ReportWire

Tag: local-politics

  • Florida seaport anchoring bill concerns recreational boaters

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    PALMETTO, Fla. — A proposed bill which limits anchoring or mooring near Florida seaports has some recreational boaters worried about their safety and access to state parks.

    What You Need To Know

    • SB 594 and HB 795 would allow seaports to prohibit anchoring or mooring within 1,500 to 2,500 feet

    • Proponents said the bill clearly marks safe distances from port channels and turning basins 

    • Recreational boaters said it restricts their access to state parks near seaports and puts their safety in jeopardy 

    • April Smith said boaters do anchor near shipping channels or where big vessels are turning around


    “It’s not going to be a viable solution,” said boater April Smith of Palmetto. “It’s not going to help anything.”

    The proposed legislation, SB 594 and HB 795, would allow seaports to prohibit anchoring or mooring within 1,500 to 2,500 feet. Republican State Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez from Miami sponsored the senate version of the bill.

    “As more recreational boaters look for places to anchor or moor, it’s just common sense to clearly mark safe distances from port channels and turning basins,” she stated. “Doing so helps protect both recreational boaters and the large commercial freight and cruise ships that rely on these waterways.”

    Republican State Representative Chip Lamarca from Broward County has sponsored the house version of the bill and noted they have already reduced the seaport boundary from 5,000 feet.

    “We have reduced the effective area and will continue to modify the language to address the safety issues,” he stated. “While making the least impactful changes to the boating public.”

    Smith said for nearly seven years, she and her husband have been living on a 44-foot long Aquilla Power Catamaran, which they dock at the Regatta Point Marina in Palmetto for the winter. She said because the boat is 21.6 feet wide, it won’t fit in many marinas, which could be a problem if anchoring becomes restricted.

    “Anchoring could be our only safe harbor for an evening and if they take that availability away from us within 2,500 feet, 1,500 feet of these ports, we could be in deep trouble,” she said. “Maritime law allows us to have a safe anchorage. This bill would have effectively taken that away from us.”

    Smith said depending on where the seaport is located, the proposed legislation could also limit boaters’ access to Florida’s natural resources.

    “It’s also going to limit access to many of the state parks. So, for example, in our Tampa area, Egmont Key and Fort DeSoto are major anchoring locations where people go fish and spend the weekends,” she said. “Those will be effectively closed down to boaters and will not be able to anchor in those locations.”

    As Smith and her husband prepare to hit the high seas in a few weeks for the summer, she believes the bill is a solution in search of a problem.

    “So the boats that are anchoring are not near those shipping channels and they’re not near where those big boats are turning around,” she said. “It’s just too far of a setback. So we do agree a setback is not a bad thing. This is just too much of a setback.”

    The senate version of the bill has passed two committee stops and awaits a fiscal policy hearing. The house companion bill has passed its first committee.

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    Josh Rojas

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  • Pinellas County nonprofit helps save West Klosterman Preserve from development

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    TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — Pinellas County announced Thursday it had finalized the purchase of the West Klosterman Preserve, following five years of effort from a citizens group to save the 14 acres from development.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas County says it completed the $3 million purchase of the 14-acre West Klosterman Preserve

    • A group of residents has been trying to save the land from development for five years

    • The president of the nonprofit WK Preservation Group calls the purchase “wonderful,” saying it’s important to preserve the habitats on the land

    • PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Fundraising efforts continue to save preserve in Pinellas County


    “It’s wonderful,” said Tex Carter, president of the nonprofit WK Preservation Group. “We wanted to save this piece of property and make it part of the Mariner’s Point Management Area and preserve a pretty good-sized chunk of natural Florida.”

    Carter said it started with a dozen people trying to raise $3 million in six months. Back in 2020, Pinellas County Schools was considering selling the land to a developer for $3.3 million. 

    “The school board was almost ready to do a contract with the developer to turn this into 76 condos and bulldoze all the trees and all the wildlife that’s here,” Carter said.

    When residents spoke out against the move, he said the district offered them the chance to buy it for $3 million. According to Carter, the steps they took to become a nonprofit prompted an extension of the original six-month deadline. Eventually, Pinellas County offered to share the cost. The preserve borders the county’s 76-acre Mariner’s Point Management Area.

    “This is one active ecosystem integrated with different kinds of habitat for different kinds of plants and animals,” Carter said of the two properties. “If you took this out and turned it into condos, it would destroy the ecosystem all the way down to the ocean.”

    Pinellas County announced Thursday it had finalized the purchase of the West Klosterman Preserve, following five years of effort from a citizens group to save the 14 acres from development. (Spectrum News/Sarah Blazonis)

    He told Spectrum News the nonprofit collected more than 2,000 donations ranging from $10 to $350,000. 

    “That brought us together, the county and us together, to do more than we would have been able to do as individuals, and that’s a good thing,” said Carter. “It’s really great for people when people realize they can make a difference with government, and it’s always great when government responds to its people.”

    According to the county, the West Klosterman Preserve is specifically meant for habitat preservation and will remain a non-public zone. Carter said as part of the nonprofit’s agreement with the county, there is a chance it could eventually include walking trails. That would only happen if it can be shown there would be no impact on the environment.

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    Sarah Blazonis

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  • Cross Bay Ferry’s year-round service to end early

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The initial campaign of year-round service from the Cross Bay Ferry is ending early.

    According to the City of St. Petersburg, information posted on its social accounts indicate the ferry service will end April 30. 

    The ferry service, which previously ran from October to July, was in its initial campaign to operate year-round and was scheduled to operate until Sep. 30. The ferry’s current operating agreement is in its fourth and last year.

    What You Need To Know

    • The initial campaign of year-round service from the Cross Bay Ferry is ending early

    • Service set to end on April 30 

    • City officials said the operator of the ferry service, HMS, defaulted on their agreement with Hillsborough County and will not be able to provide an equivalent replacement vessel
    • Cross Bay Ferry

    City officials said the operator of the ferry service, HMS, defaulted on their agreement with Hillsborough County and will not be able to provide an equivalent replacement vessel moving forward.

    According to St. Pete’s Transportation Director Evan Mory, the reason the service is ending five months early is because operators wanted to swap out the ferry for a slower boat that would’ve taken twice as long to cross the bay.

    In that memo, Mory states Hillsborough County notified the Cross Bay Ferry operators, HMS Ferries, that its plan to use the slower boat violated their agreement.

    HMS missed a deadline last week to remedy the situation.

    Now, Hillsborough commissioners, who will discuss the issue on April 16, are expected to recommend terminating the agreement.

    St. Pete officials said they are working with the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and government partners to issue a request for proposals and explore options to provide a new ferry service.

    The Cross Bay Ferry is operated regionally between Hillsborough County, the Florida Department of Transportation, the City of Tampa, the City of St. Petersburg, and Pinellas County.


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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Polk County mother works to prevent proposed cuts to healthcare programs

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    DAVENPORT, Fla. — Concerns are growing as federal healthcare programs, such as Medicaid, face potential cuts.

    The House passed a budget resolution that would cut $880 billion from these programs over the next decade.

    While President Donald Trump says the bill will not affect Medicaid benefits, experts argue that the budget plan cannot be executed without impacting the program.

    What You Need To Know

    • The House has passed a budget resolution that would cut $880 billion from federal healthcare programs, such as Medicaid, over the next decade

    • Davenport resident Barbara Harris says Medicaid helped her family access healthcare 

    • Both Harris and experts, like Scott Darius, encourage the public to advocate against these cuts by engaging with lawmakers 


    Davenport mother Barbara Harris is doing her part to prevent the proposed cuts to protect the wellbeing of her family and others. 

    “Every single solitary day. Every day in some way I take an action to save this country for them,” she said.

    Harris says that includes engaging elected officials who are looking to make changes that could impact Medicaid. As a single mother in the 70s, she says the program was the only way she could get healthcare for her daughter, Tabitha. Over the years, Tabitha has also relied on Medicaid assistance for her own three children.

    “It allowed my grandkids to grow up healthy,” she said. “The ability to get medicine that they would have never been able to afford otherwise. It gave them the ability to not worry about their health because every person should have healthcare.”

    According to data from the Florida Department of Health, roughly 202,230 people in Polk County rely on Medicaid — about 25.5% of the population.

    If the budget plan passed by the House goes through, Scott Darius, executive director of Florida Voices for Health, says even the smallest cut could be detrimental.

    “Even like a one percent decrease in the amount of funding that the state’s receiving from the federal government, you’re losing billions of dollars in that exchange,” he said.

    Darius said that also applies to making cuts in the name of protecting the program from fraud. However, a press release from the White House said the Trump administration will not cut Medicaid benefits and, “What kind of person doesn’t support eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending that ultimately costs taxpayers more?”

    “To the waste, fraud, and abuse argument, I say that’s a worthy cause if that’s what you’re actually doing, and there are ways to maybe surgically approach that. But to do arbitrary cuts, to not think critically about how the program works and who it’s serving, is not those things,” Darius said.

    While Darius tries to shed light on the potential impact, he encourages the public to reach out to lawmakers. As for Harris, she’s already sent out several letters.

    “You have to bother these people because if you don’t bother them, it won’t change,” she said. “You have to continue to affect them. You have to continue to try to change the story.”

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    Alexis Jones

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  • Public weighs in on HUD hurricane recovery funds

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Monday marked the first chance for Pinellas County residents to let leaders know how they want to see more than $800 million in federal hurricane recovery funds spent. 

    “I think businesses should be at the top of the list because there’s so many businesses that are completely gone, people’s life savings,” said Pass-a-Grille resident Roger Kazanowski. “I was a small business man, and to see that happen to people is just horrendous.”

    “Certainly to help everyone get back into their homes and their businesses back operating,” said Gulfport City council member Marlene Shaw.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Pinellas County held its first meeting to get public input on how $813 million in hurricane recovery funds should be spent

    •  The money is meant to help with unmet needs following Hurricanes Idalia, Helene, and Milton

    •  According to the county, housing is the biggest need, followed by the economy

    • Read previous coverage here


    Kazanowski and Shaw were among the more than 50 people who gathered at the Lealman Exchange for a public meeting on the funds — $813 million from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.

    The money is meant to help people impacted by Hurricanes Idalia, Helene, and Milton, with 70% meant to help households and areas considered low-to-moderate income. Pinellas Board of County Commissioners Chair Brian Scott said the goal is to fulfill unmet needs. 

    “What happened six months ago with these back-to-back hurricanes never happened in Pinellas County. So, these listening sessions are really intended to explore what those needs are,” Scott said.

    A presentation given during the meeting showed that data pointed to housing being the biggest need by far, followed by the economy, infrastructure, and public services.

    Draft proposals of programs that can be funded with the money include $500 million for home rehabilitation and reconstruction, as well as $57 million for rental rehab and reconstruction for local landlords and $32 million for disaster relief payments to cover reimbursements for expenses like rent and utilities.

    Other programs would budget $32 million to help small businesses and nonprofits and $105 million for infrastructure mitigation projects. Scott said the first programs will likely roll out this fall, and he’s asking for residents’ patience.

    “We’re going to be at this for probably a number of years. If you think about even just the ARPA money we got, which was $189 million due to COVID a few years back, it took us years to work through those funds,” he said.

    The estimated budgets for the proposed programs could change based on input the county gets from the public.

    Seventy percent of the funds are meant to help households and areas that are considered low-to-moderate income, and income requirements will likely be part of some of the programs. More details are expected to be included in a draft action plan the county expects to release in coming weeks. 

    Three more community meetings are planned. The next one is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, at Dunedin City Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. Residents can also fill out an online survey. 

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    Sarah Blazonis

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  • Municipal elections Tuesday in Pasco County, Plant City

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    NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. – Residents in Pasco County, as well as Plant City in Hillsborough County, will vote in municipal elections Tuesday.  

    In Pasco County, there are two elections: a four-person race for city council in New Port Richey, as well as a three-person race for a city council seat in Port Richey.

    Three charter amendments also are on the ballot.


    Peter Altman, Lisa Cantwell, Brian M. Jones and Tom O’Neill are in the New Port Richey race.

    Lisa Burke, Chris Maher and Linda Rodriguez will vie for the Port Richey seat.

    Meanwhile, in Plant City, Camryn Henry and Jason Jones will face off for the Group 2 city commission seat.

    For this election, all eligible voters who want to vote in person on Election Day will vote at Plant City City Hall (302 W Reynolds St, Plant City, FL 33563).

    Please note: Vote By Mail ballots cannot be turned in at City Hall on Election Day. On Election Day, Vote By Mail ballots must be dropped off at one of the five Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections Offices no later than 7 p.m. to be counted.

    POLLING PLACE CHANGE OF LOCATION

    The Pasco Supervisor of Elections office has announced the following temporary change in polling locations is in effect only for the April 8 municipal election.

    New Port Richey voters in precinct 50 will vote with Precinct 25 at the New Port Richey Recreation Center at 6630 Van Buren Street, New Port Richey.

    The City of Port Richey will vote at their regularly assigned polling place.

    The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for qualified voters. Voters are statutorily required to present photo and signature identification when voting or vote a provisional ballot.     

    Voters who reside within precinct 50 were notified by mail at the address on file with the elections’ office.  If your voter registration record is not up-to-date, you may not have received this notification. Address changes within the county can be submitted to the elections’ office by telephone 1-800-851-8754 or online at PascoVotes.gov.     

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • St. Pete city council votes to approve funding for new Tropicana Field roof

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Petersburg City Council has approved funding to fix the hurricane-damaged roof at Tropicana Field.

    The council voted 7-1 to approve $22.5 million in funding to repair the stadium’s torn-off roof. Councilman Richie Floyd was the lone no vote.

    The city was contractually obligated to make repairs to the facility.

    The council will still have to vote on additional repairs to walls, panels, tiles and electronics inside the stadium.

    What You Need To Know

    • City council approves funding for Tropicana Field roof fix 
    • Tropicana Field roof replacement will cost $22.5 million

    • Crews continue to clean water following rainstorms inside of Tropicana Field

    • Thursday’s vote expected to be first of several regarding repair funding 

    • INSIDE LOOK: Spectrum Bay News 9 inside the damaged ballpark


    Officials said repair work on the roof is expected to begin in June.

    Floyd had questions as to what the legal ramifications would be if the city didn’t replace the roof, but ultimately, they are under contract with the Rays to get the Trop back up and running.

    “The administration stated that it just wasn’t financially responsible for us to come to a settlement with the Rays but they never showed us the numbers that that they had talked about that led them to that decision,” Floyd said. “I didn’t feel it was my responsibility to just say ‘oh I just trust you.’

    “I need to see the numbers for myself to be able to come to that conclusion as well and they may very well be right and if that is the case I’d be happy to go along with them.”

    City officials did express concerns about a timetable and additional costs on repair work. The new roof materials are fabricated in Germany and assembled in China, bringing up tariff concerns.

    However, the council said contractors said they can complete the work in time for the Rays to play their 2026 season back at the Trop.  

    VENDERS EXPRESS OPTIMISM FOR RAYS FIX

    St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch confirmed shortly after the roof was ripped off the ballpark during Hurricane Milton that the city was contractually obligated to fix it. Thursday’s vote is set to be the first in a handful of funding votes where the city is asking council members to formally approve the fixes needed for the Rays to return to the Trop.

    While the Rays backed out of the new ballpark plans, co-owner Stu Sternberg stated last month that the Rays intend to return to Tropicana Field for Opening Day of 2026.

    Tanner Loebel, co-owner of Pacific Counter in downtown St. Pete, is also hoping to return to the Trop next spring.

    He and two partners opened the fresh sushi and poke bowl restaurant’s first location in 2018 and soon after had the opportunity to open up a shop inside the ballpark concourse.

    “We had a steady staff that worked there, some of them who had worked there all six years,” he said.

    Loebel said their tenure at Tropicana Field started in 2019 with their initial food stand in the First Base Food Hall. Soon after, they were offered the prime spot on the Center Field Porch.

     


    That location proved unlucky during Hurricane Milton, as Loebel said during a tour he received of the damage he learned his shop was one of the hardest hit spots in the entire ballpark.

     

    “Unfortunately we have to replace all of our equipment and all of our signage because it’s all gone,” he said.

    Loebel said he tried to get Pacific Counter into Steinbrenner Field for this season, but there are fewer spots for vendors and the logistics on a one-year deal didn’t pan out. He says he just signed a five-year contract last year that would take them through the Trop’s last season, and that contract was extended for an additional year to coincide with the Rays’ lease.

    One of the best parts of their Tropicana Field shop, he says, is the exposure they get that drives customers to their Central Avenue location during the off season.

    Loebel’s hope is the roof can get repaired and they can take their spot in center field once again while the Rays return home to the Trop for Opening Day 2026.

    “Obviously we hold out hope for a brand new St. Pete stadium one day… but we’ll take it one thing at a time right now,” he said.

    Thursday’s vote is expected to be the first in a series of votes related to repair funding for Tropicana Field.

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    Angie Angers, Fallon Silcox

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  • Morris Bridge Road now getting the attention of Tampa City Council

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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.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera will ask the city on Thursday to collaborate with Hillsborough and Pasco counties on improvements to Morris Bridge Road

    • Later this year, a $2 million safety improvement project will happen on Morris Bridge Road

    • Residents have complained for years about traffic backups and a high number of accidents on the rural road that sees thousands of cars each day

    • A widening project for Morris Bridge Road is not currently being proposed


    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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  • A look inside Tropicana Field as council gets ready to vote on repairs

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    TAMPA, Fla. — As the Rays settle into their temporary Tampa home, the baseball diamond in St. Pete is only an outline.

    What You Need To Know

    •  St. Petersburg City Council will meet Thursday to discuss replace roof of Trop.

    •  Tropicana Field roof replacement will cost $22.5 million

    •  City leaders said environmental experts have tested and there are no “mold issues” inside the Trop.

    • City leaders said all of the major issues at the Trop have been identified.


    What was once turf is now concrete.

    Piping on the ground helps to drain the water when it rains. When you look up, all you see is metal and sky.

    (Spectrum News/Eddie Jackson)

    City of St. Petersburg City Architect Raul Quintana said, for $22.5 million, the roof can be replaced using tensile fabric. It’s the same sort of material that was ripped off of the Trop.

    “It’s the same material, but it’s designed to today’s codes,” said Quintana. “So it’s a much stronger material. It’s thicker than what it was. So it’s designed to the wind loads today that far exceed the wind loads we had in 1995.”

    Quintana said Major League Baseball had certain concerns they wanted addressed: the lighting, the acoustics and the ability to track a baseball. Quintana said they’ve checked all the boxes with their proposal.

    But the material would be made and assembled overseas.

    “The material is fabricated in Germany, then it’s shipped to China where it is assembled and those bundles are going to be sent in groups to the city,” Quintana said.

    With President Trump’s talk of tariffs, Quintana said the price could go up, but they believe the funding proposal would cover that possibility.

    If approved by the city council, the work would get underway during the 2025 hurricane season. The council is meeting Thursday to vote on funding the repairs.

    “We’re going to be putting this back in the heaviest storm period of the year, between August and November, so what we’ve done is try to protect the area behind the seating from the eventuality of rain still happening through the summer,” said Quintana.

    (Spectrum News/Eddie Jackson)

    (Spectrum News/Eddie Jackson)

    City of St. Petersburg City Development Administration Managing Director Beth Herendeen said there are no mold issues in the building.

    “We have had environmental people come out multiple times,” Herendeen said. “They do testing, air testing, so no mold issue.”

    But she said there are still areas with water intrusion, and they have removed drywall, carpeting and ceiling tiles.

    All of which will need to be replaced, and means even more money to request.

    “Every little piece of the puzzle is being looked at very carefully,” Herendeen said.

    It’s an enormous undertaking during the Rays 2025 baseball season.

    The roof repairs are one of several packages that Mayor Ken Welch’s administration will request from the city council. They will also need funding for metal panels, sports lighting, audio/visual and architectural work.

    And while city leaders acknowledge there are no guarantees, they believe it’s doable to get fans back in the seats at the Trop by next spring.

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    Dalia Dangerfield

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  • City officials giving look inside Tropicana Field on Wednesday

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — City officials are giving media members a first look inside of Tropicana Field on Wednesday.

    Officials are set to give an update on repairs to the Trop ahead of Thursday’s city council vote on stadium repairs.

    What You Need To Know

    • Officials are set to give an update on repairs to the Trop ahead of Thursday’s city council vote on stadium repairs

    • Includes a look inside the Trop for media members 

    • Repairs to fix Tropicana Field are expected to cost the city just over $22 million

    To date, the repairs to fix Tropicana Field are expected to cost the city just over $22 million.

    The stadium’s roof was heavily damaged during Hurricane Milton.

    The Rays still plan on playing at their St. Pete home in 2026 after this season playing home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

    The city of St. Pete is contractually obligated to fix the Trop, with the agreement between the city and team calling for St. Pete to “diligently pursue” repairs to make the dome suitable for home games again.

    Thursday’s vote is on funding those repairs.

    The vote was originally scheduled for last week but pushed to April 3.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • It’s Election Day across Polk County municipalities

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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         

     Lake Hamilton | Lake Wales | Mulberry

    View current turnout information.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Lawmaker to ask for reimbursement as Rays stadium deal expires

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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.


     

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Money being raised to research Wesley Chapel incorporation

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    WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — It’s a question being raised by some Pasco County businesses: should Wesley Chapel become a city?

    The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce is raising money to research the pros and cons.

    What You Need To Know

    • Wesley Chapel is the focus of a potential research study being performed by the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce

    • Wesley Chapel is an unincorporated census designated place or CDP, making it part of Pasco County and Pasco County government

    • The study is a way to see if Wesley Chapel becoming a city makes financial sense

    • The hope is to have the first study funded in the next 2 to 3 months, with another few months to complete it


    “The timing is right,” said Hope Kennedy, President & CEO of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. “The business community came to the chamber and said, ‘Hey, we want to look into incorporation of Wesley Chapel.’ Not for right now, but for the future.”

    Wesley Chapel, as Kennedy explains, is an unincorporated census-designated place, or CDP, and is governed by the Pasco County government.

    “The business community has come to us because, at a certain point, the growth is outpacing the infrastructure and the different services within our community,” said Kennedy. “The business community sees it as an opportunity to keep the tax dollars here in this area.”

    She says the study is a way to see if Wesley Chapel becoming a city makes financial sense.

    It’s not the first time this has been discussed, with talk going back more than 10 years.

    “Back then, it was being driven by the residents, ironically,” Kennedy said. “The business community wasn’t as engaged in that process. Now the business community is engaged in the process and so we want to make sure that, again, it’s data driven and it’s done right.”

    There will be two separate studies, an economic impact study and a feasibility study. It will show what a municipality would look like and what sort of structure the city would have.

    One potential outcome, Kennedy says, could involve taxes.

    “There might be a redistribution of those taxes,” she said. “Again, we won’t know those dollar amounts or what that looks like. What we’re hoping to get out of this study is here’s what you get now for your taxes at this amount and here’s what you’re going to get for your taxes at this amount.”

    She says the goal is for the study is to show the impact becoming a city may have on local residents.

    “It’ll be a very good look at what Wesley Chapel is and what Wesley Chapel can be,” she said.

    Kennedy says they hope to have the first study funded in the next 2 to 3 months. It’ll then take another few months to complete it.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • St. Pete vote to fix Tropicana field delayed once again

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A vote that would formally green light repairs to hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field has been delayed until next month.

    City Council member Corey Givens Jr said an email bumping the vote came from the city administrator Friday as council members were preparing to return from spring break.

    Givens said he felt blindsided and there was no reason listed for the delay, but fears pushing the vote even further could complicate plans or make the project more expensive.

    What You Need To Know

    • City is contractually obligated to fix Tropicana Field 

    • Rays stated they plan to play at Tropicana Field starting opening day 2026

    •  St. Pete now has less than one year to complete repairs 

    • MORE: Latest updates regarding stadium plans


    “Kicking the can down the road is going to make matters even worse,” he said. “I’m looking forward to finding this out myself, why this has been delayed. I’m certainly open to transparency and communication, which is something we haven’t been getting.”

    To date, the repairs to fix Tropicana Field are expected to cost the city just over $22 million.

    The vote regarding ballpark repairs is now slated to take place in early April.

    This delay puts the vote after the March 31 deadline when the Rays would have had to formally move forward with the deal. While owner Stu Sternberg announced on March 13 that the Rays do not plan to move forward, the contract formally expires at the end of the month.

    Due to spring break, Thursday also marks the first time city council members are meeting since the Rays announced they would not be moving forward with the new stadium plans. While there’s no formal agenda item regarding the failed deal, a topic regarding property insurance for Tropicana Field is listed on the agenda.

    St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch says he plans to move forward with redeveloping parts of the Historic Gas Plant District while also leaving a window open for negotiations only if there is a new ownership group.

    “We’re not going to hold up the development of that land for another 20 years or 15 years, because of the latest speculative offer that was made out there,” he said.

    Welch says city council members now have a lot to talk about.

    He went on to say that he has not seen any documentation from the Rays regarding their claim that a series of delays at the city and county level made the new ballpark project more expensive.

    “No, I don’t buy it,” he said. “I have asked several times. They show me what the cost overrun is, so that proof has never been provided… if you really want help to address that gap, then you show your partners what that gap is.”

    In a statement, Sternberg said he anticipates the Rays will be playing at Tropicana Field again starting Opening Day 2026.

    That leaves less than a year for repairs to be completed.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Mayor Welch’s new City Hall on Tour to focus on storm recovery

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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. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Mayor Ken Welch is restarting his City Hall on Tour speaking engagements

    • Residents are invited to provide input on how the funds should be used to address housing, infrastructure, and economic recovery needs
    • Wednesday night’s stop will be at The Coliseum, 535 4th Ave. North, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

    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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  • Construction dust woes: Manatee County leaders to talk solutions

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    PARRISH, Fla. — Some Manatee County residents are asking local leaders to do more when it comes to clearing dust and dirt from the air.

    These people live near construction sites and say the projects are impacting the air quality.

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County residents are raising concerns over air quality issues caused by nearby construction sites

    • Complaints include adverse effects on health and well-being, particularly citing dust and dirt in the air

    • Leaders are seeking long-term solutions to ensure compliance with dust regulations, and will discuss the issue on Tuesday

    Residents say there needs to be more help to prevent this from happening in the future, including Jodi Tluczek, who finds peace when she’s around her two miniature horses, “Mini Mouse” and “Baby Yoda,” that live at her home in Parrish.

    “I got them right after my dad passed away, and they have just been such a calming force for me,” she said. “(I’m) really just trying to give them the best home.”

    It’s that love that has given Tluczek strength over the past two years, but it hasn’t been easy.

    “When we get the sandstorms, redness and itching, and I know it’s not good on their respiratory system,” she said.

    That “sandstorm” she’s referring to isn’t actually a sandstorm, but a mix of what she describes as dirt and dust in the air. It’s not only affecting her family but also her animals.

    She says the issue started a year ago, but became more of a problem this month, saying it comes from the development across the street 

    “When the wind picks up, it’s a lot worse. There are times that it’s hard to breathe. I’m out here working with the mask on. It’s just been hard. It’s really hard because everything is covered with a layer of dirt,” Tluczek said.

    It got so bad that the county even had to step in last week when leaders put a pause on all work to help with dust mitigation for three days.

    “While achieving zero dust leaving a construction site is not possible, especially in the conditions we observed, the amount of dust control provided was unacceptable in several examples,” said a Manatee County spokesperson. “Manatee County worked with contractors to effectively control dust before any other work was allowed to commence on their sites. Staff will be making a presentation to the BOCC (Tuesday) to investigate additional ways to ensure compliance with dust regulations.”

    Some of those residents complaining about dust in Manatee County live by developments that are being constructed by Lennar and D.R. Horton’s construction companies.

    On March 24, Spectrum News received a statement from D.R. Horton:

    “There are multiple homebuilders and land developers constructing new home developments in Parrish near the Foxbrook community. Lots in the Rye Ranch community are being developed by a third-party developer and sold to D.R. Horton for home construction. D.R. Horton and our third-party developers establish stormwater pollution prevention plans and follow the recommendations and best practices established by the EPA on dust control when developing land and constructing homes.”

    Lennar has not sent a statement on the issue.

    Tluczek says the dust is so bad, she may soon have to make a tough decision when it comes to her miniature horses.

    “I thought about re-homing them because… how long is this going to continue? How long will they have to deal with the dust and the soot and all of it?” she said.

    Tluczek is hoping local leaders can come up with a long-term solution for not only herself and her animals but her neighbors as well.

    According to county officials, there will be a presentation at Tuesday’s commission meeting to investigate additional ways to ensure compliance with dust regulations.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Lake Bonny residents call for investigation into flooding after Milton

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — As the city of Lakeland takes steps to reduce the risk of flooding near Lake Bonny, residents nearby are calling for more transparency.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lakeland has signed a 90-day agreement with Southwest Florida Water Management District to begin pumping water from Lake Bonny sooner, at a lower threshold, to mitigate flooding risks
    • Longtime residents are questioning the effectiveness of flood management and have petitioned for an independent investigation into the city’s flood response and drainage systems
    • While the city has hired AECOM for a watershed study, residents are demanding a third-party investigation to ensure transparency and accountability regarding the drainage issues contributing to the flooding


    On Monday, the city announced a 90-day emergency agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). Rather than waiting until the lake reaches a 10-year flood stage to pump water out, officials can now use the emergency pump much sooner. The new approved permit allows pumping to commence when Lake Bonny reaches 129.60 NAVD.

    Following Hurricane Milton in October of last year, city leaders say they teamed up with Polk County officials to inspect Lake Bonny’s drainage system. Their findings show that the system is fully intact and free of debris or obstructions.

    City officials also say engineering consultant AECOM has been conducting a watershed study since January. However, longtime resident Jan Morsey and her neighbors created a change.org petition to demand an independent investigation into the lake’s flooding.

    Morsey checks daily on one of the main canals that drain water from Lake Bonny to Lake Parker near her home on Lake Bonny Drive East. She says there hasn’t been much progress since Milton.

    “You can see that there’s no actual water flowing through here at all. It’s all just stagnant,” Morsey said. “This has not improved. If anything, it’s only gone downhill because we have more debris that has collected since Milton, and with just the recent rainfall we’ve had — we’ve had a few days that we’ve had some rainfalls — this hasn’t improved.”

    Morsey believes the blocked canal is a large part of the reason why the street she’s lived on since her childhood was flooded in October.

    “We have water levels that FEMA and that we have measured, numerous people have documented of 18 inches. So, we’ve had 18 inches around and inside our home for well over three weeks after Hurricane Milton.”

    The water damaged all of the walls in her home and most of her belongings. So far, Morsey says she’s spent nearly $80,000 on repairs. Despite the out-of-pocket costs, she and her neighbors stress that they aren’t looking for money. Instead, they created the petition simply to get answers.

    “What we want is a light to be shined on what was broken. Accountability for the process that wasn’t in place or, if they were in place, did not work during this disaster,” she said.

    According to city officials, AECOM’s watershed study will review Lake Bonny’s drainage basin and evaluate potential flood relief options. However, community members say they want an investigation by a third-party company not chosen or paid by the city.

    “Having that independent entity takes away the possibility of anyone influencing the outcome in a way that they may not intentionally do,” she said.

    Morsey says an independent investigation will not only help restore trust within the city, but it will provide a clear path moving forward.

    “That’s what we want to see — what happened, and then fix it and make it better,” she said.

    Morsey suggests that the county, state, or another agency select and fund the next third-party company. This way, the city won’t have to be involved.

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    Alexis Jones

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  • DEP wants public to weigh in on Mosaic exploratory well

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    PLANT CITY, Fla. — Leaders at the former Mosaic fertilizer facility in Plant City want the state to let them drill a well to possibly dispose of wastewater.

    According to information provided by the company, there’s less likely to be spills if it’s underground, but some residents say they’re worried about what doing that would mean for their water supply. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The Florida Department of Environmental Protection held an open house Tuesday for the public to weigh in on Mosaic’s application to drill an exploratory well at its Plant City site

    • A geologist who consults with Mosaic said it could eventually be used to dispose of wastewater from crop nutrients production at the plant

    • First, it must be determined if the rock layers where the well would be drilled are suitable for this purpose

    • Attendees were concerned about what the well would mean for water quality 
    • The DEP is accepting public comment until 11:59 p.m. Friday. Comments can be e-mailed to app@floridadep.gov


    The Florida Department of Environmental Protection held an open house Tuesday evening where people could speak with subject matter experts about the plan. Lakeland resident Magdalene attended dressed as the Green Arrow, holding a sign that read, “Mosaic you have failed this city.”

    “I went to high school in Bartow,” she said. “It was always well known that, because of the history of mining in that area, we could not drink the water that came out of the taps in our high school.”

    It’s because of that experience that she said she wanted to voice her opposition to the exploratory well.

    “I know this does not mean that they’re going to immediately put wastewater in, but why do they need to even do the exploration? Why don’t you spend that money on purifying the water?” said Magdalene.

     


    David Brown is a geologist who consults with Mosaic. He said the water that could one day be injected into the well was once used by the plant to make crop nutrients. Brown told Spectrum News that water will be treated and has to be non-hazardous. One of the goals is resiliency. Information provided by Mosaic from the H2O Coalition says getting rid of wastewater deep underground can prevent spills during hurricanes or other events that can damage wastewater facilities.

    “If you have a house that only has one door, you can only come and go out of one door, but you’ve got two doors, now, you’ve got two options. So, it gives them another option for disposal of water other than just surface water,” Brown said.

    He said while drilling, the team will look at the thickness and other properties of rock called “confining layers” to make sure they’ll prevent water from seeping through. Casings are set into the well until the disposal zone, which can go from 3,700 ft. to 8,000 ft. deep.

    Like Magdalene, others said they were concerned with water quality.

    Monica Balicki was one of the members of the group Florida Right to Clean and Healthy Waters Initiative who worked outside the event to get people to sign a petition. The group is working to get a clean water amendment on next year’s ballot. She said she’s worried about potential health impacts if wastewater is eventually injected into the well.

    “In our opinion, they have a lot of work to do before they can start on an exploratory well,” Balicki said.

    Brown said there would be no chance of contamination.

    “We will be thousands of feet below the level that their wells are at,” he said. “If there was any potential that that would occur, the permit would not be authorized to go to the next phase.

    “At DEP, we’re committed to enforcing Florida’s environmental rules and laws. We certainly would not issue any permit that does not align with that,” said Alexandra Kuchta, communications director for the DEP.

    Kuchta said public comment will be taken into account when deciding whether or not to approve Mosaic’s permit application. If the company does want to move forward with injecting wastewater into the well, that would require another permit application process, complete with public input.

    The DEP is accepting public comment until 11:59 p.m. Friday. Comments can be e-mailed to app@floridadep.gov.

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    Sarah Blazonis

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  • Manatee County schools consider boundary changes

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    BRADENTON, Fla. — The final public meeting about school boundary changes in Manatee County is scheduled for Wednesday night at Southeast High School.

    The school district has held a series of public meetings addressing overcrowded schools due to explosive growth in the past few years.

    According to the district, the student population in Manatee tops 56,000 students with an increase of 5,000 students since 2020.

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County school district currently has 16 schools at or over capacity 

    • Student enrollment has increased by 5,000 students since 2022

    • Boundary changes would impact some students more than others

    • Any changes made to the school boundaries map wouldn’t go into effect until the 2026-27 school year 
    • Manatee County Schools


    School Board District 5’s Richard Tatem said due to rapid growth and three to four new schools opening in the coming five years, a total school boundary redraw is needed.

    “The neighborhoods are being built,” Tatum said. “The county commissioners have approved the plans and the houses are going up, and so we want to have the schools in place so they are ready to go when the students show up. 

    “We don’t want to have overcrowded schools with a bunch of portables trailers out back. That’s not optimal for the kids for their learning environment, so we are trying to get ahead of the game.”

    It has been years since Manatee County did a total redraw of its school boundary map.

    Like in neighboring counties, the redraw will impact some students more than others.

    Currently, 14 schools in Manatee County are at or over capacity.

    Some of the biggest boundary map changes could impact students at Harvey Elementary School, Sugg Middle School and Parrish Community High School.

    Wednesday’s public meeting runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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    Jason Lanning

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  • Municipal election results from Manatee, Pinellas counties

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Two Pinellas County cities picked two new mayors, and one kept the one they’ve got.

    Treasure Island voters elected John Doctor mayor over Doyle Lawson. Doctor has actually been serving as interim mayor since October. The previous mayor resigned and moved off the island after the hurricanes. In Gulfport, voters elected Karen Love mayor. She earned more than 55% of the vote, beating out two other candidates.

    The City of Oldsmar had a close race for mayor, but Katie Gannon will become mayor there. She ousted the incumbent mayor, Dan Saraki by just 150 votes.

    There were also races for many city commission seats, as well as dozens of referendums around our area. You can find all the election results on baynews9.com.

     

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    Spectrum News Staff

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