Greenwood community. The organization provides mentorship, job training, and career development opportunities for youth and transitioning adults across the Tampa Bay region. Since 2005, the program has helped hundreds of participants build skills and pursue meaningful career pathways. Image […]

Bryan Stern (front), founder of Tampa-based Grey Bull Rescue, and his team have already rescued approximately 70 U.S. citizens from war-torn Israel. Photos provided. Over 30 members of two St. Petersburg churches are safely on their way home from Israel after spending three days dodging Iranian missile strikes. ​However, it was not the state or […]

Photo credit: Packs of Love Foundation Instagram; donating care bags to the youth Nearly three years after the Packs of Love Foundation became a nonprofit, Sapheria Emani Samuels wears many hats as the organization’s founder and executive director. As the leader of her nonprofit, Samuels oversees daily operations to ensure it runs efficiently and effectively. […]

A national development firm is under contract to purchase part of the former Home Shopping Network (HSN) campus in St. Petersburg. Photo: CBRE. A proposed redevelopment could bring hundreds of jobs rather than housing units to the former Home Shopping Network (HSN) headquarters in north St. Petersburg. ​Greystar, a prominent national developer, plans to build […]

The free community event is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Enoch D. Davis Center. Photo: City of St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg tenants and homeowners can access a smorgasbord of resources at a Housing and Apartment Fair tonight, Wednesday, March 4, from 5-7 p.m. ​The city and Bay Area Apartment Association […]

Pinellas County School Board Chair Caprice Edmond is also president of the Greater Florida Consortium of School Boards. Photo: Facebook. Pinellas County school district officials continue grappling with declining enrollment, rising operational costs, funding changes, necessary closures, and political headwinds. ​School Board Chair Caprice Edmond shared her thoughts on the district’s challenges and successes in […]

From left: St. Petersburg City Councilmembers Richie Floyd, Deborah Figgs-Sanders, Gina Driscoll, Copley Gerdes, Mayor Ken Welch, Council Chair Lisset Hanewicz, Mike Harting, Brandi Gabbard, Cory Givens Jr. Photo: City of St. Petersburg. ​St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch sent a letter to state leaders on Thursday denouncing legislation that would effectively ban any actions related […]

The Center for Coastal Resilience would replace an underutilized parking lot, which is temporarily housing a yacht, at Port St. Petersburg. USF’s College of Marine Science (background) has advocated for the facility. Photos by Mark Parker. ​Long-discussed plans to expand on the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub’s success have received the first of three critical […]

Photo Credit Isis Climes: Black English Bookstore lobby area Hillsborough County connects local readers to a curated literary treasure in Tampa Heights. Late Tampa City Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson created Black English Bookstore with the vision to “amplify voices” and pay tribute to “the ancestors who were unable to read and write.” Her daughter, Ariel Amirah, […]