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  • New Port Richey museum searches for larger home as collection outgrows space

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    NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — The Museum of Archaeology, Paleontology and Science in New Port Richey is looking for a new place to call home. It has been housed on the campus of Wendell Krinn Technical High School for the past five years. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The museum has been on the campus of Wendell Krinn Technical High School for the past five years

    • Leaders say they need at least 35,000 square feet to properly store, preserve and display the items — and to expand educational programs

    • Right now, the museum is considering several possible locations, but officials say none can be shared publicly yet

    Its collection has grown so large, the museum simply doesn’t have enough room anymore.

    Inside the current building, Executive Director Charles Zidar walks through tightly packed display rooms and storage areas filled with artifacts from around the world.

    “We have really packed it in here, and the collections continue to grow,” Zidar said.

    The museum houses everything from dinosaur fossils to ancient cultural artifacts. Among the collection are excavated hadrosaur bones — a duck-billed dinosaur — including a tibia, rib and vertebra recovered in Wyoming.

    There are also artifacts from ancient South America, Roman and Greek items, and even objects recovered from famous shipwrecks.

    “We have a lot of objects from famous shipwrecks, including a Titanic spoon,” Zidar explained.

    But the vast collection has created a major challenge: space.

    The museum currently occupies about 5,000 square feet. Leaders say they need at least 35,000 square feet to properly store, preserve and display the items — and to expand educational programs.

    Staff and volunteers are still cataloging pieces that have been sitting in boxes for decades.

    University of South Florida student Melissa Abbruzzese has spent years documenting artifacts and placing them into a digital archive.

    “Right now I’m taking all the artifacts out of these boxes so I can verify which piece is which and put them into a digital archive,” she said.

    Many of the boxes she opens have not been touched in years.

    “This one is from Colombia and dates to about 750 to 1500 A.D.,” she said while examining a newly opened artifact.

    She hopes one day visitors will be able to see all of it on display.

    “That would be a dream come true. I’ve been in this little room for years now and I’m still seeing artifacts for the very first time,” Abbruzzese said.

    The museum regularly hosts hands-on events for children and families, and leaders say a larger facility would allow them to expand those programs.

    “We know this is going to be huge, and we want to be there for Tampa Bay — so we need the location to do it,” Zidar said.

    Right now, the museum is considering several possible locations, but officials say none can be shared publicly yet.

    Their goal: a space large enough to bring more people in and allow visitors to see, touch and learn about the history of the world.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Ground broken on rare 100% affordable housing community in Largo

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    LARGO, Fla. — With housing costs continuing to climb across Pinellas County, local leaders say a new development now underway could help some working families stay in the community.

    What You Need To Know

    • Crews officially broke ground Tuesday on Olea on 126, a 144-unit apartment complex in Largo where every unit will be reserved for lower-income residents — something officials say is increasingly uncommon.

    • The project is expected to cost about $55 million, including $7.92 million from the Penny for Pinellas fund.

    • County leaders say the project targets workers who are increasingly being priced out of Pinellas County.

    • Construction is expected to be completed in June 2027.


    Crews officially broke ground Tuesday at Olea on 126, a 144-unit apartment complex in Largo where every unit will be reserved for lower-income residents — something officials say is increasingly uncommon.

    Not only does Largo see few new affordable housing developments, but projects where all apartments are income-restricted are even rarer.

    The complex will include two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments designed for families. Units will be set aside based on area median income (AMI):

    • 35 units for households earning up to 40% AMI

    • 72 units for households earning up to 60% AMI

    • 38 units for households earning up to 80% AMI

    County leaders say the project targets workers who are increasingly being priced out of Pinellas County.

    “We have so many folks that are trying to work in this community, whether they’re teachers, whether they’re hospitality workers, first responders, whatever. A wide range of folks looking for housing, a place to call home,” said Dave Eggers, Pinellas County Board of County Commission Chair. 

    Officials say without more housing options, many workers are forced to move to neighboring counties — and sometimes leave the workforce locally altogether.

    “So yeah, it’s a unique one. Many of them are 100% AMI of 80%. So it’s a little higher income threshold. This (Olea on 126) is a lower income threshold and really goes to the heart of some of the workers right here in Pinellas who are struggling to find a place, in fact, have to go to Pasco County or live somewhere else. And eventually we lose those workers,” Eggers added. 

    Cost and funding

    The project is expected to cost about $55 million, including $7.92 million from the Penny for Pinellas fund.

    Instead of a traditional retention pond, developers are installing an underground stormwater system designed to reduce flooding while freeing up land for housing and parking. Similar systems have been used in Orlando, Jacksonville and Fort Myers.

    “It takes away the water from the streets, the surface streets where everyone is walking and driving, where it’s going to keep it underground and out of sight, out of mind,” said stormwater consultant Mike Nester. 

    County officials say the project shows that affordable housing can still include modern infrastructure.

    “These projects are not easy to make work. So our County Commission and our residents have said affordable housing is important,” added Eggers. 

    Construction is expected to be completed in June 2027.

    Once finished, the development will provide family-sized units — one of the hardest types of affordable housing to find in the region.

    Project rendering

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    Fadia Patterson

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  • Whataburger returning to Bay area, is opening in Largo on Thursday

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    LARGO, Fla. — Whataburger, a Texas-based burger joint, will open a restaurant on Ulmerton Road on Thursday.

    According to our news gathering partners at the Tampa Bay Business Journal, it will be the first location in the area since the chain left about 20 years ago.

    Whataburger has 1,110 restaurants in 17 states.

    The company said it plans to open several locations in the Bay area, starting with the one in Largo.

    The address will be 10150 Ulmerton Rd.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • METRO CITY GUIDE: THE BEST IN TAMPA BAY FOOD & DRINK

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    TAMPA BAY METRO CITY GUIDE

    IN THE KNOW…

    2026 TAMPA BAY
    Food & Drink Guide

    From brunch spots and chef-driven hotspots to hidden neighborhood gems and waterfront dining with a view, Tampa Bay’s food and drink scene is having a moment—and it’s delicious. Our annual Food & Drink Guide is your go-to resource for savoring the very best the Bay has to offer, whether you’re craving inventive cocktails, fresh-from-the-Gulf seafood, globally inspired cuisine, or comfort classics done right. Discover restaurants worth returning to again and again, and explore bars, cafés and lounges perfect for every mood and occasion. From casual bites to unforgettable dining experiences, this guide celebrates the flavors, creativity, and energy that make Tampa Bay a true destination for food lovers. Come hungry—your next favorite spot is waiting.

     

    HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

    Downtown Tampa

    Edison: Food + Drink Lab $$$
    912 W Kennedy Blvd.
    www.edison-tampa.com
    (813) 254-7111
    Modern American dishes crafted with precision and imagination. Flavors are elevated, ingredients thoughtful and execution exact.
     
    Tori Bar $$
    442 W. Grand Central Ave. #190
    www.toribartampa.com
    (813) 252-3839
    Chic izakaya-style spot known for grilled skewers, sushi hand rolls and cocktails featuring Japanese whiskies. Don’t miss happy hour.
     

    Oxford Exchange   $$$

    420 W. Kennedy Blvd.

    (813) 253-0222

    A brunch favorite with European flair. Enjoy Eggs Benedict, French Toast and a curated gift shop/bookstore all under one roof.

     

    Koya   $$$$

    807 W. Platt St.

    (813) 284-7423

    Intimate, minimalist omakase experience featuring seasonal Japanese cuisine crafted with elegance and detail.

     

    The Dan   $$

    905 N. Florida Ave.

    (813) 318-9719

    Located in the Floridan Hotel, this roaring ’20s-inspired spot serves festive fare and cocktails in a vibrant, art-deco space.

     

    Malio’s   $$$$

    400 N. Ashley Dr.

    (813) 223-7746

    A Tampa steakhouse institution. Prime cuts, seafood, fine wine, and river views make it a top pick for special occasions.

     

    Dio Modern Mediterranean   $$

    519 N. Franklin St.

    (813) 398-4000

    Relaxed Mediterranean eatery with dishes like hummus, gyros, and customizable Dio Bowls in a transportive setting.

     

    Sal Rosa Kitchen + Bar   $$$

    601 N Florida Ave.

    (813) 999-8214

    Located inside Le Méridien. Latin and Caribbean flavors shine in dishes like octopus ceviche, seafood paella and mole short ribs.

     

    Jackson’s Bistro   $$

    601 S. Harbour Island Blvd.

    (813) 277-0112

    Waterfront bistro with a long-standing reputation. Popular for crab cakes, seafood towers and views of downtown.

     

    American Social   $$$

    601 S. Harbour Island Blvd., #107

    (813) 605-3333

    Lively waterfront gastropub ideal for socializing. Upscale comfort food and great cocktails with cityscape views.

     

    Bavaro’s Pizza   $$

    514 N. Franklin St., STE 101

    (813) 868-4440

    Classic Italian cuisine with a family feel. Wood-fired pizza, pastas and a warm, casual vibe.

     

    Yeoman’s TopGolf Swing Suite   $$

    202 N. Morgan St.

    (813) 224-9367

    British pub-style fare with interactive games like virtual golf and arcade fun. A go-to for groups and casual nights.

     

    Supernatural Food & Wine   $

    305 E Polk St, Tampa

    (813) 202-3324

    Inventive breakfast and lunch sandwiches, house-made cinnamon sugar sourdough donuts, and curated natural wine selection—all crafted with meticulous attention to detail in a vibrant, walk-up setting. 

     

    Ebbe   $$$$

    1202 N Franklin St.

    (813) 284-8276

    Chef-driven Nordic tasting menu in a sleek, chef’s counter setting. Minimalist design, Scandinavian ingredients, and artistry on every plate.

     

    Fisk   $$$

    1202 N. Franklin St., Tampa

    (813) 284-8276

    Scandinavian-inspired seafood restaurant in downtown Tampa, offering refined yet approachable dishes in a bar-only setting.

    Water Street Tampa

     

    Boulon Brasserie   $$$

    1001 Water St.

    (813) 768-9988

    Chic French brasserie with a Tampa twist. Think steak frites, oysters, and one of the best burgers in town.

     

    Kōsen   $$$$

    307 W. Palm Ave., Tampa

    (813) 999-1720

    20+ course omakase experience at its 12-seat chef’s counter, blending traditional techniques with modern innovation. 

     

    Noble Rice   $$$$

    615 Channelside Dr., Suite 112, Tampa

    (813) 542-2021

    Premium Japanese restaurant in Tampa offering a refined omakase experience that blends traditional techniques with modern creativity.

     

    Wine on Water   $$

    1010 Water St.

    (813) 771-1132

    A sleek wine and bottle shop with curated selections and charcuterie. 

     

    Predalina   $$$

    1001 Water St. #101

    (813) 602-2364

    Coastal Mediterranean fare in a bright, stunning refreshed setting. Seafood towers, house-made pastas, and fresh flavors on Water Street.

     

    Anchor & Brine   $$$

    505 Water St.

    (813) 204-6390

    Inside Tampa  Marriott Water Street. Upscale seafood spot with dockside views and artful plates like ceviche, grilled octopus, and lobster rolls.

     

    The Pearl   $$$

    823 Water St.

    (813) 709-7776

    Rustic yet refined tavern serving oysters, seasonal plates and a famous burger. Industrial-chic vibes with polished service.

     

    Wagamama   $$

    1050 Water St.

    (813) 250-3720

    Lively London-based noodle house serving ramen, katsu, dumplings, and fresh juices in a sleek, modern setting.

     

    Small Giant   $$

    1050 Water St.

    (813) 773-3804

    A neighborhood bar-meets-American eatery with smash burgers, wings, and cocktails in a nostalgic, fun-loving atmosphere.

     

    Armature Works

     

    Rocca    $$$$

    323 W. Palm Ave.

    (813) 906-5445

    Michelin-starred Italian where handmade pasta and tableside mozzarella take center stage. Elegant, intimate and always impressive.

     

    Ulele    $$$

    1810 N. Highland Ave.

    (813) 999-4952

    Native-inspired Floridian cuisine with local ingredients and bold flavors. Try the seafood risotto or chargrilled oysters.

     

    M. Bird    $$

    1903 Market St.

    (813) 296-2702

    Deco-inspired rooftop lounge with craft cocktails, skyline views and shareable bites like sliders and steak frites.

     

    Oak & Ola    $$$

    1910 N. Ola Ave.

    (813) 773-1901

    Euro-American eatery with a focus on seasonal, thoughtful dishes and refined comfort. Chic space with a neighborhood feel.

     

    Steelbach    $$$

    1902 N. Ola Ave.

    (813) 693-5478

    Southern-style chophouse serving premium steaks grilled over open flame. Rustic setting in a restored streetcar warehouse.

     

    Graze 1910    $$

    1910 N. Ola Ave.

    All-day breakfast and modern American comfort food. From waffles to burgers, it’s casual, cozy and crave-worthy.

     

    Stone’s Throw    $$

    304 W. 7th Ave.

    (813) 473-6857

    Chill seafood spot with patio seating and water views. Rotating oysters and fresh catch specials shine.

     

    Ybor City

     

    Mis-en Place   $$$

    442 W Grand Central Ave.

    (813) 254-5373

    A Tampa fine dining pioneer blending French technique with creative flavors. Expect refined plates like Smoked Salmon Carpaccio, Vadouvan Scallops, and Filet of Beef.

     

    7th & Grove    $$

    1930 E 7th Ave

    (813) 649-8422

    Upscale soul food with a vibrant atmosphere. Southern classics with a twist—perfect for hearty meals and good vibes.

     

    Flor Fina    $$$

    412 E. 7th Ave.

    (813) 462-9660

    Coastal Latin and Mediterranean fusion inside Hotel Haya. Ceviche, live-fire grill, and bold flavors in a sleek setting.

     

    Bernini    $$$

    1702 E. 7th Ave.

    (813) 242-9555

    Italian-American favorites served in a stylish space on historic 7th Avenue. Known for vodka-sauced pasta and happy hour martinis.

     

    LARA    $$

    1919 E. 7th Ave.

    Eclectic and inviting apothecary-style bar and eatery. Creative cocktails, bold bites and a stylish space to gather and linger.

     

    James Joyce    $$

    1724 E. 8th Ave.

    (813) 247-1896

    Irish pub-style fare with community spirit. Trivia, karaoke and live music make it a go-to for fun nights.

     

    Barrio Tacos    $$

    1822 E. 7th Ave.

    (813) 242-2452

    Build-your-own tacos, bold flavor combos, and an impressive tequila and whiskey lineup in a high-energy setting.

     

    South Tampa Area 

     

    District South Kitchen & Craft  $$

    3301 S. Dale Mabry Hwy.

    (813) 999-8025

    Elevated comfort food in a welcoming space. Known for the prime rib melt and meatloaf.

     

    Graze South Tampa   $$

    2219 S. Dale Mabry Hwy.

    (813) 819-2217

    Refined American fare with breakfast all day and standout burgers in a modern setting.

     

    Byblos Cafe   $$

    2832 S. MacDill Ave.

    (813) 805-7977

    Chic Mediterranean spot with traditional Lebanese dishes, live entertainment and full bar.

     

    Pané Rustica   $$

    3225 S. MacDill Ave.

    (813) 902-8828

    Fresh-baked breads and pastries by morning, hearty sandwiches by afternoon.

    Rustic charm.

     

    Terra Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse   $$$

    1108 S. Dale Mabry Hwy.

    (813) 999-4332

    All-you-can-eat churrasco with premium meats and sides. Ideal for group dining.

     

    Psomi   $$

    701 N. Howard Ave., Tampa

    (813) 841-5555

    The daytime eatery and bakery is an archetype of warmth and comfort in a dining setting serving up traditional Greek cuisine and new creations.

     

    Haven   $$$

    2208 W. Morrison Ave., Tampa

    (813) 258-2233

    Known for its artisanal cheese and charcuterie selections, extensive whiskey collection, and inventive small plates, all served in a stylish yet relaxed atmosphere.

     

    Élevage SoHo Kitchen & Bar   $$

    1207 S. Howard Ave., Tampa

    (813) 999-8726

    The calming atmosphere within the posh boutique hotel, Epicurean astonishes patrons with its vast flavor profiles in the cuisine and the delicious libations. 

     

    Water + Flour   $$

    1015 S. Howard Ave.

    (813) 251-8406

    Health-forward Cali-Miami fusion with sushi, pizza, and pasta. Vegan and gluten-free options.

     

    On Swann   $$$

    1501 W. Swann Ave.

    (813) 251-0110

    Seasonal American cuisine from an open kitchen. Great for charcuterie and cocktails.

     

    OLIVIA   $$

    3601 W. Swann Ave., Tampa

    (813) 328-8866

    Enjoy delicious handmade pasta, pizza, steak & seafood in a casual, yet sophisticated atmosphere as the vision to provide the best in northern and southern Italian cuisine is in full effect.

     

    Meat Market   $$$$

    1606 W. Snow Ave.

    (813) 280-1113

    Upscale steakhouse with top cuts, seafood, and elegant atmosphere in Hyde Park Village.

     

    Forbici Modern Italian   $$

    1633 W. Snow Ave.

    (813) 251-8001

    Vibrant Italian spot with shareable portions and crowd-favorites like meatballs and Bolognese.

     

    Timpano   $$$

    1610 W. Swann Ave.

    (813) 254-5870

    Italian classics meet lively bar scene. Stylish décor and rustic-modern menu.

     

    Taco Dirty   $$

    2221 W. Platt St.

    (813) 314-7900

    Fast-casual tacos with bold flavors and endless combos. Try the All-In Bowl.

     

    Bella’s Italian Café   $$

    1413 S. Howard Ave.

    (813) 254-3355

    Homemade pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and classic Italian in a laid-back setting since 1986.

     

    Bern’s Steak House   $$$$

    1208 S. Howard Ave.

    (813) 251-2421

    Iconic fine dining with prime steaks, a massive wine cellar and legendary dessert room.

     

    Restaurant BT   $$$

    2507 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa

    (813) 258-1916

    Light, subtle and elegant inspired classic French-Vietnamese cuisine is curated in a sleek zen-like atmosphere.

     

    Big Ray’s Fish Camp   $$

    6116 Interbay Blvd., Tampa

    (813) 605-3615

    Bold flavors, offering signature dishes like the blackened grouper sandwich and the inventive lobster tail corn dog, all crafted with fresh, local ingredients in a laid-back, picnic-style setting.

     

    Salt Shack on the Bay   $$

    5415 W. Tyson Ave.

    (813) 444-4569

    Laid-back seafood shack with waterfront views. A local favorite for tacos and sunset sips.

     

    Hula Bay Club   $$

    5210 W. Tyson Ave.

    (813) 837-4852

    Waterfront bar and grill with live music, tropical vibes and seafood favorites.

     

    Union New American   $$$

    1111 N. Westshore Blvd.

    (813) 768-9989

    Sleek, modern dining and lounge with chef-driven New American cuisine.

     

    Eddie V’s Prime Seafood   $$$$

    4400 W. Boy Scout Blvd.

    (813) 877-7290

    Elegant seafood and steak with live jazz in a stylish, upscale setting.

     

    Donatello   $$$$

    232 N. Dale Mabry Hwy.

    (813) 875-6660

    Classic Northern Italian fine dining with white-tablecloth service and romantic ambiance.

     

    Ocean Prime   $$$$

    2205 N. Westshore Blvd.

    (813) 490-5288

    Modern steakhouse with seafood, truffle mac and a standout wine list.

     

    Ponte Modern American   $$$$

    1010 Gramercy Ln.

    (813) 582-7755

    Luxurious modern American cuisine with French-Italian influences in Midtown Tampa.

     

    Mad Dogs & Englishmen   $$

    4914 S. MacDill Ave.

    (813) 832-3037

    Cozy British pub with hearty classics, craft beers and old-world charm.

     

    Cousin Vinny’s   $$

    1331 W. Cass St.

    Family-friendly Italian-American spot with big portions and rustic charm.

     

    Streetlight Taco   $$

    4004 Henderson Blvd.

    (813) 217-9158

    Fresh, bold, chef-crafted tacos with vibrant ambiance and local ingredients.

     

    Izakaya Tori   $$

    310 S. Dale Mabry Hwy.

    (813) 875-4842

    Intimate Japanese eatery with sushi, skewers, ramen and small plates.

     

    Bistro BT   $$

    4267 Henderson Blvd.

    (813) 513-8402

    Chic bistro serving French-Vietnamese cuisine with fresh flavors and artistic flair.

     

    Wright’s Gourmet House   $$

    1200 S. Dale Mabry Hwy.

    (813) 253-3838

    Beloved local deli with legendary sandwiches, baked goods and a loyal following.

     

    Ava   $$

    718 S. Howard Ave.

    (813) 512-3030

    Rustic-modern Italian with handmade pastas, wood-fired pizza and a vibrant energy.

     

    Rooster and the Till   $$$

    6500 N. Florida Ave., Tampa

    (813) 374-8940

    Celebrated for its inventive, globally inspired small plates and vibrant, open-kitchen atmosphere.

     

    EAST HILSBOROUGH

     

    Hard Rock Tampa

    5223 Orient Rd., Tampa

     

    Council Oak   $$$$

    Upscale steakhouse with prime cuts, fresh seafood and a glass-enclosed butcher shop.

     

    Rez Grill   $$$

    Modern American fare with creative twists on comfort food and cocktails in a chic setting.

     

    Cipresso   $$$

    Elevated Italian dining with house-made pasta, wood-fired pizza, and stylish décor.

     

    Donovan’s Modern American Meatery   $$$

    11206 Sullivan St., Riverview

    (813) 548-0015

    Elegant art deco steakhouse featuring tableside presentations, refined service, and an extensive wine list.

     

    Gorkhali  Kitchen    $$

    10044 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa

    (813) 388-6404

    The first Nepalese restaurant, offering authentic Himalayan cuisine like momos, goat curry, and thali in a warm, culturally rich setting.

     

    Tiki Docks Riverview   $$

    10704 Palmetto St., Riverview

    (813) 683-8454

    Laid-back, waterfront spot with seafood, tropical drinks and a family-friendly vibe.

     

    Pinellas County

    Downtown St. Pete / South Pinellas Area

     

    Social Roost    $$$

    150 1st Ave. N.

    (727) 202-6113

    Globally inspired menu with standout plates like Shrimp & Grits, Short Rib, and Red Snapper Escovitch. Small plates, bold flavors, and stylish ambiance.

     

    Sushi Sho Rexley   $$$$

    214 2nd St. N., St. Petersburg

    (727) 835-8478

    Serving a refined, globally sourced tasting menu—featuring highlights like koji-fermented Ora King salmon and Hokkaido uni—at a 10-seat sushi counter that emphasizes precision, seasonality, and personal connection.

     

    Society Table – Don CeSar    $$

    3400 Gulf Blvd., St Pete Beach

    (727) 360-1881

    Laid-back yet refined spot at the Don offering Florida Gulf fare all day. Favorites include fried green tomatoes, grilled ribeye, and seared scallops.

     

    Maritana – Don CeSar   $$$

    3400 Gulf Blvd.

    (727) 360-1882

    Elegant fine dining with coastal sophistication. Veal ravioli, duck confit, and lobster gnudi highlight the upscale, regionally sourced menu.

     

    Allelo   $$

    300 Beach Dr. NE.

    (727) 851-9582

    Mediterranean-Aegean concept emphasizing shared plates and connection. Try the Rack of Lamb, Eggplant or Meatballs with an extensive wine list.

     

    Birch & Vine   $$$

    340 Beach Dr. NE.

    (727) 896-1080

    Chef-driven menu inside The Birchwood. Ribeye carpaccio and fresh seafood shine. Great for brunch or a romantic dinner—reservations recommended.

     

    Cassis Downtown St. Pete   $$

    170 Beach Dr. N.E., St. Petersburg

    (813) 827-2927

    The concept is reminiscent of a traditional brasserie on the French Riviera, but with a modern American twist. Dine outdoors and enjoy the Chicken Cordon Bleu, prepared to perfection with a jalapeno-maple syrup.

     

    Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant   $$

    332 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg

    (727) 209-2299

    Meet and greet over pleasant nibbles in an intimate and cozy setting of dim candle light. Choose from authentic Spanish tapas and be sure to sample the tangy Sangria. Open for dinner. 

     

    Stillwaters Tavern    $$

    224 Beach Dr. NE

    (727) 350-1019

    Lively hangout with 20+ craft beers and a scratch American kitchen. Land & Sea entrees pair well with Pier views.

     

    The Library    $$

    600 5th St. S.

    (727) 369-9969

    Literary-themed space with elegant vibes and book-lined walls. Cozy yet upscale, offering refined American cuisine and craft cocktails.

     

    Perry’s Porch    $$

    335 2nd Ave. NE

    (727) 256-0121

    Coastal café with wraparound porch and Italian-inspired dishes. Pays tribute to C. Perry Snell with charming waterfront views and relaxed vibes.

     

    Fortu    $$$

    97 Central Ave.

    (727) 256-0268

    Sleek pan-Asian steakhouse with lantern-lit ambiance. Offers wagyu, seafood plates and upscale energy perfect for a lively night out.

     

    Juno & The Peacock    $$$

    400 Beach Dr NE

    (727) 258-4222

    Retro-coastal setting with terrazzo floors and plush seating. Highlights include seafood towers, dry-aged steaks and polished cocktails.

     

    Concrete Jungle    $$

    475 Central Ave.

    (727) 475-5440

    Tulum-inspired underground spot with Latin cuisine, tropical cocktails, photo ops, and live music. Ideal for nightlife or weekend brunch.

     

    Brick & Mortar    $$

    539 Central Ave.

    (727) 822-6540

    Rustic, cozy eatery with seasonal New American plates, house-made pastas and curated beer and wine list.

     

    Tiki Docks Skyway    $$

    3769 50th Ave. S.

    (727) 810-8454

    Tropical waterfront spot offering seafood, burgers, rum drinks and family-friendly vibes. Laid-back escape with water views.

     

    Teak    $$

    800 2nd Ave NE, 4th Floor

    (727) 513-8325

    Nautical-inspired rooftop with 360° views. Dishes like Paella and Sirloin complement craft cocktails in a serene setting.

     

    Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille    $$

    610 2nd Ave. NE

    (727) 857-8118

    Casual seafood joint at the Pier. Highlights include Yucatan Oysters, Captiva Crab Cakes, and Panko Grouper with scenic waterfront seating.

     

    IL Ritorno    $$$$

    449 Central Ave., #101

    (727) 897-5900

    Italian for the discerning palate. Il Ritorno brings a new taste of fresh Italian cuisine to the community by. introducing new, interesting flavors and combinations. 

     

    North Pinellas / Beaches

     

    JW Marriott Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa

    691 S. Gulfview Blvd, Clearwater Beach

    (727) 677-6000

     

    The Deep End   $$

    A rooftop escape with panoramic  views, The Deep End delivers fresh coastal bites and breezy vibes. 

     

    Latitude 28   $$$

    This elegant lobby-level eatery offers coastal cuisine and regional seafood in a relaxed, upscale setting. Great for brunch, craft cocktails and stunning sunset dining.

     

    Sandpearl Resort

    500 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater Beach

    (727) 441-2425

     

    Caretta on the Gulf   $$$

    Gulf-front fine dining with high-quality steaks, sushi, and seafood. Refined yet relaxed, Caretta delivers impeccable service and a memorable beachfront experience.

     

    Opal Sands Resort & Spa

    430 S. Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach

    (727) 450-6236

     

    SeaGuini   $$$

    This stylish space blends Gulf views with Italian and Mediterranean flavors. Fresh seafood, house-made pasta, and contemporary flair define the menu at this scenic spot.

     

    The Duneatery   $

    985 Douglas Ave., Dunedin

    Global street eats meet Bavarian favorites at this casual 18+ spot connected to Woodwright Brewing. Pretzels, schnitzel, and beer-friendly bites reign supreme.

     

    Tides Market   $$

    305 Main St, Safety Harbor

    Part market, part eatery—this cozy spot serves Southern-inspired dishes using local seafood, meats, and produce. Think oysters, prime cuts, and “home-cooked” comfort.

     

    Frenchy’s   $$

    Multiple Coastal Locations

    Beloved for its iconic grouper sandwiches, Frenchy’s keeps things casual across its multiple beach locations. The Rockaway Grill offers the ultimate laid-back beachfront dining experience.

     

    Salt Rock Grill   $$$

    19325 Gulf Blvd, Indian Shores

    (727) 593-7625

    A long-standing waterfront favorite for fresh seafood, premium steaks, and a bustling raw bar. Multi-level dining and polished service make this a must-visit destination.

     

     

     

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    Chad Vorbrich

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  • Home Design: Lakefront Living

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    Renovation Builder: Michael Stettinius
    Interior Designer: R. Nickson Interiors
    Photography: Michael Scott
    Bar Cabinets: A Ward Design  

    Situated on Lake Eloise, part of Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes canal system, this 2006-built home underwent a three-year renovation from 2022 to 2025 with results well worth the wait. 

    With four grown children, the husband-and-wife owners wanted to transform their family home into a space for entertaining, relaxation and everyday enjoyment. Inspiration came from the clients themselves—their lifestyle, focus on family and love of entertaining—resulting in a home that feels like a luxury vacation.

    Original features such as blue-framed windows, soaring ceilings, concrete floors and exposed wood beams were preserved, while new additions include custom cabinetry, tall motorized drapery, bespoke rugs and curated furniture pieces. 

    R. Nickson Interiors incorporated real materials throughout, including marble, concrete and glass, layered with wallpaper and unexpected details for texture and warmth. The color palette of the home mixes blues and greens with pops of neon, while the primary suite offers a more subdued yet complementary look. Standout spaces include a powder bath with black concrete walls and countertops paired with brush-stroked grasscloth wallpaper, bar and mudroom cabinets painted a rich teal with stainless metal grill details and an Onyx backlit bar featuring slabs of deep blue and cream stone. 

    The home’s unique architecture presented challenges, yet the renovation was a dream project, enhanced by abundant natural light, the quality of the original construction and the clients’ enthusiasm throughout the process. 

    The sunken living room pairs a Boyden sectional with Made Goods furnishings—including barstools, accent chairs and a coffee table.
    Backlit quartz countertops pair with Made Goods acrylic barstools and Vandykes mesh cabinetry at the bar.
    The mud hall and adjacent bar feature Vandykes mesh cabinetry, with layered bench upholstery.
    The entry features a Padria round mirror by Uttermost, paired with a Designer Inc console and Arteriors ottomans.
    Swimmers wallpaper by California Wallpaper sets a lively tone in the pool bath, layered with natural bamboo window treatments.
    A mix of Fireclay and Thassos marble tile sets a refined tone in the primary bathroom.
    The primary bathroom is layered with Schumacher Giove wallpaper, a Robern lighted mirror and a custom upholstered stool.
    The powder bath features Harlequin Japanese Ink Origami wallpaper, a Made Goods dark blue pen shell mirror and a black oval ceramic sink from Ferguson WS Bath.
    The primary bedroom is softened with Fabricut Borrego Blue drapes trimmed in Damiani Amethyst and a Verellen Lutz wing chair.
    The primary bedroom features a custom platform bed in Schumacher Tutsi Blue and Philip Jefferies Abaca Breeze wallpaper.
    The outdoor area features a curved concrete bench and round firepit, complemented by additional seating from Fourhands and Made Goods.

    Check out this Shoreline to Sunshine. Or if you’re looking to advertise, click here.

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    Hayli Zuccola

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  • LILLY Learning Center offers students new direction on path of education

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    ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — A Pasco County entrepreneur is changing the perception of homeschooling.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lexa Duno opened the LILLY Learning Center in 2024 as an alternative teaching method for students with learning disabilities

    • With a smaller atmosphere focused on helping students with learning disabilities, the center differs from your average school
    • Now, already two years in existence, Duno is noticing a positive trend among students and parents


    Lexa Duno opened the LILLY Learning Center as an alternative teaching method for students with learning disabilities. The learning center is helping shape the young minds of tomorrow.

    Hard at work inside a classroom are students, including mother and daughter duo Dacia and Julia Mitchell.

    “She’s an incredibly gifted child,” said Dacia of her daughter, Julia. “Both of our kids really are.”

    The center differs from your average school. It’s a smaller atmosphere focused on helping those students with learning disabilities.

    “As a mom of six, I find that there’s a learning environment for every child and every child is different,” said Dacia.

    Dacia said it was a struggle to find the right fit for her children — a struggle many parents go through.

    “We’ve done public school, private school, homeschool, we have two in boarding school — I mean, literally, you name it. If there’s a school out there, we’ve given it a go. I think that a lot of parents are finding the same frustrations that there is not necessarily one right way,” she said.

    Something that founder Duno realized while working as a literary specialist.

    “I work with a lot of kids who need reading interventions and, at that point in time, I was getting a lot of kids who were homeschooled in the area,” said Duno.

    That’s when she decided to open up LILLY, with the help of SMARTstart Pasco Incubators. It’s helping students who might need a little help on their path to education.

    “A diagnosed learning disability or maybe because they, for some reason, aren’t fitting socially or emotionally in the traditional school system and their families are looking for a really small, safe environment beyond the school system for them to grow and thrive and to be able to learn amongst their peers in a social learning environment,” said Duno.

    Now, already two years in existence, Duno is noticing a positive trend.

    “We have parents who think (their) child is probably not going to interact or participate,” she said. “And then, in a short amount of time, they come and they’re able to just thrive, which is amazing.”

    It’s changing the lives of Dacia and her daughter, and helping these students reach their full potential

    “It’s just a great place for you to learn who your child is and for them to learn who they are, about themselves and really grow into that,” Dacia said.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Ongoing Curlew Road construction causing traffic delays

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — An ongoing lane closure in Pinellas County is frustrating drivers on a busy road.

    What You Need To Know

    • Curlew Road eastbound now has reduced lanes between Countryside Boulevard and Tampa Road

    • According to FDOT, at least one lane is now closed 24 hours a day for a drainage project there

    • The $10.8 million project is set to be completed in the fall of 2026


    Curlew Road eastbound now has reduced lanes between Countryside Boulevard and Tampa Road — which is a major east-west connection in north Pinellas County.

    According to FDOT, at least one lane is now closed 24 hours a day for a drainage project there.

    Nicky Folven commutes on Curlew Road daily and says the one lane being closed has caused lots of delays, especially at McMullen Booth Road during rush hour.

    “There’s a lot of people trying to turn left to McMullen Booth. So there’s really only one lane that can get through. Because both sides are backed up,” Folven said.

    The lane closure extends from there to Curlew’s merge with Tampa Road — causing backups for drivers at all hours.

    “After school, on the weekends, just that lane being shut down. It’s a lot of people trying to get into two lanes,” Folven said.

    So she’s hoping that the work is done soon to help traffic flow through the area better.

    “I know it’s like a minor inconvenience but I guess my concerns are more with the length of time this has been closed down,” Folven said.

    According to the FDOT, the $10.8 million project is set to be completed in the fall of 2026.

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    Tim Wronka

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  • How a two-year program in Pinellas turns staffers into teachers

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County Schools is gearing up to graduate its first class of teacher apprentices, an innovative program designed to promote support staff to full-time teachers.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas County Schools is about to graduate its first cohort of teacher apprentices

    • The two-year program combines college coursework with real-world teaching experience

    • This graduation comes as the district faces staffing challenges, lessened by success of the apprenticeship

    • By fall 2026, 25 more staffers will be part of the teacher apprentice program


    Tamara McKinney says it’s like she was called to teach.

    “When I was a little girl, I did — I always wanted to be a teacher. I would set my dolls up and they would be my students,” said McKinney.

    As a mother of an adult son with disabilities, McKinney knows what children with special needs need. That’s how she ended up at Pinellas County Schools’ Nina Harris Exceptional Student Education Center as a paraprofessional.

    But, she says, she had more to give. That’s when she heard about the teacher apprenticeship program.

    “The purpose of the program is truly to match them with a mentor, and they’re with the same mentor for two years, they’re in that classroom, co-teaching side by side and learning from our experts,” said Dr. Nicole Gallucci-Landis, HR partner with the school district.

    The program for Pinellas County Schools’ support staff combines virtual college coursework with real-world teaching experience. After two years, and at no cost to the participant, they graduate and get promoted to full-time teachers.

    All throughout, they’re making more money than they would in their parapro jobs and then have an even better job waiting for them when it’s all finished.

    “I was telling my coworkers that I felt, at one point, that the county didn’t really care about us support staff. This was many years ago. And then, once this program came about, and all of the support I’ve received, I’ve changed my mindset,” said McKinney.

    Pinellas County’s program is the first to be endorsed by the Florida Department of Education. 

    A group of 24 is set to sign their contracts by the end of February, graduate in May and be in their own classroom by August. Ten more staffers started the apprenticeship in January, with 15 more slated to begin in the fall.

    “What we’re finding is they want to become teachers, but for whatever reason — life, financial reasons, they’ve cared about everybody else but themselves — but they have a desire and a passion to become a teacher and they’re so good with their kids. So this program supports that and then, we’re growing our own,” said Gallucci-Landis.

    Growing themselves, so they can pour into others.

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    Andy Cole

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  • Pinellas County wraps up $125M beach nourishment project ahead of schedule

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    TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — Pinellas County’s massive beach nourishment effort is now complete, restoring miles of shoreline damaged during the 2024 hurricane season and giving coastal communities renewed hope heading into the next storm cycle.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas County completes beach nourishment

    • The project cost $125 million

    • Funds came from Tourist Development Tax, along with $13 million from a state grant.


    The $125 million project began in September, with crews pumping and placing sand along the county’s beaches to replace what was washed away by repeated storm erosion. County leaders marked the milestone by placing the final loads of sand on Treasure Island — one of the hardest-hit areas after hurricanes Helene and Milton.

    Officials say the work is about more than appearances. The rebuilt shoreline and dunes are designed to act as a natural buffer, potentially reducing flooding and structural damage during future storms.

    “If we had this infrastructure here when Helene came, the flooding damage would have been significantly less. So this is critically important to everything that is being rebuilt now.” Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters said.

    Treasure Island hotel owner Craig Rothschild still vividly remembers Hurricane Helene.

    “We had water up to right here on the building,” he said, describing a roughly 36-inch water line inside ground-floor rooms. “Every stick of furniture was floating, and we had to cut into all of the rooms just below the light fixtures.”

    Rothschild had purchased the hotel in 2021 and completed a full renovation — only to start over again after the storm.

    “It was definitely a defeated feeling, but you have to stay positive and figure out how to get it done,” he said.

    He reopened the property in May 2025, restoring it in what he calls “old Florida with a modern twist.” He believes the rebuilt beach could make a real difference.

    “I think it’s going to protect us — especially the Roth Hotel. We get water from both sides, and if it can keep the water out from one side, it would really help this area,” he said.

    The nourishment effort was funded primarily through Pinellas County’s tourist development tax, along with a $13 million state grant. In addition to widening the beach, crews constructed protective dunes and planted sea grass. The vegetation will anchor the sand and reduce erosion once its roots fully establish, which officials expect by summer.

    Tourism struggled across parts of the barrier islands in 2025 as communities rebuilt and visitors stayed away following the storms. Rothschild says he is finally seeing signs of recovery.

    “Vacationers are starting to come back,” he said. “Last year was very difficult — a slow year. I think everyone was just trying to get over the hurricane. We’re really hoping for a strong 2026.”

    With the sand in place and dunes planted, county leaders say their next focus is bringing visitors back — and ensuring the shoreline is better prepared for whatever the next hurricane season brings.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Melissa Ley and FUELS help Pinellas County teachers and students

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A former Pinellas County teacher is still doing a lot to support students and teachers — in fact, Melissa Ley helped to start a nonprofit to do just that.

    Ley was a teacher with Pinellas County Schools for three years, but then decided to focus on homeschooling her two children.

    What You Need To Know

    • Melissa Ley is a former Pinellas County teacher

    • She helped to start Florida’s Unique Education Learning Support, or FUELS

    • FUELS provides classroom supplies for teachers, free professional development and student care closet supplies, among other things


    Ley’s experience in the classroom gave her an appreciation for the needs of teachers and the lack of resources they often face. She started an organization called Florida’s Unique Education Learning Support or FUELS, which provides classroom resources for teachers and items for school care closets for students in need.

    On a recent morning Ley and FUELS treasurer Maureen Price were taking large bags of personal care items to two schools.

    “So, tons of personal care items. Shampoo, deodorant. Personal hygiene things. Snacks. They go like crazy,” Ley said as she took bags out from the back of her SUV in front of St. Petersburg High School.

    “It is the fun part,” she added. “Shopping for, delivering and seeing how excited they are is the fun part.”

    A few moments later Ley and Price were meeting with school social worker Janna Vichaikul in her office to show her the items for her care closet.

    “Lotions, then all of your deodorant, T-shirts and stuff like that,” said Ley.

    Vicheikul said she was always grateful for the supplies.

    “We didn’t want to be too greedy, and they really surprised with how generous their donations were,” she said.

    FUELS has also donated some chairs and a mini fridge for the space where Vicheikul meets with students.

    FUELS also provides thousands of books that teachers can use in their classroom libraries, provides free professional development training for educators and an annual teacher appreciation event.

    Ley and Price also delivered care closet supplies to the Nina Harris Exceptional Student Education Center.

    “Basic needs have to be met in order for students to learn,” said Ley as she and staff members were placing the personal care items on shelves. “So, without these things, without schools and us providing it, the students aren’t able to do what is important and learn.”

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    Rick Elmhorst

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  • Lindsey Vonn crashes in Winter Olympic downhill, taken away by helicopter

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    CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn ‘s defiant bid to win the Winter Olympic downhill at the age of 41, on a rebuilt right knee and a badly injured left knee, ended Sunday in a frightening crash that saw her taken to safety by a rescue helicopter for the second time in nine days.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lindsey Vonn’s pursuit of a second Olympic downhill gold medal is over

    • The 41-year-old American, skiing with a badly injured left knee, crashed early in Sunday’s race in Italy

    • She was taken off the course by helicopter after receiving medical attention

    Vonn lost control within moments of leaving the starting gate, clipping a gate with her right shoulder and pinwheeling down the slope before ending up awkwardly on her back, her skis crisscrossed below her and her screams ringing out soon after medical personnel arrived. She was treated for long, anguished minutes as a hush fell over the crowd waiting far below at the finish line.

    She was strapped to a gurney and flown away, possibly ending the skier’s storied career. Her condition was not immediately known, with the U.S. Ski Team saying simply she would be evaluated.

    “She’ll be OK, but it’s going to be a bit of a process,” said Anouk Patty, chief of sport for U.S. Ski and Snowboard. “This sport’s brutal and people need to remember when they’re watching (that) these athletes are throwing themselves down a mountain and going really, really fast.”

    United States’ Lindsey Vonn is airlifted away after a crash during an alpine ski women’s downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

    Breezy Johnson, Vonn’s teammate, became only the second American woman to win the Olympic downhill after Vonn did it 16 years ago. The 30-year-old Johnson held off Emma Aicher of Germany and Italy’s Sofia Goggia on a bittersweet day for the team.

    “I don’t claim to know what she’s going through, but I do know what it is to be here, to be fighting for the Olympics, and to have this course burn you and to watch those dreams die,” said Johnson, whose injury in Cortina in 2022 ruined hopes of sking in the Beijing Olympics. “I can’t imagine the pain that she’s going through and it’s not the physical pain — we can deal with physical pain — but the emotional pain is something else.”

    Vonn had family in the stands, including her father, Alan Kildow, who stared down at the ground while his daughter was being treated after just 13 seconds on the course where she holds a record 12 World Cup titles. Others in the crowd, including rapper Snoop Dogg, watched quietly as the star skier was finally taken off the course. Fellow American star Mikaela Shiffrin posted a broken heart emoji on social media.

    Vonn’s crash was “tragic, but it’s ski racing,” said Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation.

    “I can only say thank you for what she has done for our sport,” he said, “because this race has been the talk of the games and it’s put our sport in the best possible light.”

    All eyes had been on Vonn, the feel-good story heading into the Olympics. She had returned to elite ski racing last season after nearly six years, a remarkable decision given her age but she also had a partial titanium knee replacement in her right knee, too. Many wondered how she would fare as she sought a gold medal to join the one she won in the downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

    The four-time overall World Cup champion stunned everyone by being a contender almost immediately. She came to the Olympics as the leader in the World Cup downhill standings and was a gold-medal favorite before her crash in Switzerland nine days ago, when she suffered her latest knee injury. In addition to a ruptured ACL, she also had a bone bruise and meniscus damage.

    Still, no one counted her out even then. In truth, she has skied through injuries for three decades at the top of the sport. In 2006, ahead of the Turin Olympics, Vonn took a bad fall during downhill training and went to the hospital. She competed less than 48 hours later, racing in all four events she’d planned, with a top result of seventh in the super-G.

    Cortina has had many treasured memories for Vonn beyond the record wins. She is called the queen of Cortina, and the Olympia delle Tofana is a course that had always suited Vonn. She tested out the knee twice in downill training runs over the past three days before the awful crash on Sunday in clear, sunny conditions.

    “This would be the best comeback I’ve done so far,” Vonn said before the race. “Definitely the most dramatic.”

    News of the crash spread quickly, including to the fan zone down the mountain in Cortina.

    “It’s such a huge loss and bummer,” American Megan Gunyou said. “I feel like hearing her story and just like the redemption of her first fall and like fighting to come back to the Olympics this year, I mean, I feel so sad for her.”

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    Associated Press

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  • FBI concluded Epstein wasn’t running a sex trafficking ring for powerful men

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    NEW YORK — The FBI pored over Jeffrey Epstein’s bank records and emails. It searched his homes. It spent years interviewing his victims and examining his connections to some of the world’s most influential people.

    What You Need To Know

    • The FBI pored over Jeffrey Epstein’s bank records and emails, searched his homes, spent years interviewing his victims and examining his connections to some of the world’s most influential people

    • But while investigators collected ample proof that Epstein sexually abused multiple underage girls, records released by the Justice Department show they found scant evidence he led a sex trafficking ring serving powerful men

    • Investigators wrote in one memo reviewed by The Associated Press that they were unable to substantiate one victim’s highly public claim that he “lent her” to his rich friends, and found no other victims telling a similar story

    But while investigators collected ample proof that Epstein sexually abused underage girls, they found scant evidence the well-connected financier led a sex trafficking ring serving powerful men, an Associated Press review of internal Justice Department records shows.

    Videos and photos seized from Epstein’s homes in New York, Florida and the Virgin Islands didn’t depict victims being abused or implicate anyone else in his crimes, a prosecutor wrote in one 2025 memo.

    An examination of Epstein’s financial records, including payments he made to entities linked to influential figures in academia, finance and global diplomacy, found no connection to criminal activity, said another internal memo in 2019.

    While one Epstein victim made highly public claims that he “lent her” to his rich friends, agents couldn’t confirm that and found no other victims telling a similar story, the records said.

    Summarizing the investigation in an email last July, agents said “four or five” Epstein accusers claimed other men or women had sexually abused them. But, the agents said, there “was not enough evidence to federally charge these individuals, so the cases were referred to local law enforcement.”

    The AP and other media organizations are still reviewing millions of pages of documents, many of them previously confidential, that the Justice Department released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act and it is possible those records contain evidence overlooked by investigators.

    But the documents, which include police reports, FBI interview notes and prosecutor emails, provide the clearest picture to date of the investigation — and why U.S. authorities ultimately decided to close it without additional charges.

    Dozens of victims come forward

    The Epstein investigation began in 2005, when the parents of a 14-year-old girl reported she had been molested at the millionaire’s home in Palm Beach, Florida.

    Police would identify at least 35 girls with similar stories: Epstein was paying high school age students $200 or $300 to give him sexualized massages.

    After the FBI joined the probe, federal prosecutors drafted indictments to charge Epstein and some personal assistants who had arranged the girls’ visits and payments. But instead, then-Miami U.S. attorney Alexander Acosta struck a deal letting Epstein plead guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. Sentenced to 18 months in jail, Epstein was free by mid-2009.

    In 2018, a series of Miami Herald stories about the plea deal prompted New York federal prosecutors to take a fresh look at the accusations.

    Epstein was arrested in July 2019. One month later, he killed himself in his jail cell.

    A year later, prosecutors charged Epstein’s longtime confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell, saying she’d recruited several of his victims and sometimes joined the sexual abuse. Convicted in 2021, Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison term.

    Prosecutors fail to find evidence backing most sensational claims

    Prosecution memos, case summaries and other documents made public in the department’s latest release of Epstein-related records show that FBI agents and federal prosecutors diligently pursued potential coconspirators. Even seemingly outlandish and incomprehensible claims, called in to tip lines, were examined.

    Some allegations couldn’t be verified, investigators wrote.

    In 2011 and again in 2019, investigators interviewed Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who in lawsuits and news interviews had accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters with numerous men, including Britain’s former Prince Andrew.

    Investigators said they confirmed that Giuffre had been sexually abused by Epstein. But other parts of her story were problematic.

    Two other Epstein victims who Giuffre had claimed were also “lent out” to powerful men told investigators they had no such experience, prosecutors wrote in a 2019 internal memo.

    “No other victim has described being expressly directed by either Maxwell or Epstein to engage in sexual activity with other men,” the memo said.

    Giuffre acknowledged writing a partly fictionalized memoir of her time with Epstein containing descriptions of things that didn’t take place. She had also offered shifting accounts in interviews with investigators, they wrote, and had “engaged in a continuous stream of public interviews about her allegations, many of which have included sensationalized if not demonstrably inaccurate characterizations of her experiences.” Those inaccuracies included false accounts of her interactions with the FBI, they said.

    Still, U.S. prosecutors attempted to arrange an interview with Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He refused to make himself available. Giuffre settled a lawsuit with Mountbatten-Windsor in which she had accused him of sexual misconduct.

    In a memoir published after she killed herself last year, Giuffre wrote that prosecutors told her they didn’t include her in the case against Maxwell because they didn’t want her allegations to distract the jury. She insisted her accounts of being trafficked to elite men were true.

    Prosecutors say photos and videos don’t implicate others

    Investigators seized a multitude of videos and photos from Epstein’s electronic devices and homes in New York, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They found CDs, hard copy photographs and at least one videotape containing nude images of females, some of whom seemed as if they might be minors. One device contained 15 to 20 images depicting commercial child sex abuse material — pictures investigators said Epstein obtained on the internet.

    No videos or photos showed Epstein victims being sexually abused, none showed any males with any of the nude females, and none contained evidence implicating anyone other than Epstein and Maxwell, then-Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey wrote in an email for FBI officials last year.

    Had they existed, the government “would have pursued any leads they generated,” Comey wrote. “We did not, however, locate any such videos.”

    Investigators who scoured Epstein’s bank records found payments to more than 25 women who appeared to be models — but no evidence that he was engaged in prostituting women to other men, prosecutors wrote.

    Epstein’s close associates go uncharged

    In 2019, prosecutors weighed the possibility of charging one of Epstein’s longtime assistants but decided against it.

    Prosecutors concluded that while the assistant was involved in helping Epstein pay girls for sex and may have been aware that some were underage, she herself was a victim of his sexual abuse and manipulation.

    Investigators examined Epstein’s relationship with the French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who once was involved in an agency with Epstein in the U.S., and who was accused in a separate case of sexually assaulting women in Europe. Brunel killed himself in jail while awaiting trial on a rape charge in France.

    Prosecutors also weighed whether to charge one of Epstein’s girlfriends who had participated in sexual acts with some of his victims. Investigators interviewed the girlfriend, who was 18 to 20 years old at the time, “but it was determined there was not enough evidence,” according to a summary given to FBI Director Kash Patel last July.

    Days before Epstein’s July 2019 arrest, the FBI strategized about sending agents to serve grand jury subpoenas on people close to Epstein, including his pilots and longtime business client, retail mogul Les Wexner.

    Wexner’s lawyers told investigators that neither he nor his wife had knowledge of Epstein’s sexual misconduct. Epstein had managed Wexner’s finances, but the couple’s lawyers said they cut him off in 2007 after learning he’d stolen from them.

    “There is limited evidence regarding his involvement,” an FBI agent wrote of Wexner in an Aug. 16, 2019, email.

    In a statement to the AP, a legal representative for Wexner said prosecutors had informed him that he was “neither a coconspirator nor target in any respect,” and that Wexner had cooperated with investigators.

    Prosecutors also examined accounts from women who said they’d given massages at Epstein’s home to guests who’d tried to make the encounters sexual. One woman accused private equity investor Leon Black of initiating sexual contact during a massage in 2011 or 2012, causing her to flee the room.

    The Manhattan district attorney’s office subsequently investigated, but no charges were filed.

    Black’s lawyer, Susan Estrich, said he had paid Epstein for estate planning and tax advice. She said in a statement that Black didn’t engage in misconduct and had no awareness of Epstein’s criminal activities. Lawsuits by two women who accused Black of sexual misconduct were dismissed or withdrawn. One is pending.

    No client list

    Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News in February 2025 that Epstein’s never-before-seen “client list” was “sitting on my desk right now.” A few months later, she claimed the FBI was reviewing “tens of thousands of videos” of Epstein “with children or child porn.”

    But FBI agents wrote superiors saying the client list didn’t exist.

    On Dec. 30, 2024, about three weeks before President Joe Biden left office, then-FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate reached out through subordinates to ask “whether our investigation to date indicates the ‘client list,’ often referred to in the media, does or does not exist,” according to an email summarizing his query.

    A day later, an FBI official replied that the case agent had confirmed no client list existed.

    On Feb. 19, 2025, two days before Bondi’s Fox News appearance, an FBI supervisory special agent wrote: “While media coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein case references a ‘client list,’ investigators did not locate such a list during the course of the investigation.”

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  • Seahawks ride their ‘Dark Side’ defense to a Super Bowl title

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    SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Defense won this championship.

    Devon Witherspoon, Derick Hall, Byron Murphy and the rest of Mike Macdonald’s ferocious unit pummeled Drake Maye, and the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday to win the franchise’s second Super Bowl.

    What You Need To Know

    • Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to AJ Barner, Kenneth Walker III ran for 135 yards and Jason Myers set a super Bowl record by making all five of his field-goal tries

    • Uchenna Nwosu punctuated a punishing defensive performance by snagging Maye’s pass in the air after Witherspoon hit his arm and ran it back 45 yards for a pick-6

    • Seattle’s “Dark Side” defense helped Darnold become the first quarterback in the 2018 draft class to win a Super Bowl, ahead of Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson

    • After leading the NFL with 20 turnovers in the regular season, Darnold didn’t have any in three playoff games



    Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to AJ Barner, Kenneth Walker III ran for 135 yards and Jason Myers set a super Bowl record by making all five of his field-goal tries.

    Walker became the first running back to win the Super Bowl MVP award since Terrell Davis 28 years ago.

    Uchenna Nwosu punctuated a punishing defensive performance by snagging Maye’s pass in the air after Witherspoon hit his arm and ran it back 45 yards for a pick-6.

    “It’s a one-of-a-kind feeling, bro,” Witherspoon said. “You talk about a group of guys who battle every day, who believe in each other and believe in their coach, you can’t describe this group no better. It’s just a one-of-a-kind feeling. I was just so happy to battle with these guys. We went through a lot, but we believed. All of you all doubters out there who said all that other stuff, you all don’t know what’s going on in this building. We’re one of one over here.”

    Seattle’s “Dark Side” defense helped Darnold become the first quarterback in the 2018 draft class to win a Super Bowl, ahead of Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson.

    “To do this with this team, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Darnold said. “So proud of our guys, our defense. I mean, I can’t say enough great things about our defense, our special teams.”

    Labeled a bust, dumped by two teams and considered expendable by two others, Darnold proved his doubters wrong while helping the Seahawks go 17-3.

    After leading the NFL with 20 turnovers in the regular season, Darnold didn’t have any in three playoff games. He wasn’t particularly sharp against a solid Patriots defense but protected the ball and made enough plays, finishing 19 of 38 for 202 yards.

    “I know we won the Super Bowl, but we could have been a little bit better on offense, but I don’t care about that right now,” Darnold said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling, man. I’m just so happy for the guys in the locker room and the coaches that put in so much effort throughout the whole season.”

    The Seahawks sacked Maye six times, including two apiece by Hall and Murphy. Hall’s strip-sack late in the third quarter set up a short field and Darnold connected with Barner on 16-yard scoring toss to make it 19-0.

    Julian Love’s interception set up another field goal that made it 22-7 with 5:35 left.

    The Patriots (17-4) punted on the first eight drives, excluding a kneel-down to end the first half.

    “We had a really good year, one that I’m proud of,” New England coach Mike Vrabel said. “But this game wasn’t a reflection of that. We were outcoached and outplayed.”

    Down 19-0, Maye and the Patriots’ offense finally got going. He hit Mack Hollins over the middle in traffic for 24 yards and then lofted a perfect 35-yard TD pass to Hollins down the left side to cut the deficit to 19-7.

    Tom Brady once led Bill Belichick’s Patriots to the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, when New England rallied from a 28-3 deficit against Atlanta for a 34-28 overtime victory.

    But Maye, who was runner-up to Matthew Stafford for the AP NFL MVP award in the closest race in two decades, didn’t come close. He had a chance to get it closer, but his ill-advised pass into triple coverage was picked by Love and the Patriots trailed by 15 when they got the ball back with 5:35 left.

    Then came Nwosu’s touchdown, a fitting way to cap an overwhelming effort by the NFL’s stingiest defense.

    “Definitely hurts. They played better than us tonight,” Maye said.

    Maye’s 7-yard TD pass to Rhamondre Stevenson late in the game only made the margin smaller.

    The Seahawks took a 3-0 lead on Myers’ 33-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive. Myers connected from 39 and 41 yards to extend the lead to 9-0 at halftime. He was good from 41 on Seattle’s first drive of the third quarter to make it 12-0.

    Patriots player of the game

    Cornerback Christian Gonzalez made two outstanding plays to prevent potential touchdowns in the second quarter. He raced back and leaped in the air to slap away a deep pass to Rasheed Shahid that could have been a 76-yard TD.

    On Seattle’s last drive in the first half, Gonzalez knocked down a pass to All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba that would have been a 23-yard TD.

    Mills gets a two-for-one sack

    Rylie Mills pushed left guard Jared Wilson into Maye and took both of them down on one of Seattle’s sacks.

    Bad Bunny shines at halftime

    Bad Bunny headlined a visually stunning halftime performance that also featured appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. The Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist entirely in Spanish.

    Patriots denied a record 7th title

    The Patriots failed to win the franchise’s seventh Super Bowl, which would have set an NFL record. They’re tied with the Steelers with six championships.

    AP NFL Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel was aiming to become the fifth person to win a Super Bowl as a player and head coach and the first to do both with the same team.

    The 23-year-old Maye was trying to become the youngest QB to win a Lombardi Trophy. Ben Roethlisberger still holds that mark.

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  • Phillies begin unpacking equipment in preparation for spring training

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Pitchers and catchers will report for their first workouts for Major League Baseball spring training starting Tuesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pitchers and catchers start reporting for spring training in Florida this week

    • Phillies staff members are already unloading trucks with the supplies the team will need

    • They are bringing 2,400 baseballs, 140 batting helmets and 1,200 baseball bats this spring

    • Spring training games begin Feb. 20

    Florida is home to baseball’s Grapefruit League, and thousands of fans will flock to the Tampa Bay area to watch their favorite teams because seven of the franchises call the Tampa Bay area home during spring training, bringing a huge economic impact. Throughout Florida, more than 1.4 million fans visited for spring training in 2025, generating about $687,000 annually for the state and creating more than 7,000 jobs, according to data from the Florida Sports Foundation and studies of the Grapefruit League.

    That means teams like the Philadelphia Phillies have to start getting ready.

    When the equipment trucks start pulling into Baycare Ballpark, it marks the unofficial start to spring training in Clearwater.

    Phillies staff members like clubhouse attendant Tim Schmidt wait months for the trucks full of gear and supplies.

    “It’s been on my calendar for a while, so yeah, it’s nice that it’s here, and I’m excited to get it underway, and I’m ready to see the guys,” Schmidt said.

    Filled to the brim, it takes the whole staff, as well as some help from a forklift, to unload all the supplies needed for spring training.

    The Phillies are bringing 2,400 baseballs, 140 batting helmets and 1,200 baseball bats this spring, Schmidt said.

    Among all the people who helped unload the trucks was Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector.

    He said it’s a day he looks forward to every year.

    “Our sign of spring is the Phillies equipment truck arriving,” Rector said. “That’s a little bit more predictable than the groundhog.”

    Spring training has been in Clearwater for about 100 years, including the Phillies here for most of that time, Rector said.

    “Such a strong connection with our citizens,” Rector said. “They’ve been here for 80 years. It’s almost like seeing family come home.”

    Schmidt said it was going to be a long day because there is a lot to unpack before the players arrive.

    Still, the work isn’t an issue.

    He’s ready to focus on the season.

    “Once we get down here, it’s go time,” Schmidt said. “We don’t really stop until the playoffs are over.”

    The seven teams that will be in the Tampa Bay area for the next few weeks, honing their skills before the regular season begins, are the Phillies, the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves.

    Spring training games begin Feb. 20, and tickets are on sale now.

     

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Plant City church ‘explores untold stories’ of Black History Month

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    PLANT CITY, Fla. — This month, we take time to celebrate Black History Month, and one church in Plant City is doing that through an educational program known as “Exploring the Untold Stories of Black History.”

    What You Need To Know

    •  Terrie Strachan says the program includes members of the church to portray the stories told
    •  Many of the stories shared are not taught in school


    Inside Mount Olive Baptist Church in Plant City, history is being shared.

    Organizers present the program every February to honor Black History Month.

    Terrie Strachan started the program back in 2013. “I always try to explore new avenues of Black history,” she said.

    It’s a history that some may not even know about. The story told on the first Sunday of this month was about Joseph Ligon, who was the nation’s longest-serving juvenile offender.

    “(Trying) to familiarize our youth with things that they never heard of, not just our youth, even our adults,” she said.

    Strachan said it’s important to immerse the youth in stories they rarely learn about in school.

    For 11-year-old Cortlyn Fisher, it’s a program she looks forward to every year.

    “It reflects on what people went through back in the day, and it helps me learn about the people,” she said.

    The stories that are shared are also reflected in the sermons of the church.

    Ted Taylor took part in the program. He said it’s a story that he never heard of, that’s helped him reflect on the importance of celebrating Black history.

    “Informative, enlightening and spiritual to the church,” he said.

    Every Sunday throughout the month of February, a new story will be portrayed.

    Strachan said it’s one way she’s hoping to preserve Black history in her community.

    “If I can just continue to do that and touch my members and touch people in the community about topics that I bring forth, I’d be doing my job, and I’d be fulfilling what God wants me to do,” she said.

    Honoring Black history and how its shaped the lives of many one story at a time.

    On February 22, Mount Olive Baptist Church will also host a praise dance team as part of its Black History Month education.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • St. Petersburg Distance Classic draws largest turnout ever

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Sunday was the largest St. Petersburg Distance Classic in the program’s history.

    This was the sixth time the event was hosted.

    Thousands of runners took off from North Shore Park to participate in a marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K.

    What You Need To Know

    • Under 3,500 people registered to run in the St. Petersburg Distance Classic

    • There were 30% more runners this year compared to last year

    • Chris Lauber and his wife, Rya, founded and operate the St. Pete run from their home

    • This event is a qualifer for the Boston Marathon


    Marathon runners were met with lots of cheering as they stepped off on their 26.2-mile journey.

    Norman Shaw ran in the St. Pete Distance Classic for the first time, but he knows the area well. He grew up here, but he’s visiting from New Jersey to make this his ninth marathon.

    “This is one of the most special ones. Runners know St. Pete is as flat as a pancake, so it’s a beautiful run. San Francisco was awful — all the hills, I mean, it was beautiful, it was horrible to run. This will be nice,” he said.

    The 64-year-old trained for this by running about 30 miles a week. He said you have to go until your body is tired.

    “It’s just constantly pushing yourself not to stop,” he said.

    This year’s St. Pete Distance Classic had the largest number of runners ever. Under 3,500 people registered for all of Sunday’s races, making it 30% larger than last year. Organizers said they got a grant from Visit St. Pete-Clearwater to advertise the event.

    “We have almost every state represented and 15 countries,” said Chris Lauber, race director.

    Chris Lauber and his wife, Rya, founded and operate the St. Pete run, but Chris has a long history of organizing these things.

    In 1979, Chris had orchestrated jet ski races in Sebring, Florida. That eventually grew into a big event, even getting ESPN coverage.

    Then, using that experience, he created the Gulf Beaches Marathon in 2000. He said at the time, there wasn’t any sort of race like that in the county.

    The couple now runs the St. Pete Distance Classic out of their garage.

    “To see literally a thousand smiling faces run by you as the fruits of our efforts, I wish there was a single word, but there isn’t,” Chris said.

    It’s that same feeling that athletes like Shaw have when they run across the finish line.

    “Those last six miles are the toughest, but when you’re done, you feel like you beat yourself. It’s such an incredible feeling,” Shaw said.

    The marathon is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

    Runners who have a qualifying time can register for the Boston Marathon for 2027.

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    Tyler O’Neill

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  • What to know about Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping and the race to find her

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    TUCSON, Ariz. — It’s been a week since “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie ‘s mother disappeared from her home in Arizona in what authorities say was a kidnapping.

    What You Need To Know

    • It’s been a week since “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother disappeared from her home in Arizona in what authorities say was a kidnapping

    • Investigators have been examining ransom notes and looking for evidence but have not named a suspect

    • On Friday, officers returned to 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie’s home near Tucson and to the surrounding neighborhood to continue their search

    • Family members told officials they last saw Nancy Guthrie at 9:48 p.m. on Jan. 31 when they dropped her off at home after they ate dinner and played games together

    Investigators have been examining ransom notes and looking for evidence but have not named a suspect. On Friday, officers returned to 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie ‘s home near Tucson and to the surrounding neighborhood to continue their search.

    Here’s what to know about the case:

    The disappearance

    Family members told officials they last saw Guthrie at 9:48 p.m. on Jan. 31 when they dropped her off at home after they ate dinner and played games together. The next day, family learned she didn’t attend church. They reported her missing after they went to check on her.

    Guthrie has a pacemaker and needs daily medication. Her family and authorities are worried her health could be deteriorating by the day.

    Collecting evidence

    Authorities think Guthrie was taken against her will from her home in an upscale neighborhood that sits on hilly, desert terrain. DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch matched hers, the county sheriff has said.

    This image provided by the Pima County Sheriff s Department, on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, shows a missing person alert for Nancy Guthrie. (Pima County Sheriff s Department via AP)

    Investigators found her doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday and that software data recorded movement at the home minutes later. But investigators haven’t been able to recover the footage because Guthrie didn’t have an active subscription to the service.

    Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told The Associated Press in an interview that investigators have not given up on trying to access those images.

    “I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that here’s a picture, here’s your bad guy. But it’s not,” Nanos told the AP on Friday. “There are pieces of information that come to us from these tech groups that say ‘This is what we have and we can’t get anymore.’”

    The president of the Catalina Foothills Association, a neighborhood group, thanked residents in a letter for being willing to speak with law enforcement, share camera images and allow their properties to be searched.

    Ransom notes

    At least three media organizations reported receiving purported ransom notes, which they handed over to investigators. Authorities made an arrest after one ransom note turned out to be fake, the sheriff said.

    It’s unclear if all of the notes were identical. Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, said details included a demand for money with a Thursday evening deadline and a second deadline for Monday if the first one wasn’t met. At least one note mentioned a floodlight at Guthrie’s home and an Apple watch, Janke said.

    Investigators said they are taking the notes seriously.

    On Friday, KOLD-TV in Tucson said it received a new message, via email, tied to the Guthrie case. The station said it couldn’t disclose its contents. The FBI said it was aware of a new message and was reviewing its authenticity.

    Family appeals

    Concern about Guthrie’s condition is growing because authorities say she needs daily medicine that’s vital to her health. She has a pacemaker, high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.

    Guthrie’s children recorded two separate video messages to their mother’s abductor and posted them publicly on social media.

    Savannah Guthrie filmed a sometimes emotional message on Wednesday asking the kidnapper for proof their mother was alive. She noted that technology today allows for the easy manipulation of voices and images and the family needed to know “without a doubt” that she is alive and in the abductor’s hands.

    Police have not said that they have received any deepfake images of Nancy Guthrie.

    Savannah Guthrie described her mother as a “kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light” and said she was funny, spunky and clever.

    “Talk to her and you’ll see,” she said.

    She spoke some words directly to her mom, saying she and her siblings wouldn’t rest until they’re all together again.

    Trump’s involvement

    The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information about Guthrie’s whereabouts.

    Separately, a Kentucky priest has offered a $10,000 reward for Nancy Guthrie’s safe return.

    The White House said President Donald Trump called and spoke with Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday. He posted on social media that he was directing federal authorities to help where they can.

    On Friday night, he told reporters flying with him to his Florida estate on Air Force One that the investigation was going “very well” and investigators had some strong clues.

    Famous kidnappings

    The kidnapping is the latest abduction to attract the American public’s attention.

    Other notorious kidnappings in U.S. history have included the son of singer Frank Sinatra, the granddaughter of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and the 9-year-old girl for whom the AMBER Alert was named.

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    Associated Press

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  • DOJ to allow lawmakers to see unredacted Epstein files

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    WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice will allow members of Congress to review unredacted files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein starting on Monday, according to a letter that was sent to lawmakers.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Department of Justice will allow members of Congress to review unredacted files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein

    • That’s according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press says that lawmakers starting Monday will be able to review unredacted versions of the more than 3 million files that the Justice Department has released

    • To access the files, lawmakers will need to give the Justice Department 24 hours advance notice

    • They will be able to review the files on computers at the Department of Justice, and only lawmakers and not their staff will have access to the files

    The letter obtained by The Associated Press says that lawmakers will be able to review unredacted versions of the more than 3 million files that the Justice Department has released to comply with a law passed by Congress last year.

    To access the files, lawmakers will need to give the Justice Department 24 hours’ notice. They will be able to review the files on computers at the Department of Justice. Only lawmakers, not their staff, will have access to the files, and they will be permitted to take notes, but not make electronic copies.

    The arrangement, first reported by NBC News, showed the continued demand for information on Epstein and his crimes by lawmakers, even after the Justice Department devoted large numbers of its staff to comply with the law passed by Congress last year. The Justice Department has come under criticism for delays in the release of information, failing to redact the personal information and photos of victims and not releasing the entire 6 million documents collected in relation to Epstein.

    Still, lawmakers central to the push for transparency, described the concession by the Justice Department as a victory.

    “When Congress pushes back, Congress can prevail,” Rep. Ro Khanna, who sponsored what’s known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, posted on social media.

    Khanna has pointed to several emails between Epstein and individuals whose information was redacted that appeared to refer to the sexual abuse of underage girls. The release of the case files has prompted inquiries around the world about men who cavorted with the well-connected financier. Still, lawmakers are pressing for a further reckoning over anyone who may have had knowledge of Epstein’s abuse or could have helped facilitate it.

    Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell in 2019 while he faced charges that he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of underage girls. The case was brought more than a decade after he secretly cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida to dispose of nearly identical allegations. Epstein was accused of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them.

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    Associated Press

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  • Lakeland youth step team helps preserve cultural tradition

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — You may have seen it — the perfectly timed stomps, the chants and hand claps.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Lakeland-based youth step team is helping preserve the cultural tradition of stepping, an art form rooted in African history

    • Beyond competition, the team provides mentorship, sisterhood and a safe space for self-expression for middle and high school girls

    • The group is actively sharing the tradition on a national stage, hosting a step show this weekend with teams from across the country


    But where did it all begin?

    For centuries, stepping, a powerful ritual dance, has inspired generations, including the Lakeland-based step team Taken by Surprise.

    The group of girls, ranging in age, practices stepping inside Sleepy Hill Middle School’s gym about four days a week. While winning competitions is the goal, the steppers say they gain so much more.

    For 12th grader Aleyah Davis, it’s sisterhood.

    “It got me out of my shell because I am shy,” Davis said.

    Meanwhile, 11th grader Keyanah Colston says it’s a safe place to express herself.

    “If anything is weighing on my mind, I feel like when we come here, it’s just an open space to do you,” Colston said.

    Team sponsor Corey Tumer started Taken by Surprise 13 years ago to help build character in young people. As a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, he also wanted to expose them to Greek life — specifically historically Black fraternities and sororities known as the Divine Nine.

    “And that gives them more exposure than just being home and the possibility to network with other students across the country and get that experience of what life would be like as a college student,” Tumer said.

    Though stepping is widely used throughout Divine Nine culture, the art form didn’t originate there. Longtime dance instructor Andrida Hosey says stepping is rooted in African tradition.

    “So a lot of things, like celebratory things like naming ceremonies, and wedding celebrations, and going out for war, we used movement and rhythm, especially the drums,” Hosey said. “But as we came over to America, we couldn’t use the drums as slaves. They started using their body as instruments, and the clapping and the rhythm, and their voices as instruments.”

    She says those movements became a way to express feelings during a time when doing so was forbidden.

    Today, stepping gives young people that same freedom of expression, something the girls of Taken by Surprise say they don’t take for granted.

    Taken by Surprise will host a national step show this Saturday at Kathleen High School. Twenty teams from around the country will compete. Doors open at 2 p.m.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Polk County landscaper advises residents on new watering schedule

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County Utilities is one of the latest utilities working to preserve water across the Tampa Bay area.

    What You Need To Know

    • Polk County Utilities is the latest to enforce a new once-per-week lawn watering schedule due to below-average rainfall and low water levels

    • Watering is limited to specific days and times based on street address, with schedules running before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.

    • Local landscapers warn that the restrictions may not be enough to maintain healthy lawns


    Officials recently announced it will enforce the Modified Phase II water shortage order issued by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The restrictions apply to the following areas:

    Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter counties; portions of Charlotte, Highlands and Lake counties; the city of Dunnellon and The Villages in Marion County; and the portion of Gasparilla Island in Lee County.

    Starting this Sunday, residents and businesses can only water their lawns once a week. The new watering schedule is due to below-average rainfall and low water levels in area water resources.

    However, Eric Myers, owner of Myerscapes Environmental, says that may not be enough to maintain a healthy landscape.

    “The limitations on irrigating your yard, it’s going to cause a lot of damage to sod and everybody’s plants and foliage is going to start dying off. If they can’t irrigate, it’s going to be a lot of unhappy people,” Myers said.

    While the restrictions could mean more business for him, Myers says he is more concerned about how they will impact his customers.

    “Everybody doesn’t have tons of money to put into their yards to keep it properly maintained and looking good,” he said.

    With that said, Myers recommends residents water their yards for at least 20 minutes on their designated day. Even then, he says a healthy lawn is not guaranteed.

    Polk County Utilities says watering hours are assigned to one day per week based on address and must take place before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.

    Details of the once-per-week watering schedule are as follows:

    • Addresses ending in 0 or 1 may only water on Mondays.
    • Addresses ending in 2 or 3 may only water on Tuesdays.
    • Addresses ending in 4 or 5 may only water on Wednesdays.
    • Addresses ending in 6 or 7 may only water on Thursdays.
    • Addresses ending in 8 or 9, along with locations for which an address cannot be determined (such as common areas associated with a subdivision), may only water on Fridays.

    The new schedule begins Sunday and is expected to remain in place through July 1.

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    Alexis Jones

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