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  • Local Honor Flight Trip Helps Veterans Reconnect

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio —Honor Flight Cleveland has launched a new initiative to help veterans build social connections through regional memorial visits.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Honor Flight Cleveland pilot program offers bus trips to Columbus for veterans unable to travel to Washington, D.C.

    • Veterans said the trip helped them reconnect, heal and feel recognized for their service

    • Organizers plan to expand the program with four additional trips next year

    The pilot program brought veterans by bus from Cleveland to Columbus for visits to the National Veterans Memorial and Museum and the Ohio Statehouse, offering an option for those unable to travel to Washington, D.C.

    Retired Sgt. Robert Piatak of American Legion Post 572 said the trip offered an important space for shared experience. “We had some bad days and like to forget it, but you also like to talk about it.” Piatak said.“It’s a brotherhood and a sisterhood. So even though someone served in the Army I served, we can joke around with each other.”

    Piatak emphasized that recognition, rather than praise, remains significant for many veterans. “It’s not that we want to be thanked all the time, but just recognized.”

    Honor Flight Cleveland Vice President Bill Synk said the pilot trip was developed to reach veterans who experience isolation or have limited ability to travel longer distances. He said the outings are intended to be therapeutic, giving participants opportunities to share experiences that can lead to new friendships.

    Synk said the positive response to the program calls for more opportunities. Honor Flight Cleveland plans to offer four additional regional bus trips in 2026, continuing to bring veterans to Columbus for museum and Statehouse visits.

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    Saima Khan

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  • Pinellas teens sleep outside to learn about homelessness

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s a harsh reality, but several people in the Tampa Bay community are spending their night on the street.

    Nearly 2,000 people are experiencing homelessness in Pinellas County in a single night, according to the Pinellas County Point in Time Count. 

    What You Need To Know

    • At St. Raphael Catholic Church, about 20 teens slept outside with minimal shelter to learn what it’s like to be houseless

    • The kids could only bring three items. Some brought boxes, pillows, and tarps

    • Guest speakers, like Pinellas Hope representatives, talked to teens about the issue

    • They also made donations to shelters


    On Saturday night, dozens of teens slept outside without shelter to get a glimpse into the life of a person experiencing homelessness.

    Out in a field behind the St. Raphael Catholic Church, about 20 teens slept outside with almost nothing.

    “I slept in a cardboard box,” said Hudson Maphet, a teen participating in the program.

    They were only allowed to bring three items. Maphet brought a pillow a blanket and deodorant. It’s all part of the homeless retreat where teens from five churches are learning what it’s like to be houseless.

    “I’m kind of used to the cold, so it didn’t hit me too hard until I decided to walk around in socks in the cold, wet grass. It was not it,” Maphet said.

    Participants heard from experts about the issue. The director of the temporary emergency shelter, Joe Pondolfino of Pinellas Hope, spoke to the group Saturday night. He said he was hoping to clear up any misconceptions the teens had.

    “It’s not about just looking at somebody on the street corner and saying, ‘Oh, what did they do wrong?’ It’s really what happened to them. So it’s really important to look at each person individually and it’s important for the next generation to help us tackle this problem,” said Pondolfino.

    And the problem is not going away. Pondolfino said Pinellas Hope is seeing about 20 new people a week.

    “It tells me that the problem still exists. It’s not gotten much better at this point, even though we do have some great successes. It’s something that we can’t take our eye off the ball,” he said.

    After hearing from Pondolfino and sleeping in the wet grass, Maphet said even though they are teenagers, there are little things they can do to make a difference.

    “Just a conversation, just a ‘How are you?’ A handshake — something, something of acknowledgment, because most of those people out there, they feel like they’re invisible and they’re very much so seen,” Maphet said.

    It was more than an experience, it was also an outreach event.

    Teens packed up lunches along with hygiene products that will be distributed to shelters like Pinellas Hope.

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    Tyler O’Neill

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  • Tarpon Springs considers shuttle service to boost tourism and business

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    TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — The Tarpon Springs City Council has signaled consensus approval to explore creating a shuttle service that would connect several key areas of the city, including downtown and the Sponge Docks.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tarpon Springs City Council is exploring the purchase of shuttles to help showcase different parts of the city



    • City leaders want to help boost tourism using shuttles



    • Officials are looking at the possibility of purchasing at least two shuttles, estimating the cost could be under $100,000



    • The city council will decide in December 




    The potential service comes as the city continues efforts to rebrand its image and attract more visitors.

    Tarpon Springs is considering a shuttle that would link its busiest areas with locations that don’t currently see as much foot traffic.

    Susan Swenson, owner of Sunshine Eco-Finds Resale Boutique on Pinellas Avenue, said the service would be a welcome addition.

    “People do not want to walk, so they can come to my shop. I can extend my hours. They can go to the Sponge City Brewery and all these other places that are now developing,” she said.

    Swenson believes more visitors would help fuel economic growth and encourage further investment.

    “So to improve our economic vitality — people wanting to invest, our safety and the list goes on and on — I think it’s very important,” she said.

    City leaders are looking at the possibility of purchasing at least two shuttles, estimating the cost could be under $100,000.

    “You know, they use it in New Port Richey. It’s a way that you can get on and off wherever you really need to…it’s just an all-around plus,” one city official said, noting the shuttles could be resold if the program doesn’t work out.

    Vice Mayor Mike Eisner called the idea a “no-brainer.”

    “If you’re handicapped, you could park in a parking lot and get on. This will be ADA approved,” he said. “Truthfully, I love the idea so much, I want to be the first driver… I’ve already had three people come up and want to be a driver as well.”

    Swenson said the service would address a major concern for visitors.

    “People aren’t comfortable walking here. If they can’t find a parking space, they don’t want to go,” she said. “If we can improve the ability to be mobile — park your car once and go up and down, go to the beautiful restaurants at the Sponge Docks, the shops, and Tarpon Avenue — I think that would be great.”

    City officials and local business owners agree the shuttle could help visitors explore more parts of the city.

    The next step is determining the exact cost, and a final decision could come as soon as December.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Pinellas Park residents asked to evacuate due to potentially hazardous fire

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    PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Emergency workers in Pinellas Park are asking for anyone living within a quarter-mile of 6400 53rd Street to evacuate their home while firefighters deal with a blaze that potentially involves hazardous materials.

    Initially, residents were asked to stay indoors.

    The Pinellas Park Fire Department released the following statement on the fire:

    “Pinellas Park Fire Department, in conjunction with the Pinellas County Hazardous Materials Team, Lealman Fire Rescue, and St. Petersburg Fire Rescue are still engaged in an active hazardous materials incident. Residents initially noted a fog with an odor in the area. Arriving fire crews found a storage unit with a plume of smoke coming from it. 

    Due to the nature of the contents on site, residents have been requested to evacuate if they live within a 300-meter radius (roughly 1/4 mile) from 6400 53rd Street.”

    A safe place is being provided at the Broderick Recreation Center, located at 6101 66th Ave., for any evacuee who does not have a place to go.

    Officials say the situation caused a firefighter to be taken to the hospital, but the individual’s current status was not immediately released, other than to say that they were in “stable condition.”

    This is a breaking story and more details will be posted as they become available.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • New federal rules will outlaw most THC products

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The bill President Donald Trump signed to reopen the federal government contains a provision that will dramatically reshape the THC product marketplace, effectively criminalizing most THC-infused products currently sold in the U.S.

    What You Need To Know

    •  President Donald Trump recently signed a bill into law to reopen the federal government, which had been shut down for more than a month

    •  A provision in the bill, though, dealt not with the shutdown, but hemp products in the U.S.

    •  The provision will dramatically reshape the THC product marketplace, effectively criminalizing most THC-infused products currently sold in the U.S.


    The new rule makes any product containing more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC illegal — including hemp-derived or synthetic cannabinoids such as Delta-8.

    While some Florida hemp shop owners say the change could devastate their businesses, supporters argue the stricter limits will help protect children.

    The tighter regulations caught many in the hemp industry off guard.

    “It was a shock to everybody,” said Carlos Hermida, owner of Chillum Mushroom and Hemp. “I mean, they literally snuck it in there.”

    Hermida says the change amounts to an attack on the industry, noting that a large portion of his store’s inventory will no longer be allowed.

    “We sell glass and we sell vapes and other things … but it’s definitely 90% of my hemp inventory, which is a significant amount,” he said. “We’ve been selling hemp in Florida … for about eight years.”

    Under the new federal provision, only 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container will be permitted — far below the potency of most products now on shelves.

    “So this little bit here, this oil … is almost 900 milligrams in this container,” Hermida said. “This little bit would be very, very illegal. And these gummies are 300 milligrams per gummy. They would only allow four milligrams per gummy.”

    The ruling applies to all hemp-derived cannabinoids, including those synthesized outside the plant such as Delta-8.

    For Ellen Snelling, chair of the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance, the new limits are long overdue.

    “This is something I’ve been hoping for since about 2022,” Snelling said.

    She said she believes the changes will help reduce youth access to drugs and prevent medical emergencies linked to THC exposure.

    “I think it will make a big difference, especially with our children,” she said. “Florida Poison Center numbers continue to go up — exposures, hospitalizations, ER visits of children and adults.”

    The hemp industry generates billions in annual revenue, and business owners like Hermida worry about what comes next.

    “This is definitely something that we need to figure out … to make sure that our business stays up and running,” he said.

    Despite the sweeping changes, the new regulations won’t take effect immediately. A one-year delay in implementation will give Congress time to revisit the issue and craft additional rules.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Plant City Chamber offers Ag tours for people to learn about the industry

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    PLANT CITY, Fla. — The Plant City Chamber of Commerce is immersing people into agriculture. Its Ag tour provides an inside look into the industry and the importance of preserving it.

    What You Need To Know

    • Each location provided an insight of the industry and how it supports the agriculture economy in Plant City


    Farming is a way of life for Marc Sewell. He shares his love for agriculture with people during Ag tours hosted by the Plant City Chamber of Commerce.

    “It’s very gratifying knowing that we started it from the dirt and we’re putting something on somebody’s plate,” he said.

    He’s a fifth-generation farmer who harvests watermelons, green beans and, of course, strawberries.

    It’s a process that starts early on. “We started planting for this crop last spring. I had to put my initial plant order in March,” he said.  

    He owns 75 acres of land he harvests conventionally, and most recently he’s purchased 40 acres, which he will harvest organically.

    It’s not the only change he’s had to make. Like many other farmers, he’s making the move to continue farming but in more southern areas like Manatee and Hardee counties.

    It’s an industry that’s changing as more people move to Plant City. The Chamber of Commerce wants to preserve that while educating more people on this Ag tour.

    Wesley Joyneris, the Chair of the Agribusiness Committee, says there have been a lot of changes and they want to provide an insight to that.

    “They’ve had to buy property in other places because of development but that’s also happening so that they can stay sustainable and to grow your food,” he said.

    The Ag tour is giving people the chance to learn where their food comes from and the impact it has on other industries.

    Florida has more than 40,000 farms and ranches that continue to produce a wide variety of food products. In Hillsborough County there have been more than 700 million agriculture products sold, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

    The tour also gave insight to the machinery used on farms.

    David McKeeman, the VP of Grove Equipment service, says he’s seen the change firsthand in the customers they serve.

    “We’ve transitioned a lot towards homeowners with acreage, so 2 to 15, 20 acres is the biggest market now,” he said.

    They’re working to keep families fed for years to come.

    The next Ag tour will take place in the spring.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Angela Davis leads Polk County Toys for Tots with focus and a big heart

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County’s Toys for Tots director is spending up to 70 hours a week this time of the year to make sure many kids in need have a great Christmas.

    Angela Davis took over the volunteer position several years ago after former director David Waller passed away.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Angela Davis runs Polk County’s Toys for Tots organization.

    •  The program will provide gifts to 15,000 less fortunate children in Polk. 

    •  Davis took over Polk Toys for Tots when former director Dave Waller passed away. 


    Davis had been a volunteer for the organization when Waller called her as she was preparing to play a round of golf.

    He told her to put away her clubs and to come see him in the hospital. When she got to the hospital, he told her about the brain tumor that would soon claim his life. He asked her to take over the Polk Toys for Tots program.

    “How can you say no?” she said. “Look at what this program does. The impact it makes. How could you say no?”

    Davis took the bull by the horns and got aggressive with fundraising and organizing. The program operates out of a huge warehouse in Auburndale. Toys for Tots will provide presents to more than 15,000 children from low-income families this year.

    “All right, guys. That one’s full already. Goodness. You are good,” said Davis to some volunteers on a recent morning as they were filling up boxes with stuffed animals. “They are preparing stuffed animals that we will give out to all children between two and seven,” she said.

    Each child gets a set of gifts based on the application that is filled out by their parent or guardian.  

    David grabbed one of the “shopping lists” and headed out to the tables filled with gifts based on categories. Her list was for a boy.

    “He’s nine years old. This is appropriate for a child eight plus,” she said as she held up a board game. “And based on what the child told me, this might be a good match for this young guy.”

    Literacy is a year-round effort by Toys for Tots, so children will also get a book with their gifts.

    Dozens of volunteer shoppers gather up gifts based on the lists and place them into black garbage bags with a label. That way, if a child is with their parent or guardian when they pick up the gifts, the child hopefully won’t be aware that the bag is full of gifts for them.

    Davis said she is hyper-focused on every detail of Toys for Tots. Her family tells her she becomes a little OCD.

    “You must be into the details. We are trying to serve these families,” said Davis. “We don’t want to make a mistake. We want to give these kids something special on one of the best days of the year. So of course, I have to be OCD.”

    However, she can have a softer side when approaching her work, getting emotional as she talked about the kids.

    “You know, they say there is something about the impact of doing something for a stranger and the impact it makes on you,” she said. “And I have all these wonderful people who have come in to help me make a change in a child’s life.”

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    Rick Elmhorst

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  • St. Petersburg food pantry opens new location to better serve the community

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As uncertainty with SNAP continues, the Love Thy Neighbor food pantry and thrift shop in St. Petersburg is seeing a significant increase of people in need.

    What You Need To Know

    • As uncertainty with SNAP continues, the Love Thy Neighbor food pantry and thrift shop in St. Petersburg is seeing a significant increase of people in need

    • The nonprofit is serving double the number of people it usually does — going from 1,000 per month to 2,000 per month

    • The organization celebrated the grand opening of its brand new location at 5th Avenue North in St. Petersburg on Saturday

    • RELATED: Tampa Bay area food pantry rescued by local moving company

    The nonprofit is serving double the number of people it usually does — going from 1,000 per month to 2,000 per month.

    The organization celebrated the grand opening of its brand new location on Saturday, and says this new building, located at 5th Avenue North, is three times the size of the old one and is four blocks away.

    With the larger space, organizers say they can sell more out of their thrift shop and serve more people in need.

    The money they make from the thrift shop goes to the food pantry.

    Since September, owner Joanne Braccio says many of her patrons have recently lost a job or have lost SNAP benefits.

    “I was really panicked when it first happened, but when they started talking about SNAP and then you see all these things about restaurants and everybody else doing and I’m like, oh my God, my shelves are going to be wiped out within a week. What am I going to do?”

    Braccio says the St. Pete Free Clinic recently partnered with them to help keep up with demand.

    The nonprofit is looking for donations, accepting food and clothes. They are also looking for volunteers.

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    Tyler O’Neill

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  • Residents, businesses push back on Palm Harbor bridge replacement plan

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    PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) plan to replace a bridge in Palm Harbor is drawing criticism from residents and small business owners who say it will cause major traffic delays and could slow emergency response times.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) plan to replace a bridge in Palm Harbor is drawing criticism from residents and small business owners

    • They  say it will cause major traffic delays and could slow emergency response times

    • The project focuses on the Ridgemoor Bridge over Brooker Creek, located along Ridgemoor Boulevard — the main road and only entrance into the Ridgemoor community

    The project focuses on the Ridgemoor Bridge over Brooker Creek, located along Ridgemoor Boulevard — the main road and only entrance into the Ridgemoor community.

    Resident Giesele Gobes said she supports replacing the aging bridge but is frustrated with how the state plans to handle construction.

    “They want to shut down one side of the bridge and then put a street light to help people come in and out,” Gobes said. “The problem is, you’re going to have backed-up traffic — and when they take down one side of the bridge, they can’t guarantee that the other side will be stable enough to stay up.”

    Built in 1985, the bridge was flagged during a recent FDOT inspection as needing replacement. The $6.7 million project is expected to take about two years to complete.

    Many residents say that timeline is too long and that it could make it harder for first responders to reach neighborhoods throughout Ridgemoor.

    Pinellas County, which is partnering with FDOT on the project, defended the approach in a statement:

    “The proposed phased construction approach — replacing one half of the bridge while maintaining traffic on the other — is the most widely utilized method for bridge replacement projects. It is considered safe and is supported by a comprehensive set of protocols designed to ensure structural stability throughout the process.”

    Nearby business owners share the community’s concerns. Rosina Madani, who owns a gas station just down the street from the bridge, started a petition urging the state to complete the project faster.

    “As small business owners, we rely on our local community,” Madani said. “To have that big chunk of individuals that access our area on a day-in, day-out basis — it’s going to impact us greatly.”

    Residents say they just want their voices heard. 

    “We don’t feel like we’re getting validated,” Gobes said. “If you don’t live here, you don’t understand how big of an issue it is.”

    The FDOT project is currently in the design phase and is slated to begin in the fall of 2026. While the bridge is being replaced, Ridgemoor residents will have an alternative route via Tarpon Woods Boulevard.

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    Jeff Van Sant

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  • Places around Tampa Bay offering free groceries, meals to residents in need

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    TAMPA, Fla. — As uncertainty with the government shutdown continues, food pantries, restaurants and county services have been helping residents in need with food assistance in Tampa Bay.

    Here’s a list of places residents can go to get fresh food and a hot meal.

    Hillsborough County

    Some Hillsborough County’s Health Care Services will host three events this month where residents can receive free groceries. 

    The food packages, provided in partnership with Feeding Tampa Bay, generally include fresh fruit and vegetables, meats and other staples. There are no income restrictions to receive the food. The County’s Healthy Living Program and Feeding Tampa Bay typically hold 16 food pantry events throughout the year: Once a month for 10 months, with an additional three food pantries in November before Thanksgiving and another three in December. 

    Hillsborough County residents can pick up free groceries at the following times and places in November: 

    For more information on the food giveaways, call Hillsborough County Health Care Services at (813)-272-5040, Option 7.  

    Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa will allow kids to eat free all day Thursdays through Sundays until SNAP benefits are restored. The offer is for dining in only, and no takeout options are available.
     

    Pinellas County

    Pia’s Trattoria in St. Petersburg is offering a “Government Shutdown To Go” special starting Nov. 1, for all families who need it. It’s a free meal featuring pasta pomodori, bread and salad. Pickup is available from Wednesday – Sunday, 5 – 6 p.m. Go to the hostess stand at the veranda between and order the “Government Shutdown To Go” special. 

    Gigglewaters in Safety Harbor is providing free lunches for kids who need them. Starting Nov. 1, stop in and ask for a “GiggleBag,” which is a bagged to-go lunch for children who are hungry. One for every child with you every day, no purchase necessary until SNAP benefits are reinstated in Florida.

    Jack Willie’s Bar, Grill & Tiki in Oldsmar will provide free kids’ meals for as long as the shutdown is going.
     

    Polk County

    United Way of Central Florida has a full list of food drop sites in cities such as Lakeland, Winter Haven, Haines City, Lake Wales and more. 
     

    Pasco County

    Pasco County Continuum of Care has a full list of food pantries in cities such as Land O’Lakes, New Port Richey and Zephyrhills. 
     

    Hernando County

    Manatee County

    Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee will be hosting a Thanksgiving meal giveaway on Nov. 24 and a holiday meal giveaway on Dec. 22.

    Citrus County

    Crackers Bar and Grill in Crystal River will provide free kids meal specials — either grilled cheese or chicken fingers with applesauce to go — for children in need. 

    Other Resources:

    GoPuff is offering $50 in free groceries for SNAP customers who add their EBT card number in the app, with the company committing up to $10 million total. EBT customers can also get a $25 credit and free delivery with promo codes SNAPRELIEF1 (use Nov. 1-15) and SNAPRELIEF2 (if the shutdown continues Nov. 16-30). 

    Last week, Instacart started offering active SNAP customers 50% off their next grocery order, up to a $50 discount. All eligible customers who used EBT SNAP benefits to get groceries delivered via Instacart in October also received an individual discount code, committing up to $5 million in direct relief for SNAP households. Instacart also offers discounted memberships for SNAP recipients and no delivery fees on orders over $35.

    DoorDash also announced it would waive service and delivery fees for an estimated 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients in November. The company also promised to deliver 1 million meals from food banks for free. More than 2.4 million DoorDash customers have a SNAP/EBT card linked to their account, according to the company.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Veterans from Polk assemble floats for annual Orlando’s Veterans Day Parade

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — A group of Central Florida veterans is working on a special project together — assembling floats for Orlando’s 26th annual Veterans Day Parade on Saturday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Orlando’s 26th annual Veterans Day Parade is Saturday, Nov. 8

    • This year, the parade is relocating to Lake Nona from downtown and steps off at 11 a.m.

    • Festive Floats, based in Polk County, has a group of veterans who works on floats for the parade


    Bob Collins spent 22 years in the Navy. He enlisted in September 1971 and worked as a boiler operator before retiring in March 1993.

    Collins works for Festive Floats, a company based in Fort Meade in Polk County. This week, he worked on wiring electrical boxes for a float so speakers and lights can get plugged in.

    “After my military days, I’ve been a stationary engineer now for about the last 25 years working in hospitals, doing basically the same thing I was doing in the military,” Collins said.

    This year, Festive Floats co-owner Billy Attix said his team is working on floats for Commissioner Jim Gray and the Orlando Veteran Affairs office.

    “We’ve been working on the Veterans Parade for about three weeks,” Attix said. “We’re customizing some of our floats to make it military-based to honor those who have served, those who have lost their life.”

    The parade is a long-running event for residents to remember and honor those who served our nation.

    “We’re able to give back to the good, give back to humanity, bring that smile that somebody needs. Just an escape for five minutes of your normal life,” Attix said.

    Collins said he enjoys pulling the floats and seeing people have a good time, while connecting with other veterans along the way.

    “It’s kind of an honor, it really is, especially driving in the parade with the veterans on it and the Wounded Warrior people,” Collins said. “They do a lot of good work for the veterans.”

    The long-standing tradition is moving from downtown Orlando to Lake Nona for the first time.

    This year’s Veterans Day Parade will step off at 11 a.m. Saturday. The route starts at Laureate Park Elementary School and will finish at the Lake Nona Town Center.

    A ceremony and more activities for families will follow.

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    Emma Delamo

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  • Manatee County businesses serve free food to SNAP-impacted families

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    HOLMES BEACH, Fla. — While the federal government shutdown continues, White House officials have said this month’s SNAP benefits will be partially covered by an emergency fund.

    But with families still unsure when the benefits will be fully reinstated, local businesses are stepping up to the plate to serve free meals to the people who need them.

    What You Need To Know

    • While the federal government shutdown continues, White House officials have said this month’s SNAP benefits will be partially covered by an emergency fund

    • Local businesses like Paradise Cafe in Holmes Beach are serving meals for free to families whose SNAP benefits have been impacted by the shutdown

    • Co-owner Jackie Estes says if families want to come eat for free at Paradise Café, all they have to do is show their SNAP card and identification

    In the hospitality industry, Jackie Estes, co-owner of Paradise Café in Holmes Beach, knows that being successful is about more than just taking orders.

    “What I love about my job is the people I meet — people from all over the world,” she said. “After 30 years, I have customers that keep coming back.”

    And now she’s welcoming people who need help.

    Last week, the café announced on social media that they would offer free food for any family whose SNAP benefits have been impacted. Already, some families have taken them up on the offer.

    “We just started it. It just got on a couple of days ago, and we just had one guy with three little boys,” Estes said. “The kids sat down, and we made the pancakes, and they had a great time.”

    She said she will continue serving up hot plates until SNAP benefits are fully reinstated. She believes that even small acts of kindness can make a difference.

    “I just hope that everybody that has a chance to do something small,” she said. “You don’t have to do anything big and major. Do it in your community.”

    Estes said she knows she is making an impact and hopes others will do the same.

    Estes says that if families want to come eat for free at the Paradise Café, all they have to do is show their SNAP card and identification.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • McCarley wins Lakeland mayoral race; Election results from around the Bay area

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The quad of candidates vying to be the next mayor of Lakeland came down to previous political experience.

    Sara Roberts McCarley, a city commissioner who was the first candidate to announce a bid, won the mayoral race with 5,970 votes (50.3%). Cedrick Valrie placed second while Kay Klymko and Kaitlin Gracie Kramer placed third and fourth, respectively.

    McCarley said she plans to work alongside fellow commissioners to build on efforts toward accessibility, budget transparency and community involvement. Having served on the City Commission since 2019, she says her familiarity with city departments and local partnerships would make for a smooth transition.

    In other Polk County races, Sean Levy won the Auburndale City Commission 3 seat. In Fort Meade, the City Commission 3 seat was claimed by Jim Watts and the Seat 5 post went to Candic Filyaw Lott.

    Lakeland voters also decided on three charter amendments:

    AMENDMENT 1: Proposed charter amendment modifying Commission district boundaries to be as equal in population as practicable.
    Shall the Lakeland City Charter be amended to modify City Commission district boundaries to be as equal in population as practicable consistent with State law?

    AMENDMENT 2: Proposed Charter amendment modifying term limits applicable to City Commissioners and Mayor.
    Shall the Lakeland City Charter be amended to modify term limits applicable to City Commissioners and Mayor, other than members in office on January 1, 2020, from the current term limits of no more than 3 complete terms in any combination of the positions of Mayor and Commissioner to new term limits of no more than 3 complete terms as a Commissioner and 2 complete terms as Mayor?

    AMENDMENT 3: Proposed Charter amendment eliminating obsolete provisions; renumbering sections; amending other miscellaneous provisions.
    Shall the Lakeland City Charter be amended to eliminate obsolete provisions; specify that mayor or commissioner elected to fill vacancy shall take office upon receiving election certificate; authorize any commissioner to call special commission meeting; require neighborhood posting of special assessment notices rather than newspaper ad; provide that ordinances subject to referendum petition shall not be suspended pending referendum and petitions shall be voted on at regular elections; conforming civil service provisions to current practices?

    In Manatee County, voters in the city of Holmes Beach elected Steven Oelfke, Jessical Patel and Terry Schaefer for City Commission.

    You can find the complete results from across the Bay area here as well. 

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Tampa Bay businesses rally to support Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Several businesses in the Tampa Bay area are working to help with hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica.

    What You Need To Know

    • Caribbean Delights in Lakeland has launched a relief fund to support communities in Jamaica devastated by Hurricane Melissa
    • Owner Shelly Williams and her team are also calling on the city to help ensure aid reaches the hardest-hit areas
    • Williams has been unable to reach many loved ones back home since the storm, but she remains committed to helping Jamaica recover


    Last week, Hurricane Melissa struck the country as a powerful Category 5 storm, destroying entire communities.

    Montego Bay native Shelly Williams first opened her restaurant, SW Caribbean Delights, in North Lakeland in 2013. Since then, she says she’s kept in touch with loved ones back home — many she hasn’t heard from since Melissa made landfall.

    “Like totally everything is gone, so I have not been able to reach anyone. I don’t know what’s going on, so it’s really, really depressing right now,” Williams said.

    Thankfully, Williams says her restaurant has helped keep her mind busy, along with finding ways to help. She and her team started a hurricane relief fund, collecting supplies and monetary donations to send to the hardest-hit areas.

    “I know there are so many people that are really doing this. It’s just about finding the right channels to send it through, so it gets to the right place, so that’s what we’re trying to do right now,” Williams said.

    They’re also calling on city commissioners to help raise support for local businesses and organizations in their efforts. She says Jamaica is a resilient country but can’t bounce back without everyone’s help.

    “So whatever we have to do for Jamaica, we will do it,” she said.

    For those who would like to drop off a donation, Caribbean Delights is located on Daughtery Road. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Carole Adamczyk leads the MacDill Puppy Raisers group

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    TAMPA, Fla. — A Hillsborough County woman is involved in a several great causes including raising and training service dogs. Carole Adamczyk is the group leader for MacDill Puppy Raisers. 

    On a recent evening Adamczyk and about a dozen other volunteers from the group were at a Lowe’s parking lot in Brandon training the future service dogs. Part of the training was to get the dogs to stay still at their handler’s side.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Carole Adamczyk leads the MacDill Puppy Raisers group

    •  Group members raise labrador service dogs for Dogs Inc

    •  Adamczyk leads group training sessions twice per month

    • Adamczyk has raised about a dozen of the service dogs in her home 
    • HELP PROVIDE LIFE-SAVING DOGS TO PEOPLE WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES: dogs inc.


    “If your dog gets up during it, just put him back in his sit again. It’s okay,” said Adamczyk.

    The dogs are all Labradors, and the organization Dogs Inc. will place them with the person who needs a service dog. That could range from a blind or sight impaired person or a veteran with PTSD.

    Adamczyk facilities the real world training twice a month. That includes taking the dogs inside the Lowe’s store to get them used to unfamiliar places with lots of people.

    Dogs can get excited about a new person coming up to them, but they are taught to stay very calm.

    “They have been practicing this for a while, so they know not to lunge when somebody approaches them,” said Adamczyk.

    Adamczyk has raised about a dozen dogs in her home including her current dog, Chloe. She demonstrated how she trained Chloe at her kitchen counter using treats and a paw pad.

    “I’m training her to stay on my left-hand side because that’s where we want them as they continue to grow,” she said.

    Adamczyk also takes Chloe for long training walks in her neighborhood using a special collar. The training is a rewarding experience when she sees her dogs make progress. “And the first time they get it, you are overjoyed. It’s wonderful.”

    The best part of the experience is when the dog is ready to be placed in a home.

    “That day that you meet that person is wonderful. When they tell you they saved their life, it’s amazing,” she said.

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    Rick Elmhorst

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  • Pinellas Support Team expanded to reach more kids being bullied

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    DUNEDIN, Fla. — One in five kids will be bullied in school, and of those kids, close to half think it will happen to them again. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Children’s Home Network’s Pinellas Support Team (PST) helps kids facing behavioral, learning, or social challenges both at home and at school

    • This year, PST saw a big increase in kids being referred by schools, and they asked for more funding

    • Children’s Home Network provides this service for free with licensed therapists and tutors who work together to help both the children and parents

    • It’s a short-term program that steps in for struggling kids for up to three months of services, but if they need more help, they contract out with other organizations in the area to get the children continued support


    Over the summer in Pinellas County, there was such an increase in kids needing help that the Children’s Home Network’s Pinellas Support Team was expanded to take on more students.

    Students like 12-year-old Elwood Rogers, who is in the sixth grade. 

    Last school year was very tough for him.

    “In fifth grade, kids started calling me more names, and some of them almost put their hands on me if I didn’t run away from them quick enough,” said Rogers. 

    Rogers was bullied. He is autistic, and it got so bad his mom, Amy Wright, reached out to teachers. 

    “You don’t want to hear this type of stuff going on, you know, and it breaks your heart and you think, ‘Gosh, what else can you do?’” said Wright. “You think, ‘Should I change schools or whatever?’”

    Wright said administrators did step in, suggesting Rogers and those involved receive mental health counseling through the Pinellas Support Team (PST). 

    “So we provide in-home and in-school services for kids who are having behavioral and emotional issues,” said Carol Hajdinak, a community counseling programs director at the Children’s Home Network. 

    PST connected Rogers with a licensed clinical social worker, Ginger Wells. 

    Rogers admits that at first, the thought of therapy didn’t sit well with him. 

    “I honestly thought it was going to be like an invasion of personal space,” said Rogers. “But then when the whole thing actually started, I thought it was more fun than I could have ever imagined.”

    Elwood Rogers and his mom, Amy Wright. (Spectrum News/Erin Murray)

    Over cards and other games, Wells and Rogers talked about the bullying that Rogers was experiencing. 

    “Some of the things that we worked on was learning how to express himself appropriately, using language that is appropriate and won’t get him in trouble and then also seeking help if it’s beyond his ability to handle himself,” said Wells. 

    The PST program is not new — it’s been around for 20 years helping Pinellas County kids. 

    “We’re funded to provide services to 250 kids a year,” said Hajdinak. 

    She added that this year the PST program was inundated with bullying referrals to the point kids were on a waiting list. 

    The PST program organizers turned to the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, which funds the program. 

    Hajdinak said they asked to expand the program from 250 to 300 kids. 

    “They were gracious enough to provide us some additional funds so that we didn’t have long waiting lists of like, 35 people waiting for services,” said Hajdinak. “Currently, we still have some on the waiting list.”

    Rogers is a success story to a problem that is not going away. 

    “I’d say, you know, I don’t know the exact statistic, but I say the vast majority of kids that I work with at some point have experienced bullying,” said Wells. 

    For Rogers, therapy has worked tremendously. 

    “You shouldn’t let these other people define who you are. You need to be who you need to be,” said Rogers. “If other people don’t like you, womp womp, too bad. Too bad. It’s not my fault that I’m who I am. I’m not changing myself for you. Womp, womp.” 

    A new mantra for Rogers: “Womp, womp.” It is his way of putting bullying in its place. 

    The Pinellas Support Team services are short term, helping kids for three months. 

    The Children’s Home Network says it is also meant to help families without health insurance, or those who have barriers to obtain needed services, like a high co-pay.

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    Erin Murray

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  • Growing Food Insecurity Prompts Communities to Step Up

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    BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio — As federal SNAP benefits remain on hold, food pantries across Ohio are struggling to meet rising demand, prompting residents and volunteers in Logan County to hold a community food drive to help families who have lost access to food assistance.

    What You Need To Know

    • With SNAP benefits on hold, food pantries across Ohio are struggling to meet growing needs
    • Community members are stepping up to collect food and support families facing food insecurity
    • Local pantries said meal-ready items are in short supply as more families seek help

    Dustin Ragland, who organized the Logan County Food Drive, said the effort aimed to fill the gap left by shrinking benefits and limited resources.

    Ragland once relied on SNAP himself 20 years ago as a single father and said he understands how quickly families can fall into food insecurity.

    “We all need help,” Ragland said. “I think it’s the job of the community to come together and fill that gap, no matter what the circumstances are.”

    He said the event was designed to ensure families don’t go hungry when government systems fail to provide adequate support.

    “Our leaders may not be able to work together, but our community still can,” he said.

    The donations collected during the drive will be divided equally among the food pantries that participated, helping distribute resources across Logan County.

    Bobbi Allen, pastor of Buckeye Gospel Barn, said her pantry serves more than 400 families each month. She said calls for help began increasing as soon as SNAP benefits were paused.

    “It’s going to be hard,” Allen said. “Because already, before I even arrived here, I’ve got people calling, saying, ‘Hey, can we come over and get some food?’”

    Allen said even simple, kid-friendly foods such as canned spaghetti are getting harder to keep on the shelves. She said pantries especially need items that can serve as complete meals and don’t require extra ingredients.

    Allen said she’s already noticed a sense of panic among SNAP recipients as parents worry about how they’ll feed their children in the coming days, with many running low on groceries and unsure how they’ll make it through next week.

    Despite the growing strain, Allen said the community’s response gives her hope.

    “Just reach out to each other, be kind to each other and help each other,” she said. “Because if we all start binding together, we can do it.”

    Ragland said he plans to continue organizing community efforts through the holidays.

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    Saima Khan

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  • People aging out of foster care get help thanks to new law

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    ST PETERSBURG, Fla. — “Yes, in God’s backyard.” That was the push for a bill that recently went into effect this summer.

    It allows churches to use their property to develop affordable housing, regardless of zoning restrictions.

    A local nonprofit is using that model to tackle the issue of homelessness and affordable housing for young people aging out of foster care.

    What You Need To Know

    • Nonprofit organization Spring Zone St. Pete is using the Yes in God’s Backyard house bill as the model to tackle the issue of homelessness and affordable housing for young people aging out of foster care

      •  

    • They will be providing housing on the land of Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist in St. Pete

    • The project is expected to be completed within the next two years and some of the people who will live in the units will also get a chance to help with the building and construction process

    • RELATED: ‘Yes, In God’s Backyard’ bill part of proposed affordable housing solution


    Graduation, homemade desserts and a culinary career in the making are what 20-year-old Lexi Allison does have. But it’s what she’s had to face after aging out of foster care that’s always top of mind.

    “Homelessness, unemployment, a mental battle, jail. Like I know a lot of people just struggling and constantly going to jail. That’s another thing that not having somewhere stable can cause,” Allison said. “One thing I realized when I didn’t have nowhere to go it was either hard to keep a job, it’s hard to think about your next step when you’re not even in the place you want to be, or be in a place you want to live in or feel comfortable at.”

    That’s the kind of information Christopher Warren with the nonprofit, Spring Zone St. Pete, said they took into account when they came up with a plan to help solve the housing issue for young people.

    “The Yes in God’s Backyard house bill that passed has been a tremendous blessing in this effort. The ability for us to be able to provide housing, but provide housing on church property, is amazing. It’s essential to success because what we need is community,” Warren said. “When it’s fully developed, we’ve got ten units with two young people in each unit. They each have their own room, which was something I wanted to make sure they had, because in the foster system they can be three, four, five — sometimes six to a room.”

    He said each unit will be equipped with the comforts of home and a house of worship on the same property.

    Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church Senior Pastor G. Gregg Murray said his church is excited about leasing their land for this housing.

    “Here at Mt. Zion, we want to make sure that whatever we do with our land, we be about ministry,” Murray said.

    At Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist in St. Pete, Murray said their focus is on ministry that makes a difference in the lives of their members and members of a community that’s often forgotten.

    “For foster children who have aged out of the program between the ages of 18 to 23, and we know that’s a time they get displaced and somehow, they disappear into the community, they’re no longer getting services,” he said.

    Pastor Murray is also a social worker. And for his wife, Pauline, working with foster children is part of her life’s work.

    “Working with foster children for pretty much all my life and supervisor of a foster care program here in Pinellas County,” Pauline said. “When you get a child that’s aging out of foster care and coming into an independent living program, they need a lot of wrap-around services. They need a lot of love and attention — you’re their parent. And the same thing you would do with your children, you do with those children.”

    A handful of other churches have also signed on to help with the affordable housing crisis hitting this vulnerable population. It’s something Allison says she can only be thankful for.

    “Yeah, that’s all God’s work,” she said.

    The project is expected to be completed within the next two years. Some of those young people who will live in the units will also get a chance to help with the building and construction process.

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    Saundra Weathers

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  • Don CeSar Place celebrates 100th anniversary in St. Pete Beach

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    ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — The iconic Don CeSar Place neighborhood will host a 100th anniversary party at the Don CeSar Hotel on Sunday in St. Pete Beach to celebrate the founding of the Thomas J. Rowe corporation in 1925. 

    “This corporation created Don CeSar Place, which was to include a fabulous hotel for guests who wanted to come in the winter and stay temporarily,” said Matthew Bane, local historian. “And this neighborhood for those residents who wanted to come and spend the entire season.”

    What You Need To Know

    • The 100th anniversary event celebrates the founding of the Thomas J. Rowe corporation in 1925

    • Rowe built the Don CeSar Hotel first on the 80 acres of land he purchased, followed by the neighborhood

    • Some of the original homes Rowe built around 1930 are still standing and occupied

    • The 100th anniversary celebration begins at 5 p.m. at the Don CeSar Hotel on Sunday and tickets for the event have been sold out


    St. Petersburg developer Thomas Rowe built the Don CeSar Hotel first on the 80 acres of land he purchased, followed by the neighborhood, which currently has more than 300 homes.

    “He then was going to fund the ongoing operations of the hotel and the neighborhood through the sale of residential lots and homes,” said Bane. “We started to see houses being built more and more quickly as we approached the end of World War II.”

    Some of the original homes Rowe built around 1930 are still standing and occupied. Bane said one of those homes at the foot of the Don CeSar Hotel has lasting importance.  

    “The house is incredibly historically significant… because of its proximity to the hotel and because it was built in a style that reflects the Spanish architecture of the Don CeSar Hotel itself,” he said. “This is one of the very first houses that was built in Don CeSar Place.”

    Kathy Garchow lives in the neighborhood and is a board member on the Don CeSar Property Owner Corporation. She helped to plan the anniversary celebration and has been trying to help save the iconic neighborhood from flooding by pushing the city for more resiliency projects.

    “I can’t tell you the outpouring of people that still want to keep this neighborhood booming and growing,” she said. “This is just a beautiful little neighborhood of people that I think reach out and care.”

    The legacy of the Don CeSar Hotel includes hosting the New York Yankees in the 1930s, along with presidents, celebrities and notable people from all over the world. Rowe named the hotel after an opera character and passed away there at the age of 69. The hotel was then run by the military for nearly three decades, sat vacant for a few years before being refurbished and reopened in 1973.

    “This hotel will stand long beyond the vision of Thomas Rowe or the Hubbards or anybody else that has passed through the neighborhood,” Bane said. “This hotel and this place are special.” 

    Special for visitors and those who live nearby, as the Don CeSar Place residents get ready to honor their history both past and present. The 100th anniversary celebration begins at 5 p.m. at the Don CeSar Hotel on Sunday. Tickets for the event have been sold out.

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    Josh Rojas

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  • ‘I know we will bounce back’: Jamaican community speaks out after Melissa

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hurricane Melissa has unleashed widespread devastation across the Caribbean as one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the area.

    Sheldon Johnson has family in Montego Bay, one of the areas on the western side of the island of Jamaica, that got the worst of the storm.

    What You Need To Know

    • Jamaica’s government has said it “is not in a position to make an official statement on deaths” from Hurricane Melissa

    • The storm caused significant damage to public infrastructure, but the full extent of the damage is still unknown

    • Sheldon Johnson has family in Montego Bay, one of the areas on the western side of the island, that got the worst of the storm



    “I got all my family over there, my brothers, sisters, uncles, dad, aunt, grandma, everyone is still over there in Jamaica. I haven’t heard from any one of them. I can’t reach anyone” Johnson, owner and chef at Don’s Jamaican Kitchen, said.

    Jamaica’s government has said it “is not in a position to make an official statement on deaths” from Hurricane Melissa. 

    “I was shocked. Like, nobody was expecting this, not even me. I was like, watching the video, and I’m like, dang, I can’t believe this is really happening to my country,” Johnson said.

    The storm caused significant damage to public infrastructure, but the full extent of the damage has not come to light yet. 

    Gaynor Russell is the president of the Jamaican American Cultural Association, and she says she’s worried.

    “Jamaica is on the forefront in terms of structural development and infrastructure, but we have a lot of poor areas in Jamaica. It’s a third-world country. So you’re going to have devastation to people who live in low lying areas, people who are not, don’t live in structurally sound housing,” Russell said.

    Even though this hurricane hit Jamaica as one of the strongest ever on record, Johnson knows they will persevere. 

    “I know we will bounce back from this, but it’s going to take some time. We’re Jamaicans, so we’re going to stay strong,” Johnson said.

    JACA is planning a trip to the island in the coming weeks to help with the humanitarian efforts. The organization says it is also collecting monetary donations on its website.

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    Arin Cotel-Altman

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