ReportWire

Tag: Angie Angers

  • Winter Haven responds to AG’s claims over public camping law violations

    [ad_1]

    WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — In response to a violation notice sent by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office last week, Winter Haven city leaders said in a formal response that they have been following the rules when it comes to enforcing homeless encampments.

    Uthmeier’s violation notice accused the city of not enforcing public camping and sleeping laws. The letter included photos of individuals sleeping on picnic tables, by trees, in tents, and at the bottom of playground slide.

    What You Need To Know

    • The city of Winter Haven has formally responded to a violation notice sent by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office last week

    • Uthmeier’s notice accused the city of not enforcing public camping and sleeping laws
    • City officials, though, say police have been following the law, which includes prohibiting people from setting up tents or shacks for overnight camping
    • PREVIOUS STORY: Florida AG accuses Winter Haven of not enforcing public sleeping law

    The letter alleges that encampments and people sleeping on sidewalks and in parks are making public spaces unusable. The AG’s office asked the city to respond to his letter within five business days.

    On Friday just before close of business, the city’s attorney sent the AG’s office a formal response.

    The letter from the city states homelessness in Polk County was reduced by almost 39% in 2025, according to the 2025 Council on Homelessness annual report. The letter states that over the last eight months, the Winter Haven Police Department has cleared 25 unlawful campsites.

    At the local level, they say police have been following the law in Winter Haven, which includes prohibiting people from setting up tents or shacks for overnight camping. Local laws also ban people from lying on publicly owned sidewalks during daylight hours, or in entryways of public buildings.

    “Winter Haven accepts this responsibility and is pleased to report to you and the Attorney General that when City police observe, or receive notification of, a potential or an alleged public camping situation, police officers take immediate action to address the issue, including removing the person or the persons from the property and scene, clearing any litter that may be left behind, and sanitizing the site for the safety and health of the general public,” the letter stated.

    The 2024 Florida law regarding public sleeping states that public sleeping and camping sites should be designed in each county, but include rigid requirements, like 24-hour security, access to mental health and medical care, running water, bathrooms and moving the site every year.

    In its formal response, the city said it is not aware of applications to DCF to designate public spaces in Polk County for public camping or sleeping. The letter states that only county commissions have the capability to do that.

    “The 2024 public camping and sleeping law does not allow cities, like Winter Haven, to file applications with DCF for public camping and public sleeping,” the letter states.

    The formal response also states that homeless itself is not a crime.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • World’s largest duck makes a splash in Clearwater

    [ad_1]

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — What has been dubbed the world’s largest rubber duck is spending the next two weeks at Clearwater’s Coachman Park. 

    The massive inflatable duck, named “Mama Duck,” will be posted up in downtown Clearwater from Jan. 9 through Jan. 26 in the center of the park. The 61-foot rubber duck will be accompanied by her 10-foot tall baby duckling “Timmy,” who will be popping up over the next three weeks in different spots across the city.


    “It gets people talking, it gets people coming downtown to see all of the things we’re doing in this area of Clearwater,” said Leanne Bell with the city of Clearwater. “We redid this park and we’re really trying to find fun and exciting things that get people talking.” 

    Coachman Park underwent an $84 million renovation and formally reopened in 2023. With the renovation came the improved BayCare Sound. 

    The cost to bring Mama Duck and her team to Clearwater is roughly $45,000 including the duck rental, security, entertainment and concrete barriers.

    Service Cost
    Duck Rental $19,150
    Concrete Barrier Rental $2,900
    Entertainment $17,600
    Police & Security $9,750

    **Costs are estimated for the 2.5 week installation and events. The city won’t know the final total until the events are finished.

    Sponsors Cost
    Clearwater Downtown Development Board $21,005
    Spa Manufacturers Inc. $10,000
    Visit St. Pete-Clearwater $7,500
    CGS Energy $5,000
    Clearwater Marine Aquarium $1,000
    Hampton Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach Rooms for Duck Staff

     

    Roughly half is being paid for by the Clearwater Downtown Development Board, the other half is covered by a mix of sponsors including Spa Manufacturers Inc., Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, CGS Energy, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and Hampton Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach. 

    A number of events are taking place throughout the next couple of weeks to accentuate Mama Duck’s stay.


     

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Rainbow Village redevelopment marks milestone with Heritage Oaks grand opening

    [ad_1]

    LARGO, Fla. — A new housing complex for seniors officially opens Thursday, marking the first in a series of upgrades and changes to Largo’s Rainbow Village neighborhood.

    The new Heritage Oaks complex has 80 affordable one-bedroom units for seniors. The apartment-style building replaces what was 48 old block style homes that were part of the original public housing development.

    Rainbow Village was first constructed in the late 1960s and consisted of 200 units of public housing for families.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Heritage Oaks replaces 48 older-style public housing units 

    •  Ribbon cutting marks the end of the first phase of a multi-phase redevelopment plan 

    •  This revitalization project is part of Pinellas County’s master plan for the greater Ridgecrest area

    • The original Rainbow Village is a public housing development that built in the late 1960s, consisted of 200 units


    Heritage Oaks marks the first part of a 4-phase redevelopment plan for the area. Those who were living in the homes that were demolished to make way for Heritage Oaks were placed into alternative housing situations with help from Pinellas County or went to live with family.

    Yvette Feazell, 64, was one of the first residents of Heritage Oaks when she moved in November. She says since graduating college, she had lived independently until 18 months ago when rent spiked and she had to move out of her apartment. She spent just over a year living with her daughter and her four grandchildren.

    “It was nice but I felt like I was imposing,” she said. “I’ve lived independently almost all my life.”

    Heritage Oaks is for seniors living at 60% of the average median income in Pinellas County. Feazell said being in a place that’s safe, nice and affordable is what she had been hoping for.

    “It takes the stress off of… am I going to be able to afford to live in this apartment? Is the rent going to jump up like it did in my last apartment where people are like… I can’t afford that,” she recalled.

    The $31 million project was made possible by Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments and Raymond James Bank, $3.36 million in Pinellas County HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP), and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, low-income tax credits allocated by Florida Housing Finance Corporation, PCHA funds, and HUD rental assistance.

    Thursday’s ribbon cutting of Heritage Oaks marks the first of four planned phases to re-imagine Rainbow Village. In all, 400 units of housing for families and individuals will replace the 200 units that were built in the 1960s.

    Heritage Oaks is a product of Newstar Development, a full-service development firm specializing in affordable and workforce housing.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Statewide database of convicted animal abusers coming to Florida

    [ad_1]

    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Starting January 1, a new law will create Florida’s first public database of convicted animal abusers.

    The database will take public records and pull them into an easy-to-search database that will be available on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s website.

    People who have been found guilty, or pleaded guilty or no contest to animal cruelty charges, will be included in the database.

    What You Need To Know

    • Statewide database will be on FDLE’s website 
    • Database will go live by January 1 and be accessible to the public 
    • Florida one of few states to have similar database
    • Read more: CS/HB 255: Aggravated Animal Cruelty

    The new law – also called Dexter’s Law – is named after the dog that was adopted and then days later was brutally killed and left in Fort De Soto Park.

    The database will assist shelters and pet rescues that vet potential owners before the adoption process is complete. It will also assist pet owners looking to re-home their pets, and even law enforcement and investigators are they work cases.

    Fluff Animal Rescue in Pinellas Park travels around the state to shelters that are at capacity, to rescue and rehab animals and prepare them for adoption. Rescue Manager Angela Schab says they check each potential new owner using county records, but a statewide system would make a big difference to streamline the process.

    “This will give us a broader range to all counties and really help centralize that information,” she said. “If for example, if somebody moved into a new county… it’s possible we missed them in the registration so this will help centralize it and be really amazing for us.”

    There’s only a few states with similar statewide databases.

    The law also increases penalties for aggravated animal cruelty convictions and in many cases increases jail time for offenders. This part of Dexter’s Law took effect on July 1.

    “I think in general people see a lot but don’t say something,” Schab said. “This is not only bringing awareness but helping a community feel heard and increase reporting.”

    State law outlines that the database should be accessible on FDLE’s website starting January 1.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Retailers tap into AI to cut down on return fraud

    [ad_1]

    ST PETERSBURG, Fla. — Return fraud is becoming a bigger problem for online retailers, and now companies are being forced to look at how they can crack down on the expensive issue.

    According to the National Retail Federation, retailers are expected to hit nearly $850 billion in returns after this holiday season wraps up. According to David Sobie, the head of UPS-owned logistics company Happy Returns, nearly 1 in 10 items returned is fraudulent in some way.


    Sobie says 83% of companies he and his team polled this year, consider retail fraud a very serious issue. Retail fraud can range from returning an empty box in hopes of a refund, to more complex schemes like returning a similar looking item of lesser value and hoping the employee processing the return doesn’t notice.

    Now, retailers are starting to use AI as a way to crack down on this problem. Sobie is doing the same with a handful of his retail partners using his new Return Vision solution that utilizes AI.

    Return Vision works by scoring a return based on different characteristics, and if it’s deemed a higher risk, an employee will open the return and process the item using AI. The technology catches things the employee could miss.

    He used the example of returning a less-expensive cotton sweater in place of an expensive one.

    “AI catches subtle differences,” he said. “It could be a different neckline, different stitching, or where the buttons are placed. Some things that someone doing their job and doing their job well may not catch.”

    Getting caught processing a fake return could get a customer banned from using that online retailer or even result in legal action.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Nostalgic Christmas village at 3 Daughters is 40+ years in the making

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETE. Fla. — Inside of 3 Daughters Brewing by downtown St. Pete sits a tiny city filled with Christmas memories.

    It started tiny.

    Now, the village of small holiday figurines sits upon 18 tables and spans down two sides of the brewery.

    It’s the work of owner Mike Harting’s dad, Bruce.

    Bruce says the Christmas village used to be inside his home. It started in the early 1980s when his mom brought the very first piece home from her job at the Hallmark store. The first piece is one that Bruce calls ’Scrooge’s House’ and is from the original Department 56 North Pole collection.  It used to have a revolving function where you could see the small figurines dancing in the window. While it doesn’t turn anymore, it has its spot front and center.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Christmas village is on display until January 10

    •  Located at 3 Daughters Brewing at 222 22nd St S in St Pete

    •  This year’s village has roughy 400 houses, 500 people, and 80 animated pieces

    • Village is now 18 tables long 


    When Mike and his wife opened 3 Daughters Brewing in 2013, the family decided the brewery would be the perfect spot for the Christmas village.

    Quickly, Bruce says, it caught on. They started expanding, and as the village grew more and more people visited the brewery hoping to donate their family’s pieces.

    Bruce says every season they have people who walk through the door with a piece from their late parent or grandparents collection that they want to donate. Bruce marks those special pieces with an ‘X’ and makes sure they get put out every year.

    “When we rebuild, we look at the bottom of the piece and if they’re special marked they go back in,” he explained.


    The Christmas village has turned into a patchwork of memories from families throughout the community.

    “It just caught on because all of us are kids at heart,” he said.

    One of Bruce’s favorite spots is a series of gondolas in the corner. It reminds him of his time in the U.S. Army, when he and his wife were living in Europe. While they were there, they would ride the gondolas together. There’s one section that’s lower, so small children can see. There’s trains, arenas, and full-blown winter scenes. A newer section, is inspired by the Ringling Brother’s circus.

    This year, the village has roughly 400 houses, 500 people, and 80 animated pieces. There’s also a large, red button that powers some of the animated pieces that guests can push. It’s all strung together to one power switch, so the staff can easily turn it off when closing up at the end of the night.

    Bruce says it takes about 4 weeks to put the village up each year. It will be on display until January 10.

    Photojournalist Anthony Sande contributed to this report. 

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Statewide database of convicted animal abusers coming to Florida

    [ad_1]

    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Starting January 1, a new law will create Florida’s first public database of convicted animal abusers.

    The database will take public records and pull them into an easy-to-search database that will be available on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s website.

    People who have been found guilty, or pleaded guilty or no contest to animal cruelty charges, will be included in the database.

    What You Need To Know

    • Statewide database will be on FDLE’s website 
    • Database will go live by January 1 and be accessible to the public 
    • Florida one of few states to have similar database
    • Read more: CS/HB 255: Aggravated Animal Cruelty

    The new law – also called Dexter’s Law – is named after the dog that was adopted and then days later was brutally killed and left in Fort De Soto Park.

    The database will assist shelters and pet rescues that vet potential owners before the adoption process is complete. It will also assist pet owners looking to re-home their pets, and even law enforcement and investigators are they work cases.

    Fluff Animal Rescue in Pinellas Park travels around the state to shelters that are at capacity, to rescue and rehab animals and prepare them for adoption. Rescue Manager Angela Schab says they check each potential new owner using county records, but a statewide system would make a big difference to streamline the process.

    “This will give us a broader range to all counties and really help centralize that information,” she said. “If for example, if somebody moved into a new county… it’s possible we missed them in the registration so this will help centralize it and be really amazing for us.”

    There’s only a few states with similar statewide databases.

    The law also increases penalties for aggravated animal cruelty convictions and in many cases increases jail time for offenders. This part of Dexter’s Law took effect on July 1.

    “I think in general people see a lot but don’t say something,” Schab said. “This is not only bringing awareness but helping a community feel heard and increase reporting.”

    State law outlines that the database should be accessible on FDLE’s website starting January 1.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • After pause from storms, Treasure Island’s holiday lighted boat parade is back

    [ad_1]

    TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — After a difficult year rebuilding from the back-to-back hurricanes, Treasure Island’s holiday lighted boat parade is returning to the waters of Boca Ciega Bay on Saturday evening.

    The parade is set to begin at 5:45 p.m. and will weave through the inlets of Boca Ciega Bay, ending in a grand finale at John’s Pass. The parade is expected to wrap up around 9 p.m.

    The traditional watch party and appearance by Santa Claus at Treasure Bay will not be taking place this year due to ongoing construction and the living shoreline project. Instead, residents are asked to view the parade from neighbors and friends’ waterfront properties or from the boardwalk of John’s Pass.

    What You Need To Know

    • No viewing party this year at Treasure Bay due to construction

    • Public viewing is available by John’s Pass boardwalk

    • Parade will loop through inlets of Boca Ciega Bay and end in John’s Pass

    • Set to being at 5:45 p.m. on Dec. 20


    The Treasure Island tradition was canceled last year due to debris in the water from the hurricanes.

    Despite the ongoing hurricane recovery, Jason Beisel with the city of Treasure Island said it was important to bring the parade back this year. After a hard year, he says residents want to enjoy the holiday spirit the well-loved boat parade tradition brings. The city also wants visitors to know that Treasure Island is back open for business. 

    “Everybody’s wanting good news to come out of here,” Beisel said. “We’ve had some struggles throughout this year, so we decided what better way to raise spirits than to have all our activities come back, and that included the holiday lighted boat parade.”

    Thomas Morrill and his family have been participating in the boat parade each year — with the exception of the 2024 cancellation — since they moved here from Tampa in 2020.

    His condo was damaged in the back-to-back hurricanes, and he says he lost some personal items his family will never be able to get back. His boat survived the storm and will be one of the first in line during Saturday’s parade.

    “Some of those personal things can’t be replaced; it puts life in perspective about being together with family,” he said.

    St. Pete Beach, as well as Redington Shores and Indian Shores, canceled their lighted boat parades this year. Morrill says he’s grateful Treasure Island chose to move forward.

    “That’s what’s important… you get back on the horse when you get knocked off and keep riding,” he said.

    The city is still accepting signs ups for the parade through Saturday morning.

    The Treasure Island Causeway Bridge will be raised from roughly 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday to allow for the boats to pass through. Spectators arriving at that time are asked to take alternate routes and enter the city from the bridges in Maderia Beach or St. Pete Beach.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Angel Tree requests break record in Pinellas County

    [ad_1]

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — In a record-breaking year, the Salvation Army in Clearwater helped to coordinate and provide Christmas gifts to 2,241 local children.

    The agency’s director of social services, Jilliann Perez, said they received more Angel Tree requests this year than any year in recent history. Last year, they fielded about 1,900 requests.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Clearwater Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program provided gifts for 2,241 local kids this year

    • Salvation Army officials say they received 300 more requests than they did in 2024

    • Despite that, they said all tags and wish lists were filled and distributed on time 

    • For more information on the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program, visit the organization’s website


    Perez said that despite the increase in demand, the Salvation Army didn’t have to turn away any qualifying family. In order to submit a child for the Angel Tree program, the child must live in the area, be 12 years old or younger, and the parent must have proof of legal custody.

    Marquis Robinson submitted an Angel Tree request for his 8-year-old daughter earlier this year. He said he’s grateful to the community for the help provided this Christmas.

    “I only got one child, and she means the world to me,” he said. “So, just to see her happy and excited is more than enough.”

    Perez said every Angel Tree tag was taken by a local family or organization willing to fill that child’s Christmas wish list. While there were no unclaimed tags, Perez said a couple hundred were not returned, something that is typical and planned for.

    Those unreturned tags are filled by individual toy donations to Salvation Army boxes located at Walmart and other area organizations. Perez said this year they received so many toy donations through drop-off locations that they had no issue filling wish lists for the unreturned Angel Tree tags.

    “We were able to fill all of these bags even fuller than we would have been able to in previous years and made sure they got things they wanted,” she said.

    Perez said the Salvation Army’s aim is to send each child three substantial Christmas gifts.

    “If they come back and they received only maybe one, we have a stockroom of toys we can put into the bags based upon their interests,” she said.

    This year’s hail also included hundreds of bikes and helmets, all put together and checked for safety by a team of volunteers.

    Angel Tree pickup finishes Thursday at the Salvation Army’s headquarters in Clearwater.

    Pickup for those 65+ through the “Silver Bells” program is also taking place Thursday. The program for seniors has been in operation for the last 11 holiday seasons.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • St. Pete-Clearwater Airport gets OK for construction of new parking garage

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A key vote was held Tuesday afternoon that executives at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) say will help them keep up with growth.

    Pinellas County commissioners give them the green light to build a 4-story parking garage adjacent to the terminal that would be used for economy parking. The proposed garage would have roughly 2,000 spots and be where the current ‘Strawberry Lot’ sits.

    What You Need To Know

    • Proposed parking garage would be 4 stories and have roughly 2,000 spots
    • Bulk of project would be paid for in funds from customer facility charges and airport reserves
    • Was approved Tuesday, design phase expected to begin in early 2026
    • 2025 is busiest year in airport history 

    The airport’s interim director, Mark Sprague, says this is the busiest year in airport history. They have already had a record-breaking roughly 2.6 million passengers in 2025 with 15 days remaining in the year.

    Sprague says the parking garage would cost an estimated $60 million. The airport already has funding sources in place that would include roughly $6 million from an FDOT grant and nearly $30 million in airport reserves. Over $24 million would come from revenue from what’s called a ‘customer facility charge’ — a surcharge placed on rental cars.

    To pay for the garage, Sprague says the airport would not have to take out any type of loan.


    “Which Is really unheard of,” he said.  “A lot of airports go out and get either bonds or loans for this, but we saw the growth and we saw what we needed to do and we saved the money in order to keep the costs low.”

    Sprague presented the parking garage plans to county commissioners during a workshop last week.

    Some commissioners agreed that updates to parking are much-needed at the airport while Pinellas County Commissioner Vince Nowicki questioned the net-gain of 1,500 spots at a $60 million cost.

    “With PIE not having much land constraint, have we exhausted all surface-level parking lot options before diving into $40,000 per parking space?” he asked Sprague. “It seems we could be shorting a project somewhere else by using 1/3 of our reserves.”

    Te design phase of the parking garage construction is expected to begin early next year.

    Pinellas County commissioners give airport officials the green light to build a 4-story parking garage adjacent to the terminal that would be used for economy parking. (FILE IMAGE)

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Final parent input meeting set as Pinellas County school closures loom

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The final community meeting regarding the future of Pinellas County schools amid declining enrollment is set for Tuesday night.

    The fifth and final “Planning for Progress” meeting put on by the district will be held at Lakewood High School from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

    All parents are invited to attend. At the meeting, district staff will share enrollment updates and the options the district is considering moving forward. Following the briefing, parents will be asked to provide input.

    At last week’s “Planning for Progress” meeting that was held at Hollins High School, staff stated the district has 3,600 fewer students enrolled this year compared to the start of last school year. That includes a 9% drop in kindergarten enrollment.

    Reasons for declining enrollment include more families moving out of Pinellas County due to high cost of living and an overall decline in the birthrate for school-aged kids.

    At a school board workshop earlier this year, Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said the district is looking at building capacity, current utilization and improvements a school building might need as they assess the next best steps. Hendrick said changes will likely include school closures and consolidations.

    That’s something that worries parent Megan Diehl.

    “If a school is shuttered when a child is in the middle of their school experience, there’s going to be a huge impact for their social experience as well as their educational experience,” she said. “The trust they’ve built up with the administrators and the staff in that building. That does concern me.”

    Diehl was happy to hear the district was open to parent input before making any major decisions. She said while making some schools K-8 is not a primary concern of hers, she’s hoping the district looks at the schools with the best enrollment and parent involvement as models for the future.

    “One thing I think would be really important is to look at the schools that feel they have good engagement and family input and see what makes them successful. How did they get those families engaged?” she explained.

    Parent Karolina Quearry also provided feedback at last week’s meeting. She said she’s also open to the idea of making some schools K-8.

    “I think I’m open-minded as to whatever happens in the future. I understand the need for change,” she said.

    After Tuesday’s final community meeting wraps, the district says they will use parent input as they make final recommendations on what should happen next. Those recommendations will be presented to the school board in January.

    Pinellas County currently has 116 schools, not including charter schools.

    Photojournalist Eugene Buenaventura contributed to this report.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • South St. Pete redevelopment plans stall for Tangerine Plaza

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Residents who have been hoping for a grocery store in south St. Pete will have to wait a bit longer.

    The development group chosen last year to remake Tangerine Plaza plans to ask city council Thursday for a one-year extension and over $22 million in city and county funds to get the project off the ground.

    Last June, St. Pete City Council members narrowly voted in favor of the Sugar Hill Group’s plan to put more than 180 units of affordable housing and a small grocery store at the site of the current Tangerine Plaza. At the time, the group was told they had 18 months to secure funding and finalize those plans.

    Documents submitted from Sugar Hill Group to the city show they have not successfully located funding for the entirety of the project. The group plans to ask for more than $11 million in funds from both Pinellas County and the South St. Petersburg CRA to cover the length of the mortgage.

    If the city rejects the developers’ ask for a one-year extension, the current agreement will expire January 2.

    St. Pete City Council Member Corey Givens Jr., who represents the district where Tangerine Plaza is located, says he doesn’t plan to vote in favor of the extension.

    “It’s not fair to taxpayers to have to keep fronting the buck for this,” he said. “I think you have other folks that have proposals, and they have the financing in place, and it’s only fair to restart the RFP process and give everyone a fair shot.”

    Previously, Positive Impact Ministries was interested in redeveloping the plaza. For years, the group has held weekly food giveaways and outreach events at Tangerine Plaza. Their food pantry storage facility sits in one of the once-vacant storefronts.

    Givens says he wants change at the plaza and to stop the waiting game.

    “We just can’t keep kicking the can down the road. The folks that live there in that community, they’ve been without access to healthy and nutritious food since 2017,” he said. “I think it’s time to get a developer in there that actually has the financing in place to invest in that community.”

    Erica Hardison, who runs the One Community Grocery Co-Op, says access to fresh food is so limited in her south St. Pete neighborhood and that something needs to change.

    “You’re forced to ride a bus, catch an Uber, find rides… do all of these things to spend money outside your community,” she said.

    St. Pete City Council members are expected to make a decision Thursday on the extension.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Agencies taking latest steps to bring back rebranded ‘Tampa Bay Ferry’ service

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The latest step in the return of the ferry service connecting downtown St. Petersburg and Downtown Tampa happened Wednesday, as the PSTA Board of Directors unanimously approved the new plans. 

    A ferry that crosses Tampa Bay is expected to replace the former “Cross Bay Ferry” service, which ended operations in April. It’s not clear what the new, rebranded name will be. PSTA is currently using “Tampa Bay Ferry” as a placeholder.

    What You Need To Know

    • The latest step in the return of the ferry service connecting downtown St. Petersburg and Downtown Tampa happened Wednesday 
    • A yes vote from the PSTA, which happened in an 11-0 vote, cements a five-year contract with the option to extend the service for another five years 
    • The new Tampa Bay Ferry could be up and running by spring/summer 2026  
    • RELATED STORY: Family of Hubbard’s Ferry to take over ferry operations

    In November, both the city of St. Pete and the city of Tampa voted on their part of an agreement that would secure a new cross bay ferry service, with each city giving its approval. The interlocal agreement included adding up to $350,000 a year in funding for the new ferry. 

    Under the agreement, PSTA would oversee ferry operations. Pinellas County’s public transit provider is using part of a $4.8 million federal grant to buy at least one boat that would be used for the new ferry service.

    “Every mode has its start, I don’t know why exactly it hasn’t built up until now,” said Brandon Campbell, the Interim Mobility Director for the city of Tampa. “I think we have good partners in place now to make this a success.” 

    The Cross Bay Ferry service was terminated in April after the previous operator, HMS Ferries, wanted to swap out the ferry with a slower boat. That boat would’ve taken twice as long to cross the bay, which violated their agreement with Hillsborough County.

    Hillsborough County commissioners then terminated the agreement with HMS Ferries in mid-April.

    Supporters of the new plan say it is much more financially stable than the last. 

    “Of course you have financial concerns, and all of those were addressed,” said St. Pete City Council member Deborah Figgs-Sanders. “PSTA did everything they needed to do to accommodate those concerns as well and we’re going to do everything to ensure that this project is more successful than the one before.”

    The U.S. Department of Transportation earlier approved a transfer of a nearly $5 million grant from the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority to the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority.

    The PSTA Board of Directors voted Wednesday on approving Hubbard’s Ferry as the operator of the new ferry service. Captain Dylan Hubbard’s family owns Hubbard’s Ferry, a Pinellas County staple that has operated passenger boats and fishing tours for decades in Madeira Beach.

    A yes vote from the PSTA cements a five-year contract with the option to extend the service for another five years.

    The new Tampa Bay Ferry could be up and running by spring/summer 2026.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • New style of foster care living for teens comes to Riverview

    [ad_1]

    RIVERVIEW, Fla. — Hillsborough County’s first ‘Hope House’ will opening in the Riverview in the coming weeks, creating a new type of foster care environment for struggling teens.

    Ran by the organization One Hope United, this will be the 10th ‘Hope House’ in Florida. Other locations are in Miami-Dade, Broward, Osceola, Volusia, and Pinellas counties.

    What You Need To Know

    • New ‘Hope House’ is in Riverview subdivision

    • Children’s Network of Hillsborough County helping fund initiative

    • This new house will be specifically for girls ages 13-17

    • MORE: One Hope United


    The house in Riverview will open soon as a new home for four teen girls from Hillsborough County. The teens will live at the home alongside foster parents, who provide the structure and stability of of a family setting. The home also has youth care workers, who are closer in age to the teens, who act more as mentors and friends to help guide the teens on the path to success.

    A therapist is also assigned to help the teens in the home, creating a 5:4 ratio.

    “By setting up our homes the way we do, we’ve created an atmosphere that reduces running,” explained Felicia Patterson with One Hope United Florida. “It stabilizes their mental health, reduces Baker Acts, recidivism, and given them a whole new structure and hope.”

    While living in this new setup, teens are empowered to make choices about their bedrooms, goals, and daily lives. They also get support building resumes and finding jobs.

    Four teens who are currently under DCF care will be selected to moved into the new ‘Hope House’ in the coming weeks.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Busy, though not record numbers of passengers at Tampa International

    [ad_1]

    TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa International Airport is expecting to see more than 40,000 people pass through the main terminal on Wednesday, as the busiest part of the Thanksgiving travel week kicks in.

    Airport officials said recent upgrades are helping TSA move passengers through checkpoints a bit quicker.

    What You Need To Know

    • TPA expecting 40,000 passengers moving through the facility on Wednesday

    • Airport officials said while TPA will be busy, it won’t be the busiest on record as many travelers were unsure about the shutdown and opted to drive or take a train 

    • CHECK YOUR FLIGHTS: Tampa International Airport

    “Another enhancement that we added earlier this year is our family lanes,” said Dave Stewart, the TSA Assistant Federal Security Director for Screening. “Which we have on every checkpoint as well, that allows families traveling with small children 12 and under to be able to experience a slightly less harried experience as they go through the checkpoint wait period.”

    Also helping speed things up: Every TSA checkpoint now has the newest screening technology. Specifically, the computed tomography X-ray equipment.

    That means instead of wondering which TSA line you have to take out which things, items that previously had to be removed from carry ons, like your laptop, can stay inside.

    A major runway construction project has also wrapped up, which was a source of some delays in weeks past.

    “What was complicated that our team worked through was we were down to a single runway operation for the past few weeks and months because we had construction,” said Ben Robins, VP of Operations for the airport. “But our FA team did a fantastic job getting through that, so we are fully up and running ready for the holidays and good to go.”

    But overall, this won’t be the busiest Thanksgiving for air travel at TPA.

    Travel experts says because of the government shutdown, travelers weren’t sure how predictable flying would be so some decided to drive or take the train instead.

    “This (Thanksgiving) we’re looking at 80 plus million people hitting the highways,” said Sgt. Steve Gaskins, FHP. “And it’s going to be a little exasperated by the airline issues…recovering from the government shutdown. So we’re expecting not only a lot of traffic but a lot of traffic on the highways.”

    Parking is still available at TPA, including in the economy, long term, and short term garages.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Rotating beacon coming soon to Clearwater Executive Airport

    [ad_1]

    CLEARWATER, FLA. — The Clearwater Executive Airport, formerly the Clearwater Airpark, will soon have a new piece of safety equipment that will help pilots be able to spot the airport at night.

    Bill Hodgson, operations manager for the City of Clearwater’s department of marine & aviation, says a rotating beacon will be installed in the coming weeks. On Monday, the city received the final piece needed to complete the installation. Hodgson says they’re just waiting on a quote from a contractor to get approved, and then the beacon will be put into place.

    It will be fixed on top of a 40-foot pole and strobe white and green lights deep into the sky. Hodgson says pilots will be able to spot the beacon’s light from 30 to 40 miles away.

    “It’s more directional, pointed upwards,” he explained. “It won’t have any impact to houses on the ground.”

    Albert Whitted Airport in downtown St. Pete has a similar rotating beacon.

    The move comes more than one year after a pilot, Jemin Patel, was attempting to land at the Clearwater Airpark when he crashed into a nearby mobile home park, killing himself and two people on the ground. Crash reports and radio transmissions show that he couldn’t see the airport and was trying to loop around when the plane engine failed.

    “I don’t think there was really an emphasis to have a rotating beacon at such a small general aviation airport,” Hodgson explained. “It wasn’t something that was really contemplated until unfortunate incidents within the last few years.”

    Pilot Bruce Brock has been renting a hangar at the Clearwater Airpark for the last 16 years. Now retired, he spent his career working in aviation as an Air Force pilot and then as a pilot at a major commercial airliner. Brock says even as a Pinellas County native, he too has trouble spotting the Clearwater Executive Airport at night.

    “It used to be the old joke… find the dark spot, and that’s where the airport is,” he said.

    Brock has pushed for the last decade for the airport to get the safety mechanism. He says there’s no downside to having the rotating beacon, as it only makes landings after dark safer.

    “It’s here. I’m happy it’s here, and I’m looking forward to it being in place,” he said.

    The City of Clearwater received an FDOT grant for $110,000 to pay for the cost of the beacon itself. The rest of the operational costs will be funded by the airport’s operator, FlyUSA.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • 13K turkeys headed to Tampa Bay families in massive distribution event

    [ad_1]

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Salvation Army in Clearwater is preparing to give out 13,000 turkeys on Monday in what organizers say has been a year jam packed with requests.

    Major Ted Morris with the Salvation Army said the massive distribution event is split into two parts: families receiving individual pickups, and community organizations that pickup in bulk and then distribute the turkeys to families in the surrounding area.

    They plan on giving 3,150 turkeys to individual families and 9,850 to community organizations to hit that total of 13,000 turkeys.

    What You Need To Know

    • Salvation Army to give out 13,000 turkeys Monday

    • 3,150 turkeys are to individual families and 9,850 to community organizations to distribute 

    • 150 volunteers are helping during 10-hour distribution event 

    • You must have a pre-registration ticket to attend pickup event 


    “We’ve had more requests this year than we’ve had in the past,” Morris said. “So we’ve had to limit the number we’ve had to give out with all of the requests that have come in.”

    The event is in its 30th year and sponsored by an anonymous donor.

    Roughly 150 volunteers are staffing Monday’s massive turkey distribution event and split into three shifts. Volunteer coordinator Irene Frye said the demand for food assistance really started to pick in up July. It grew even more when the government shutdown hit.

    Frye said she’s just thankful to be here helping others.

    “It’s just serving others. Helping people help people. Being there for one another… being there for our neighbor and just helping out especially in this time of need,” she said.

    As of Monday morning, all turkeys have been accounted for. You must have a slip as proof of pre-registration to pick up a Thanksgiving meal.

    The distribution event runs through 7 p.m.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • PIE adds 60+ flights Thanksgiving week, parking expected to fill

    [ad_1]

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Officials at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) expect their four parking lots will hit capacity at some point during Thanksgiving week, a sign that the influx in flights is pushing the small airport toward capacity.

    The airport’s interim director, Mark Sprague, said PIE has grown 15% in just the last 12 months.

    What You Need To Know

    • 60 additional flights scheduled at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) during Thanksgiving week 
    • All parking lot expected to fill up by late Wednesday
    • No way to check parking lot availability online 
    • PIE has seen 15% grown in the last 12 months 

    While a typical weekly flight capacity is roughly 250 arrivals and departures, during Thanksgiving week the airport has over 300 flights scheduled.

    “We only have 14 gates, and we can accommodate all 14,” he said. “Instead of having lulls throughout the day, it will be nonstop with people flying in and out but something the airport can still handle.”

    The big hiccup is parking. Sprague said they are expecting the paved long-term lot to be at capacity by Tuesday and by Wednesday every economy lot could be full as well.

    “We don’t know which ones are going to be open because it’s based on availability,” he said.

    There is currently no way to check parking availability online. Sprague stressed to arrange a ride to and from the airport during the peak travel days next week.

    While a typical weekly flight capacity at PIE is roughly 250 arrivals and departures, during Thanksgiving week the airport has over 300 flights scheduled. (Spectrum News/Angie Angers)

    Aviation consultant Kari Goetz says the fast growth of smaller airports like PIE and Lakeland Linder International Airport, can be partly attributed to the rise of the ultra low cost airlines.

    “Airports are ultimately landlords,” she said. “They have the house airlines want to fly to.”

    Goetz said airports make money by charging for landing fees, gate fees, sometimes baggage fees, and staff offices. Smaller airports charge airlines less than the large bases like Tampa International or Orlando International, which attract the ultra low-cost carriers.

    “PIE costs less than TPA. TPA tries to stay competitive with Orlando,” she said.

    The ultra low-cost carriers are also breaking into small airports that haven’t hosted commercial flights in decades. Avelo is now flying out of Lakeland Linder for the first time in roughly 20 years, and offering direct flights to places like Long Island and New Haven for as low as $19 one-way.

    “Because of our market, a lot of our airports are competing against each other,” Goetz explained. “The airlines are competing against each other in those destinations… so we as travelers really benefit and see some of the most competitively priced fares in the United States.”

    To keep up with growth, PIE is working on plans for a parking garage that would add 1,700 new parking spots. The plans still need to be approved by county commissioners, but should it move forward the new garage could open in 2027.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Curfew could be coming for Manatee County teens, if commission approves

    [ad_1]

    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A curfew for Manatee County teens could be on the horizon if approved Tuesday by county commissioners.

    A public hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the Manatee County Government Administrative Center, located at 1112 Manatee Ave in Bradenton. Following the hearing, county commissioners are expected to vote on the ordinance.

    As proposed, the curfew would prohibit teens under 17 from being in public from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and from midnight to 5 a.m. on weekends. Exceptions to the ordinance include teens who have a late-night job, school event or are with a parent or guardian.

    What You Need To Know

    • Curfew would prohibit teens under 17 from being in public from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and from midnight to 5 a.m. on weekends.

    • Exceptions include being with a parent or guardian, returning from or going to work, or attending a registered/supervised event

    • Some residents worry this could disproportionately affect minority groups 


    • MORE: Read the full ordinance


    Teens caught breaking curfew will get a warning and a police escort home on the first offense. If they are caught a second time, they could receive a $50 fine. Parents could also incur a separate $50 fine.

    Commissioner Amanda Ballard proposed the ordinance earlier this year, after she was contacted by residents in the county’s urban core who have been dealing with property crime like car break-ins. Ballard said some of those crimes were committed by teens in the middle of the night.

    “I’ve heard some people say they’re a little afraid teens with be targeted,” Ballard explained. “But I’ve heard a lot of residents also say please provide a little accountability because I don’t feel safe in my own neighborhood. So there’s a little bit of a balance there, but ultimately this is going to keep the community safe and provide a little accountability.”

    Ballard said this also will aid law enforcement in how they police crime late at night.

    “This is really another tool in their tool belt to prevent those property crimes because when they see those teens on the street and they have a feeling something might be going wrong, they don’t have the ability to intervene and step in until the negative thing has happened,” she explained.

    NAACP President Tracey Washington says she supports the idea of a curfew, but has a number of concerns.

    “We have to look at who is being affected,” she said. “I want to keep our children safe. The people who are affected the most is probably the African American and Hispanic communities. What happens to our children when they see law enforcement and they’re fearful? They’re going to run. We know this. But what happens when they run?”

    Washington said she wishes the county would have asked for community input before drafting the ordinance.

    “I’m just afraid of what will happen if a child is out there by themselves … and something goes wrong,” she stated.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link

  • Applications open for Tampa’s $2 million hurricane recovery program

    [ad_1]

    TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa residents seeking assistance with hurricane recovery can now apply for the city’s Homeowner Hurricane Assistance program. 

    Applications opened Monday morning for the new city program that awards up to $30,000 to eligible homeowners hit by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton. Homeowners in the hardest-hit zip codes, including Forest Hills/North Tampa, Palmetto Beach and South of Gandy, will be prioritized. 


    The city of Tampa has $2 million from the city’s general fund they plan to use for this new program. Residents who still need to make home repairs or want to be reimbursed for prior hurricane-related repairs are encouraged to apply. 

    To be eligible, you have to be a homeowner with homestead status living within Tampa’s city limits. Household income cannot exceed 140% of the area’s median income, though the city is willing to accept applications for those who make up to 10% more. That means the cap sits at roughly $128,500 for two-person households and just over $160,000 for a four-person household. 

    Forest Hills resident April Self said many of her neighbors are still trying to repair their homes and are at varying stages of recovery.

    “I know so many people… including us, to keep things moving we had to tap into our 401K and IRA,” Self said. 

    She added that her home flooded with a mix of rainwater and sewer water. She says the city’s storm pumps failed to turn on when the power went out, a separate issue the city is currently working on. 

    In July, the city confirmed they will rent eight backup generators for hurricane seasons to ensure storm pumps will remain running when the grid loses power. 

    Looking at the income restrictions of the new Tampa program, Self says she and some of her neighbors in need won’t qualify for the funding. 

    “When you actually see the numbers you’re deflated again,” she said. “Everything we’ve applied for we’ve been denied… we’ve only been able to get a little help from FEMA and we had to take out a second mortgage that’s higher than our first mortgage.” 

    She’s hoping the city takes a second look at property values in the area and how they compare to income requirements. 

    Those looking to apply for funding or see if they quality can do so through the city of Tampa directly.

    [ad_2]

    Angie Angers

    Source link