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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 […]

City officials closed the application portal in February after receiving exponentially more requests for assistance than planned. Photo by Mark Parker. St. Petersburg is now distributing $61 million in residential storm recovery funding following several months of federal delays. ​Case managers, who are “just getting started,” have awarded more than $48,000, according to Thursday’s announcement. […]

The Florida Holocaust Museum’s recent renovation project included installing a Danish fishing boat used to rescue Jews from Nazi atrocities. Additional tech-enabled exhibitions are on the way. Photos by Mark Parker. ​“It’s hard to be a Jew right now,” Helen Levine told the crowd gathered at the Florida Holocaust Museum on Wednesday. ​However, the former […]

County Commissioner Renee Flowers speaks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Bayou Court Apartments in South St. Petersburg, one of 18 projects to receive Penny IV Pinellas affordable housing funding. The county is evaluating $37 million in requests with just $2.9 million remaining in program coffers. Photo by Mark Parker. ​Pinellas County is closing its […]

Mayor Ken Welch’s campaign is highlighting new endorsements as the 2026 mayoral race heats up in St. Petersburg. Photo by Mark Parker. Mayor Ken Welch has secured a fresh wave of endorsements from local leaders as he seeks a second term in St. Petersburg. ​State Rep. Michele Rayner, former State Sen. Arthenia Joyner, Pinellas County […]

Smith hosted a reading event for her published book at Canguros’ preschool & private school located in St. Petersburg, FL. Photo courtesy of Taylor Smith. Taylor Smith is changing the digital landscape of the St. Petersburg area one website at a time. Taylor Smith is the founder and CEO of TTC Agency (Taylor the Creator […]

Flooding around Lake Maggiore after Hurricane Milton. Photo: Heather Davidson, Facebook. St. Petersburg is finalizing plans for a Voluntary Buyout Program that will offer homeowners in strategic areas up to $400,000 for storm-damaged properties and relocation incentives. ​Residents in high-risk areas, including parts of South St. Petersburg, can receive up to $50,000 to purchase or […]

“Bridging the Gap: A Community Conversation” offers families, educators, and community leaders an opportunity to come together to listen, learn, and share their experiences, opening the door to solutions that directly shape the future of young people. Image courtesy of Pinellas County Schools on Facebook. When families, educators, and community leaders come together to listen, […]

From left: St. Petersburg Councilmember Brandi Gabbard; Enrico Palmerino, co-founder of Dam It Defense; and Erica Hall, executive board member for the Storm Squad, participate in a recent flood mitigation panel. Photo by Kayla Avirett. ​Enrico Palmerino could have fled St. Petersburg after Hurricane Helene inundated his St. Petersburg home. Instead, he turned a harrowing […]

Dr. Jeffery Johnson, chairman of the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency, plans to eventually add “mayor of Tampa” to an already extensive resume. Photo: Facebook. Dr. Jeffery Johnson is a pastor, founder, executive, U.S. Navy lieutenant, global ambassador, and Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award winner. He also has unfinished business in the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). ​Johnson was reelected, unopposed, to a second one-year term as chairman of F

Erica Sutherlin, current Artistic Executive Director of St. Pete’s acclaimed Studio@620, assumed the reins after being hand-picked by retiring founder and visionary Bob Devin Jones in 2023. Photo: Joey Clay Professional Erica Sutherlin, current Artistic Executive Director of St. Pete’s acclaimed Studio@620, assumed the reins after being hand-picked by retiring founder and visionary Bob Devin […]

The Chattaway’s roots trace back to 1921. It will soon have new owners for the first time in over 50 years. All photos: Courtesy of The Chattaway. ​The Chattaway, a South St. Petersburg staple since 1951, will change hands in August. Co-owner Debby Kitto said time and the daily grind of running a restaurant have […]

Author Donna Welch (third in line) stands with her husband, Mayor Ken Welch (first in line), family, and friends, holding her novel. All photos by Isis Climes City of St. Petersburg’s First Lady, Donna Welch, has started a new chapter in her life as a debuting author with “Becoming Her – A Pocket of Hope.” […]

Mayor Ken Welch (right) and artist John Gascot at a Black History Month event in 2023. The state has since removed the “Black History Matters” mural outside of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida. Photo: City of St. Petersburg. ​St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch has pledged to continue fighting legislation that bans local governments […]

Mayor Jane Castor (right) has updated the Tampa Police Department’s immigration enforcement policies. Photo: City of Tampa. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has revised the city’s immigration enforcement policies days after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier threatened her with removal from office. ​In a letter posted to X last week, Uthmeier claimed Castor was “forcing sanctuary […]

Long-vacant lots within the Jamestown Apartments and Townhomes complex could feature additional affordable housing. All images: City documents. Evolving plans to create additional affordable housing at a city-owned complex near downtown St. Petersburg are advancing. However, voters will have the final say. ​A city council committee approved draft ballot language on Thursday that, if approved […]

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (right), Danielle Thomas, senior vice president of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority, and several stakeholders celebrated the organization receiving a Community Project Funding grant for the Ed White Hospital’s transformation at a ceremony on Friday. ​U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor has secured $3.15 million in much-needed funding to help ensure St. Petersburg […]

Proposals to create and operate a new “Genius Lab” at the Enoch D. Davis Center are due by March 26. Photo: University of Toronto. St. Petersburg is currently searching for a qualified vendor to design and deliver a new hands-on afterschool experience that helps local youth reach their full potential. The Genius Lab will nurture […]

Uniquely Original Art Studio has operated from 915 24th St. S. for nearly 35 years. Photo: Facebook. ​Time is running out to help preserve and celebrate local business legacies in St. Petersburg. ​The city opened the first round of applications for its burgeoning Legacy Business Program in February. Stakeholders have until 5 p.m. on Monday, […]

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, […]