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Tag: Andy Cole

  • Tropicana Field will be ready for Rays home opener, city says

    TAMPA — In less than two months, Tampa Bay Rays fans will be back inside Tropicana Field for the first time since Hurricane Milton ripped off the roof and damaged the inside. Spectrum News was given a final look inside ahead of the home opener.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tropicana Field was heavily damaged during Hurricane Milton in October 2024 

    • Since then, crews have replaced roof and gutted any areas where water intruded

    • St. Petersburg’s city council approved $59.7 million for the project

    • City officials maintain the Trop will be open for the Rays home opener on April 6


    Work has been underway for more than a year to bring baseball back to the Trop. Crews have racked up an impressive quarter million man hours replacing the roof and gutting and repairing areas where water came in.

    City of St. Petersburg officials say they’re on track to open on time and remain within their nearly $60 million budget.

    “Once the roof came back on, it really was warp speed with all the drywall, all the finishes, the paint. Even just remediating anything that had gotten wet over the last few months, getting all that out,” said Beth Herendeen with the City of St Petersburg.

    On Friday, city officials celebrated lots of construction milestones. The new net has been hung, data and fiber cable have been laid, and audio is in. And with crews finishing up work on the new $1.3 million artificial turf, Tropicana Field is starting to look like a baseball stadium again. 

    By the end of the month, crews will have the field stripped, allowing the new lights to be aimed at the refurbished diamond.

    More Tampa Bay Rays spring training headlines


    Meantime, air quality tests are underway to ensure that the facility is safe for fans to return.

    “Some things are minor, some things are major, but those areas that did get water intrusion really did get a significant amount of water intrusion,” Herendeen said.

    While construction continues, city officials confirm FEMA has approved $16.5 million in reimbursements for their work on the Trop. The city’s insurance is paying out another $10.8 million, and the city is expecting $2.7 million more from the state when it’s all said and done. But there is much work left to do.

    “We’re going to be putting the outfield padding, there’s a lot of drywall, lot of carpet replacement, the locker rooms for both the home and visiting teams remains to be done. We have those materials on site and are getting started. But a lot of it is just buttoning up the little things that need to be done,” said Catherine Corcoran, senior capital projects coordinator with the City of St. Petersburg.

    There may be paintbrushes out touching up early the morning of the home opener, but officials stress they will be ready.

    The Rays are set to take on the Chicago Cubs on April 6. The cheapest ticket, as of Feb. 13, will run you $80.

    Andy Cole

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  • Florida AG accuses Winter Haven of not enforcing public sleeping law

    TAMPA — Florida’s attorney general is calling out the city of Winter Haven for its alleged lack of enforcement of public camping and sleeping laws against the community’s homeless population.

    What You Need To Know

    • Attorney General Uthmeier sent a letter to the City of Winter Haven, saying the city was repeatedly violating state law

    • The letter included images, apparently taken by a concerned citizen, of people experiencing homelessness in the community

    • Florida law prevents anyone from sleeping or camping in undesignated areas


    In a letter sent to city officials, Attorney General James Uthmeier says Winter Haven is in violation of Florida law when it comes to restricting public camping and sleeping. He included pictures, apparently taken by a concerned citizen, of those experiencing homelessness across the city of nearly 60,000 people.

    Uthmeier says the problem has grown so much over recent months that the public spaces are “unusable.”

    Bridget Engleman, executive director of the Homeless Coalition of Polk County, tracks the local homeless population.

    “Last year, we had a total of 804 individuals counted in Polk County. Out of that, 311 were in emergency shelter, 263 were in transitional housing and there’s 230 that were unsheltered. Out of the 804, 27 were from Winter Haven, the City of Winter Haven,” said Engleman.

    In response to the attorney general, Winter Haven police say they do enforce all applicable state, county and local regulations when it comes to the homeless but say last year only 1.4% of the more than 60,000 calls for service were for those experiencing homelessness.

    They also point to their efforts, removing 25 encampments, and connecting unhoused people they encounter with available resources.

    But those programs require funding, which Engleman says has been hard to come by.

    “Last year our state funding did decrease. You know, the COVID money is no longer there, the home ARP money is no longer there. And, currently, the 2025 NOFO or notice of funding opportunities from Housing and Urban Development is currently paused,” Engleman said.

    In his letter, AG Uthmeier highlighted the lack of designated public sleeping and camping sites in Polk County.

    Engleman says that’s because of the state’s rigid requirements: 24-hour security, access to mental health and medical care, running water, bathrooms and moving the site every year.

    It’s those high standards, and lack of state and federal funding for homeless support organizations, that Engleman says is preventing her organization from doing more.

    “What we need is more affordable housing, more shelter, and more funding because the cycle is going to go around — it’s a vicious cycle. It’s going to go around, and there’s not going to be any ending to it,” said Engleman.

    In their response, Winter Haven police said, “The act of homelessness, or being unhoused, is not in and of itself a crime.”

    Police say that when they find violations they “are addressed immediately,” but, they say, “Unhoused persons may be in and utilize public spaces, just as any other citizen, during the hours those spaces are open.”

    The AG is asking the city to respond to his letter within five business days and to provide all applications to the department of children and families to designate public spaces like these for public camping and sleeping.

    Andy Cole

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  • Police say scammers are targeting seniors in new gold-related scheme

    LARGO, Fla. — Largo police are warning the public of a new scam targeting seniors, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation says Floridians rank in the top third for most losses from internet-based crimes.

    What You Need To Know

    • Law enforcement is warning of a new gold conversion scam, where people exchange money for gold and send it off, thinking it’s safe

    • Most scam victims never get any of their money back

    • According to the FBI, Floridians lost $1.072 billion from scams in 2024, the third largest loss in the country


    The last few years have been difficult for Susan Lancaster, following the death of her partner in September 2023.

    “Then my son was diagnosed with dementia three days later, after he died. So it’s been a rough couple of years,” said Lancaster.

    In two separate scams, the Largo woman, who also serves as a full-time caregiver for her adult son, was left with $60 in her bank account.

    The once-retired former banker is now in the process of refinancing her home, just to stay afloat.

    “They took a lot. My credit score dropped about 84 points. So that wasn’t good, wasn’t fun,” said Lancaster.

    Lancaster said it all started with a simple message online, a fake receipt for a product she didn’t buy. She says they then quickly asked for control of her computer. She knows now not to do that, but at the time she thought she was talking to a legitimate person.

    Lancaster’s story is one of more than 50,000 complaints received by Florida law enforcement in 2024. Joel Quattlebaum of the Largo Police Department is on the front lines fighting these scams.

    “What we always tell folks is, ‘Once it’s gone, it’s gone.’ It is extraordinarily difficult to retrace and get back funds,” Quattlebaum said.

    Quattlebaum, who serves as LPD’s senior services officer, is now seeing a rise in a new scam centered on gold and an online notice that the victim wasn’t expecting.

    “It’s a notification that, essentially, their funds in the bank are no longer safe and that it needs to be sent to a federal banking institution,” said Quattlebaum.

    “Those folks end up, ultimately, taking out what we’ve seen as tens of thousands of dollars in real money, and then they’ll go and purchase gold in the idea that they’re going to have it secured in a federal banking installation,” he said.

    Most victims never see that money again. Quattlebaum says a courier, who sometimes doesn’t even know what they’re transporting, picks up the gold, taking it straight to the criminals and leaving no discernable trace.

    “Truly a perfect crime in a sense that you have a senior under the guise that they’re going to be securing their funds because their bank account has been compromised. However, what often times happens is, they watch a courier take their money and drive off with their entire life savings,” Quattlebaum said.

    Christopher Arbutine runs The Silver Queen in Largo. He’s seen customers come in trying to buy gold for this scam. So many he felt it appropriate to draft a waiver so his customers know that if they’re buying gold to send to a courier, it could be a scheme.

    “We’ve put a lot of safeguards in place since about a year-and-a-half ago,” said Arbutine. “We’re not talking $500, $5,000, we’re talking people that’re coming in trying to spend $50,000 to $100,000, sometimes $200,000. And when we see that right now, we’re very careful to make sure that we inform them that this could be a scam.”

    “I make enough to pay the bills, but not really enough to catch up and build a savings,” said Lancaster.

    Back at the Lancaster’s, money is tight in what was supposed to be her golden years. She said she’s also lost her sense of trust and remains more cautious about things that seem too good to be true.

    “They just keep talking. They’re professional, they’re good, they’re smart,” Lancaster said.

    Largo police say that often, seniors are targeted because they have money to be scammed out of. Law enforcement is reminding everyone to stay vigilant, especially online.

    Andy Cole

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  • Pasco Fire Rescue health program looks at early cancer detection

    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Because of the inherent dangers in their work, experts say firefighters are at a higher risk for several cancers.

    That’s why Pasco County Fire Rescue is focusing on early detection in its occupational health program. 

    Fire Rescue Capt. Cody Compagni is the first in his family to join the fire service, but he’s the latest in a long line of men in his family with cancer. Thanks to the program, he said he was able to catch a potentially life-threatening condition before it was too late. 

    “My thyroid was not abnormal, but it was kind of misshapen,” Compagni said. “When they sent it for genetic testing, I had the RAS mutation — which means that it’s not cancer now, but it 100% will be cancer at some point.”

    On the advice of doctors and his wife, who works at the Moffitt Cancer Center, Compagni underwent a complete thyroidectomy earlier this month.

    Because doctors removed his thyroid, the 15-year veteran of the fire service will have to take the medication every day for the rest of his life.

    If it meant he was able to remain healthy, it was a tradeoff Compagni was willing to make.

    But without the team at Pasco County Fire headquarters, Compagni would not have known anything was wrong.

    “We do things that your normal physical, from your physician, they’re not going to do,” said Aimee Gervasi, a nurse with PCFR’s occupational health program. 

    A firefighter turned nurse, Gervasi and other nurses screen every member of the department for cancers and other health hazards, which helps firefighters like Compagni fight cancer before it’s too late.

    “We’ve had some cancer diagnoses from this program and, to my knowledge, all are cancer free at this point,” Gervasi said. 

    JJ Martinez leads health and safety for Pasco Fire Rescue.

    “We have a wall as soon as you walk in with all the firefighters we lost to cancer, with all the firefighters we lost to cardiac issues, to mental health,” Martinez said. “In their memory, we’re going to continue fighting for that firefighter.”

    Compagni, a father of two, says the county’s program allowed him address his medical condition and move on with his life.

    “For more, being able to catch this early, having the ease of mind that it’s out, and it’s done, is amazing,” Compagni said.

    Andy Cole

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  • Haines City police begin using body cameras again

    TAMPA — A Spectrum News investigation has found information that gives insight into what caused Haines City police officers to stop using body cameras for more than two months.

    City documents show that officers stopped wearing cameras on Oct. 1, due to “numerous and ongoing equipment and performance issues.”

    What You Need To Know

    • City emails show Haines City police have had problems with their LensLock bodycams since January 2025

    • It wasn’t until October 1 that the department pulled the cameras from the field

    • In late October, Haines City officer Ryan Hamilton shot and killed Louivens Ceus without a body cam rolling


    The department has since replaced the cameras with devices from a different company.

    HCPD started using cameras provided by LensLock in 2022 after Haines City Commissioners approved a $176,245 per-year, five-year contract with the company.

    “Body cameras were things that a lot of the public wanted to see, and a lot of law enforcement wanted to see them as well,” Haines City’s Deputy City Manager Loyd Stewart said. “It obviously captures both sides of any interaction that happens.”

    One incident that has come into the spotlight happened a few weeks after the department stopped using the LensLock cameras — a deadly incident involving a Haines City officer who shot and killed 24-year-old Louivens Ceus.

    Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has said the shooting was justified, because Ceus allegedly drove at an officer during a traffic stop, and the officer opened fire.

    But because the department had stopped using the LensLock cameras, and had not yet replaced them, the incident wasn’t captured by body cameras, leaving investigators to use other clues in determining what took place.

    City documents show the company promised 75 cameras for officers to wear, as well as 45 in-car cameras and accessories. Lenslock also agreed to blur out sensitive video on demand for the department, in a process called “redaction.”

    But emails uncovered by Spectrum News show problems popped up as early as January 2025, prompting meetings between police, city officials and representatives of LensLock

    “Had a lot of good discussions on both sides of that, and we were trying to work towards making a resolution to that,” said Stewart. “Unfortunately, we were not able to resolve all the concerns we had with LensLock.”

    Stewart declined to disclose the concerns officials had, but the police department said the devices wouldn’t hold a charge for an entire shift, had repeated upload failures and that the in-car cameras and some accessories never worked.

    This fall, Haines City pulled the body cams from the field and stopped paying LensLock. By Oct. 1, HCPD officers were no longer wearing cameras.

    “Certainly not the only agency that does not have body cameras, although we are fully in support of having body cameras and will have them very soon,” Stewart said of the gap in camera usage. “But the fact that (the incident involving Ceus) happened when we didn’t have one is something that is in the hands of God.”

    When the city stopped using the company’s cameras, it also meant LensLock stopped redacting or blurring video for the department, and, city emails show, police refused to release video to the public without redaction.

    Spectrum News reviewed 575 city emails concerning the LensLock contract, and some documents revealed that the redaction issue caused some court cases to be delayed, and prompted judges to write orders to the Haines City Police Department demanding answers.

    Internal emails show that the issue caused months-long waits for public records, even for prosecutors and public defenders.

    An assistant state attorney complained to her bosses in June about not getting body cam video she asked for months earlier in March

    Documents show that the issue delayed a criminal trial twice.

    Police eventually provided the evidence and apologized.

    Emails show members of the police department blame LensLock for the delays.

    When contacted, officials at LensLock declined to provide an interview or comment for this story.

    One internal email to the city from LensLock suggested Haines City was being too “proactive” with their redaction requests, that they were asking for more than any other city they work with.

    A police captain wrote back that prosecutors were having, “To specifically request unredacted videos because they didn’t want the case to be dismissed by the judge due to not getting the redacted videos in time for trial.”

    “We are working on a solution with that, and hopefully we’ll have that in place very soon,” said Stewart, when asked about the delays.

    But former Miami-Dade County Judge Jeffrey Swartz believes Haines City police should have found a different solution a lot faster.

    “It bothers me, and I am concerned and I am suspicious that the city has not found another way,” said Swartz, who’s also professor emeritus at Tampa’s Cooley Law School.

    “The city has options, OK? It has the ability to gain relief, but they’re not doing it,” Swartz added. “The question is, how long did it take them to find a new provider? How long did they wait to terminate the contract? How long did they accept the excuses that they should not have accepted? And that’s the city’s fault. That’s the department’s fault.”

    In October, the city formed a new partnership with Axon for body cams at a cost of $358,809.80 per year. This new deal is also a five-year contract and includes the same number of body cameras.

    Former Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said he knows Axon and its products well. He led the expansion of Axon-branded cameras to his hundreds of patrol officers.

    “They’re a proven company with a proven product,” said Dugan. “Some of the critics will say it’s expensive — it’s very similar to Apple computers. Once you get an iPhone, an iPad, you end up (in that environment). It’s proprietary, where the software works with each other. But they’re not amateurs, they know what they’re doing.”

    Haines City Police said that officers have completed training on their new Axon body cameras and started wearing them on Dec. 19.

    He said the city is hoping to avoid litigation with LensLock and reach some sort of settlement.

    The investigation into the shooting that killed Ceus remains ongoing. The officer who killed him, identified as Ryan Hamilton, is back on the force.

    Andy Cole

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  • St. Pete closing in on downtown trail purchase

    TAMPA, Fla. — St. Petersburg is one step closer to buying a tract of railroad land to convert into a trail downtown, connecting the historic gas plant district to the Pinellas Trail.

    What You Need To Know

    • CSX has agreed to sell its mile-long stretch of downtown land to St. Petersburg for $1 million, according to City Councilman Corey Givens, Jr.  

    • Once approved by city council, nearby businesses will contribute an additional $6 million to construct a trail

    • The trail will connect the Gas Plant District with the Pinellas Trail

    • When it’s finished, the city will lease portions of the trail back to the businesses for 99 years


    “The City of St. Petersburg and CSX have been duking it out, but they were able to negotiate and come to terms of settlement. And this is a win-win for both the city, CSX and the residents in general,” said Councilman Corey Givens, Jr., who represents District 7.

    Once approved by the city council, Givens says St. Pete will purchase the nearly mile-long tract of land for $1 million.

    Ellison Developers will kick in another $2 million and Mark Ferguson, owner of Ferg’s Sports Bar, will contribute $4 million to create the trail. The city will then lease portions back to the businesses for 99 years.

    “This is an opportunity for us to connect First Avenue South with Fifth Avenue North along the Pinellas County Trail,” said Givens. “There will also be an opportunity for you to eat along that trail, for you to live along that trail, there’s so many new developments that’re happening along this area.”

    The goal is to create a kind of “live work play” area around this trail and Tropicana Field, something Ferg’s owner Mark Ferguson believes may keep the coveted Rays around a bit longer.

    “It was a hard decision, but you look over 99 years, what’s going to happen to that area, it’s only going up. This will be a great other factor bringing more people downtown, in a safer and healthier way,” Ferguson said.  

    Givens says the city plans to use “in town community redevelopment area” tax dollars to fund the city’s million-dollar stake. That money, Givens says, could sunset as early as 2032.

    “As I walk this railroad, I feel like I’m walking the steps of my own history,” said Givens.

    The councilman is the fourth generation of his family to live in St Pete. He says his great-great-grandfather laid rail in the area. To be at the forefront of the redevelopment means so much more than any political talking point.

    “For so long, this area has been blighted, it’s been unkept, and this is an opportunity for us to have more than just parking spaces,” Givens said.

    “Just like the Beltline in Atlanta, the more trails you have, the more people will use them. More people will be off the roads and more people into businesses,” Ferguson said.

    Andy Cole

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  • Tampa nonprofit provides jobs for adults with disabilities

    TAMPA, Fla. — This Thanksgiving, dozens of adults with disabilities are thankful for newfound purpose after a Tampa nonprofit just opened its fifth coffee shop uniting people.

    What You Need To Know

    • Coffee Uniting People (CUP) provides jobs for adults with disabilities across Tampa

    • CUP says 80% of adults with disabilities are unemployed, but not unemployable. That’s why they’ve opened five coffee shops around the area

    • Tampa General’s Outpatient Center in Brandon serves as the newest CUP location


    It all starts with freshly ground beans, but there’s something special about every cup of coffee from Tampa-based Coffee Uniting People (CUP).

    “It’s going to be strong coffee. It’ll wake you up,” said Justin Scarle, who has worked for CUP for five months.

    The group, launched by a local attorney and his wife, opened its newest location at Tampa General’s Outpatient Center in Brandon last week.

    CUP employs adults with disabilities and gives them so much more than just a paycheck.

    “Statistics show that about 80% of the folks are unemployed, but not unemployable. We started CUP to address that issue here in Tampa and here we are five coffee shops later,” said founder Greg Jones.

    Alli Schulte, 22, just started working for CUP. She and Scarle are two of more than 60 currently employed by the 501 (c)(3).

    At $14 an hour, Jones says they have a waitlist in the triple digits. So far, Tampa General is loving its new blend of caffeine and care.

    “Honestly, it’s been really, really rewarding. A lot of their team members have faced a lot of adversity throughout their life. But the amazing thing is their outlook on life. They have this positive outlook, they’re always smiling, they’re always in a good mood, and that kind of outlook is really infectious,” said Marion Dawkins, senior vice president of ambulatory operations.

    A bug they don’t mind spreading all across the hospital.

    “If you wake up in the morning and you’re feeling really tired, there’s a cup that can fulfill your needs,” Scarle said.  

    CUP has four other locations across Tampa, with another slated to open in the first quarter of 2026. 

    Andy Cole

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  • Joyride events from Orlando to St. Pete raises funds for HIV services

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Local advocacy groups are stepping in to support HIV services amid decreasing federal funding, with the annual Joyride event raising over $280,000.

    What You Need To Know

    • Local groups raised $282,431 for HIV services through the Joyride event

    • The 165-mile ride went from Orlando to St. Petersburg

    • Funds support EPIC’s HIV testing, prevention, counseling and housing programs


    In the shadow of St. Pete’s Albert Whitted Airport, cyclists finished their 165-mile journey that started in Orlando.

    “165 miles from Orlando to St. Pete was spectacular,” said Juan Orellana, the first cyclist to complete the annual Joyride. “I hadn’t found an organization or ride that donates 100% of proceeds of what I fundraise to the organizations that need it the most.”

    The money raised is going to organizations like EPIC, or Empath Partners in Care. Joy Winheim runs it.

    “Especially now, when the epidemic has changed, and people don’t think that HIV is quite as scary, the money is just still so important,” Winheim said.

    Winheim says her group provides testing and prevention, counseling, support groups, housing and so much more for the Tampa Bay community.

    She says with high costs for just about everything, and federal grants dwindling, there is need now.

    AHEAD, the American HIV Epidemic Analysis Dashboard, estimates there were 3,200 new HIV infections in Florida in 2022, the latest data publicly available. Worldwide, the World Health Organization says 630,000 died from HIV last year. 

    “People don’t think it’s an issue. Yet you have these individuals who go out there because they know that it is,” said Winheim.

    Organizers say they raised $282,431 cycling for those who can’t.

    “Cycling 165 miles is definitely a challenge, but the rush of being with your neighbors in the community on this ride. You can see the suffering in the face, but you can also see the joy when it’s done,” Orellana said.

    If you’d like to help contribute, you can find the details on the Joyride website.

    Andy Cole

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  • 13 Italian-made pastas that may soon face a 107% tariff

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The U.S. Department of Commerce is proposing an unprecedented 107% tariff on some Italian-made pastas coming into the country, accusing 13 companies of what’s called “dumping.”

    What You Need To Know

    • The Commerce Department is accusing 13 Italian-made pasta brands of selling their products cheaper than American counterparts, a practice called “dumping”

    • To counteract, the department has proposed a 107% tariff to be placed on more than a dozen Italian pasta brands set to take effect in January

    • Local Italian markets say they’re prepared for possible tariff, buying more items in advance in case of limited supply


    Mazarro’s Italian Market has been around for nearly 25 years, and has quite a few options.

    “This is our fresh pasta department right here, with all of our fresh sauces. In house, handmade, fresh pasta,” said Bradley Simons, buyer and manager at Mazarro’s. “I had a hard time believing it, and I still think it’s not going to be 100 percent tariff.”

    In a September report in the Federal Register, officials accuse 13 foreign companies of “dumping.” That’s when they sell their products in the U.S. cheaper than their American counterparts, effectively undercutting domestic brands. A full list of brands affected can be found below.

    Set for January, the Trump administration is considering a 107% tariff on 13 brands; nearly 92% because of the dumping probe, on top of the 15% tariff tacked onto anything coming from the European Union.

    “We haven’t really heard much from our distribution or import partners on it, because everyone is optimistic it’s going to be resolved before it turns into what’s being talked about now,” Simons said.

    Across the 20-foot self-described “pasta wall,” Simons says they carry only a couple of the brands impacted by this possible tariff. Just in case, Simons says Mazzaro’s has already bought more Italian-made pasta ahead of the tariff.

    “We use over 30-40 pasta brands currently. So, if 10 of those go away, yeah, it could be an issue for us, but it wouldn’t have a widespread effect on our market or operations,” said Simons.

    Despite the threat of tariffs, Simons says he’s focused on delivering fairly priced items with exceptional taste. As for the current 15 percent tariff on EU goods, Simons says he and his distributors have absorbed the cost, keeping prices steady across the board.

    “Rest assured, if there is one missing, I have dozens of others that I can point you in the right direction of, and you’ll be super happy with it,” Simons said.

    For now, Mazarro’s is just waiting until January to see if that tariff threat becomes reality

    Spectrum Bay News 9 reached out to the White House and the Commerce Department for comment, but didn’t hear back.


    Brands impacted by possible 107% tariff:

    • Agritalia
    • Aldino
    • Antiche Tradizioni Di Gragnano
    • Barilla 
    • Gruppo Milo 
    • La Molisana
    • Pastificio Artigiano Cav. Giuseppe Cocco
    • Pastificio Chiavenna
    • Pastificio Liguori 
    • Pastificio Lucio Garofalo
    • Pastificio Sgambaro
    • Pastificio Tamma 
    • Rummo

    Andy Cole

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  • More tolls could be coming to St. Pete Beach

    TAMPA, Fla. — Officials from the City of St. Pete Beach are considering tolling tourists to help pay for what the mayor calls necessary repairs to infrastructure across the city.

    What You Need To Know

    •  City of St. Pete Beach officials say they’re due for $200 million in infastructure improvements, without the budget to fix it

    •  To alleviate the burden and keep taxes on residents low, the mayor is proposing tolling all visitors $1 along Gulf Boulevard 

    • Mayor Adrian Petrila says he’s been in contact with FDOT, which says they’re willing to divest Gulf Boulevard to the city


    It may be a bit more expensive next time you go and enjoy St. Pete.

    “I have to say I’m absolutely horrified,” said Lauren Chezaud, owner of Café Soleil.

    She says the still-recovering community is in desperate need of tourists — and their dollars. But she doesn’t think a proposal to toll visitors is the answer; she’s convinced people may just avoid the area.

    “The beach should belong to people. It’s already difficult for families to come spend a day on the beach. It costs them a lot for parking. But to add an extra fee for them to go enjoy the beach or go for a swim — it’s just totally crazy,” Chezaud said.

    St. Pete Beach Mayor Adrian Petrila proposed an idea Monday to start tolling visitors to help pay for what he calls — much-needed infrastructure improvements.

    “Turns out all the things we were told were fine were not actually fine. And we’re 20 years behind on maintenance and infrastructure,” Petrila said in Monday’s commissioners’ meeting.

    The mayor says he’s been in touch with FDOT, who he says is “more than happy” to transfer ownership of Gulf Boulevard to the city.

    Once, and if, that happens, the city wants to start charging $1 to every car coming onto the island to help pay for the renovations. Residents and workers, the mayor says, would be exempt

    According to the mayor, this work has to be done, and on Monday it seemed the only options were this toll or hiking taxes on residents.

    Petrila believes the city would be able to raise $11 million annually through tolls. That, along with increased parking enforcement, will help ease the burden.

    “We would be funding the infrastructure and the needs that we desperately have in our community without adding a greater burden to the residents. We wouldn’t be adding more cars. We wouldn’t be adding more additional cost to our residents,” said Petrila.

    But business owners aren’t sold.

    “Looking at what’s gone on the last couple years, and we can go further past that, but poor timing,” Matthew Dahm, owner of Mastry’s Brewing Company, said.

    Dahm also believes this would keep customers away. 

    He’s asking the city to focus on positive ways to encourage visitors that would help the businesses that made it through last year’s storms.

    “I just don’t think it floats. You see it all the time: 30% of our tax base comes from tourism. So now you’re going to tell 30% of that not to come out here anymore,” said Dahm.

    At this point, the plan is just that: a plan. It’s unclear exactly where these toll booths would be placed or how soon FDOT could transfer ownership to the city. 

    Spectrum Bay News 9 reached out to FDOT to learn more about this proposal and to learn more about the discussions with the city, but they didn’t respond.

    Andy Cole

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  • Pasco school leaders drafting AI guidebook for students, teachers

    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Pasco County schools are working to incorporate artificial intelligence into their classrooms and creating guidelines to keep students safe while using the powerful tool.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pasco County schools, along with many others across the Tampa Bay area, are debating policies surrounding artificial intelligence in the classroom 

    • PCS leaders are drafting guidelines for students and teachers, set to take effect on Dec. 1

    • Pasco high schoolers older than 13 will have access to Microsoft Copilot, an AI-powered assistant, for use on their work

    • SEE ALSO: Pasco Schools set to unlock AI for student use on Dec. 1


    Gone are the days of slamming lockers. Now, students are slamming a keyboard.

    “AI is everywhere. AI is embedded in almost all the technology and, talking to students, the students are asking for the rules and guidelines,” said Superintendent John Legg.

    Talk about a sign of the times. Legg admits his students, even as young as elementary school age, are using artificial intelligence.

    He said it’s high time for his district to set guardrails on how to use it.

    “It’s not a policy, it’s a guideline of best practices. We looked at other school districts and universities to see what are their recommended best practices for AI, and we’re giving it to the teachers for them to decide how they best want to use it,” Legg said.

    Instead of an “all or nothing” approach, Legg said the district will start slow.

    This December, high school students older than 13 will have access to Microsoft Co-Pilot, an AI-powered assistant, that helps by answering questions, writing and even creating images.

    In the 19-page draft guidelines, the district suggests students use AI to help “brainstorm ideas, research topics, practice writing or giving feedback. Ultimately, the district is clear in the document: “AI should help you learn — not do the work for you.”

    “Twenty-five, 30 years ago, we thought it was the end of the world having computers,” Legg said. “And then they slowly emerged into the classroom, and now they’ve become part of our daily life that we use, along with any technology. (AI) is the next evolution of technology in the classroom.”

    Pasco school leaders are also making an effort to promote ethical use of AI. Teachers have access to AI writing detection tools and are being told to document instances of students using AI for the wrong reasons.

    But Legg acknowledges that whatever guidelines they publish will likely need constant updating as the technology continues to advance.

    “Students are using it now. They’re just using it without our assistance, they’re using it without our controls. And we’re providing those guidelines to maximize the advantage in our classrooms,” Legg said.

    To stay current with all the advances in AI, Legg said the district has a standing work group dedicated to addressing concerns around the policy and shaping it for years to come.

    Andy Cole

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  • St. Pete woman accused of using AI to create fake suspect

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With artificial intelligence advancing every day, the FBI says the low cost, ease and lack of regulation around AI create opportunities for criminals.

    Investigators say one Tampa Bay area woman found, though, that law enforcement is aware of the issue and knows how to spot the fakes.

    What You Need To Know

    •  A St. Petersburg woman has been accused of calling police to report a burglary and sexual assault using an AI-generated photo of the perpetrator

    •  AI experts warn that as the technology gets better, law enforcement will see challenges they never have before

    •  Experts advise using ChatGPT and other products so you can understand how they work and what they can do


    On Oct. 7, Brooke Schinault called St. Petersburg police saying someone broke into her home and knocked her to the ground.

    “We took all the information we could at the time, she provided us with images as proof, and then nothing — we continued on with our investigation,” said Ashley Limardo, public information specialist with the St. Petersburg Police Department.

    Later that day, though, Limardo said Schinault called back.

    “Saying that oh, well, actually she forgot to let us know that she was also sexually battered by this person,” Limardo said. “So, our officers went out a second time.”

    She said the female detective assigned to the case realized there was something off with the photo Schinault provided. 

    “She received information on this case and was going through the evidence immediately when she saw that one picture,” Limardo said. “She was able to recognize it was part of the trend, and then that’s what completely changed the course of the investigation.”

    According to court documents, investigators say they found digital evidence that showed the photo was created by ChatGPT days before the alleged burglary and sexual assault took place.

    Police said Schinault tried to use a recent TikTok trend to her advantage.

    They say people are taking pictures of their living rooms and imputing the pictures into ChatGPT. From there, they ask AI to add someone else into the picture, and send altered photos to their loved ones to get a laugh.

    But this situation, police said, was no laughing matter. Investigators say Schinault allegedly used that tactic to create a photo of the suspect — a suspect who didn’t exist.

    St. Petersburg police said they’ve never seen anything like this.

    “It can be very dangerous,” Limardo said. “Especially in a sense of what if this person had matched the description of someone in our town or they tried to claim it was someone, now we’re going after that one person.”

    Schinault was arrested and charged with two counts of false reporting of a crime. She is currently out of jail on bonds totaling $1,000.

    Professor Dr. John Licato teaches at the University of South Florida’s Billeni College of AI, Cybersecurity and Computing. As long as technology has been around, Licato said there have always been bad actors on the internet.

    “When I hear that particular story, my immediate thought is, ‘What’s the motivation? Why would anyone actually do this?’” Licato said.

    But when it comes to realistic creations made by AI, Licato said the public needs a crash course in what’s possible.

    “We need to increase the amount of AI literacy amongst the general public for reason like exactly this case,” he said. “The cops, they saw the memes, they saw the TikTok trend and, in a sense, that was a form of AI literacy. Because now they realize this is possible, so they know to look for it in the future.”

    As artificial intelligence technology becomes better, Licato said that it’s important for people to try it themselves, so they know what’s possible. 

    Without recognizing that trend, police may not have been able to catch on to what Schinault allegedly did. 

    In Hillsborough County, deputies tracked down 19-year-old Sammarth Gautam after he transformed photos from social media of clothed girls he knew into AI generated nude photos.

    He posted eight of these photos online. The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office provided Spectrum News with video of him being questioned.

    “Is there a specific reason why this happened,” the detective said in interrogation tapes provided to Bay News 9.

    “So, I was just really starting to hear things about AI and the different things that it could do,” Gautam said in his interrogation. “And I know I shouldn’t have, but I kind of got curious, and I just wanted to use the technology to see what it could do.” 

    Prosecutors ultimately charged him with 16 counts of promoting altered sexual depictions without consent. Gautam took a plea deal that landed him behind bars for 12 days.

    “We do have to watch out and make sure that we put proper safeguards to help protect people,” Licato said.

    Licato said that while the technology to do what Gautam did isn’t new, it’s advancing.

    He said society is being forced to address questions about what is considered acceptable use and acceptable regulation.

    Using regulations involving vehicles, Licato said, “They made it so there was the right level of balance between restrictions and guidance. I think that we need that with any new technology.”

    Bay News 9 attempted to contact Schinault for this story, but she did not respond to requests for comment.

    Officials said Gautam has since been picked by immigration enforcement officials and is currently awaiting deportation in an ICE holding facility in New Mexico.

    Andy Cole

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