Tag: Nick Popham

Former Red Box employee has thousands of DVDs after company files for bankruptcy
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LAKELAND, Fla. — One of the largest DVD rental chains in the country, Red Box, has ceased operations after its parent company filed for bankruptcy.
What You Need To Know

Red Box’s parent company filed for bankruptcy in July, initially filing for chapter 11 and then chapter 7 after claims of alleged mismanagement

One former employee who lives in Lakeland says he’s still owed about $1,000 for fuel costs but hasn’t been repaid

That employee delivered Red Box DVDs from Winter Haven to St. Petersburg to different kiosks

Nick Bergmann now has thousands of DVDs sitting in his apartment, with no place to deliver them
It’s left many now former employees with no direction on what will happen next, including one previous worker living in Polk County.

Nick Bergmann of Lakeland has been working for years to save enough money to buy a home.

With a competitive real estate market and interest rates higher than usual, Bergmann decided to get a secondary job at Red Box. He’s part of a growing trend — a recent BankRate survey showed 36% of U.S. adults earn extra money through a side hustle.

Things were fine when he started in 2022, but now Bergmann has thousands of Red Box DVDs sitting in his hallway.

Red Box’s parent company, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy at the end of June, switching it to a chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in July following claims of alleged mismanagement.

As a result, Bergmann said he’s one of hundreds of employees across the country with money still owed to them, which is partially why he now has a hallway full of DVDs with no spot to deliver them.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with them,” he said. “I guess I have a lifetime’s worth of media to entertain myself with.”

That could be fun, but Bergmann doesn’t even have a DVD player.

“Essentially,” he said, “they are assets of the company, but the company doesn’t exist anymore. So, I guess we’re waiting. We’re just waiting. And I don’t know what we’re waiting for. I don’t know who’s going to tell me what, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Bergmann said he’s still owed about $1,000 for fuel used to deliver DVDs to the dozens of kiosks from Winter Haven to St. Pete.

He posted a video on YouTube to voice his frustrations and the complaints of many other co-workers.

His video, as of this writing, has amassed more than 300,000 views.

“Our rent’s going up,” Bergmann said. “Things aren’t getting cheaper, so we have to work a little harder, and we work every single day.”

Until he figures out what is going to happen to the 2,300 DVDs in his hallway, he will keep representing the Swan City of Lakeland through his ceramics company, Swan City Ceramics, hoping for some direction on what to do with pieces of media from a now-defunct company.
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Nick Popham

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August 13, 2024
Team Coverage: High tide in Dunedin’s St. Joseph Sound, heavy rain in Big Bend

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DUNEDIN, Fla. — High tide at St. Joseph’s Sound produced 2-3 feet of extra water after Debby moved through, but it didn’t have quite the effect from a year ago when Hurricane Idalia crashed into the area.

There were small waves over the seawall Monday as boats bobbed in the water, but many boaters had spent the weekend preparing for Debby’s onslaught.

When Idalia hit last year, the storm sent water over the seawall and into the parking lots of local businesses.

Elsewhere in Dunedin, a downed tree was reported on Glenn Hollow Drive as Debby roared through.

Meanwhile, in the Big Bend area of Florida, the rural fishing village of Steinhatchee saw heavy rain and strong wind gusts. Drivers were spotted trying to drive though flooded roads Monday morning.

That area was also hit hard by Idalia a year ago.

Across the Bay area, residents started their work week with with flooded and closed roads, power outages and debris as Debby left is mark.

Use the video player above for Team Coverage.

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Cait McVey

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August 5, 2024
Pinellas County commissioners agree, by 5-2 vote, to help fund new Rays stadium
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PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — After years of discourse, studies and votes, the Tampa Bay Rays will have funding for a new baseball stadium from Pinellas County.

This comes after the Pinellas County commissioners on Tuesday approved their portion of the funding that will go toward building a new ballpark in the Gas Plant District.
What You Need To Know

Pinellas County commissioners approved its share of the funding for a new 30,000-seat stadium to host the Tampa Bay Rays

The deal will guarantee the team stays put for at least 30 years.

The $1.3 billion ballpark is part of a broader $6.5 billion redevelopment project that supporters say would transform an 86-acre tract in the city’s downtown
The vote was 5-2 in favor of the deal that has sparked conversations and debate for months among economic leaders and residents in Pinellas County, with many of them coming to Tuesday afternoon’s meeting to discuss their stance on the project.

Commissioners Kathleen Peters, Brian Scott, Janet Long, Rene Flowers and Charlie Justice voted in favor of the deal. Dave Eggers and Chris Latvala voted against.

Public comment went on for over an hour, with a stark divide between people speaking to the commission.

With the approval, the county will contribute roughly $313 million through a bed tax, or tourist tax, to the $1.3 billion project. This follows the City of St. Petersburg’s support as well, after they approved their portion of the project earlier in July.

“You wanna pinch me?” St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch asked, laughing.

“Feels great. We’ve been working on this for a very long time,” said Tampa Bay Rays Co-President Brian Auld.

Commissioners who voted in favor of the contribution said it was an opportunity the county couldn’t pass up.

“I think this is a great day,” said Peters, the board’s chair.

“We’re talking about 30 years of true economic impact in a community that has not necessarily received all of the benefits of some of the growth and development that has occurred around the community,” said Flowers.

“The Rays are part of the fabric of not only St. Pete, Pinellas County, but also the Tampa Bay region,” said Scott.

A frequent criticism St. Petersburg City Council members heard in the lead-up to their votes on funding the project — the city’s share is $417.5 million — was that public money could be better spent on other issues important to residents, like affordable housing. Commissioners said that wasn’t a possibility in the case of the bed tax.

“That money is so restricted that we can only use it for tourism things, but the money generated from this development will generate unrestricted dollars that will allow us to use it for law enforcement, for roads, for bridges,” said Peters.

Not all members were as optimistic about the project.

“Our taxpayers deserved a better deal,” Latvala said.

He told Spectrum News while the board’s focus Tuesday was the bed tax; he has concerns about the overall project.

“I had a lot of concerns – not just with how much money that we would be spending, which, if we finance it over 30 years, that’s going to be over $600 million, but also the redevelopment part and what the Rays can do with all of that land and the fact that they’re getting it for a couple hundred million dollars less than it’s appraised for,” Latvala said.

According to the city of St. Petersburg, the redevelopment is expected to bring in $6 billion in investment and will be the largest development in Tampa Bay history. The plan also secures a new home for the Rays, whose lease at the Trop expires in 2007.

“We’ve been committed, and no one more so than Stuart Sternberg, I’ll add, to figuring out a way to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay for a very long time,” said Auld. “As a St. Petersburg resident myself, I’m thrilled that we’ve landed in St. Petersburg, and I’m thrilled that we’ve landed at the exact site where we began this entire journey.”

Construction is expected to begin next year.
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Nick Popham

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July 30, 2024
No free parking: Sunset Beach in Treasure Island starts charging
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TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — Parking along Sunset Beach in Treasure Island comes at a bit more of a cost.
What You Need To Know

Side street parking at Sunset Beach in Treasure Island will now cost $5 an hour

Visitors will have to use the ParkMobile app to pay for parking

Treasure Island parking

According to a news release from the city, the new rule “aims to encourage visitors to use city parking lots first and ensure public safety”
Starting Monday, the city announced that side street parking, which had been free, will now cost visitors $5 an hour.

The city says they’re doing this to encourage people to use their lots designed for the beach.

There’s a reason why locals in Pinellas County love coming to Sunset Beach. To Nichole Baker, it’s paradise.

“It’s just been a place that I’ve come my whole life, and it’s beautiful here, and it’s more laid back,” Baker, a Pinellas County resident, said. “There’s not bars and there are not a whole lot of tourists. So, it’s really just homey.”

Baker has been coming to Sunset Beach for decades. This place is home to her.

“I was born and raised here,” Baker said. “And you get to know everybody, and it becomes like a big family.”

So much so that she even works in the area.

But Monday morning, it’s a little different at Sunset Beach because now a sign warning visitors of parking on side streets now welcomes folks to West Gulf Boulevard.

According to the city of Treasure Island, they’re testing a program that requires folks to pay $5 an hour to park on the beach’s side streets.

Using the Park Mobile app, paying for parking on these streets is now enforced 24/7.

Officials say the rules exist for public safety, so first responders can access all the roads and so there is a lesser chance beach goers block residential driveways.

Residents with homes here can pay for two city parking passes for $45 a year.

But locals to Pinellas County, like Baker, who says she always would park on side streets Isn’t happy with the change.

“It’s already so difficult out here to live in Paradise,” Baker said. “We’re already paying so much. So, to try to go into our own backyard, to have a little bit of relaxation and have to pay such exorbitant prices, it’s defeating almost.”

Erinne Mickle lives in Pasadena but is staying at a friend’s place right now at Sunset Beach. She likes coming here to ride her bike and work out.

“If you just want to park your car, go for a walk or run on the beach, you got to pay for it,” she said.

While she says it’s a shame people have to pay for side street parking, she understands why homeowners might be happy with it.

“I think the residents like to have the parking available to them and driving through into their, you know, their driveways and not having all these cars smacked up against their driveway entrance,” Mickle said.

That’s how Baker feels, too. She gets how this is beneficial to folks with homes here but argues that’s sort of the price of paradise.

“It’s kind of like the seesaw effect of living on the beach, of living in Paradise,” Baker said. “You have to deal with the people that do make their way down here.”

When she’s not working her three different jobs, it costs her about $15 to park for four hours here at the beach, so while she plans to still come here, the frequency in which she visits her piece of heaven on earth, she says, will drastically change.

The city-owned lots at Sunset Beach will be lowered to $3.75 an hour to encourage people to park there instead.

Parking enforcement is now using license plate readers to see if people are paying for the spot they’re parked in.

If they aren’t, they could get a ticket with a $60 fine.
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Nick Popham

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July 29, 2024
USDA: Florida citrus production up 11.5% compared to last season
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ARCADIA, Fla. — According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, citrus growers in Florida are finally recovering from the damage Hurricane Ian caused to the industry in 2022.
What You Need To Know

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports citrus production in Florida is up more than 11% for the 2023-2024 growing season, compared to 2022-2023

Citrus growers say it shows a rebound following the impact of Hurricane Ian in 2022

One grower said it takes trees about two years to recover from stress caused by hurricanes
According to the USDA’s final citrus forecast report for the 2023-2024 growing season, production has increased over 11% from the previous season as the industry recovers from historic lows caused by Ian.

Caleb Shelfer, the production manager for Joshua Citrus in Arcadia, says they work around the clock to manage the 300-acres of family-owned orange groves.

“They’re looking alright,” he said. “They’re looking real clean, so that’s what matters.”

Even though it’s toward the end of the growing season for citrus, Shelfer said he doesn’t take days off.

“We’re right in the middle of the summertime,” he said. “So we still got quite a bit of growing.”

Joshua Citrus was started in 1887 by Shelfer’s great-great-great grandfather, and has been run by a Shefler ever since.

“I’ve known for my whole life this is what I was going to do, and I was going to do it,” Shelfer said.

Checking the farm’s trees — which grow several varieties of oranges and other citrus — is an important task for Shelfer.

“There’s still water on the branches there,” Shelfer said. “So, you know, we’ve had consistent rain and then the trees really love the rain.”

Shelfer said the fruit grown on his farm goes directly to the consumer — either online, through farmer’s markets or through their general store in Arcadia.

But he said following Hurricane Ian, the last two years have been tough for the entire citrus industry in Florida.

“We lost around 90% of our stuff,” he said. “And I know people further south lost worse than that.”

Shelfer said it takes about two years for citrus trees to fully recover from the stress caused by hurricanes.

While recent reports show production numbers appear to be up, citrus growers still have to worry about citrus greening.

“It [citrus greening] was first discovered in commercial production in 2005 and has since really infected about 100% of our tree inventory. So, we’ve seen as you’re probably aware our crop has declined quite a bit — a little over 90% since its height in the late ‘90s,” Matt Joyner, Executive Vice President & CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual said.

Joyner said he knows all too well the impacts of citrus greening. And he believes now is the time for recovery.

“We don’t see our overall box numbers shoot back up in the next year or two. It’s going to take four, five, or six seasons as we continue this gradual recovery of the industry, but we’re optimistic in the direction we’re heading,” Joyner said.

The owners of Showcase of Citrus in Clermont, John Arnold and Tara Boshell, have been working with the USDA and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences to do something new.

“Thanks to the new genetics and new varieties, not just the new varieties of citrus, but the varieties of rootstock — when put in the right combination, it gives you a secret for success,” Arnold said.

They believe these recent developments will help launch the industry forward.

“We have high hopes and a gut feeling that we are going to have more citrus than we have had before,” Boshell said.

However, growers should still be mindful of unpredictable weather.
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Nick Popham

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July 23, 2024
Haines City to add speeding cameras in school zones
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HAINES CITY, Fla. — Schools in Haines City will soon have cameras installed to catch drivers speeding through school zones.
What You Need To Know

Haines City are introducing speeding cameras in school zones throughout the city

The ordinance was approved by the city commission in June

Officials said cameras would become active 30 minutes before and after the school day

Haines City has about 12 schools in the city so officials hope at least some of them will have cameras installed by the start of the next school year
The ordinance was approved by the city commission earlier in June, making it the first city in Polk County to add these cameras to local schools.

Before becoming police chief in Haines City, Greg Goreck worked in the traffic unit for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and says he’s seen what happens when people drive dangerously.

“One of our major complaints that came in was cars that were speeding through school zones,” Goreck said. “And it is a constant battle because we just do not have enough law enforcement resources to be in every school zone both times a day, every day of the week.”

He’s been the top cop in Haines City for about two years now, and that battle is still something he faces.

“On a monthly basis,” he said, “if not weekly basis, we’re getting complaints from educators, students and parents alike that are calling in reference to some type of traffic concerns within our school zones.”

In the time Spectrum Bay News 9 was outside Alta Vista Elementary School, two cars drove through the crosswalk as the news crew and the police chief were trying to cross, and one almost drove into Goreck until he stopped him after claiming the driver was on his phone.

“Those ones that are purposely speeding through school zones, they think it’s fair game if they don’t see a patrol car,” Goreck said.

That’s why he’s excited the city commission has approved installing speeding cameras in school zones.

The technology will be able to detect whether a person is going over the 20 mile an hour speed limit at the beginning or end of the school day.

It gives the city a bird’s-eye view at all times, according to Goreck.

“They’re not going to be an end all, cure all,” he said. “But it does give me a little bit of peace in the fact that, again, we’re going to be able to determine who these violators are and hold them accountable, because if an officer is not here, they’re not being held accountable for their egregious actions.”

Haines City is the first community in Polk County to approve these cameras with funding coming from the Florida legislature.

The city has about 12 schools, so Goreck hopes that at least some of them will have cameras installed by the start of the next school year.

“When we talk to the companies of what we can install, when we can install them, and we’ll do it on a worst-case basis first, and then move on to the ones that maybe have a lower recidivism rate when it comes to violators,” Goreck said.

Goreck says the cameras would become active 30 minutes before and after the school day.

The chief says he’s already started reaching out and meeting with companies to determine what kind of cameras the city will install around its schools.
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Nick Popham

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July 18, 2024
St. Pete woman investigates what happened to a London woman’s former pen pal
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Even in 2024, there’s something exciting about getting a letter in the mail. For many, it just feels more meaningful.
What You Need To Know

A St. Pete woman received letters in the mail from a person in London who used to correspond with a pen pal that lived at her address

The London woman, named Barbara, said she was corresponding with her pen pal, who had a disability, throughout the 1960s when the letters suddenly stopped coming

The current homeowner, Layla Giloy, took to Facebook to see if anyone knew Barbara’s pen pal

Through her investigation, she learned Alton Bridges Jr., Barbara’s pen pal, died in 1977, seven years after the final letter to her
The words on the page can trigger an old memory or a piece of joy that’s been forgotten over the years.

For Layla Giloy, the letters she has do just that, but what’s interesting about Layla’s letters is that she didn’t write them and her only connection to them is her house in St. Petersburg.

“A couple weeks ago,” she said. “I received a very large envelope in the mail, and it was from London, England, which I don’t know anybody in London. So, I thought that was a little strange.”

Inside that envelope were these old letters and a new one from a London woman named Barbara.

See, back in the 1960s, Barbara had a pen pal she corresponded with for years.

He was disabled and spent six years developing a friendship with Barbara through letters he sent from his house – the same one Layla now calls home.

“According to her letters, one day, the letters just stopped, and she didn’t know what had happened to him,” Layla said.

So, in a last-ditch effort, 50 plus years later, Barbara sent the original letters and her message back to her pen pals’ old home to see if the current owners knew anything about what happened.

“I didn’t think it was real at first,” Layla said. “This is kind of the stuff you see in movies, or you see on online and things like that. I said, there’s no way that this is happening to me.”

Layla is an EMT, her career is focused on helping people, so she took that to heart with these letters.

After hitting dead ends on her own, she turned to Facebook, asking if anyone knew Barbara’s pen pal. This was the post:

“I definitely did not think that any of this was going to happen,” she said. “I thought for sure it was going to be ‘we have no idea what you’re talking about.’”

But, she was wrong.

After some help from a woman who saw her post, she was able to learn that Barbara’s pen pal, Alton Bridges Jr. died in 1977, seven years after his last letter.

“When the letters ended,” Layla said, “I believe he got a little bit sicker, and he did pass away.”

But through her investigation, she learned Alton has relatives that still live in Florida, including a nephew in St. Pete and a foster brother who lives in Gainesville.

“I’m going to be able to pass these letters on to his family,” Layla said. “it’s very heartwarming because it’s nice to know that even though he passed away so long ago, his life still has meaning. He’s still making an impact with people.”

Making an impact, not only with his old pen pal but with a St. Pete homeowner who was just checking her mail.

Layla was planning on meeting Alton’s foster brother last month, but he had to reschedule because of some family health issues.

Layla says she still receives messages from people on Facebook asking to hear if she was able to find out what happened to Barbara’s lost pen pal.
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Nick Popham

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July 4, 2024
Bay area arts organizations look ahead despite state budget veto
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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Hundreds of Florida arts groups are looking for other avenues for funding after Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $32 million in grants to arts and cultural organizations and nonprofits.
What You Need To Know

The governor cited what he called “sexual” festivals as part of the reason for his veto, calling it an inappropriate use of funding

But advocates say the arts generate jobs and revenue for the state

Theatre Winter Haven is going to lose about $145,000 but says the show will go on
The governor cited what he called “sexual” festivals as part of the reason, calling it an inappropriate use of funding.

But advocates say the arts generate jobs and revenue for the state, and they call the cuts “devastating.”

In places like Polk County, Elvis is shining on young kids dancing to “Jailhouse Rock” on stage at Theatre Winter Haven.

It’s a part of their summer camp program for kids, and as they rehearse their move, Dan Chesnicka enjoys being able to see the results of fun and hard work.

“I love being able to serve these kids and, you know, we change a lot of lives here,” Chesnicka, executive director for Theatre Winter Haven, said. “I mostly got involved in the theater through my children who volunteered here. So, I’m really a theater dad.”

That’s why he loves this place, because he’s seen what it can do for children and other people looking to let their artistic self shine.

But creativity in the arts now has to turn into creativity in finances after funds were vetoed from the state budget.

Despite the budget being more than $116 billion, money for a state arts grant was on the chopping block, meaning Theatre Winter Haven is going to lose about $145,000.

“I know I should probably be angry or pounding my fist about (the) budget, but my overriding emotion is just sadness,” Chesnicka said.

Performances here will still happen because many of them bring in money, but Chesnicka said it’s the non-revenue outreach activities to senior citizens or to other children who might not be able to afford participating that are affected by this.

“What I worry about is that who has access to the arts is going to change,” he said.

But, if you’ve ever been around artists, you know that problem solving on the fly is one of the things they do best.

“The arts is very resilient,” Jermaine Thornton, executive director of Florida Dance Theatre, said. “We figure things out. We, again, use what we have in front of us.”

Florida Dance Theatre was in Lakeland for years but, following the pandemic, moved to Theatre Winter Haven because they could be there rent-free.

Now, this company that Thornton said had been in survival mode for years after the pandemic has to continue with about $19,000 fewer coming from the state.

“A lot of things are going through my head,” Thornton said, “but I said, you know what? You have to keep one foot on the ground. You can’t spin and spiral.”

According to Thornton, they’re going to restructure and find other ways to bring in the money needed to keep the curtains from permanently coming down.

“If you don’t have the art, you don’t have anything. You might as well take all the colors off the walls,” Thornton said. “You might as well take all the books out. You might as well take all the architecture out, because every single thing is influenced by the arts.”

For these two, at least, they say as long as they are around the show will go on.

Theatre Winter Haven says they plan on doing additional fundraisers to generate the money that’s being lost from the cut grant.

According to Thornton, the roughly $19,000 Florida Dance Theatre was supposed to get was a significant portion of its budget for this upcoming year, so they now need to find those funds through other means as well.

More than 600 organizations apply for the grants annually.
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Nick Popham

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July 2, 2024
The business of bowling is on the rise in the U.S.
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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Private equity firms and large companies in the United States are investing in bowling alleys.

The activity that once had massive popularity in the mid-20th century is seeing a modern resurgence to the point where it’s one of the most played activities in the country.
What You Need To Know

Bowling is seeing a modern resurgence to the point where it’s one of the most played activities in the country

The sport, which saw a large growth in popularity in the ‘70s and ‘80s, saw some concern with the pandemic forcing closures in 2020

According to the Financial Times, revenue has risen in the U.K. for companies running bowling alleys, with the United States Bowling Conference saying bowling has become the top sport people play at least once a year in the U.S.

Maple Lanes Countryside in Clearwater stays busy every week, whether it’s bowling leagues or families gathering to have fun
For years, the activity has been Riley Engelhardt’s happy place.

“I know everyone here, so they’re all very friendly to me. I got to know them well,” he said.

Engelhardt is a bowler and has competed in the sport for years now.

He spends about three days a week practicing at Maple Lanes Countryside in Clearwater.

He’s tried numerous sports, but there’s something about this one that keeps him coming back to the lanes.

“You can set your own pace and it fits the user more than you trying to match up with everyone else,” Engelhardt said.

To him, it’s a special activity, which is why he continues to hone his craft at this 60-year-old bowling alley.

The sport, which saw a large growth in popularity in the ‘70s and ‘80s with weekly programs on television, saw some concern with the pandemic forcing closures in 2020.

But at spots like Maple Lanes, those concerns didn’t last long.

“A lot of businesses in this area didn’t survive COVID,” said Kenny Kerner, a desk person at Maple Lanes. “They couldn’t wait to get back here.”

Kerner has been working at Maple Lanes for a few years now because this place, and this activity, means a lot to him.

“It brings back memories of me and it brings back memories of me learning the bowling alley when I was a child,” Kerner said.

According to Kerner, Maple Lanes stays plenty busy every week, whether it’s bowling leagues or families looking to beat the heat in a fun and eclectic environment.

“Birthday parties, workplace gatherings — we have everything here,” Kerner said. “We have every kind of function comes here.”

That type of business is partly why bigger companies and private equity firms are investing money into national bowling alley chains.

According to the Financial Times, revenue has risen in the U.K. for companies running bowling alleys, with the United States Bowling Conference saying bowling has become the top sport people play at least once a year in the U.S.

Many of the alleys of today are filled with high-end restaurants and lounge-like atmospheres for people who still wind up wearing those eclectic shoes.

“All the major companies are promoting bowling,” Kerner said. “It’s big. It’s really big. And it’s fantastic to see it come back.”

For Maple Lanes, the popularity has been here for a long time for families and competitive bowlers, like Engelhardt.

They like staying involved in the community while having things like a bar, an arcade and even a robot waiter to serve bowlers.

Even as larger chains look to expand, local spots like Maple Lanes will keep knocking down pins and welcoming anyone looking for a strike.

When businesses opened back up in 2020 in Florida, Maple Lanes incorporated some social distancing practices, so people felt safe enough to bowl in their alley.
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Nick Popham

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June 22, 2024
St. Pete native hosts conference for Bay Area kids
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — If you remember those battery commercials about the bunny with unlimited energy, that rabbit would be envious of Deonte Thompson.
What You Need To Know

Dreamfaith Foundation hosted a a conference at USF St. Petersburg for young people in the Bay area

The conference, St. Pete Strong, is a lively conference with music, prizes, along with lectures and seminars from people in STEM and other fields

The goal, according to the organizer, is to give kids information to potential careers and activities they can pursue during the summertime and for the rest of their lives
He is the executive director of the Dreamfaith Foundation and the kids in St. Petersburg are why he’s so eager to get today started.

“Their smile makes my heart smile,” Thompson said. “And I’m trying to just keep it all together. I love the handshakes. I love the smile. They’re so excited, so it makes me excited.”

Even though this is the eighth year Thompson is hosting a youth conference in the Bay area, that excitement still comes back with every kid he interacts with.

“I am running on, like, zero sleep right now, but I don’t even feel it at this point,” Thompson said.

At the St. Pete Strong Youth Conference on USF’s St. Pete campus, the objective, according to Thompson, is to give kids something to do that’s constructive now that it’s officially summer.

“The goal is really about exposing kids to information, to data, to careers they meet that they may not have been exposed to before,” he said.

Because, he says, boredom in the summer can sometimes lead to bad choices. So giving them an atmosphere that’s not only fun, but educational and insightful is why he flies from Texas back to his hometown to host this event.

“I see 10-year-old Deonte, wishing that I had something like this to come to during the summertime, and it just makes my heart smile because they have their faces light up,” Thompson said. “They have no clue what they’re in for today.”

Because it’s not just lectures and a free breakfast. This conference is a party.

St. Pete Strong has a DJ, dancing and booths for things like stem activities.

They also have speakers to motivate each young person in the crowd.

“We give you support; we give you backing, we give you a network, we give you community, we give you exposure,” Thompson said.

After all, community and support is why Thompson keeps coming home to put this conference on.

This year, about 400 kids from the Bay area are at the conference and Thompson wouldn’t want to do this anywhere else.

“There’s no greater place to do it in my hometown,” he said.

That drive to touch these young lives helps you realize exactly why Thompsons’s energy isn’t going away anytime soon.

Next year, Thompson plans to host the conference as part of a week-long experience he calls St. Pete Week.

He says it’ll include things like a beach block party, and a 5K, ultimately culminating with the 9th Annual Empowerment Conference.
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Nick Popham

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June 21, 2024
Lakeland teen pilots set to compete in World Gliding Championships in Poland
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LAKELAND, Fla. — In a hangar full of planes, there’s something special about the kind of aircraft Steven Tellmann likes to fly.
What You Need To Know

Teenagers with Lakeland AeroClub will be competing at the Junior World Gliding Championships in July

The competition will be held in Poland, with videos posted to the club’s YouTube channel

This is the first time a high school club from the United States will be competing in this competition
“I took my first flight in 2019, in a glider, and since then I’ve always been hooked,” he said.

A glider is a plane that doesn’t have an engine and, for Tellmann, when he’s by himself in the air, flying one of these things is unlike any other plane.

“It’s more challenging,” he said. “It’s always, kind of, a different challenge every time you go fly it.”

It’s a surreal experience that has been part of his years of training and practicing with the Lakeland AeroClub.

He’s the team captain of the club’s soaring team and they’re about to do something no high school soaring team in the United States has done, which is glide competitively on an international scale.

“It’s neat in itself, just going to represent the U.S., but it’s also really cool, like to go with my friends,” Tellmann said.

Tellmann will be one of four pilots representing the U.S. in the Junior World Gliding Championships next month in Poland.

It happens every two years and he and the rest of the boys here have been working hard to get to this point.

While Tellmann is one of the pilots, his teammates will be a part of the ground crew.

“It really says something when we’re able to kind of nurture that and keep bringing it up, because now our plane is not just to have me go, we’re trying to work down the line of the kids,” said Tellmann.

Which includes helping those younger kids train in things like virtual reality.

“It gets you used to everything that’s going to be in the airplane,” said Qwest Hipps, a 16-year-old member of the team joining Tellmann in Poland.

According to Hipps, before ever flying a real glider, he and the rest of the students with the club use this technology to better prepare themselves.

“Everything looks identical,” he said. “So, if we if we’re going, if we’re planning to fly somewhere else, we’ll set it up to the airport that we’ll be flying at, and it helps us get to know the area.”

Training that’s perfect for Tellmann too, who, because of logistical and cost reasons, must rent a glider in Poland to compete with.

But, if you ask him, his dad is a pilot and flying has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. So competition is one thing, but being able to feel the air underneath these wings is a feeling that will never get old.

“I’ve always seen myself doing it,” Tellmann said. “Never really thought about doing anything else.”

And now, he gets to do it while representing his country alongside his friends.

The championships in Poland will be happening July 13 through 27.

Members of the club say they’ll be posting videos of the competition on their YouTube channel for people interested in following their progress competing against nearly 20 different countries.
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Nick Popham

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June 20, 2024
Affidavit: Man claims to have killed, burned members of Hudson family
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HUDSON, Fla. — Pasco County resident Rory Atwood is accused of killing members of a Husdson family that went missing last week. Investigators said Atwood claimed he shot and killed the parents and put their bodies in a burn pit on his property.
What You Need To Know

An affidavit from Pasco County says some of the human remains found at Rory Atwood’s home may be that of Phillip Zilliot II and Rain Mancini

According to that document, Atwood seemingly says he shot and killed the two and put their bodies into a burn pit on his property

Zilliot’s family plans to hold a candlelight vigil Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Park in Hudson
Phillip Zilliot II, Rain Mancini and their two children were missing for a few days, and a during a search, human remains were discovered on Atwood’s property, a place where Zilliot and Mancini had lived for a time.

The sheriff’s office couldn’t definitively say who the remains belonged to, but an affidavit following an interview with Atwood says he allegedly shot and killed both Zilliot and Mancini after investigators say he initially lied to them about the Zilliot family’s whereabouts.

Those documents state that Atwood supposedly took the victims to a burn pit on his property, along with any evidence tying him to the crime and burned them.

Phillip Zilliot II’s mother, Shelly Zilliot, is working through the grief. If this happened before she found faith, she says she can’t imagine how she would be doing right now.

“This would have destroyed me,” she said. “This would have destroyed me. But somehow, I’m not okay, but I will be.”

Clinging to her cross around her neck, Shelly is showing incredible strength, considering the horrific tragedy she and her family are dealing with right now.

“I’m so broken right now,” she said. “And I have to go on because I have my daughter and two other grandchildren.”

As for the children of Phillp Zillot II and Rain Mancini, Karma and Phillip III, according to the affidavit, Atwood says he doesn’t know what happened to them, but Shelly says investigators are confident their remains were also in the burn pit.

“They said all remains were not adult, and they were all together,” she said.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office charged Atwood with first degree murder.

Meanwhile, all Shelly can do is continue to show incredible strength for her family, relying on faith and loved ones’ support while navigating the unthinkable.

Shelly says her family is doing an online fundraiser to help them through this awful time.

The Zilliot family is also holding a candlelight vigil Wednesday night at Veterans Memorial Park in Hudson at 9 p.m., which anyone is welcome to attend.
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Nick Popham

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June 18, 2024
Animal shelter volunteers rally for dog who was beheaded and abandoned
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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Demonstrators in Pinellas County are showing solidarity for a dog that was killed and disposed of in Fort De Soto Park.
What You Need To Know

A Pinellas County judge denied a motion to suppress evidence from a search warrant to search the phone of the man accused of beheading his newly adopted dog

Domingo Rodriguez, 66, was in court Monday for a hearing regarding the motion, after being charged with animal cruelty

According to law enforcement, Rodriguez allegedly beheaded his adopted dog, Dexter, the day after he was adopted and left him in mangroves inside Fort De Soto Park

Prior to Monday’s hearing, roughly 100 people rallied outside the county justice center in support of Dexter
This comes as the person accused of killing the dog was in court to address charges related to suppressing evidence for a search warrant of his phone.

A large group rallied outside the justice center, still in shock over what happened to the four-year-old dog, Dexter.

“I could not believe that someone would actually do that to one of our sweet pups,” said Amy Benoni, a volunteer at Pinellas County Animal Services.

According to Benoni, for a few months, the place she volunteers was Dexter’s home too.

“We know Dexter as a loving little pup that wanted his belly rubs and snuggles,” she said. “And our goal is to get every dog adopted from the shelter and its forever home.”

But, as she puts it, this forever home ended in a tragedy.

Dexter was adopted back in May, according to court documents, by Domingo Rodriguez.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says the day after his adoption, Dexter was found beheaded in the mangroves of Fort De Soto Park.

As a result, law enforcement arrested Rodriguez, claiming he was responsible.

“We are not going to stand for animal cruelty,” said Amber Szedlar, another volunteer at Pinellas County Animal Services.

Szedlar and Benoni were two of the dozens of people taking part in Monday afternoon’s demonstration, which had several volunteers and concerned folks looking for a resolution to this horrific incident.

“We’re hoping that our shirts make the statement of what we’re here for, and that’s for Dexter,” Szedlar said. “And to preserve his memory.”

Part of that preservation, for them, was going into court Monday afternoon with dozens of other demonstrators to hear arguments from both sides on whether Rodriguez’s cell phone should be allowed to be searched.

“We want that to be considered in this case,” Benoni said. “We want justice for Dexter.”

Two hours before the hearing, the crowd was lining the sidewalk outside the county justice center.

Online, over 60,000 people have signed a petition in support of Dexter with another 20,000-signature petition circulating too.

“It is really a good, heartfelt feeling that we have this much support,” Benoni said.

According to Szedlar, this won’t be the last time they demonstrate, with a lengthy legal process to come, she says this is just the beginning.

“We’re also in this for the long haul,” she said. “This is our first rally, right? This has been the very first hearing in this in this process. We are not going anywhere.”

Following Monday’s hearing, the judge denied the defense’s motion to limit how Rodriguez’s phone can be searched.

Rodriguez is charged with one count of animal cruelty and one count of the disposal of a body of a dead animal.
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Nick Popham

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June 17, 2024
Lakeland leaders to discuss preparing for population growth during retreat
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LAKELAND, Fla. — City leaders in Lakeland are spending the next two days at the RP Funding Center to go over some big picture ideas they have for the city.
What You Need To Know

Lakeland officials are going to a two-day retreat at the RP Funding Center

They plan on discussing a variety of big picture topics for the city moving forward

Some topics include public safety, infrastructure, transportation and economic development
This two-day retreat kicks off Monday at 8 a.m.

It’s not only big ideas they’re looking to discuss but also some problems the city may face as it continues to grow, and that they feel need to be addressed.

Polk County and Lakeland are growing fast and it is partly why they are looking to do some improvements around town.

Last year, Lakeland’s mayor said officials expect the population to double by 2035, so they know they must work now to meet the incoming demand of a booming population.

“We’ve had unprecedented growth and unprecedented growth puts strains on your infrastructure, your parks, your roads, your sewage system, all things city services,” said Kevin Cook, Lakeland’s director of communication. “So, it’s a way to envision the future and plan for that growth.”

According to its itinerary, officials plan on focusing on things like economic development, infrastructure, transportation and affordable housing Monday, while talking about public safety, finances and what the future might look like for this Polk County community Tuesday.
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Nick Popham

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May 13, 2024
St. Petersburg Museum of History to host trolley tours
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Museums are where stories can come to life through either artifacts or illustrations.
What You Need To Know

The St. Petersburg Museum of History is starting trolley tours around the city on May 4

The tour will go to historic spots in St. Pete using trolleys from Star Trolley

The tours will happen twice a month to start, and will soon add tours of West St. Pete and the city’s architecture
When people visit a museum like the St. Petersburg Museum of History, Rui Farias, the museum’s executive director, says there are things people had no idea were in the city, like items from ancient Egypt.

“A number of people who came here from everywhere else and brought everything with them, and along with one journey came an Egyptian mummy and an Egyptian sarcophagus,” Farias said.

According to Farias, something as unique as Egyptian artifacts perfectly encapsulates the intriguing history of his city.

“We’ve done a good job of telling different stories,” said Farias. “So, you don’t walk into an exhibit, and it’s a timeline, like, ‘This is when Juan arrived in Florida,’ so we have a lot of different stories to tell.”

That’s what he and others who work at the St. Petersburg Museum of History pride themselves on: helping people expand their knowledge about their surroundings.

“Every room you walk into, there’s something different and there’s something that you go, ‘Oh, I didn’t know that’” Farias said.

But now, Farias and the museum aren’t limiting that learning to the rooms inside their building.

Starting in May, the museum will be partnering with Star Trolley to do historic tours around downtown St. Pete.

The goal is to tell those intriguing stories in the places where they happened.

“I love watching the expressions on people,” Farias said, “especially the folks who’ve lived here all their lives. I mean, I’ve lived here my entire life, and I’m still uncovering stuff I look at and go, ‘I had no idea.’”

The tour beginning May 4 will be going to historic spots in downtown, like Al Lang Stadium, and Albert Whitted Field, which was built in the 1920s.

Showing these places and their history excites Farias because he loves sharing his knowledge about what’s around St. Pete, sometimes to a fault.

“I drive my wife and family crazy because, every time I’m like, ‘Hey, did you know?’ And they’re like, ‘Oh, here we go again,’” Farias joked.

But, to Farias, there’s so many stories that surround his city and he can’t wait to hit the road and share them with the public.

Farias says they plan to start out doing two of these trolley tours a month.

In addition, the museum plans to add a haunted trolley tour along with tours exploring the west side of St. Pete, the city’s architecture and boat tours of the city.
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Nick Popham

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April 30, 2024
Florida Farm Finder group connects people with local farms around the state
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BARTOW, Fla. — A woman in Polk County is helping connect people across the state with local farms in their area.
What You Need To Know

Florida Farm Finder is a Facebook group that connects people with local farms in the state

One of its users, S&S Micro Farm, says they’ve been able to extend their reach, in part, because of Florida Farm Finder

As a result of using the group, farms have been able to save money on marketing and let people know of the different events they have going on
It’s all on a Facebook group called Florida Farm Finder, and farmers say the page has brought tons of business to them, saving them loads of money in marketing.

Sam Longster’s farm, S&S Micro Farm in Bartow, has rows of fresh blueberries with many of them ripe for the picking.

“I like the sort of big fat round ones. The dark blue makes some really sweet,” Longster said. “I just really, really enjoy this time of the season. Just being out here and meeting people.”

But when she and her husband, Scott, first bought this farm, this time of year wasn’t always kind.

They purchased the land in August 2019 and blueberries bloom in February and March.

So, right as they were about to sell their berries in 2020, things took a turn.

“The first week of us realizing we were ready to go, and we had all these blueberries, the whole planet shut down,” Longster said.

Rather than sticking with wholesale markets, she and Scott converted the farm to a “u-pick” model, where people can come to the farm in person to pick their own berries.

“We really had to pivot quickly or else we were going to go broke,” Longster said.

But getting the message out to the public wasn’t easy until Jillian Childs came into the picture.

“It just kind of clicked that there was this huge disconnect,” Childs said.

According to Childs, she saw during the height of the pandemic in 2020 that fresh produce was tough to come by, especially since millions of pounds of things like blueberries are imported from other countries, like Peru.

So, she started Florida Farm Finder to let people know about local farms in the state where they can pick their own fruits and vegetables.

“At that time,” Childs said, “I was like, ‘yeah, this is great for emergencies.’ And we thought, you know, it would die down and slow down, but it never really did.”

Four years later, they have 70,000 members and 500 farmers regularly participating on the page, including Longster.

“We really wouldn’t have the confidence to do only, you know, commercial if it wasn’t for Jillian’s site,” Longster said.

Especially with inflation doubling the cost of fertilizer and diesel fuel, she said having thousands of people see the latest events and activities at S&S has been beneficial.

“Jillian really helped us connect with the public on that. So, she was a great help,” Longster said.

It’s a partnership that’s proven to be fruitful.
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Nick Popham

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April 22, 2024
Palm Harbor boutique holds workshops to highlight local artists
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PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A landscaping company in Palm Harbor is running a small boutique in its backyard where local artists can host workshops for the community.
What You Need To Know

Earthscapes Garden Room in Palm Harbor has a boutique in its backyard called Fancy Plants

The boutique, along with providing people plants to purchase, holds regular workshops with local artists in the Tampa Bay area

Despite numerous businesses struggling during and after the pandemic, the founder of Fancy Plants says the boutique, along with Earthscapes, has been able to thrive under the conditions that began four years ago
The boutique is called Fancy Plants, and it gives a platform for those artists, while also selling exotic plants in a creative setting.

It’s amazing to think what can happen with a bit of copper wiring, if you have the vision.

For decades, Elizabeth Mason has had that creativity.

“I’ve been actually creating jewelry for about 20 years and teaching classes for the best part of 10 years now,” Mason, owner of EJM Designs, said.

For Mason, it can be more than just jewelry.

It can be art for her, or for the people who take her classes.

“It’s amazing to me that they started with the same template and end up with something completely different that’s uniquely yours,” Mason said.

That’s the best outcome for EJM Designs.

While she used to have a store in Dunedin, she now works from home and goes around the Bay area teaching classes in making some eclectic jewelry.

She’s been all over but very few places, she says, compared to the place she’s teaching the class in Palm Harbor.

“It’s just a beautiful, beautiful setting,” Mason said. “Just fabulous surroundings surrounded by the plants and the people, and it’s just a gorgeous, shaded porch, too. So, it’s comfy and very pleasant working.”

Mason’s class is on the porch of Fancy Plants.

“We like to make it an experience here. It’s much more than just a boutique,” said Terra Schmidt, the chief operating officer of Earthscapes Garden Room and founder of Fancy Plants.

According to Schmidt, when this space in the backyard of Earthscapes Garden Room opened up, the owner asked her to come up with something to put here.

So, she came up with a sort of “Do It Yourself” boutique.

“You come in with the mindset that you’re going to like, the mindset that you’re going to create something,” Schmidt said. “You know, it’s not just, ‘Come in and buy a plant and go.’”

People pick the pots, the plants and the accessories that come with it.

Schmidt says this business, as well as the landscaping side of things, has — pardon the pun — “grown.”

Part of that growth is adding workshops, like the one Mason is leading on the porch.

It brings in additional income for the boutique and gives local artists a chance to make money and showcase their work.

Most weekends, Fancy Plants has customers coming inside to find their precious potted plant, while folks on the outside are learning new artistic techniques from someone in their neighborhood.

Ultimately, planting a sense of community.
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Nick Popham

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April 20, 2024
City of Winter Haven may soon buy historic Ritz Theatre
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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — While there is not currently an official plan in place, the city of Winter Haven may soon be in the market to purchase a historic downtown theater.
What You Need To Know

The city of Winter Haven is potentially buying the Historic Ritz Theatre in downtown

According to the president of the theater’s board, the theater is struggling to keep up with financial upkeep of the facility

As of right now, the deal is still not complete, with Winter Haven’s city manager saying they’re still working on a sale and purchasing agreement

If all goes according to plan, there could be a potential deal on the city buying the theater in the summer
The Historic Ritz Theatre of Winter Haven has been a part of the town for nearly a century, but the president of its board said they can’t keep up with the cost to keep it open.

Even though there was a 21st Century remodel, the history can still be seen inside the Ritz Theatre.

Winter Haven city manager T. Michael Stavres said he remembers going to the theater when he was a kid.

“We would come on the weekends, particularly on Saturdays, as children and see movies, the 50-cent movies of the ‘Apple Dumpling Gang’ and those types of things here in the space,” he said.

There’s a lot of sentimental value to the Ritz, which is why the president of its board, Tom Westberry, said a change needs to happen.

“Everybody who comes in here has such a nostalgic feeling,” he said.

Westberry took over as the president of the theater’s board in January and concluded that, despite having a church in the theater, along with other meetings and events, the Ritz was in dire financial shape.

“We’re less than $50,000 in the bank right now,” Westberry said. “Our operating costs are, you know, quite expensive just to keep the electricity on and all those things.”

According to Westberry, the theater also has close to $500,000 left on its mortgage.

Even with these obstacles, closing the Ritz was the last thing Westberry, or the board, wanted to do.

“This is something that’s integral to downtown,” Westberry said. “We want to see it, alive.”

As a result, the board went to the Winter Haven City Commission and asked the city to buy the property.

According to Westberry and Stavres, the deal isn’t officially done, but all signs are pointing to a potential sale during the summer.

“If we can have a role in helping sustain and reinvest into this property and keep it, you know, healthy and productive, that’s certainly much more significant benefit to the downtown,” Stavres said.

Stavres has lived in Winter Haven since he was 8 years old, and said he knows what this building means for the core of his community.

“We don’t want to see this to go away,” he said. “We want to see this flourish and be a productive asset for downtown.”

That is why Stavres says the city is working on a purchase and sale agreement that will eventually go before the City Commission.

While there’s no specific timeline yet on when the building could switch hands, both Stavres and Westberry said they believe the future is bright for a stage steeped in history, meaning the lights won’t go out anytime soon.

According to Westberry, the Ritz is having a fundraiser Saturday for the theater where much of the proceeds will go to the building’s expenses until the city decides whether to purchase the property.
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Nick Popham

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April 17, 2024
Lakeland church hosts new food pantry and job services event
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LAKELAND, Fla. — Not many people can look at an old event center that used to host wedding receptions and see a house of worship.

But few people have had Dale Rhodes’ track record.
What You Need To Know

The Gathering Place holds its first food pantry at its church in Lakeland

The event, which took place Tuesday night at 6 p.m., offered people free food, free haircuts and job services

The church’s senior pastor plans on holding these at least once a month, with the chance of doing more if they receive a great turnout
“When I sit in this place, I literally go, ‘Wow, you know, look what God’s done,’” he said.

Rhodes is the senior pastor of The Gathering Place and said this is the 18th church he’s planted in the country.

As a Pentecostal preacher, he says his motto with The Gathering Place is to not just be another church in Lakeland, but to be a source of support for everyone they meet.

“It’s not just a slogan for us, it’s the way we live,” Rhodes said. “It’s the way we do church. Nobody comes here as a visitor. You come here as a guest, OK? You’re a part of our family from the minute you walk through the door.”

Since the church opened its doors in January, the goal has been to be part of their community in east Lakeland, not just in it.

Which lead to the event he hosted Tuesday night, in front of The Gathering Place.

The church is doing their first food pantry, with help from Moving Hope Ministry, a mobile food pantry in Polk County. They’ll be giving away free food for folks, offering free haircuts and job services.

“My goal is 50 to 100 families for the first event,” Rhodes said. “If we have 50 or more, I’ll be extremely happy. You know, if we have more than that, then, you know, I’ll be beside myself.”

Because, even if a handful of people show up, to Rhodes, it starts a new beginning that will evolve his vision for this place.

“I always see what is there before it ever exists,” he said. “That’s how things become reality.”

It’s an event Rhodes plans to do once a month with the goal of doing it more if more people attend.

“I’m hoping a lot of people come and are part of it and receive the need, the help for the needs that they have in their life,” Rhodes said.

Because Rhodes has a vision for his new home and is eager to share it and have others be a part of it, even if it’s just through some food and a haircut.

Rhodes says he plans on staying in Lakeland for the long term after planting 18 different churches.

He hopes to add other amenities to his church in the future, like a park or a gymnasium with a basketball court.
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Nick Popham

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April 16, 2024
Nonprofit starts program to give free produce to seniors
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PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — A nonprofit in Pinellas County is launching a new program designed to deliver fresh produce to seniors in the area.
What You Need To Know

A nonprofit in Pinellas County, Saving Our Seniors, has created a new program called ProducePac

The program provides free boxes of fresh produce for seniors for every box that’s purchased by someone in the community

According to Saving Our Seniors’ founder Kelli Casto, she hopes the money that’s generated through ProducePac will lead to her to be able to help double the number of senior citizens she’s currently helping

ProducePac had its soft launch on April 6
It’s called ProducePac, and it’s being started by the organization Saving Our Seniors, where every box of produce that’s purchased by a customer will lead to a free box going to a senior citizen.

Kelli Casto is the founder of Saving our Seniors, a nonprofit organization that originally helped folks with finding durable medical equipment.

Being an occupational therapist for 15 years, that was her expertise, but when the COVID-19 pandemic began, many of her clients were having trouble finding good produce.

After some time just recommending places, Casto decided to add on produce delivery to saving our seniors, which has become the main thing for years now.

“We started our farmers market, literally in our Chevy Malibu, and we’ve grown it, you know, from just like 50 spots to having over 180 different locations that we service monthly,” Casto said.

Now, she’s upgraded from the Malibu, using a van to pack products for folks she’s delivering to and currently serving about 14,000 seniors a month.

“Just in the last year or two,” said Casto. “We’ve really expanded.”

But with that growth and the desire to purchase fresh produce from local farmer’s markets, fundraising and finances have gotten tight.

So, Casto’s solution is through ProducePac.

“This is a way for you to get fresh produce and then, in return, feed a senior in our community,” Casto said.

According to Casto, there are two size options for these boxes of produce. Some of the money that a person spends on the box will be used to buy the exact same box to give to a senior citizen for free.

“We’ll be able to have a little bit of money left over that will fund the ability to feed a senior in the community,” Casto said.

Which means a lot to Casto, because she constantly is waking up at three in the morning to go buy these fruits and veggies to give away.

“Being able to just help one person and helping others is key,” she said.

Which is why so many people are lining up in a parking lot in Pinellas Park to get fruits and veggies from Casto, because her goal is to make sure no senior citizen goes hungry.

Casto said she did a soft launch of ProducePac on April 6.

She hopes to double the number of senior citizens she serves in the bay area from 14,000 to 28,000 with the introduction of ProducePac.
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Nick Popham

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April 7, 2024