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Tag: Jeff Butera

  • Wallenda promises mix of circus, Broadway, American Ninja Warrior at new show

    SARASOTA, Fla. — Daredevil high-wire artist Nik Wallenda is back this winter with a new show in Sarasota. 

    With Wallenda as executive producer, University Town Center is offering Wonderland: Believe from Friday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Jan. 4.

    Wallenda told Spectrum Bay News 9 that the show offers a combination of story, acrobatics, daring high-wire precision and show-stopping numbers.

    “We are very much a blend of American Ninja Warrior, Broadway and circus,” Wallenda said.

    It’s the latest show for Wallenda, a member of the legendary Flying Wallendas family. He holds more than a dozen Guinness World Records and labels himself a “producer, daredevil, entertainer, TV personality, motivational speaker and author.”

    Wallenda said he recruited performers from around the globe — “the best of the best” — to show off their skills at this event.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Homosassa celebrates half-century with festival

    The Homosassa Civic Club hosts the 50th Arts, Crafts and Seafood Festival on Saturday and Sunday.

    Held in Old Homosassa, the festival will also offer a kids zone, live music and raffles.

    The Homosassa Yukers will play both days from 10:00-11:30 a.m.

    The event gives those in attendance a chance to see some of the best work from local artists.

    “There’s so many artists right here that live here. It’s exciting. I love being a part of this,” said Cindy Ersch, the festival’s coordinator.

    The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday, the festival will be happening from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Jeff Butera

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  • St. Pete Gets Taller: How the city’s skyline grew in last decade

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As recently as 2018, the tallest building in St. Petersburg stood 386 feet tall. It was Priatek Plaza, a 28-story skyscraper that opened in 1990 on Central Avenue.

    What You Need To Know

    • In just seven years, four new buildings in St. Pete have eclipsed what was once the city’s tallest building  

    • The tallest building in St. Pete now soars more than 500 feet tall 

    • There are plans for a building that stands even taller than the current tallest building (400 Central)  

    • City leaders say the downtown area is evolving in a way that involves not only “expansion” but also “innovation” 


    But in the seven years since, four new buildings in downtown St. Petersburg have eclipsed Priatek Plaza in height:

    The four new condo towers have transformed the St. Petersburg skyline, a change city leaders sought.

    In response to an inquiry from Bay News 9, a city spokesperson said the city was “dedicated to driving inclusive economic development that enhances the quality of life for all residents.” The spokesperson suggested the “city’s downtown is evolving in ways that demand not just expansion, but innovation.”

    That innovation includes building housing upward instead of just outward. With limited land options for housing development, the four new high-rise towers offer new places to live-and-work in the city.

    “We’ve seen the tallest building in St. Pete go from 380 feet to now close to 515 feet, and that ceiling will continue to increase as new buildings are completed,” said Anthony Close, founder of St. Pete Rising, a website that chronicles growth and development in St. Petersburg.

    This year, a development firm announced plans to build the Waldorf Astoria residences in St. Pete, with the intention of making it the tallest building in the city.

    These new buildings, though, offer luxury condos with a high-rise view. They do not solve the issue of affordable housing, which remains a need in Pinellas County.

    The Shimberg Center for Housing Studies at the University of Florida just released its 2025 Rental Market study.

    It shows 29 percent of all renters in Pinellas County are low-income, cost-burdened renters. That means those renters are at or below 60 percent of the area’s median income level (low-income) but also spending 40 percent of their income on rent including utility bills (cost-burdened).

    A spokesperson for the city of St. Petersburg noted that, in addition to the new condo towers, the city brought 281 affordable units online in 2024. During Mayor Ken Welch’s term, the spokesperson said the city brought 855 affordable and workforce housing units online.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Experts, lawmakers debate the lack of A/C in most Florida prisons

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A former Tampa Bay lawmaker calls it a “moral collapse” that a majority of Florida prisons do not have air conditioning. 

    While federal prisons are required to have air conditioning, state prisons are not. A 2023 report suggested about 75% of the facilities in Florida do not cool the air.

    What You Need To Know

    • A 2023 report found that around 75% of Florida prisons don’t have air conditioning  

    • Officials say it would cost around $582 million to install A/C at all state prisons
       
    • Some consider not having air conditioning at prisons to be cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of the Eighth Amendment 

    • Others think the money should be used on continuing education and job training for inmates 


    “That isn’t just logistics,” said former State Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Republican who represented Tampa Bay in the Florida Legislature from 2010 to 2022. “That’s morally saying, ‘We’re doing something wrong.’”

    The Florida Department of Management Services commissioned KPMG in 2022 to develop a 20-year master plan for the Florida Department of Corrections. The plan, released in 2023, found that more than a third of state prisons were in “critical” or “poor” condition, and work for “immediate needs” — basic life, health and safety modifications needed to make Florida prisons inhabitable — would cost $2.2 billion.

    According to the plan, adding air conditioning to Florida prisons that currently lack HVAC systems would cost $582 million.

    Brandes suggested that all state lawmakers should tour prisons to understand what inmates are dealing with. He said his experience touring facilities — he described the heat by saying it  “felt like 105 (degrees)” — convinced him the money should be spent to outfit facilities with air conditioning.

    “Going to prison is supposed to be the deterrent,” said Brandes, who is currently the president of the Florida Policy Project. “That is the punishment. You are in prison. Prison is not supposed to be additional punishment while you’re there.”

    State Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers) said he disagrees with Brandes. He has argued the $582 million would be better spent on job training and continuing education for inmates, saying they have told him that’s what they prefer.

    “There’s a finite amount of resources,” Martin said. “Could we do more if we moved these resources somewhere else?”

    Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) argued that not having air conditioning during Florida’s hot summers is a violation of the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, which outlaws cruel-and-usual punishment.

    “It’s not meant to be a luxury hotel. We all get that,” he said. “But the punishment is time away from their families and society and their loved ones. The punishment is not cruel and inhumane conditions.”

    Martin, though, pointed to Florida statute 921.002 (“The Criminal Punishment Code”) which specifically states: “The primary purpose of sentencing is to punish the offender. Rehabilitation is a desired goal of the criminal justice system but is subordinate to the goal of punishment.”

    He went on to argue that the Eighth Amendment was ratified in 1791, before modern air conditioning existed.

    “To say somehow that not having air conditioning is a violation of your constitutional rights flies in the face of everybody over the age of 30 in the state of Florida who rode a school bus to school without air conditioning,” Martin said.

    Attorneys representing the state during a lawsuit over hot conditions at a prison in Miami-Dade County recently argued “the lack of air conditioning does not pose a substantial risk of serious harm.” They contended that, to violate the Eighth Amendment, conditions must be “objectively extreme enough to deny an inmate the minimal civilized measure of life’s necessities.”

    Brandes said he believes the state was arguing the conditions were cruel, just not “cruel enough.”

    “What is cruel? Is it 110 degrees? 115? If you could fry and egg on the floor, would that make it cruel and unusual?” Brandes asked.

    Connie Baroth Edson, an inmate advocate in Central Florida, has fought for years to bring air conditioning to prisons.

    She said adding air conditioning would decrease turnover among correctional officers (which is a significant issue in Florida) and offer basic humanity to inmates.

    “Why are you made to feel like you’re not worthy of anything by not having air conditioning?” Baroth Edson asked.

    While she did not think the state would ever pay the $582 million necessary to put air conditioning into all the Florida prisons, Baroth Edson said she was encouraged when the Florida Legislature agreed in 2025 to spend $300,000 on a pilot program to add wall units to some institutions.

    The expenditure was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

    When Spectrum News requested an interview with the secretary for the Florida Department of Corrections, the department provided a statement that said: “FDC has air-conditioning housing units serving the most vulnerable inmate populations, including the infirmed, mentally ill, pregnant and geriatric.”

    The statement said all new institutions are designed to include air conditioning, but noted many existing facilities were built before air conditioning was commonplace.

    The Florida Department of Corrections uses “various climate control measures” to reduce heat, according to the statement.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Kids create, kids sell (parents stay out of it) at local market

    TAMPA, Fla. — A group encouraging young people to learn about business will be selling items this weekend in Tampa Bay.

    The Tampa branch of Kids Markets will be selling products at the Spooktacular event in Wesley Chapel. Avalon Park is hosting that event on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

    The event is free.

    Kids Markets is a group where children, ages 5 to 17, can participate in a farmer’s market-style event, run entirely by kids.

    “They have to be able to do all the selling themselves. Parents are not allowed to help them. We really want the kids to be selling, and not the kids to be selling on behalf of the parents,” said Taylor Cauley, the Children’s Entrepreneurship Manager for Tampa.

    Kids Markets is a group where children, ages 5 to 17, can participate in a farmer’s market-style event, run entirely by kids. (Spectrum News/Matt Infante)

    Cauley’s kids — 10-year-old Landon and 8-year-old James — are making soap and chapstick that they will sell at the event.

    “It’s just helpful for stuff we might do later in our life,” James told Spectrum Bay News 9.

    The Spooktacular is promising food trucks, live performances and bounce houses, in addition to the market.

    Jeff Butera

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  • On The Town: Sizzlin ‘n’ the Sukkah in Bradenton

    BRADENTON, Fla. — The Chabad of Bradenton & Lakewood Ranch is inviting everyone to come celebrate the holiday of Sukkot with them.


    Sukkot is a week-long Jewish harvest festival, celebrating G-d’s protection during the Exodus from Egypt. As part of the holiday, Jews will dwell in a temporary structure called a sukkah, eating and celebrating.

    “The part that we focus on is the unity among the Jewish people,” Rabbi Mendy Buckiet said. Buckiet is a Rabbi at the Chabad of Bradenton & Lakewood Ranch.

    Buckiet is inviting everyone to Sizzlin ‘n’ the Sukkah on Sunday. As part of the event, there will be good food, fun events and religious activities.

    “Try to bring as many people together as possible,” Buckiet told Spectrum Bay News 9. “That’s the only way to truly connect with G-d, only through unity, only through kindness, only through love.”

    Jeff Butera

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  • Pasco goes ‘spooky,’ offers haunted history of county

    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Pasco County is offering an opportunity to hear about the county’s ‘haunted’ history.

    On Wednesday night, author and historian Madonna Wise will share “haunted folklore and ghostly legends” about Pasco County’s past.

    “It’s a wonderful genre,” Wise said. “I think there’s an emotional connection we have to something that’s haunted, and probably a spiritual connection.”

    Wise compiled the stories for her book “A Haunted History of Pasco County.” It includes stories of ghosts, oddities and warlords from Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Wesley Chapel.

    Paranormal investigator Nicole Ferro will join Wise for the presentation.

    It starts at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Richey Suncoast Theatre in downtown New Port Richey. Tickets are $20. Members of the West Pasco Historical Society only need to pay $15.

    Jeff Butera

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  • MOSI tackles AI, exhibit offers glimpse

    TAMPA — Whether you like it or not, artificial intelligence is going to play a pivotal role in the future.

    The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) is now offering you an opportunity to explore that future with a new traveling exhibit.

    It’s called “Artificial Intelligence: Your Mind & The Machine.” It opens Saturday, Sept 6, at the location in Tampa across from the University of South Florida.

    “Our goal in having the exhibition is to make AI real and relevant,” HP Newquist, the exhibit’s creator, told Spectrum Bay News 9.

    There are fun aspects to the exhibit. You can play the classic video game ‘Pong’ and see how AI can teach itself through repetition.

    But there are also more serious aspects to the exhibit. For example, you can see how artificial intelligence is being used in facial recognition and surveillance.

    Newquist recognizes that people have some unease about AI.

    “Can this get out of hand? Could this become ‘Terminator?’ Could it take your job? Could it be the thing teaching your kids? All of these things should be considered,” Newquist said.

    The exhibit will attempt to answer some of these questions from now until the end of the year at MOSI. It’s included in your regular admission.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Paintings of Morgan Pierce, who died at 17, on display at Plant City gallery

    PLANT CITY, Fla. — A Plant City art gallery will offer a special art exhibit this weekend, honoring the legacy of a Bay area girl who died far too young.

    The Red Calliope Art Gallery on Evers will display the work of Morgan Pierce. Doctors diagnosed Morgan with neuroblastoma when she was just five years old. She died in 2020 at the age of 17.

    But in the 12 years she fought cancer, Morgan also created powerful works of art.

    “Through treatment, art was a way for her to express herself but also a form of therapy for her,” said Emily Pierce, Morgan’s mother.

    “It was an outlet for her. It was something she could do to stay busy and she enjoyed doing it,” added Clint Pierce, Morgan’s father.

    The event runs from 4-6 p.m. Sunday. It benefits the No More Umbrellas Foundation. That’s a foundation Morgan parents started, providing financial support for kids fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. (No More Umbrellas Foundation)

    The artwork caught the attention of Rachel Dummeldinger, owner of Red Calliope Gallery on Evers in Plant City.

    “They’re not just the doodles of a little girl. There’s so much texture and depth,” Dummeldinger said. “She was giving us an invitation to pay attention to who she is and what she was doing through. That, coming from a child, it’s a big deal.”

    Dummeldinger said she would be “careless and remiss” if she didn’t try to share the artwork with others. So she is hosting an art exhibit of Morgan’s paintings at the gallery on Sunday afternoon.

    The event runs from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. It benefits the No More Umbrellas Foundation, a foundation Morgan’s parents started, providing financial support for kids fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Palm Harbor turns 100, plans celebration

    PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Palm Harbor is celebrating its 100th birthday.

    On July 15, 1925, the city’s official name was changed from Sutherland to Palm Harbor. This weekend, city leaders will celebrate a full century under that name with multiple events.

    • Commemorative Proclamation, 10 a.m., Palm Harbor Museum
    • Family-Friendly Event, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Harbor Hall and historic White Chapel, with local vendors, food trucks, nonprofit organizations
    • City Celebration, 6 p.m., Pop Stansell Park, with live music, food, fireworks

    “We are so excited,” said Nancy McKibben, a Pinellas County coordinator who represents unincorporated county communities. “We have a wonderful history here.”

    There will also be a pop-up exhibit depicting the community’s history, developed by the Palm Harbor Museum.

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  • What is a sapodilla? Bok Tower celebrates fruit

    Bok Towers is hosting its Fruit Fest on Saturday, July 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    The festival offers an opportunity to sample numerous types of fruit, learn about fruits and vegetables, buy plants and listen to live music.

    The Caribbean Crew Steel Drum Band will perform from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    The food sampling happens from noon until 2 p.m.

    Visitors can try dragon fruit, mangoes, mamey, jackfruit, longans, lynches and sapodilla (a tropical fruit with a sweet flavor often described as a pear soaked in brown sugar).

    Admission to the Fruit Fest is included in your admission to Bok Tower Gardens. Fruit sampling does require additional purchase.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Citrus County, including famous mermaid aficionado, to hold Pride Family Fest

    Unity of Citrus County is sponsoring the second annual “Pride Family Fest” this weekend.

    It’s happening on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. p.m. at 2628 Woodview Lane in Lecanto. They’re promising raffles, food, vendors, dancing, fun and activities for kids.

    One of the vendors at the event will be Eric Ducharme, co-owner of Mertailor Mermaid Aquarium.

    Ducharme performed as a merman at the famous mermaid shows in Weeki Wachee. Then he launched his own business, making mermaid-inspiring clothing. The aquarium now offers people an opportunity to swim with mermaids.

    Ducharme is excited about this weekend’s fest.

    “It’s an awesome event where people can come and have a safe space and just celebrate their lives and be part of the community,” Ducharme said.

    Entry to “Pride Family Fest” costs $7.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Tampa Museum of Art tries to solve mystery of ‘Mysterious People’

    TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Museum of Art has launched a new exhibit called “The Etruscans: A Mysterious Italian People.”

    What You Need To Know

    • The Tampa Museum of Art has launched a new exhibit called “The Etruscans: A Mysterious Italian People”

    • It’s a collection of about 70 donated objects from the ancient Etruscan civilization, which was located near current-day Tuscany in Italy

    • The exhibit will be on display through spring of 2027


    It’s a collection of about 70 donated objects from the ancient Etruscan civilization, which was located near current-day Tuscany in Italy.

    Historians consider the Etruscans “mysterious” because very few of their own writings about their way of life have survived.

    “We know so very little about them, other than artifacts they left behind,” said Branko van Oppen, curator of Greek and Roman Art at the Tampa Museum of Art. “What we do know about the history of the Etruscans comes from Roman and Greek writers, who were writing as outsiders.”

    That’s why van Oppen is so excited about this exhibit. It offers a chance to learn about the “mysterious” Etruscans by seeing some of the objects they would use in daily life, including the glasses they would drink from, the plates they would eat off and the art they would display.

    “Step back in time a little bit. Place yourself in the minds of other people and other civilizations, and look at some of the differences of that civilization but also to understand how little humanity has changed,” van Oppen said.

    The exhibit will be on display at the Tampa Museum of Art through spring of 2027. 

    Jeff Butera

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  • All info, one place: Manatee County tries new hurricane approach

    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manatee County is utilizing a new technological system during hurricanes that integrates all data into a single place. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Hurricane Milton made landfall near Manatee County, and Hurricane Helene caused significant damage in the same area

    • Manatee County leaders used to run separate programs with all their hurricane data, what some called “siloed systems” 

    • They are now utilizing a system that integrates all relevant hurricane data into one place 

    • Emergency management officials say the change will make their hurricane response more informed and more efficient 


    Previously, Manatee County had to switch between different programs — what some call “siloed systems” — to access data on:

    • Rain totals
    • Wind speed
    • Forecasts
    • Lift station metrics
    • Shelter occupancy
    • Power outages
    • Road closures
    • Evacuation routes
    • Damage totals

    Now, using a program run by a company called Peregrine, Manatee County can click through all of that data in a single place.

    “We make our decisions based on the most current information we have at the time,” said Jodie Fiske, Manatee County’s Director of Public Safety. “At no point are we making a decision on evacuations or opening shelters without looking at the most up-to-date data we have.”

    Fiske said having real-time damage estimates – which even show which areas of Manatee County have received the most damage – will be most valuable. She said this will help the county offer the most-detailed damage estimate when asking for state or federal aid.

    Manatee County set up what they call the “GIS Room,” with six monitors showing all the information in real time.

    The Peregrine system also logs historical data, allowing emergency management leaders the ability to compare current storms to past storms. 

    “Manatee County’s deployment of Peregrine last year demonstrated the power of real-time data integration and historical analysis in managing complex storm response operations,” said Peregrine CEO Nick Noone. “Together, we’re ensuring Manatee County has the tools and capabilities to protect lives and safeguard critical infrastructure when it matters most.”

    Jeff Butera

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  • They ‘got the bug:’ VW fans bring Volkswagen show to St. Pete

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg is bringing back a Volkswagen show.

    The city approved “VDubs on the Pier,” a celebration of all things VW.

    Organizers say you can expect more than 100 classic or custom Volkswagen vehicles, along with music, food and merchandise.

    “It was almost a pipe dream to bring it back,” said co-event organizer Joe Person. “We’re gonna go down in history with this awesome event.”

    The event is happening on Saturday from noon until 5:00 p.m.

    The show will happen at Spa Beach, located at 600 2nd Avenue NE in St. Petersburg.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Mystery solved: Sleuthfest comes to St. Pete

    Sleuthfest, a conference for mystery, thriller and suspense fiction writers, returns to St. Petersburg for its annual event.

    The event happens May 15-18 at Hilton Bayfront in St. Petersburg.

    Event co-chair Cheryl Hollon said the conference focuses on emerging writers in the popular field of mystery writing. In addition to networking opportunities with professional authors, this offers writers an opportunity to learn about forensic technology to solve crimes and the ever-changing world of publishing.

    “Writing a novel sounds easy,” Hollon told Spectrum Bay News 9. “But, oh my goodness, it’s got a lot of moving parts and they all have to be right.”

    You can learn more about the event, including a list of speakers and the schedule, at Sleuthfest.com.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Dozens of authors flock to Tarpon Springs for book festival

    Tarpon Springs will host its first book festival on Saturday.

    The Gilded Page bookstore is teaming up with the Tarpon Springs Merchant Association to organize the event. More than 100 authors and artists will attend the gathering, which will include panel discussions and opportunities to meet the writers.

    “We love books and we love bringing the community together over a shared love of books,” said Julie Bodwell, owner of The Gilded Page bookstore.

    Among the authors Bodwell expects to attend:

    The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 on E. Court Street in Tarpon Springs. More information is available here.

    Jeff Butera

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  • Dino Dirt: Clearwater sand festival returns with dinosaur theme

    The Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival has returned on Clearwater Beach.

    Running from April 11-27, the festival features the work of 17 professional sand sculptors.

    The theme for this year’s event, the 11th in the festival’s history, is “DinoShores: A Prehistoric Adventure in Sand.”

    The event drew 200,000 people last year. Organizers are touting a new augmented-reality experience as an improvement this year.

    General admission costs $14 per person. Children three years old and younger get in front.

    Jeff Butera

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  • ‘Try everything,’ says Tampa Bay Empanada Festival organizer

    Organizers will hold the third annual Tampa Bay Empanada Festival on Saturday.

    They’re promising more than 100 types of empanadas from more than 25 different vendors.

    Co-organizer Stephen McFarlane told Spectrum Bay News 9 that every country has its own kind of an empanada. He says the festival is a celebration of that, where you can try versions you’ve never tried before.

    “My idea was, if you bring a fusion of all those different countries at one event, it’s going to be unique,” McFarlane said. “There will be food there that you’ve never heard before. Try it! Everything at this event is absolutely spectacular.”

    The event is happening on Saturday from noon to 8:00 p.m. at Perry Harvey Sr. Park. You can purchase tickets at TampaEmpanadas.com.

    Jeff Butera

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  • ‘The Quiet Beatle’s’ secret passion on display in Sarasota

    TAMPA, Fla. — Leaders at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota found a unique subject for their latest exhibit: George Harrison.

    They have launched “George Harrison: A Gardener’s Life” at their Downtown Sarasota Campus. It’s a tribute to the lead guitarist for The Beatles, who also had a passion for gardening.

    After the legendary rock band broke up, Harrison bought an estate outside London with spectacular gardens. Harrison owned the property for the rest of his life, enjoying the quiet of tending to the estate himself.

    “He was looking for solace,” said Jennifer Rominiecki, president and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. “And he found it in the gardens.”

    This exhibit is a tribute to that love for gardening, as well as Harrison’s music and lyrics. Visitors can enjoy unique displays while listening to Harrison’s music and reading about his life.

    “It’s really a fun way of looking at this portion of George Harrison’s passion,” Rominiecki told Spectrum Bay News 9.

    The exhibit will be at the gardens until June 29. You can find more information here.

    Jeff Butera

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