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Tag: Community news

  • Fan fest yard sale includes Rays gear dating back to 2008

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Preparing for their return to Pinellas County, the Tampa Bay Rays are hosting a community yard sale Saturday with all kinds of items that were pulled from Tropicana Field during construction.

    The 2026 Tampa Bay Rays Fan Fest will be held from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. The large yard sale is set up outside of Gates 4 and 5 on 16th Street S.

    The Rays typically hold a community yard sale as part of Fan Fest, where the remainder of the previous year’s promotional items and team gear are sold off to prepare for the new season.

    The team also held a pre-construction yard sale over the summer.

    The goal of that was to purge most of the goodies that had been piling up at Tropicana Field over the last two decades, but the team’s Chief Business Officer Bill Walsh said they found more as construction continued.

    “Candidly, we keep finding things,” Walsh said. “This is kind of the last of it. This is the last round.”

    All yard sale items will be sold for $5. Authentic jerseys and mystery autograph balls will be sold for $30.

    Some of the items that hit the yard sale tables date as far back as 2008. They include promotional shirts, hats, jerseys, costumes, bobbleheads, tumblers, glasses, toys, signs, and items that were created for current and former players.

    The shirts given out in the 2024 season as part of “RandyLand” are for sale, as well as many items used in the Rays 20th anniversary season. The promotional baseballs from last year’s 2025 Opening Day at Steinbrenner Field are also for sale, among many other unique items.

    “In many ways, what happened here at Tropicana Field was kind of the poster child for Hurricane Milton and even Hurricane Helene,” Walsh said. “So, to be able to bounce back like this and have this comeback bring Major League Baseball back to The Trop, even if its only for a few years, is something we really really want to celebrate.”

    All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Rays Baseball Foundation.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Artists highlighting representation this Black History Month

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — When it comes to public art, the Tampa Bay area is no stranger to mural-covered walls and, at one time, mural-covered streets.

    In 2020, new artists emerged with painting things like the Black Lives Matter street mural in St. Pete and similar murals in Tampa.

    A number of those artists were Black artists who say representation was crucial during a time of racial unrest in this country and that representation is just as important now.

    For artist Jade Jackson, all she sees is color when she thinks of what her art brings to the world. For her, representation plays a big role in her work.

    “It’s not something abstract or nature-based. I like painting women and women of color. A lot of my artwork and paintings I’ve done and sold, they’re usually Black,” Jackson said. “I’m really into, like, the sci-fi fantasy anime world, and I love redoing things sometimes in a way where it shows us. And so I think that representation is important in regards to younger people seeing us.”

    Jackson said she applied that same intentional approach in 2020 when she was asked to paint three words that mean so much to her. “Black Lives Matter. So, I had the S. So Black Lives, I had the “S” in the middle for lives,” she said.

    The project in front of the Woodson African American Museum in St. Pete was her first mural.

    “I was like, ‘Let me do something that comes natural for me,’ and so I approached it with joy and excitement and curiosity. I was, ‘Like, let me paint something I enjoy,’ and I thought if people see that and feel inspired, that’s great,” she said.

    Two years later she painted over the Black Lives Matter mural and helped paint the Black History Matters street mural. Then, in 2025, she watched as it was painted over following a directive from the Florida Department of Transportation, citing safety hazards and restrictions against ideological or political markings on roadways.

    The move sparked an emotional response from a lot of people, but Jackson said she was more worried about the broader picture.

    “I care more about what they’re doing to us than them painting over the mural,” she said.

    A popular street mural in Tampa was also inspired by the racial reckoning in America back in 2020. Mark Anthony, along with his son, was one of the artists there that day.

    “I felt some type of way with it, but it was also just, I think, the camaraderie of the artists and now seeing those artists from that period how they’ve grown,” Anthony said. “Shout out to that day. I mean it was a great moment to see community come together all at once. So, to me, it was an amazing experience.”

    It’s an experience that now lives on through photos and memories because it was also painted over after FDOT directives.

    Jackson believes the message in the murals belongs in public view.

    “I think we can still have a place for it, and I think it is a strong reminder. We have things that remind us of the Holocaust and 9/11, things that are important, and Black history is a part of this country and this culture and important to all of us,” she said.

    Libraries, city hall and the courthouse are just some of her suggestions for a new mural to replace the street art. And she’s hoping someone is listening.

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    Saundra Weathers

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  • Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival celebrates African American healthy living

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It starts with a lemon, and then some liquid gold.

    And tea brewing teen queens Stevie and Stephanie Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Sweet Tea are ready to open their doors for a festival of celebration.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival is located at Carter G. Woodson African American Museum at 2240 9th Ave. S., in St Pete

    • The 2026 festival is scheduled for Saturday, February 14th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, during Presidents’ Day weekend and Black History Month.

    • Now in its ninth year, the free, family-friendly festival brings together over 18,000 attendees to celebrate Black culture, history, health equity, and community empowerment.

    • Free collard green plants, entertainment, marketplace, music, healthy collard recipes, line-dancing class to Motown, soul music

    The 13-year-olds are prepping for Tampa Bay’s Collard Green Festival, in cooalition with a program for young entrepreneurs.

    “We needed to figure out a way that our youth in this community who have businesses can benefit from this foot traffic,” said festival co-founder Samantha Harris.

    The Fitzpatrick 8th graders are in their second year at the festival’s young business owner’s program.

    Since 2018, The Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival works as a community driven nonprofit to transform lives with good food, joy, movement, and culture. 

    Through student programs, school partnerships, and an annual city-defining festival, the Collard Green Festival addresses the root causes of poor health, limited opportunities, and social isolation, for one practical, sustainable change at a time.

    We meet people where they are and walk with them toward better health, stronger connections, and a higher quality of life, not just for a day, but for a lifetime.

    “I enjoy doing this because I get to meet new people and I get to experience different things,” said Stevie Fitpatrick.

    They St. Pete duo are completing a 4-week online course studying topics like customer service and budgets. They earned food safety handling certificates and got a stipend.

    The twins encouraged other young people to start thinking of starting a business, or supporting their community. 

    “You could do anything you put your mind to, you just have to have the right mindset, and plan everything out, and budget,” Stephanie Fitzpatrick said.

    Also look for an official taste tester — like a younger brother maybe? The girls have 8-year-old Steve. 

    “This is the best sweet tea I ever tasted in my life,” said Steve, after taking one sip.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Melissa Ley and FUELS help Pinellas County teachers and students

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

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

    What You Need To Know

    • Melissa Ley is a former Pinellas County teacher

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

    Vicheikul said she was always grateful for the supplies.

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

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

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

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

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

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    Rick Elmhorst

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

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

    What You Need To Know

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • St. Petersburg Distance Classic draws largest turnout ever

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

    This was the sixth time the event was hosted.

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

    What You Need To Know

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

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

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

    • This event is a qualifer for the Boston Marathon


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The marathon is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

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

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    Tyler O’Neill

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  • Lakeland youth step team helps preserve cultural tradition

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

    What You Need To Know

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

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

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


    But where did it all begin?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Polk County landscaper advises residents on new watering schedule

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

    What You Need To Know

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Driver’s license exams only in English starting Friday

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Beginning today, the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will only offer driver’s license knowledge and skills tests for drivers in English. 

    Previously, the exams have been offered in a variety of languages, including Spanish, Haitian-Creole and Portuguese.

    “This is not a decision made by the tax collector’s office,” said Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano. “This was made by the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which is also known by many as the DMV. They make these decisions. We are an agent of that department, and we have to follow their policy, their rules.”

    What You Need To Know

    • FLHSMV says starting Feb. 6, driver’s license knowledge and skills tests will only be offered in English

    • Tax collector’s offices administer the exams and say they’re currently available in a range of languages, including Spanish, Haitian-Creole and Portuguese

    • FLHSMV did not give a reason for the change, but said in a statement that it remains committed to ensuring safe roadways “by promoting clear communication, understanding of traffic laws, and responsible driving behavior”

    • One man, who works to connect members of the Hispanic community who are new to Tampa Bay with resources, says the change will be a major hurdle for those who don’t speak English and can impact other areas of their life, including holding a job


    Fasano said normally with a change as drastic as this, county offices would get notice weeks in advance. This time, they had just a week to try to get the word out to the public.

    Tax collectors aren’t the only ones who were surprised.

    “Number one — I was in shock. Number two — I was angry, because it became personal for me,” said Itamar Martinez.

    Martinez is now the one Hispanics who are new to Tampa Bay come to for help through his business, Centro De Ayuda Hispano. 

    “It’s a little bit of everything,” Martinez said. “People call looking for a job. They’re just moving to the city and they don’t have contacts.”

    Martinez said he gets 1,800 calls a year from people asking for everything from a legal referral to enrolling kids in school. He estimated 70% of his clients speak only Spanish.

    “Especially if you look at someone that’s only been here for five years, yeah — they’d rather speak in their language to be understood,” he said.

    But it was once his family who needed guidance. He said they immigrated from Cuba to Portugal and, finally, to the U.S. in 1989. When they arrived, his mother needed a driver’s license.

    “My mom is 85 years old today, and she’s been driving all those years. If she had to take that test in English, she wouldn’t be able to be a productive member of our society,” Martinez said.

    FLHSMV said in a statement, “Language translation services will no longer be permitted for knowledge or skills examinations, and any printed exams in languages other than English will be removed for use.”

    “This comes as a surprise because translations in administering road tests or skills tests have been in place for decades,” said Hillsborough County Tax Collector Nancy Millan.

    According to Millan’s office, it administered more than 13,000 skills tests in languages other than English in 2025. That’s about 37% of exams given that year.

    “I know that there’s a lot of barriers when you first come into this country, especially when you’re at an age where another language was your first language,” said Millan, the daughter of Cuban immigrants. “I believe that everyone should, in America, should speak English, but it’s not something that happens overnight.”

    Millan said tests have been offered in multiple languages, including Haitian-Creole, Portuguese and Chinese. 

    “We have many of our road testers who speak several languages, and it has been extremely helpful for those who are taking road tests,” Fasano said.

    Fasano also said his offices provide many services to non-U.S. citizens who are in the country legally, as well as others whose primary language isn’t English.

    “Many of them are U.S. citizens. Many of them come from Puerto Rico, who are U.S. citizens, by the way. It’s going to have a big impact on them,” he said.

    Martinez said he’d like to see people given more time — potentially by being able to take their initial tests in the language of their choice, then taking an English only test after they’ve had more time to learn the language.

    “Just telling someone cold, telling someone, ‘As of next week, if you don’t know English, you’re SOL’? That’s not fair,” he said.

    FLHSMV declined a request for comment.

    It didn’t give a reason for the change, but its statement concludes, “FLHSMV remains committed to ensuring safe roadways for all Floridians and visitors by promoting clear communication, understanding of traffic laws, and responsible driving behavior.”

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    Sarah Blazonis

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  • Tampa Bay History Center explores 14,000 years of Florida history

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay History Center tells the stories of our area, starting with the first settlers.


    The history center teaches about the arrival of Europeans, North Africans and more Native Americans.

    “And what happens with Spanish Florida, English Florida and then eventually American Florida,” said Rodney Kite-Powell, Director of the Touchton Map Library.

    The native Seminole people survived multiple wars and removal efforts. They call themselves “The Unconquered.”

    The Tampa cigar industry brought new immigrants — Cubans, Spaniards, Afro-Cubans and Sicilians.

    “At its peak in the 1920s, it was about 500,000,000 cigars produced every year, all by hand,” said Kite-Powell.

    The next museum level offers a new historical timeline: war stories. Five-hundred years of Black history and a look at the pioneer life of Florida Crackers.

    At the Treasure Seekers gallery, young learners find out how explorers and pirates got here.

    Spoiler alert — it’s math.

    There’s recovered treasure, but all that glitters is not gold.

    They also have a rare map on display of St. Augustine in 1588.

    “The earliest view of any city in today’s United States,” said Kite-Powell.

    It’s courtesy of the center’s Touchton Map Library and includes a 1511 map showing the tip of South Florida, two years before Ponce de Leon arrived to explore Florida.

    They also have a 1524 map of Florida, the first time Florida is called “La Florida.”

    Together, these artifacts tell the story of the Sunshine State’s 14,000-year history.

    “But also how tied in the broader story of American History Florida really is,” said Kite-Powell.

    Florida history — our history — is American history.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Pause or move forward? St Pete City Council to mull next move for Gas Plant site

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch expressed his interest in moving forward with selecting a developer for the Historic Gas Plant District site, a city council member is asking the administration to pump the brakes.

    St. Pete City Council member Brandi Gabbard filed a resolution asking the city administration to pursue a ‘planning-first framework’ before choosing a developer. The item will be discussed by city council members during Thursday’s meeting.

    What You Need To Know

    • City council member asks for ‘planning-first framework’ before moving forward with choosing Gas Plant site developer 

    •  Mayor Ken Welch issued a memo stating now is the time to move forward

    •  Rays reaffirm commitment to move to Tampa

    • As of now, the Rays lease expires after 2028 season 


    In response to the resolution, Welch issued a memo asking city council members to stay committed to action and progress.

    “There are some who believe we should continue to further delay this development, but I want to be clear as I reaffirm my position — we should move forward to fulfill the decades-long promise of equitable and beneficial development of this site. The time for action is now,” Welch wrote.


    Welch referenced at least four different rounds of proposals and community input sessions over the last decade, dating back to the HKS Master Planning in 2016, which took place under a former administration.

    “With respect to timing, pausing all progress for yet another planning exercise — after proposals have been submitted — risks repeating a familiar and painful pattern for this community: plans discussed, promises acknowledged, and action deferred. St. Pete, including the families and descendants impacted by the original displacement, has already waited generations for meaningful progress. I do not believe further inaction serves them or the City,” Welch continued.

    Welch has family ties to the Historic Gas Plant District, as does City Council member Corey Givens Jr., who supports what he calls a planning-first — not proposal-first — process.

    “I have no problem telling the developers what we want to see at the Historic Gas Plant site — I don’t think it should be the other way around,” he said. “I care about honoring the history of that site, and I think we have to be intentional. Part of honoring the history of the site means taking a community-driven approach to doing so. That doesn’t mean proposal first, it means planning first, and we need the community to be a part of that process.”

    The city of St. Pete has received 9 new proposals from groups that wish to redevelop the 86-acre site. 

    A discussion regarding the resolution is set to take place during Thursday’s city council meeting, which is set for 9 a.m.

    A spokesperson for the city says it is in the administration’s purview to select a developer. But in order to get a funding vote to pass later down the line, the mayor would need city council support.

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    Angie Angers

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  • In the Chef’s Kitchen for Quiche, with multiple ways to enjoy

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    INDIAN SHORES, Fla. — Chef Phillipe Monnet of Voilá-Merci French Bakery and Bistro offers his mother’s recipe for Quiche Lorraine.

    The popular French dish is also the latest dish in The Chef’s Kitchen.

    Opened in January of this year, Monnet originally hails from Lyon, a French culinary hub in the southeast of France, near Switzerland.

    Quiche Lorraine
    (Made in 10-inch tart pan)

    Dough
    7 oz flour
    3.5 oz butter
    1 egg
    1 tbsp cold water
    ½ tsp salt 

    Add flour and butter and salt all together
    Add egg and water
    Mix the dough to get a smooth texture, and keep it in the fridge.
    Roll out the dough and put in a 10-inch tart pan.

    Filling
    ¼ cup bacon
    ¼ cup ham
    ¼ cup Swiss cheese
    1 cup heavy cream
    1 cup milk
    1 cup eggs
    Dash of salt
    Dash of pepper
    Dash of nutmeg

    Add cheese, bacon and ham to pie dish.
    You can also play with the ingredients—more or less of the proteins, add spinach or just do cheese in a bigger quantity.
    Chef says in France, people make the dish with whatever they have in the fridge.
    The eggs, cream and milk stay the same, but these other ingredients can change.
    Next combine the eggs, cream, milk and seasonings.
    Cover with the quiche ingredients.
    Bake it at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
    You can eat cold or hot.
    Serve with a salad.

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    Virginia Johnson

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  • Unique way of learning taking place in Thonotosassa

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    THONOTOSASSA, Fla. — When you think of education, you often think of textbooks and notebooks, but one academy is taking a different approach.

    What You Need To Know

    • Montessori is more of a hands-on approach, but this academy takes learning outdoors
    • The academy is also looking to expand services into Dade City next year


    Freedom Montessori Academy is giving students an opportunity to learn outdoors. And they are expanding their reach.

    Learning is all about being hands on at Freedom Montessori Academy.

    The school’s process is a method of education based on self-directed activity and hands-on learning. The academy is a tutoring service that serves 15 students in the Thonotosassa area.

    Eleven-year-old Adelyn Iott says this supplemental approach has been a big help for her.

    “It’s just really hands on, and you understand it better,” she said.

    Madison Whitmer says the teaching methods help her concentrate.

    “My school I had computers after I did it, so I had a headache when I got home, here I don’t have a headache because we don’t use electronics,” she said.

    The majority of the work isn’t done indoors but outside on the farm.

    Melanie Smith, the founder of the academy, was an educator for more than 20 years prior to this. She decided to take that experience and give students a personalized way of learning.

    Students go at their own pace, in a unique learning environment.

    “I think it’s nice in this setting that they understand how long it takes for a plant to grow that they eat in in 10 seconds,“ said Smith.

    From building a labyrinth, to planting seeds, Smith believes it’s part of raising curious kids that will use these skills in life.

    “Every child is unique and every child’s brain is developing at a different level, and they need that time to think for themselves, this is what this is about,” said Smith.

    It shows students like Iott that learning can happen anywhere.

    “Outdoor experience, life survival, how to take care of plants, how to build stuff,“ said Adelyn.

    Making education fun and something that doesn’t always happen indoors.

    The academy will be expanding to a location in Dade City next year.

    And the farm will soon be home to a nonprofit aimed at providing farm education to veterans and breast cancer survivors.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Mayor Welch to review Gas Plant development proposals: 9 in total

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mayor Ken Welch on Tuesday will see all nine proposals for developing the 86-acre historic Gas Plant District.

    Ark Ellison Horus and Kettler was the first group to file a proposal, and since then, more have come in. They are from Foundation Vision Partners, Freedom Communities Company, Logical Sites Inc, Pinellas County Housing Authority, Reparations Land Trust and Development Authority, Tempo Novus, The Burg Bid LLC and The Tampa Bay Boom Inc. See the proposals below…

    Welch said his team will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of all the proposals and select a winner.

    “We’ll have a public forum where the developers will present to our community,” Welch told Spectrum News. “We’ll have the community benefits process as well, and then I will select one of those developers.”

    When asked if the process could take a few months, he said, “Oh, definitely.”

    Welch says the city has planned for more than a decade and that it’s time to move forward.

    “Planning first is great, but planning perpetually is not something we should do,” Welch said. “When I ran for office, folks didn’t want to see continued planning. They want to see impact from a 40-year promise when the land was taken for economic inclusion at that site.”

    Ark Ellison Horus Proposal

    Foundation Vision Partners Proposal

    Freedom Communities Company

    Logical Sites Inc

    Pinellas County Housing Authority

    Reparations Land Trust and Development Authority

    Tempo Novus

    The Burg Bid LLC

    The Tampa Bay Boom Inc

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    Josh Rojas, Angie Angers

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  • Cynthia Henderson starts Citrus County group for female veterans

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    CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — A Citrus County woman started a group for other female veterans like herself. She also spearheaded an effort to get a monument for female vets built and placed in front of the historic county courthouse in Inverness.

    What You Need To Know

    • Cynthia Henderson is a U.S. Air Force veteran

    • Henderson started the Female Veterans Network of Citrus County

    • Group members meet monthly and perform community service projects 

    • Members raised funds to have a monument to female veterans built and placed in front of the historic county courthouse in Inverness 


    Cynthia Henderson served in the U.S. Air Force in the 1960s and is very proud of her service. She believed that there needed to be a local organization that was just for local female veterans. So, she started the Female Veterans Network of Citrus County.

    “Well, the camaraderie number one. We all get together for lunch once a month,” said Henderson.

    Group members talk about issues they face as veterans, while supporting each other through the struggles and helping the community.

    “We do various things for the community. We had a female veteran, and we replaced her roof,” said Henderson.

    They also offer a scholarship program for female high school senior JROTC members.

    The members of the group all take pride in their military service. “It’s a sisterhood. Even the sisterhood that we felt in the branch that we were in,” said Sigmond. “This is a bigger sisterhood because this is all the branches.”

    The network also spent several years planning the design and raising funds for the female veterans’ monument. They recently held a five-year rededication ceremony for the monument.

    Henderson said she makes sure to keep up with group members to make sure they are OK. “Well, it’s deep-rooted in the service we served in, even though we were in different branches. We were still serving in the same country,” said Henderson. “Every time I see the girls I find out something new about one or two of them.”

    “She has that compassion and always has that smile. And she loves us. We know she does,” said Sigmond.

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    Rick Elmhorst

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  • Ladies first jiu-jitsu helping women find strength and purpose

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    NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — The reasons for learning a sport are endless.

    For some, it is to get stronger and faster. For others, it is all about feeling better, healthier, or more confident.

    In some cases, like with jiu-jitsu, some want to learn to feel safer.

    What You Need To Know

    • She-Devil Jiu-Jitsu was founded by Michele “Bella” Milo. She is a black belt in jiu-jitsu

    • Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is still a male-dominated sport, but Milo met women who were not comfortable because of past trauma training with men

    • Michele Milo, founder of She-Devil Jiu-Jitsu, firmly believes women deserve consistent, reliable training spaces where they can learn and grow alongside other women

    • She-Devil Jiu-Jitsu is located at: 4051 Madison St STE 7, New Port Richey, FL 34652. Phone: (727) 504-8414


    “I do think it’s really important for girls in particular to learn jiu-jitsu. It’s a ground grappling sport and it can help you. It can save you,” said Amanda Gambone, She-Devil Jiu-Jitsu student.

    Gambone trains at the New Port Richey studio called the Den alongside her daughter.

    “It’s really important to know how to defend yourself. There’s predators everywhere,” said Eveeana Cortez, 13.

    The teen spars with women double and sometimes triple her age.

    Inside the Den, it is about more than just sport or defense. The women who take the classes say it is a safe place for women.

    “It’s hard to find a women’s-only class or even women in a class,” said Michele “Bella” Milo, founder of She-Devil Jiu-Jitsu.

    Milo opened the dojo in June 2025 after a conversation with a woman who was interested in jiu-jitsu, but was uncomfortable with the idea of training.

    “I met a woman who was watching her child’s class, and she just wouldn’t start. She said, ‘It looks so much fun, but I have been in a domestic violence situation and I don’t think I would ever feel comfortable doing that with a man,’” said Milo. “And so then the light bulb went off and I was like, this is something that a lot of women need.”

    The Den is a place that puts women first. Women like Ren Lee.

    “It really saved my life coming here, to be honest,” said Lee.

    She lives with ADHD and Autism and admits she struggles to regulate her emotions.

    “This has been my saving grace, especially for things where I don’t feel like I should be talking or I feel like I don’t really fit in anywhere. I can always come here,” said Lee.

    Milo says men are not excluded, with co-ed classes available. But there is an understanding that women come first here.

    “I kind of found a found family here,” said Lee.

    This month there is a Galentine’s Grappling Weekend. It is two days of ladies-only training with eight local female black belts. To sign up, click here.

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    Erin Murray

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  • FLHSMV says driver’s license exams will only be offered in English

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles announced that starting on Friday, February 6, it will only offer driving knowledge and skills tests in English. 

    “This is not a decision made by the tax collector’s office,” said Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano. “This was made by the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which is also known by many as the DMV. They make these decisions. We are an agent of that department, and we have to follow their policy, their rules.”

    What You Need To Know

    •  FLHSMV says starting February 6, driver’s license knowledge and skills tests will only be offered in English

    •  Tax collector’s offices administer the exams and say they’re currently available in a range of languages, including Spanish, Haitian-Creole, and Portuguese

    •  FLHSMV did not give a reason for the change, but said in a statement that it remains committed to ensuring safe roadways “by promoting clear communication, understanding of traffic laws, and responsible driving behavior”

    • One man who works to connect members of the Hispanic community who are new to Tampa Bay with resources says the change will be a major hurdle for those who don’t speak English and can impact other areas of their life, including holding a job


    Fasano said normally with a change as drastic as this, county offices would get notice weeks in advance. This time, they have just a week to try to get the word out to the public. Tax collectors aren’t the only ones who are surprised.

    “Number one – I was in shock. Number two – I was angry, because it became personal for me,” said Itamar Martinez.

    Today, Martinez is the one Hispanics new to Tampa Bay come to for help through his business, Centro De Ayuda Hispano.

    “It’s a little bit of everything,” Martinez said. “People call looking for a job. They’re just moving to the city and they don’t have contacts.”

    Martinez told Spectrum News he gets 1,800 calls a year from people asking for everything from a legal referral to enrolling kids in school. He estimated 70% of his clients speak only Spanish.

    “Especially if you look at someone that’s only been here for five years, yeah – they’d rather speak in their language to be understood,” he said.

    But it was once his family who needed guidance. He said they immigrated from Cuba to Portugal and, finally, to the U.S. in 1989. When they arrived, his mother needed a driver’s license.

    “My mom is 85 years old today, and she’s been driving all those years. If she had to take that test in English, she wouldn’t be able to be a productive member of our society,” Martinez said.

    FLHSMV said in a statement, “Language translation services will no longer be permitted for knowledge or skills examinations, and any printed exams in languages other than English will be removed for use.”

    “This comes as a surprise because translations in administering road tests or skills tests have been in place for decades,” said Hillsborough County Tax Collector Nancy Millan.

    According to Millan’s office, it administered more than 13,000 skills tests in languages other than English in 2025. That’s about 37% of exams given that year.

    “I know that there’s a lot of barriers when you first come into this country, especially when you’re at an age where another language was your first language,” said Millan, the daughter of Cuban immigrants. “I believe that everyone should, in America, should speak English, but it’s not something that happens overnight.”

    Millan said tests have been offered in multiple languages, including Haitian-Creole, Portuguese, and Chinese. 

    “We have many of our road testers who speak several languages, and it has been extremely helpful for those who are taking road tests,” said Fasano.

    Fasano also said his offices provide many services to non-U.S. citizens who are in the country legally, as well as others whose primary language isn’t English.

    “Many of them are U.S. citizens. Many of them come from Puerto Rico, who are U.S. citizens, by the way. It’s going to have a big impact on them,” he said.

    Martinez said he’d like to see people given more time – maybe be able to take their initial tests in the language of their choice, then take an English only test after they’ve had more time to learn the language.

    “Just telling someone cold, telling someone, ‘As of next week, if you don’t know English, you’re SOL’? That’s not fair,” he said.

    FLHSMV declined a request for comment. It didn’t give a reason for the change, but its statement concludes, “FLHSMV remains committed to ensuring safe roadways for all Floridians and visitors by promoting clear communication, understanding of traffic laws, and responsible driving behavior.”

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    Sarah Blazonis

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  • St. Pete looks to give area under I-275 a major makeover

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    ST. PETE, Fla. — The city of St. Pete is helping construct a plan to transform the four-block area under I-275 near the heart of downtown.

    The area, dubbed Trails Crossing, spans from 1st Avenue North to 3rd Avenue South. The stretch of I-275 has historically divided a number of growing neighborhoods like the Edge District, Historic Gas Plant District, Grand Central District and Warehouse Arts District.

    Trails Crossing would essentially link together the neighborhoods.

    Cheryl Stacks, Transportation Manager for the city of St. Pete, said her team has been working closely with the community group Friends of Trails Crossing to create a plan for the space. Early concepts show the area could be turned into a mix of performance and art areas, parks, a spot for an outdoor market and outdoor recreation areas.

    Right now, it’s primarily used for parking, but Stacks said due to the location, it’s underutilized.

    What You Need To Know

    • Community meeting set for  6 p.m. Thursday at the President Barack Obama Main Library Auditorium located at 3745 9th Ave. N.

    • City will show latest concept designs, ask for feedback at meeting 

    • Trails Crossing still in planning stages 

    • CLOSER LOOK: Concept designs of Trails Crossing


    “The area is a little complicated because it’s under I-275,” she said. “So it is important for us to understand what people want to do with that space, but also compare it to what is physically possible and what is allowable from a regulatory standpoint.”

    Stacks said they’re working closely with FDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to make sure to follow all safety guidelines.

    The community is invited to a public meeting regarding the project set for 6 p.m. on Jan. 29 at the President Barack Obama Main Library Auditorium located at 3745 9th Ave. N. There, the city plans to show the latest renderings for the project and ask for community feedback.


    Chris Arnold, Executive Director of the Grand Central District Association, says the neighborhood has evolved so much over the last decade. What started as a few antique shops and tattoo parlors has boomed into a vibrant and fun neighborhood full of things to do.

    “It’s just that one piece in the middle that we haven’t fixed yet, and that’s why we’re so excited about the Trails Crossing project,” he said.

    Arnold said it’s the final piece of the puzzle needed to really connect the city together.

    “If you told someone that they would be able to walk from downtown to 23rd, 24th, 25th St, even 10 years ago… you would have never thought it was happening,” he said. “Now we can walk all the way downtown because it’s connected the entire way. The only spot that’s not is underneath the overpass.”

    Jon Dean, owner of Balance House Studio & Cafe, says more connectivity only means good things for the growing neighborhood.

    “It’s not super built out yet, but I see it — I see the action moving this way,” he said. “I think connecting the neighborhoods is a positive for most of the businesses.”

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    Angie Angers

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  • Canton consolidates warming shelters

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    CANTON, Ohio — Canton is consolidating its warming center operations this week to one location rather than two.

    What You Need To Know

    • The city is closing its St. Paul AME warming center and moving all shelter operations to Dueber Elementary

    • The shelter will operate from Jan. 29 to Feb. 28

    • Transportation will be provided to the warming center by SARTA

    The city is closing its St. Paul AME warming center and moving all shelter operations to Dueber Elementary at 815 Dueber Ave SW, 44706.

    “We are grateful to Pastor McCants and the congregation of St Paul AME for opening their doors to those in need,” said Canton Mayor William V. Sherer II. “We are simply seeing a need greater than the church can currently hold, and it best to move operations to where we can best accommodate what we’re facing.”

    The shelter will operate from Jan. 29 to Feb. 28. Hours will be from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Guests should use the north entrance and food and water will be available.

    Transportation will be provided to the warming center by SARTA. Route #113 will take guests to the school; in order for bus fares to be waived, guests must tell drivers they are going to the warming shelter. 

    If transportation is needed when SARTA is not available, call 330-649-5800.

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    Madison MacArthur

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  • Clearwater calls duck’s stay a ’bigger success than ever expected’

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — After nearly three weeks, the World’s Largest Duck has left the city of Clearwater and is moving on to her next destination.

    The city says Mama Duck’s stay brought in more than double the amount of people they usually see, with one of the biggest days being January 17 for the duck’s “birthday bash,” which brought in roughly 3,500 people.

    What You Need To Know

    • So far this year, the city has made $23,931 in parking revenue

    • People from 46 countries accessed the city’s website so far in 2026

    • Downtown restaurants report spike in business 

    • COST BREAKDOWN: World’s Largest Duck visits Clearwater


    “We’ve had more people come to this park than we have since we did our grand reopening in 2023,” said Leanne Bell with the city of Clearwater. “We’ve had people come as far as Denver from what we’ve heard. They’ve flown and made a vacation out of seeing this duck, which is exactly what we were aiming to do.”

    An analysis of the city’s preliminary parking revenue data revealed more than twice as many people visited Clearwater this January as compared to January 2025. So far this year, the city has made $23,931 in parking revenue, compared to $10,894 for the entire month of January last year.

    Bell said web traffic also saw a significant spike because the live stream of Mama Duck was available on the city’s website. He said they received clicks to their live stream from people in 46 countries on at least four continents.

    “This shows international impact and awareness of Clearwater and the destination at large,” said Bell, who added that downtown businesses reported an increase in sales in January, including some spots selling out their duck-themed specials.

    Craig Samborski, who started taking Mama Duck around the country in 2014, said this was the first time he’s had a 3-week stay in any one city. He says he was surprised by how many people would come by on the average weekday.

    “I was thinking…oh, like we’ll do 50-60 people a day but, its been much more than that,” he said.

    Mama Duck’s stay in Clearwater costs approximately $45,000.

    There were no concerts or shows at the BayCare Sound during the nearly three-week event. Bell says that signals most people visiting the Coachman Park area were visiting Mama Duck.

     

    [ad_2] Angie Angers
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