Natasha Walker, founder of Soul Steppers, has a no-judgment policy in the class. (Photo by Kaylen Ross/Power Broker Magazine) Since 2009, Nu Body Fitness and Soul Steppers have helped residents across Tampa Bay turn fitness into something that feels less intimidating and more fun. Founded by Natasha Walker, the St. Petersburg-based program combines exercise and line dancing to create a space where people of all fitness levels can improve their health without the pressure. Walker’s journey...

Dana Ashley Lavender was a Tampa Bay resident for over a decade (Photos Courtesy of Jehan LLC Photography) Boots on the ground advocacy Former Tampa Bay resident Dana Ashley Lavender is bringing thousands of women together in the name of healing, prevention, and self-care through one of the nation’s largest Black women’s health events in Ohio this week. Having lived in the Tampa Bay area for over a decade, she now resides in the Columbus, Ohio, area and is continuing her mission of...

Children play in the splash pad at the St. Pete Pier. Residents are prohibited from any “wasteful and unnecessary water uses” during an ongoing extreme shortage. (Photo by Mark Parker/Power Broker Magazine) Counties and cities throughout Tampa Bay will remain under strict watering restrictions until at least Oct. 1 as the region struggles to overcome a historic drought. Violators face mandatory fines. ​ On Tuesday, the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s (SWFWMD) governing board...

Residents at a North Greenwood Community Advisory Committee meeting in March. Clearwater officials are extending the review process for a redevelopment district overlay to address stakeholder concerns. (Photo courtesy of the City of Clearwater) Faced with the prospect of gentrification, a historically Black community in Clearwater is organizing to demand a seat at the table and insisting that any redevelopment must prioritize residents over investors. ​ City officials are advancing a plan to...

A spring sunset at St. Pete Beach. Tourism officials and stakeholders are celebrating a record-breaking “high season” this year. (Photo by Mark Parker / Power Broker Magazine.) Pinellas County’s tourism industry set multiple new benchmarks during the lucrative spring season. The resulting economic impact will extend far beyond local beaches and attractions. ​ Visit St. Pete-Clearwater (VSPC) announced on Monday that April’s surge in visitation poured a record-breaking $11.4 million into...

Shundra Allison, owner of Urban Drinkery, has a huge love for mixing spirits, but doesn’t like the taste of alcohol much! (Photo courtesy of Shundra Allison/Power Broker Magazine) In a city constantly evolving with new restaurants and bar concepts, Urban Drinkery has carved out its own lane in St. Petersburg by focusing on something different at 2184 9th Ave South, Suite B in St. Petersburg, two blocks east of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida. For owner Shundra Allison, known...

Mayor Ken Welch (right) and a new homeowner at a Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside dedication ceremony in South St. Petersburg on June 18. The organization received $482,000 in gap funding for the project earlier this month. (Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg) For the first time ever, housing production in St. Petersburg has outpaced demand, according to a report by the City of St. Petersburg. However, much of the city’s workforce cannot afford market-rate prices. ​...

From back left: Hillsborough County Commissioners Harry Cohen and Gwen Myers, former Judge E.J. Salcines, and his wife, Elsa, celebrate the reopening of Salcines Park on April 28. The governor’s property tax plan may force officials to eliminate all discretionary spending. (Photo courtesy of the City of Tampa) Proposed property tax cuts could jeopardize parks, aging, and children’s services in Hillsborough County. Hiring freezes, layoffs, and additional taxes and fees are also on the table. ​...

Early voting begins August 8th and ends August 16th (Stock Photo/Power Broker News) The City of St. Petersburg is expanding its civic engagement efforts with the relaunch of the “St. Pete Votes!” initiative ahead of the 2026 election cycle, a year city leaders are calling one of the most consequential local election periods in recent history. Building on the momentum of its 2024 rollout, the renewed campaign is designed to strengthen voter education, increase registration awareness, and help...

Prominent artist Ya La’Ford and Sean Gibson, executive director of the Josh Gibson Foundation,, at Juneteenth & Negro League Baseball Tribute Night on Friday at Tropicana Field. (Photo by Mark Parker / Power Broker Magazine) Internationally acclaimed artist Ya La’Ford’s artistic vision and the deep-rooted history of Negro League Baseball combined to create a Juneteenth experience that invited Tampa Bay Rays fans to look beyond the field. ​ On Friday, the team unveiled La’Ford’s...

Lakeland Commissioners Stephen Musick (left) and Ashley Troutman at a tense city meeting on Monday. (Screengrab / City of Lakeland) Lakeland’s battle over data center development is reaching a boiling point, with residents demanding an outright ban rather than a one-year moratorium, a temporary pause on new projects. City commissioners revisited the ongoing issue on June 15, but not before some pointed remarks from the public put them on the defensive. While hyperscale data centers are a...

St. Petersburg mayoral candidates, from left: Kevin Batdorf, Jim Large, Maria Scruggs, Charlie Crist, City Councilmember Brandi Gabbard, and Mayor Ken Welch participate in a forum on Thursday evening. (Photo by Mark Parker / Power Broker Magazine) All six St. Petersburg mayoral candidates shared a stage for the first time on Thursday evening. The forum’s format forced them to focus on policy rather than trading barbs, which they did in abundance at last week’s debate. The event, hosted by...

All photos courtesy of Alexia McKay The Power Broker Media Group - publisher of The Power Broker Magazine and PowerBrokerNews - is pleased to announce the addition of veteran journalist, media strategist, and entrepreneur Alexia McKay to its growing team as Senior Multimedia Producer and News Correspondent. She joins the company with 15+ years in the industry, Alexia brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity we are excited to integrate in our expanding editorial and broadcast platforms. As...

Pinellas County Commissioner Rene Flowers (left), incoming president of the Florida Association of Counties, and her daughter, Kyesha, after a tribute to her election and service on Tuesday. (Photo submitted by Dr. Rene Flowers) During a moving tribute that highlighted her compassion as much as her policy expertise, Pinellas County colleagues celebrated Commissioner René Flowers, who is preparing to lead the Florida Association of Counties. ​ A visibly emotional Flowers was in shock over the...

Two local restaurateurs and a real estate investor are purchasing The Chattaway for $1.8 million. The 75-year-old restaurant will remain mostly unchanged. (Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg) Mark Ferguson didn’t want to see The Chattaway, a South St. Petersburg staple since 1951, meet a wrecking ball. So, he joined a new ownership group that will maintain the city’s longest-running restaurant. Ferguson, owner of Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill, and a group of local investors will...

Sen. Rick Scott (podium), Sen. Ashley Moody (left), and several other political and Jewish leaders speaking against upcoming Kanye West concerts in Tampa from the Florida Holocaust Museum. (Screengrab via Facebook) For U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, the question of whether Kanye West should perform in Tampa isn't a referendum on free speech - it's a matter of moral duty. Scott stood between a boxcar that once transported Jews to death camps and a Danish fishing boat used to smuggle them to safety as...

Pastor Philetha Tucker Johson (second from left), president of the Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition, solemnly watches as Benjamin Haith, designer of the national Juneteenth Flag, presents the colors at Tampa’s annual Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony. (Photo courtesy of the City of Tampa) As the national Juneteenth Flag was recently unfurled in Tampa, its creator, Benjamin Haith, stood alongside local leaders to remind a new generation that the story of liberation is still being written. ​Haith,...

From left: Maress Scott, founder of Quis for Life; Brian Lamar Stokes, a local therapist and social worker; B.J. Daniels, former NFL player and mental health advocate; and Antonio Brown, founder of the Competitive Readers Coalition, discuss mental wellness on Saturday at the third-annual Six Thirteen Community Block Party. (Photo submitted by Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County) The silence surrounding male mental health is often a survival mechanism for those plagued by trauma. A...

Pat Mack (left), founder and CEO of analytics firm PVM, with Yolando Goodloe, government contracting consultant for the Florida APEX Accelerator at Pinellas County Economic Development. Mack is among local business leaders who have embraced artificial intelligence. (Photo courtesy of PVM) A groundbreaking research initiative in Tampa Bay will help determine if artificial intelligence, often considered a great equalizer, is mitigating racial and economic gaps or widening entrepreneurial...

CEO of Pinellas County Urban League, Nikki Gaskin-Capehart. (Photo by Kaylen Ross/ Power Broker News) As the Pinellas County Urban League (PCUL) prepares to celebrate its milestone 50th anniversary in 2028, the organization is “looking back” to move forward. This Juneteenth weekend, PCUL invites the Tampa Bay community to the Sankofa Freedom Conference, a two-day event designed to blend the celebration of heritage with the practical tools necessary for community transformation. The term...