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Spectrum News Staff
Tampa
UPDATED 12:05 PM ET Apr. 03, 2025
PUBLISHED 12:51 PM ET Mar. 12, 2025
PUBLISHED 12:51 PM EDT Mar. 12, 2025
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Spectrum News Staff
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CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — This small town has been declared one of the “Most Charming” in America.
Recently, HGTV released a list of the 50 Most Charming Small Towns in America. One Florida small town, located along the Nature Coast, made the list.
The new designation is making waves for Crystal River and the Nature Coast.
Along the shores of Hunter Springs Park, dozens can be seen enjoying nature.
“This is one of the prettiest small towns I’ve ever lived in, and I love it very much,” said Crystal River City Manager Audra Curts.
“A designation like this just puts our name out nationwide,” Curts added. “More people from the United States, more people from outside our country will come here and visit and see the wonders of Crystal River. It’s just a wonderful thing for supporting the local economy here.”
It’s a designation that comes as no surprise to Curts and tourism director Auvis Cole. They get to enjoy what this small town has to offer every day.
“The cool thing about it: This was something that was not voted on,” said Cole. “We were selected.”
In their eyes, it’s bringing some much-needed attention to the Nature Coast, and brings out the best it has to offer.
“People want to relax,” said Cole. “People want to enjoy the nature — the natural and original beauty of Florida. And when they come here, they’re able to unwind a little bit and get away from the hustle and bustle.”
It has been a stark contrast from where Crystal River was only a matter of months ago, with businesses and areas damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. But now, with spring in the air, tourist season is in full-swing.
“We welcome over 1.6 million people a year annually,” said Cole. “To some, that may be a lot, but the cool thing about it is it pumps a lot of financial benefits into our local economy and our businesses, our tour operators, our restaurants, our hotels — our residents. We can all take part in that.”
And as more flock to the area, Cole says he hopes it will open travelers’ eyes to what else this small town has to offer.
“You talk about the culinary scene, you talk about the shops,” Cole said. “Again, the people, the parks — we have things like different centers, like the refuge wildlife centers, which are amazing.”
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Calvin Lewis
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TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera is set to propose the city begin working with leaders in Hillsborough and Pasco counties to make improvements to Morris Bridge Road.
Viera will discuss the effort during Thursday’s city council meeting.
Morris Bridge Road is located in Hillsborough County, and is one of two main north-south routes for people in Pasco County and North Tampa to access I-75.
Dozens of accidents a year, on top of flooding, shut the road down frequently, creating miles-long traffic backups on I-75, Cross Creek Boulevard and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.
Viera said Morris Bridge Road is no longer a rural road and it shouldn’t be treated that way.
“There’s so much privity and intersection between Morris Bridge Road, the city of Tampa, Hillsborough County and our friends in Pasco County,” Councilman Viera said. “Because of all the different communities there and etcetera, we can’t just go, ‘Oh, this is a county road,’ and just leave it alone. I think that sort of attitude and disposition to Morris Bridge Road will no longer work.”
The city of Tampa last week approved $650,000 in funding to update pumping stations for Morris Bridge Road, and Hillsborough County will begin work on a $2 million safety improvement project later this year.
It will include re-striping lane markings with reflective paint, adding more visual no passing zone signs, adding speed feedback signs as well as curve warnings and flashing beacons at intersections.
Many residents believe widening Morris Bridge Road and increasing its speed limit is the solution to problems on that road.
A widening project, so far, is not on the table.
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Jason Lanning
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LAKELAND, Fla. — Thousands of pilots are making their way to Lakeland for its annual fly-in and airshow event. This is the first time in history that Lakeland Linder International Airport will host Sun ‘n Fun while also navigating cargo and passenger flights.
Operations coordinator Shawn Burkett started his day with a full agenda ahead of Sun ‘n Fun’s opening show on Tuesday. Judging by the constant communication coming through his radio, he wasn’t the only one.
“Today’s kind of our initial test to make sure everything we have in place is set accordingly because we want to make sure that as we get busier and busier, there’s no issues with anything else,” he said.
This is Burkett’s first year ensuring that operations on the south side of Lakeland Airport run as smoothly as those on the north. He said this includes confirming pilots have proper equipment, responding to incidents and helping manage air traffic.
“I’ll be in the air box tower helping coordinate when we secure the aerobatic box, coordinate my guys on the ground and gals on the ground to make sure that we are keeping that area secure, making sure I’m relaying any information from the air boss down to those folks. That way, we can make sure that if we see something that could potentially be unsafe, I can send my people to go and address it directly,” Burkett said.
Airport Director Kris Hallstrand said she and her team have fine-tuned the details since May. Though this will be the first year commercial flights will take place during the air shows, she says the aircraft will not interfere with one another. This is largely thanks to a “Notice to Airmen” sent out to pilots days before the event.
“It explains our approach procedure into the airport, and they’re different during the event than the rest of the year, so that allows separation of aircraft,” she said. “And air traffic control also tells them to speed up or slow down, to separate where they need to be, and we essentially land two airplanes at a time.”
The FAA brought in roughly 60 air traffic controllers from across the country to assist with the tailored approach. As for Burkett, he and his crew will be on hand to keep the pilots and the public safe. He said they may also get a chance to catch a glimpse of the show.
“Obviously, we’re there to make sure everything is opening securely and safely, but you still get front-row seats to one of the best air shows in the world,” Burkett said.
The airport also has extra security on the ground to ensure the event remains secure. They’ll stay until the final show on April 6.
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Alexis Jones
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LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland man who rescued a 3-year-old boy from a burning car in November has received North America’s highest award for civilian heroism.
While 30-year-old AJ Slater is thought to be the first person from Polk County to be honored with a Carnegie Medal, he still carries the scars from last year.
“I think about it all the time, but I try not to think about it, but there are worse times than others when I do break down. I do get emotional,” he said.
Slater kept his composure as he recounted the tragic car accident on Nov. 7 that injured mother Logan Deines’ 3-year-old son, Walker, and killed her 5-year-old daughter, JoLynn.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says the two children were in the car with their father, 30-year-old Kody Wills, when he crashed into a wooded area at the intersection of Broadway Street and Lake Parker Drive East. According to a toxicology report from the University of Florida Pathology Lab, Wills’ blood alcohol content was 0.25 — three times the legal limit. He now faces several charges, including DUI manslaughter and negligent child abuse, and is awaiting trial.
Wills’ car collided with a tree, causing it to catch on fire. Slater says he jumped into action after hearing cries for help just blocks away from his home. That’s when he reached into the burning car and pulled out Walker first. He tried to rescue JoLynn, but she didn’t survive.
“It’s a heartbreak for me. It will always be,” Slater said.
Since being treated at Tampa General Hospital for second and third-degree burns, Slater has developed a strong bond with Deines and Walker. He’s also been recognized for his heroism. His most recent award, the Carnegie Medal, was given to people living in the U.S. and Canada who risk their own lives to save or attempt to save the lives of others.
Slater says he didn’t know he was one of 17 recipients until he received a letter in the mail.
“I’m very grateful, I’m very thankful for it. All these awards are reminders of JoLynn to me. I know I could save Walker, but I could never let go of the fact that I wasn’t able to save both children,” he said. “Being considered a hero, thank you. I’m thankful, I’m grateful, but to me, I’m just a normal person.”
Now, Slater encourages others to save a life too, whether it’s refraining from getting behind the wheel while under the influence or stepping in the next time seeing someone else in need.
Along with the Carnegie Medal, each recipient will receive a $7,500 prize. Slater says he plans to use the money to pay off his medical bills.
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Alexis Jones
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TAMPA, Fla. — An international exhibition showcases world history — one story at a time. And Tampa is part of that story.
“Invisible Immigrants Spaniards in the U.S. (1868 – 1945)” was in Spain for four years, and now makes its first stop in the United States.
“You know the name of the exhibit is ‘Invisible Immigrants,’” said Rodney Kite-Powell. “But that’s from the Spanish perspective. You know, so many of the people that left there never came back. And so, to those families, they disappeared.”
Rodney Kite-Powell is a Curator and Historian at the Tampa Bay History Center where the exhibition is focusing on Spanish immigration from the 1860s to the 1940s.
“There were two curators — one Spanish and one American — who interviews hundreds and hundreds of descendants of these Spanish immigrants,” said Kite-Powell. “And their intention really was to make an exhibit as if you are walking into those scrapbooks that they were looking at.”
And the city of Tampa shows up in this life-sized scrapbook, thanks in part to the cigar industry at the turn of the 20th century.
The exhibition also documents Spanish immigrant reaction as fascism took hold in Spain.
A 90-year-old film shows protestors in Tampa making fishing tackle to raise money for anti-fascism forces during the Spanish civil war.
When dictator Francisco Franco took power, immigrants gave up going home for good and became citizens.
“Here in Tampa, I think we almost took Ybor City and West Tampa for granted. Not every town has those kinds of ethnic and urban enclaves that still have such a rich history,” said Kite-Powell.
Your final stop in this exhibition — a map spanning from ceiling to floor — that shows cultural landmarks in Ybor City and West Tampa and provides opportunities to learn more about the Spanish influence in the Tampa Bay area.
“Invisible Immigrants. Spaniards in the U.S. (1868 – 1945)” will be on display at the Tampa Bay History Center through Aug. 3.
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Virginia Johnson
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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A local mom nominated Kimberly Hall to be featured as an A+ Teacher, saying the Brigham Academy second grade teacher saved her son’s life.
Ordaz’s son Quixote Gary, who goes by Q, is in Hall’s second grade class.
“He’s just such a bundle of joy,” said Hall.
She noticed that Q was having a hard time seeing the board in her classroom, and moving him closer did not help.
“She noticed his eyes were kind of moving, they were kind of shaky,” Ordaz said. “Then she’s like, ‘There’s something wrong with that baby’s eyes.’”
Ordaz said she was already taking Q to doctors to figure out what was going on. But after talking to Hall, she immediately brought him to a specialist, and then the emergency room. Q was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
“That was never the news I expected to get,” Hall said. “It was kind of earth-rocking.”
“Knowing that she caught it means the world to me,” Ordaz said.
In November, Q had half of the tumor removed. Ordaz said he’s doing much better, but will eventually need another surgery. She believes Hall saved her son’s life.
“Makes me feel like he’s in my life for a reason,” Hall said. “He’s just such a sweet boy. We knew for a fact that he had so much more left to give in his life.”
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Jorja Roman
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POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Municipalities across the county are holding elections on Tuesday.
Residents will cast ballots in a number of races including city council and commission seats to mayoral spots and charter amendments.
Elections are happening in Davenport, Dundee, Haines City, Lake Alfred, Lake Hamilton, Lake Wales and Mulberry.
Polls are open on Election Day, Tuesday, April 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. See polling locations for your city below.
Some voters will have a new polling location for this election only:
REGISTERED VOTERS RESIDING WITHIN CITY LIMITS ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN CITY ELECTIONS.
For an interactive map of the city limits, click on the link below:
Davenport | Dundee | Haines City | Lake Alfred
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PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — At the end of day Monday, the stadium deal between the city of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay Rays officially expires.
Monday is the deadline that was set for the Rays to meet certain financial requirements as part of the stadium agreement deal that was to anchor downtown’s redevelopment of the historic Gas Plant area.
If they don’t send a letter ending the deal, it will terminate automatically.
And once that happens, Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala is planning to ask the team to reimburse the county for expenses in regards to work preparing the deal.
Latvala said he’s asked the county to prepare a letter to send to the Rays, since they publicly said they had the funds for the deal.
Earlier this month, the team put out a statement saying they could not move forward with the deal.
When asked about the county’s plan to ask for reimbursement, St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch told Spectrum Bay News 9’s partner newspaper the Tampa Bay Times that the idea “has merit.”
Welch has repeatedly said he still plans on redeveloping the Gas Plant District around Tropicana Field in some way.
Since Stu Sternberg and @RaysBaseball have made numerous public comments claiming to have the $$ for the deal they signed but he has appeared to walk away from I asked Pinellas Co staff today to prepare a letter asking him to reimburse our residents for expenses we incurred.
— Chris Latvala (@ComChrisLatvala) March 25, 2025
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TAMPA, Fla. —- The college basketball women’s championship will be in Tampa this week for the record-setting fourth time.
Tampa hosted the women’s Final Four in 2019, 2015, and 2008.
Claire Lessinger with the Tampa Bay Local Organizing Committee says since the last time the championship was hosted here, the city has changed so much.
In 2019 many areas were still construction zones and now Tampa is home to Sparkman Warf and Armature Works bookending the Riverwalk, as well as the new Water Street district.
“The Riverwalk serves as that main corridor for the fan events and then keeps everyone right here in that convenient compact very walkable very accessible district,” she said.
The basketball court with custom branding was installed in about four hours with the ‘help of crews from Connor Sports and Amalie Arena.
Zach Riberdy, Director of Marketing for Connor Sports, said the court was manufactured in a small Michigan town of less than 300 people. Then it was shipped to Ohio for the logo and branding, then brought down to Tampa.
The process of installing the court started when the Tampa Bay Lightning exited the ice on Saturday evening.
“As soon as the game was over there was some ice decking put down and then the court was laid on top of that and there’s a couple more parts and pieces that move from there, but it does not feel like its in the hockey arena at all,” he said.
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Angie Angers
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — This will be the first Opening Day for the Tampa Bay Rays without tens of thousands of fans inside Tropicana Field.
Even in 2020 when fans couldn’t go inside the ballpark during the pandemic, thousands still gathered outside for the rare late July Opening Day. This year, the parking lot at Tropicana Field will be quiet except for a few disaster recovery and remediation trailers.
Billie Jo Bell has had Rays season tickets since the team’s inaugural opening day on March 31, 1998. She’s never missed an Opening Day and says even though it’s at Steinbrenner Field, this year will be no different.
“It’s going to be very weird to be in someone else’s stadium with the Rays on it,” she said. “Knowing it’s not our forever home it’s just like… I don’t know.”
This year, Bell won’t be in her usual spot on the grass between Tropicana Field and Ferg’s in the hours before first pitch. But, she renewed her season tickets and says while she’s not sure where her crew will tailgate or meet up before Friday’s game, she’s staying positive and looking forward to seeing the Rays take the field once again.
“It’s just so new… am I going to like it?” she said.
It’s the first opening day in @RaysBaseball history that they’re not at Tropicana Field. For 27 years this parking lot has been packed with fans and people tailgating the start of the season. This year, it certainly looks a lot different @BN9 pic.twitter.com/1WJGJQcrXB
— Angie Angers (@angie_angers) March 28, 2025
At Ferg’s, the hot spot for hundreds of fans to pregame Rays games, owner Mark Ferguson says he knows he will have a loyal group of St. Pete fans who will spend Opening Day there.
“A lot of them say ticket prices are too high so they’re going to come here,” he said.
Just as he has for years in a row, Ferguson is throwing an Opening Day party and preparing the same way. He’s ordered extra beer, wings and portable toilets as well as prepared his staff for the influx.
“We think we’re going to have a strong turnout because not everybody can afford to go to Tampa or wants to beat the traffic. So they’ll probably come here to watch the game… I know they’ll be here to watch the game,” he said.
As of March 28, the Rays plan to return to Tropicana Field for the start of the 2026 season. That is pending a St. Pete City Council vote set for April.
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Angie Angers
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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — What Barbara Moore pushed for in the 1970s was novel: She wanted to tackle domestic violence head-on and providing resources to save lives.
But, according to her daughter, Moore lived by her own rulebook.
“She was a feminist. It was her mission to get people in crisis the help they needed,” Melissa Moore said. “I’m very proud for her, very proud of her contribution.”
Barbara founded Spouse Abuse Inc., which would go on to become Harbor House. Five decades ago, she healed from her divorce by helping others in Central Florida and championing a cause that was, at the time, progressive.
“Most people thought that violence in the home was a private family affair and resented her for bringing it up,” Melissa said. “So it was courageous of her to call out domestic violence in the 1970s.”
As a child, Melissa was right by her mother’s side, even meeting social activist Gloria Steinem.
And some things Melissa saw all those years ago still stick with her to this day.
“We did keep families in our home. We had a spare bedroom, to hide them,” she said. “As an adult, I look back on it and am like, ‘That was kind of crazy,’ because you can see how dangerous it is.”
But Harbor House today is much more than a crisis hotline, which happened to be the first step Barbara took in creating Spouse Abuse Inc.
It’s also bigger than a protected 9-acre campus — with 136 beds, it’s the largest domestic violence shelter under one roof.
According to the nonprofit’s chief executive officer, Michelle Sperzel, Harbor House also works alongside public defenders and attorneys from the fifth floor of the Orange County courthouse to help those escaping from domestic violence situations file injunctions.
“A lot of times, when people think of domestic violence, they think of people who need to flee,” Sperzel said. “That’s absolutely true. But it’s one part of all the puzzle pieces that need to come together.”
As Harbor House eyes the future and the creation of an essential “one-stop shop” for domestic violence assistance — or a family justice center — it is leaning into partnerships with law enforcement and the clerk of courts. Additionally, it is partnering up with Orange County Public Schools to teach students about healthy relationships — and the organization’s leaders hope to create a mentoring program to help stop violence before it starts.
“All of us have continued that good work together,” Sperzel said. “People say it takes a village to raise children. It takes a community to help people navigate through a domestic violence situation.”
Meanwhile, in the Tampa Bay area, CASA, the Citrus County Abuse Shelter, opened a family justice center in 2022 in St. Petersburg. It’s the only such center in the state of Florida at the moment, providing survivors with on-site childcare, legal advice, mental health counselors and other resources.
Per CASA coordinators, domestic violence survivors also get matched with advocates so they can tell their story just once — and avoid being re-traumatized.
As for the woman in Central Florida who started it all, surviving paralysis from polio as a child and later going on to obtain her master’s degree at what is now the University of Central Florida, the life of an activist was not easy. Barbara Moore died in 1991 from pancreatic cancer.
But Melissa said what her mother she did five decades ago has her thanking her lucky stars — and her mother, Barbara — to this day.
“And if it weren’t for her generation’s feminist activism, I wouldn’t have been able to own my own house, gotten my own bank accounts or pursue any career that interests me,” she said.
On the future of Harbor House, Melissa said: “Ultimately, I would like for it to be unnecessary. But we’re a long way away from that.”
Harbor House’s 24-hour crisis hotline is 407-886-2856.
For anyone in need of help in the Tampa Bay area, CASA’s 24-hour hotline is 727-895-4912. Outside Pinellas County, the number is 800-500-1119.
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Julie Gargotta
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HOMOSASSA, Fla. — A few homeowners are growing concerned after a string of manatee deaths in their own backyard.
The recent deaths have sparked an investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), with some locals becoming vocal over the issue.
Nestled in a quiet habitat along the Halls River, Sally Krasny looks out on her backyard. A view she’s been enjoying for 27 years and counting.
“We used to have crabs all over the place. We’d see the kids and the shells hunting for crabs. We’d have lots of birds in the winter,” she said. “We’re known as the Nature Coast and our resources need to be protected.”
But recently, there’s been an issue on the water. A recent string of deaths involving manatees and catfish. Something, Krasny says, that has not happened before.
“We have never seen a kill off the way we’re experiencing right now,” Krasny said. “We’re not seeing the wildlife here. There is no eel grass left in the Halls River.”
It’s for this reason that has Krasny and other homeowners, like Laura King, concerned.
“It’s quite shocking,” said King. “The first one I cried. I know people think that’s silly to cry over wildlife, but I spend so much time out here. They’re like my pets — we name them and I know them by their scars.”
One strong belief from Krasny and a few others is that the cause is nearby, believing the construction on US-19 has something to do with the recent deaths.
“It started when they started the highway project and started digging the retention ponds,” says Krasny. “We objected to them and they convinced us that the ponds would not affect our rivers at all.”
Whatever the cause may be, locals like King and Krasny say they will remain vocal for the wildlife.
“This is our passion — is nature,” said Krasny. “And so I’m going to protect it the best way I can. It’s my backyard.”
A backyard worth protecting.
Spectrum News did reach out for comment from the FWC. A spokesperson with the FWC provided the following statement:
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is investigating a fish kill in the Homosassa River, which primarily affected hardhead catfish (Ariopsis felis), and was first reported to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline on March 9th relaying dead fish had been observed for one week prior to the call. On March 15, FWC staff visited the site, collected three water samples, all of which were associated with normal water quality parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, temperature). Due to decomposition, staff could not collect fish samples for necropsy. Analysis of water samples for harmful algal blooms is pending.
FWC is also monitoring an increase in manatee deaths from the Homosassa River. Since January, FWC has confirmed ten manatee carcasses in the Homosassa River, and four additional carcasses in its tributaries. At least five of the manatee deaths are attributed to an acute natural gut infection from a dietary change to macroalgae, which has been documented before when colder weather restricts manatee movements to areas with seagrass.
At this time, staff have found no evidence to suggest the manatee mortality and fish kill events are related.
We urge the public to continue to report any sightings of sick, injured, or dead manatees or other wildlife to FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
To report a fish kill, diseased fish, or a fish with other abnormalities to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline you can call: 800-636-0511 or submit a report online at MyFWC.com/ReportFishKill.
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Calvin Lewis
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Fresh off meeting with state lawmakers about the progress of still-ongoing storm recovery in the area, Mayor Ken Welch is restarting his City Hall on Tour speaking engagements.
Welch, along with members of his City Leadership team, will host an “open house” tour at different locations throughout the city to listen to and learn from residents about their needs.
Wednesday night’s stop will be at The Coliseum, 535 4th Ave. North, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Additional dates will be scheduled in the future.
This first stop of the year will not only provide residents with an opportunity to engage directly with city leadership but will also highlight Sunrise St. Pete, the City’s newly launched initiative funded by $160 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from HUD.
Residents are invited to provide input on how the funds should be used to address housing, infrastructure, and economic recovery needs.
The mayor said he is encouraged with the disaster funds and how much they’ll be able to assist residents.
“We’re excited, we’re one of only two cities in the state I believe to receive that funding directly,” Welch said. “And so that $160 million is going to help folks in St. Petersburg rebuild and rebuild stronger. We’re excited about it.”
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Spectrum News Staff
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ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — After more than six months, the iconic Don CeSar Hotel is reopening on Wednesday in a limited capacity.
Due to the amount of damage sustained during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in different parts of the 1920s Gatsby-Era building, the hotel’s management team decided to bring guests back with a phased reopening.
Starting Wednesday, the Maritana Restaurant, spa, Lobby Bar, and access to the beach and pool along with poolside dining are available. On April 1, the hotel will begin taking room reservations.
Management expects renovations to the newly designed ballroom, the remaining restaurants and bars, as well as the shopping boutiques to continue for the next several months.
This is the first time the Don CeSar has been seriously damaged from a hurricane in its 97-year history. Built in the late 1920s, the hotel was bought by the U.S. Army in the 1940s and used as a sub-base hospital. After that, it fell into disrepair before it was bought and restored in the early 1970s.
6 months after sustaining serious damage from Hurricane Helene, the Don Cesar is reopening TODAY. It’s a phased reopening, so starting Wednesday you can go to the hotel’s Maritana Restaurant, lobby bar, spa, and get pool & beach access. Hotel room reservations begin April 1 @BN9 pic.twitter.com/lIBhP2xWfJ
— Angie Angers (@angie_angers) March 26, 2025
Since then, it’s been an icon of Pinellas County’s beach community. Charlie Justice of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce says the Don CeSar opening is what the area needs right now.
“It is a symbol that we are back and the beaches are ready to go,” he said. “It is an important symbol for all of our community and for all of Tampa Bay to say ‘please come visit and the doors are open for you.’”
Work will continue in areas of the hotel through the fall.
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Angie Angers
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TAMPA, Fla. — The original span of the Howard Frankland Bridge, which opened in 1960, will be demolished later this year or early next year after the new $865 million span opened on Tuesday, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The original span only cost $16 million and was riddled with problems when it first opened leading to the nickname the “Howard Frankenstein Bridge,” according to historian Rodney Kite-Powell, Tampa Bay History Center.
“Very dangerous bridge, a lot of accidents, a lot of fatalities and then it had a lot of just gridlock,” he said. “A lot of traffic that just kind of went to a standstill, particularly when even the most minor accident.”
The bridge was named after the man who proposed building it, Tampa businessesman Howard Frankland. Kite-Powell said Frankland’s descendants should be proud of what has become of the bridge.
“It’d be interesting to talk to the Frankland family with so many safety improvements and with this new span,” he said. “I hope that they can be proud that this bridge is named for Howard Frankland again.”
Safety improvements were added to the original bridge in 1962. Kite Powell said the original span was an important connection for the middle of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Feather Sound and the Westshore area sprang up on both sides.
“This middle span was really critical,” he said. “It really fostered a whole lot of growth, bringing a lot more cars, a lot more people, and then a lot more business.”
In the 1990s, the old bridge was closed for a widening project due to increasing traffic. The historian said the area’s forefathers knew cars were going to be a popular mode of transportation.
“So the automobile, as they predicted, was going to be king, and it absolutely is,” he said. “But I don’t think they could have ever anticipated the volume that we see today.”
The original span has lasted 65 years. The new span is expected to last the next 100 years. Traffic on the old bridge will be moved to another span this summer.
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Josh Rojas
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Whether it’s delivering meals or rescuing injured wildlife, there are dozens of nonprofit groups in the Tampa Bay area looking for volunteers.
And Do Good Day is a chance for residents to find their community.
On Saturday, March 29, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill, you can find your tribe of do-gooders.
One organization that will be returning for the second annual event is Keep Pinellas Beautiful: A group that’s perfect if you have a buddy that brings a trash bucket on hikes.
Members of Keep Pinellas Beautiful pick up an average of 500 pounds of trash weekly from the Gandy Beach.
Pat DePlasco, the head of the organization, thinks area residents can do better.
“What can we do better? How about not litter in the first place?” said DePlasco.
The thin strip of sand at the foot of the Gandy Bridge is just one of the areas Keep Pinellas Beautiful cleans. DePlasco said the nonprofit organization is always looking for volunteers.
“That’s our workforce,” she said, casing the beach and picking up straws, cigarettes, and a single serving bag of Cheetos.
It’s why Do Good Day is so important for her group and dozens of other Tampa Bay area nonprofits: It’s a chance to meet like-minded helpers.
DePlasco has been a trash picker-upper all her life.
“Why? It’s not because I love picking up trash. It just because I love where I live,” she said, using a trash grabber to gesture to Tampa Bay.
This is DePlasco’s purpose.
To keep paradise, well, paradisey.
“The effort it takes to take a piece of trash and put it in a bag and carry it to the trash can is nothing in comparison to what we have to do to fix it,” said DePlasco.
And her ultimate goal for Keep Pinellas Beautiful?
To close — because we all start doing better.
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Virginia Johnson
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TAMPA, Fla. — A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office crime victim advocate has gone above and beyond to help a little girl whose mother was murdered. It’s a situation that touched Maria Mireles because she is a mother herself.
Senior victim advocate Mireles responded to the murder scene in June 2020. Delmy Teyul-Ba’s estranged boyfriend had killed her. And Mireles saw a deputy carry Teyul-Ba’s infant daughter, Kayla, from the home covered in blood.
“Well, it broke my heart,” said Mireles.
Mireles had her own daughter that was almost exactly Kayla’s age at the time. So, her mother instinct kicked in. “Oh yeah, immediately. Immediately that kicks in as you want to get her and help her and see what she needs,” she said.
She decided to be a part of Kayla’s life after that. Kayla’s grandmother moved from Guatemala to help raise Kayla. Mireles helped with school supplies and helped with making sure Kayla had transportation to school. She was also a part of birthday parties for Kayla.
Mireles and the grandmother have become friends. In fact, the grandmother is so grateful for all of Mireles’ help, she has feelings for her like a mother figure.
Mireles says other victim advocates at the sheriff’s office think of themselves as aunts to Kayla. They sometimes develop a bond with the people they help.
“You know, being in the field we are in, you can’t disconnect completely. You have to. You have to learn. You can’t just turn off your emotions,” she said.
Because of her commitment to serving the residents of Manatee County, the sheriff’s office named Mireles its employee of the month in January.
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Rick Elmhorst
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MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Turning Points is celebrating its 30th year of service this month, and a lot has changed with the nonprofit over the years.
In celebration of the milestone, Turning Points is hosting the 30 Acts of Kindness Challenge, where anyone in the community can take part in doing something good for others.
Working hard and making a difference is what Kathleen Cramer knows best.
“’24 and ‘25 have been as busy as ever,” she said.
She has been the executive director of Turning Points in Bradenton for the last five years. She also has years of experience in charitable work with nonprofits.
“I have been in nonprofits for 26 years all over the country. Every single day, we are helping people and changing lives,” she said.
Executive Director of Turning Points, Kathleen Cramer (Spectrum News)
A wall showcases the lives Turning Points has impacted through The Smiles Project — a little to no cost dental program for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in Manatee County, just one of the many resources the nonprofit offers to help people.
“It changes people’s lives. We had a mom who had been hiding her smile for many, many years, and when she got her dentures, she said, ‘I’m going to be a better mom because I’m going to teach my daughters not to fade into the background like I was doing before,’” she said.
But when Turning Points first opened in Bradenton in 1995, it didn’t have all of these programs.
Cramer says a lot has changed since then.
“We’ve just kept growing. We’re giving out over $2 million every year to keep people housed,” she said.
“When Turning Points started, our focus was really on rental assistance — making sure people could get into places. And now, we have six core programs here at Turning Points,” she said.
Just last year, the nonprofit served more than 9,000 men, women and children in need — and they hope to serve even more soon.
“We’re ready to start moving off campus. Instead of asking people to come to us, we’re going to be doing more programming out in the community. And we are just working on a new pilot program with the Manatee School District,” she said.
From establishing roots in Bradenton to developing more community outreach programs, Kathleen is excited to help change more lives.
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Julia Hazel
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TAMPA, Fla. — The historic St. Petersburg Woman’s Club, which was damaged by hurricanes Helene and Milton, celebrated its grand reopening with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Members and volunteers worked months restoring the historic landmark. Monthly meetings and social activities are now being held in the newly renovated building.
“It is the beautiful club we’ve always had, they maintained the tradition but we have modernization,” said Joanne Walker, who served four terms as president and joined in 1976.
“My themes as one of my terms as president was take time to be friendly or you’ll have time to be lonely,” said Walker.
The club prides itself on community service. Members volunteer time dedicated to initiatives including education, the environment, arts, civic engagement, and health and wellness.
“In our creed, it says you live each day trying to accomplish something not merely to exist, and that’s what we’ve always done,” said Walker, who has been a member since she was 26. “So many memories, so many friends, so many fun times, so much charity work.”
The club is also a rich part of family tradition for many generations who use the venue to celebrate many of life’s milestones.
The historic St. Petersburg Woman’s Club celebrated its grand reopening with a ribbon cutting ceremony. (Spectrum News/Melissa Eichman)
While celebrations and community outreach continue from a newly renovated building, the history and heritage forge into the future.
“The fact that they preserved the history was fabulous,” said Walker, adding that she is passionate about passing on the club’s legacy to the next generation of members.
“I feel very certain, that these new members who have come in, they have already started digging into the community, they’re doing all the hands-on service that we have done over the years and I’m so proud of them,” said Walker.
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Melissa Eichman
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