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Spectrum News Staff
Tampa
PUBLISHED 12:33 PM ET Jan. 14, 2026
PUBLISHED 12:33 PM EST Jan. 14, 2026
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Spectrum News Staff
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – Duke Energy announced Wednesday it is dropping storm recovery charges for customers a month earlier than originally scheduled.
The utility company said storm cost recovery charges were results of costs associated with the company’s approximately $1.1 billion response to hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.
Residential customers can expect an approximately $33 reduction on their monthly bills, when compared to January, for every 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity they use.
Commercial and industrial customers’ monthly bills will be lowered between 9.6% and 15.8%, also when compared to January, though the specific impact will vary depending on several factors.
“We understand all of our customers have been affected by the rising costs of living, many may be facing financial challenges, and some are even having to decide which bills they can afford to pay every month,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “It was important to us that our customers get this significant rate relief as soon as possible while we continue to deliver the safe, reliable power they expect and deserve.”
Duke officials also said additional savings are on the way.
In March, residential customers will experience another approximately $11 decrease (per 1,000 kWh) on their monthly bills, creating a total $44 decrease.
Duke Energy Florida supplies electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across 13,000-square miles in west central Florida, including Orlando, St. Peterburg and Clearwater.
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Spectrum News Staff
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch says his administration is taking a new, community-focused approach to redeveloping the Historic Gas Plant District, as housing advocates and residents raise concerns about transparency, timing and who ultimately benefits from the project.
The 86-acre site, located just west of downtown, was once a thriving Black neighborhood before residents were displaced decades ago to make way for interstate construction and what is now Tropicana Field. After the city recently regained control of the land following the termination of a previous redevelopment agreement tied to the Tampa Bay Rays, officials are once again considering proposals for its future.
Some community advocates argue the city should slow down the process.
William Kilgore with the St. Pete Tenants Union says redevelopment decisions should not be rushed, even as political and economic pressure builds.
“Is it exhausting? Yeah, it is,” Kilgore said. “But we can’t rush into things. We have to do it right… not because there’s a reelection campaign coming up or moneyed interests pushing to get shovels in the ground.”
Kilgore also described the land as one of the city’s most valuable assets and said residents deserve to see direct benefits.
“We need to have robust public participation. These acres of land — this is an invaluable asset,” he said. “We need to be seeing a return to the people of St. Pete, not just giving it away to rich billionaire developers.”
Welch says his administration is focused on ensuring the redevelopment honors long-standing promises made to the displaced community, including affordable housing, jobs and opportunities for minority-owned businesses.
“We know what folks want to see out of that — the original promises being honored,” Welch said. “Jobs and economic opportunity, particularly for minority businesses.”
Welch emphasized that the project is no longer being framed around the baseball stadium.
“It’s not the Tropicana Field redevelopment,” he said. “It’s the Historic Gas Plant redevelopment and all the things that entails.”
The mayor also pointed to the city’s renewed control of the property as a major shift.
“We now have the land back in the city’s possession — something we haven’t had for 25-plus years,” he said, adding that new proposals include increased affordable and workforce housing and a 40% minority participation target.
City leaders say negotiations with developers and community engagement efforts will continue in the months ahead.
Advocates, however, say they will keep pushing for legally binding guarantees to ensure long-time residents and future generations benefit from one of the most significant redevelopment projects in St. Petersburg’s history.
The deadline to submit alternative proposals for the Historic Gas Plant District redevelopment is Feb. 3.
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Fadia Patterson
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GULFPORT, Fla. — Some senior citizens may get more money back on their tax returns this year.
Seniors 65 and older can claim an additional $6,000 for a single person, and $12,000 for married couples, without having to itemize their deductions.
The new tax deduction is part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that was signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4 of last year. To be eligible for the new senior tax deduction, you need to turn 65 by Dec. 31, 2025.
This tax write-off is in addition to the longtime standard deduction. It’s set to expire in 2028, when Trump’s term in office ends.
The take-home amount per senior depends on income. For example, the deduction is reduced if your modified adjusted gross income exceeds $75,000.
Michael Price, C.P.A with St. Pete-based Ralph, Price, McAuliffe & Associates, P.A., says the deduction is not like the child tax credit, which is historically dollar for dollar. It’s a deduction, which means the senior would receive a percentage back.
“I think they could be looking at for each individual, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 to $1,000 would be my guess,” Price said.
Price says the 1040 tax forms also look different this year. He says seniors should take their time and not be afraid to ask for help with filing.
“The form has changed quite a bit from the prior years,” he said. “You definitely want to take your time and make sure that extra line with the senior deduction is filled out.”
Heads up seniors!
This year, seniors 65+ qualify for a $6,000 tax deduction. St. Pete based C.P.A Mike Price tells me he thinks that could be a take home of between $600 to $1,000 for the average senior.
Big tax breaks too for tipped workers and those making overtime @BN9 pic.twitter.com/l8N902Cjfv
— Angie Angers (@angie_angers) January 14, 2026
Shane Borchardt just retired last year. He said for the first time since he started working in 1976, he owed money after filing his 2024 taxes. Borchardt says he wishes taxes on social security would be eliminated altogether, but he’s happy to hear he qualified for the $6,000 deduction.
“We put into it our whole lives, we deserve to get something back,” he said. “At least they’re doing something.”
If a senior is filing jointly and using the additional standard deduction for seniors, and then the new enhanced deduction, Price says the take home could be significant.
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Angie Angers
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PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A ribbon cutting was held Tuesday for the second phase of Skyway Lofts in St. Petersburg, adding 66 new units of affordable housing to the Skyway Marina District.
Public and private leaders say as the Skyway Marina District continues to grow, preserving housing for people earning less than 80 percent of the area median income is critical.
According to the builders, the mid-rise development consists of two buildings and offers 131 thoughtfully designed one- and two-bedroom apartment homes. Each apartment features multiple energy-efficient elements, including modern kitchens, bathrooms, and ample storage closets.
One resident says the $24.9 million development in the 3900 block of 34th Street South has given him stability in the neighborhood where he grew up.
“When I see people who are homeless, I’m grateful to have a roof over my head,” said resident Terrell Reynolds.
Skyway Lofts Phase Two is at full occupancy, but there is a waitlist available for future renters.
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Fadia Patterson
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PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A flood relief project in the works for years in Tarpon Springs recently took another step forward.
The city commission approved an agreement in December with the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
It allows the city to accept $31,000 for the design phase of the Sponge Docks Flood Abatement Project.
It would help relieve flooding more quickly, according to city officials.
Vice Mayor Mike Eisner said the city has been exploring ways to combat the flooding, especially at the Sponge Docks. They are considering installing what is called a “vault” underground that would collect floodwater through a series of pipes and a water pump station would then push it out. The city is also looking at rebuilding seawalls as well.
Eisner said the cost of the project increased through the years from about $1 million to $5 million. He said some details still need to be worked out.
“We also have to try to schedule it to where it’s the least-busiest time,” he said. “We have two areas off of Athens (Street) that usually flood on every single type of rain.
“Then, we have people driving by and they’re always giving wakes from their cars and, yes, it’s not a good situation.”
The city would also like to see smaller pumps so Dodecanese Boulevard isn’t closed for too long.
Eisner said project engineers are still designing a plan.
City officials expect the project to take around six to eight months to complete.
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Sarah Blazonis
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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Minerva Swanston is the nursing instructor at Pinellas Technical College and helps her students work towards earning their license to become a nurse. She’s been teaching there for 10 years.
“I love it and I’m trying to not just teach them to be nurses but to love it,” she said.
Swanston started nursing in 1984.
“Spanish was my first language so needless to say learning medical, it’s not only English, it’s also medical. Medical is a whole language in itself so that was really challenging,” said Swanston.
Swanston said she truly loves being a nurse and teaching the next generation. She says many of her students work full-time on top of coming to school.
“The fact that you’re making somebody with four kids, a single mother, get a better job to help her kids have a better life,” Swanston said. “It’s so inspiring to us. It’s just what keeps us here.”
PTC Student Services Counselor Merritt Scott nominated Swanston to be featured as an A+ Teacher.
“I think so much of you and so many students do. You’ve touched so many lives. And you deserve a thank you,” Scott said to Swanston when we visited her class.
“It’s great to be appreciated. It really is. It made me cry. But I’m happy that it’s working for my students and that they appreciate it,” said Swanston.
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Jorja Roman
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The newest tenant at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub in St. Petersburg is a company called SubUAS, which has created an innovative drone that can seamlessly transition from air to water.
“A drone that can swim and fly,” said Andrew Bennett, SubUAS contract manager. “It’s the first one in the world to actually do this.”
The name of the company stands for submarine unmanned aerial submersible. Bennett said the drone has been designed to operate in rough conditions.
“To have the speed that a propeller needs to spin at to fly with payload, and then go underwater,” he said. “This is rated at seawater, maritime, hostile environment, saltwater, corrosive, so you’ve gotta put all that stuff together. That’s a hard, hard thing to do.”
Dr. Javier Diaz, a professor at Rutgers University, developed the innovative technology. The drones are manufactured and assembled in New Jersey. SubUAS opened its first outpost at the Hub last November.
“The Hub here in St. Pete serves a unique, unique space for us,” Bennett said. “Not just from a networking standpoint but also from a proof of concept standpoint.”
Bennett said the company chose the Hub because of its proximity to MacDill Air Force Base, the U.S. Coast Guard and USF College of Marine Science. SubUAS has earned nearly $16 million in defense contracts since 2016.
“So the military did their investments, multiple agencies did their investments,” said Bennett. “We have the thing, and it’s out in the field doing great missions right now. Can’t really talk about those.”
Bennett said the drones are dual use with commercial capabilities. For example, search and rescue, checking oil rigs and port security.
St. Pete Innovation District COO Lauren Bell said they were so excited to get SubUAS as a tenant that a lease was executed the same day the company inquired about moving to the area.
“They have some state of the art tech that nobody else is doing and they’re genuinely good people,” she said. “We want that as an add to our community.”
Bennett said the company plans to expand and wants to stay at the Hub for as long as possible.
“We’re going to be here. I mean, it makes too much sense for us to be here. Our customer base is here,” he said. “We’ve got a beautiful location to actually show the technology and the capabilities, and we’ve got the workspace to actually expand our manufacturing capabilities.”
The community will be formally introduced to SubUAS at the State of Science and Innovation event at USF St. Pete on Jan. 28.
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Josh Rojas
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INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — The city of Indian Rocks Beach has had free parking at its beach access points for years.
However, that may soon change.
On the agenda at the City Commissioner Meeting Tuesday evening is the first reading of an ordinance that could introduce paid parking to some areas.
City Manager Ryan Henderson said that with 182 free public spots at the access points, the money generated would make a major impact.
“This is an opportunity for us to be able to create a dedicated revenue source that goes directly back into the community,” he said. “It goes back into infrastructure, goes back into stormwater projects.”
However, others are worried this could create problems.
Joanne Hanson has been running Indian Rocks Cafe Deli & Market for more than a year.
They share a plaza with eight other businesses, but there are fewer than 20 parking spots in their lot.
With so few to go around, Hanson said it’s frustrating when people park but immediately head to the beach.
“We try to tell them, ‘Hey guys, you can’t park here,’” she said. “It’s private parking, that’s for this plaza only. Now I can tell them there’s free parking across the street. If it passes, then I won’t be able to say that anymore.”
There will not be a final decision made on paid parking at Tuesday’s meeting.
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Matt Lackritz
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TAMPA, Fla. – The southbound lanes of the Howard Frankland Bridge will be closed Tuesday night for construction work.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the lanes from Tampa into St. Petersburg will close Monday at 11 p.m. and should reopen by 5 a.m. Wednesday.
The closure will allow crews to install signs above the roadway.
Message boards and temporary signage will assist southbound I-275 motorists traveling around the closure via the posted detour route of Memorial Highway (SR 60), Courtney Campbell Causeway (SR 60), Bayside Bridge (CR 611), and Roosevelt Boulevard SR 686).
Other roadways (Kennedy Boulevard, Dale Mabry Highway, and Gandy Boulevard) will be accessible and may provide an alternate route.
Northbound traffic into Tampa won’t be impacted.
For more information on this project, please visit FDOTTampaBay.com.
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TAMPA, Fla. – One man was killed Monday night in a multi-vehicle crash in a construction zone on the Howard Frankland Bridge.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 37-year-old man from Musella, Ga. was driving a Chevy Silverado truck southbound on the bridge just before 10 p.m. when he traveled into a marked construction zone and crashed into a Ford F550 work vehicle.
That man, whose name has not been released, was killed, troopers said.
The driver of the Ford and two other construction workers suffered minor injuries and were taken to an area hospital.
Debris from the crash struck a third vehicle being driven by an 18-year-old man from Largo. He was not injured.
The crash remains under investigation.
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A nurse in training found herself responding to a call that likely saved a man’s life.
It happened just before the holidays when the student spotted a man down in the middle of the street fighting for his life.
That student jumped in to help, and she is sharing her story.
For as long as she could remember, Lesly Arroyo-Pena has wanted to become a nurse.
“Whenever I went to the hospital, mostly to see my siblings when they were born, it was always very good memories,” she said. “The nurses were always nice. Very pleasant, very happy.”
She planned to spread that same happiness once she graduates from Galen College of Nursing in St. Pete. But just before the holidays, she got put to the test on her way back to her clinical assignment.
“When I looked over to my left, there was a man in the middle of the road. He happened to just be laying there really still,” she said. “There was another guy who got out of his vehicle and checked on him first and he also seemed kind of panicked.”
Arroyo-Pena said she knew she couldn’t panic. So, she did what she was trained to do.
“I ran across the street, checked on the man. And the first thing I checked to see if he still had a pulse, if he was still breathing, which he did, but it was like very, he was unconscious, he couldn’t even tell me what his name was,” she said.
In a split second, she said she saw his symptoms and his proximity to a nearby clinic that helps those with drug addiction and quickly realized what she needed to do.
“I ran back to my car, got the Narcan and hoped for the best and it did work,” she said.
After a few minutes, she said the man was taken to the hospital, and thanks to her training and the Narcan, she had just gotten from her clinical that day, she was able to save a life.
It’s the kind of outcome Galen College of Nursing St. Pete Dean, Dr. Kristen Wessel, said they’re preparing students for.
“Compassion is absolutely what Leslie demonstrated that day.” Wessel said. “When others could’ve passed on by and left someone laying in the street. But she knew that even though she isn’t finished with school, she still had the capability to help.”
Arroyo-Pena said she learned a valuable lesson.
“I’ve felt like always kind of been very reserved and shy, but after this incident it’s made me realize, if it comes to saving someone’s life, I’m willing to set that aside and step out of my comfort zone,” she said.
Good news for the community she will serve one day.
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Saundra Weathers
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PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — As traffic gets busier on Tampa Road, an East Lake Woodlands resident is worried about safety there, with drivers speeding and making left turns across multiple lanes.
David Zinther asked Real Time Traffic Expert Tim Wronka about the stretch of Tampa Road between East Lake Road and Curlew Road.
He says he often hears crashes there from his home in East Lake Woodlands.
“We’ll be out on the lanai. The breaks squeal. And you hear the boom. And then you’ll hear the sirens. And you just hope that no one is seriously injured,” Zinther said.
Zinther has lived in East Lake Woodlands for the past eight years, where he has become more concerned about the traffic on Tampa Road, especially at the entrance and exit to his community.
“When the light changes, it’s like a drag strip when they’re going east on Tampa Road. The motorcycles, the cars with the loud mufflers. You can just tell they’re punching it,” Zinther said.
And he says that speeding is an issue affecting other drivers trying to make a left turn into the community or the AMC movie theater on the other side of the road.
He feels that’s when those crashes that he hears at home tend to happen.
“Again, trying to go across three lanes of traffic with cars that are clearly going more than the speed limit,” Zinther said.”And they’re taking their life in their hands. They get impatient and think they can make it but they don’t make it.”
Zinther would like to see more patrols and possibly even a change to the traffic light at Tampa Road and Woodlands Parkway to make it a left turn only signal.
Even though Tampa Road is a state road, the Florida Department of Transportation says that stretch is managed by Pinellas County. County officials are now looking into the intersection.
Drivers are also asked to watch their speed through that area.
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Tim Wronka
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida bill is taking aim at paper straws.
A bill has been introduced in both the House and Senate that would require jurisdictions with straw laws to allow options other than paper.
The bill claims that paper straws are harmful to the environment and human health.
The city of St. Petersburg has already banned single use plastic straws. Many businesses in downtown St. Petersburg are already using straws made of different materials.
The Wooden Rooster on 2nd Avenue is knowns for its crepes. If you want a drink with your crepe, the straw options have changed over the years. The city of St. Petersburg prohibited plastic ones in 2018, so the Wooden Rooster switched to paper. But when customers didn’t like them, they switched to green biodegradable straws.
“Paper straws were a big thing. They (customers) were like, ‘Please tell me that you have regular straws.’ We have the biodegradable straws, which they’re happy with because they’re not the flimsy paper, or soggy paper straws,” said Melissa Phillips, general manager of The Wooden Rooster.
A Florida bill was introduced that would require jurisdictions with straw laws to allow options other than paper. The bill said if a local government enacts a straw law, it must require that they’re renewable, home compostable, industrial compostable and marine biodegradable.
“Our planet is important, the sea animals are important, specifically the turtles. I’m definitely not opposed to that,” Phillips said.
A study published in the journal “Food Additives and Contaminants” said out of five straw materials, paper had the most forever chemicals known as PFAS.
“The more we learn about PFAS chemicals, the more we want to ensure that we’re minimizing the exposure that humans have to that,” said St. Petersburg 6th District Councilwoman Gina Driscoll.
If the bill passes, Driscoll said the city would add an amendment to its single use plastic prohibition to include paper straws.
“We’ve got such a wonderful waterfront, our marine life is sacred to us and being a healthy community is extremely important. So, this could be really good news for a city like St. Petersburg,” Driscoll said.
As for The Wooden Rooster, they’ve already made the change not only for straws, but for cups too.
“It’s important to do our part,” Phillips said.
The Florida legislative session starts on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.
In 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning federal use of paper straws, meaning that paper straws can’t be served in federal buildings.
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Tyler O’Neill
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CLEARWATER, Fla. — What has been dubbed the world’s largest rubber duck is spending the next two weeks at Clearwater’s Coachman Park.
The massive inflatable duck, named “Mama Duck,” will be posted up in downtown Clearwater from Jan. 9 through Jan. 26 in the center of the park. The 61-foot rubber duck will be accompanied by her 10-foot tall baby duckling “Timmy,” who will be popping up over the next three weeks in different spots across the city.
“It gets people talking, it gets people coming downtown to see all of the things we’re doing in this area of Clearwater,” said Leanne Bell with the city of Clearwater. “We redid this park and we’re really trying to find fun and exciting things that get people talking.”
Coachman Park underwent an $84 million renovation and formally reopened in 2023. With the renovation came the improved BayCare Sound.
The cost to bring Mama Duck and her team to Clearwater is roughly $45,000 including the duck rental, security, entertainment and concrete barriers.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Duck Rental | $19,150 |
| Concrete Barrier Rental | $2,900 |
| Entertainment | $17,600 |
| Police & Security | $9,750 |
**Costs are estimated for the 2.5 week installation and events. The city won’t know the final total until the events are finished.
| Sponsors | Cost |
|---|---|
| Clearwater Downtown Development Board | $21,005 |
| Spa Manufacturers Inc. | $10,000 |
| Visit St. Pete-Clearwater | $7,500 |
| CGS Energy | $5,000 |
| Clearwater Marine Aquarium | $1,000 |
| Hampton Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach | Rooms for Duck Staff |
Roughly half is being paid for by the Clearwater Downtown Development Board, the other half is covered by a mix of sponsors including Spa Manufacturers Inc., Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, CGS Energy, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and Hampton Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach.
A number of events are taking place throughout the next couple of weeks to accentuate Mama Duck’s stay.
She’s here 🐥
The World’s Largest Duck just arrived in @MyClearwater
The city says they wanted something new and interesting to drive people to come check out Coachman Park and downtown who haven’t been here before. Mama Duck will be on display through January 26 @BN9 pic.twitter.com/BiFNOvHX5E
— Angie Angers (@angie_angers) January 9, 2026
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Angie Angers
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For decades, the science center in St. Pete served as a staple for educating students in the Tampa Bay area.
When it closed years ago, there was debate about what to do with the iconic building and property. After years of debates and advocacy from local residents, on Friday shovels went in the ground for the reimagined Science Center.
Joe Hamilton is the founder of the reimagined Science Center. He showed a rendering of the big plans to renovate and rebuild the center, keeping the iconic round building on the property and the impactful education they’re known for.
“We hope to get real construction started around April, and we think it will take about 12 to 14, 15 months to complete the building,” Hamilton said. “So, summer camps 2027 may be a little ambitious, but that’s our goal and hopefully by school year 2027.”
“We’re focusing on emerging technology basically because we think it’s the most important need and the most important gap we have in education,” he said.
Jamie Hoke used to take her now-grown kids to the science center. So, a couple of years ago, when her son wanted to help advocate to revitalize the center, she stepped up, focusing on its past and promise for the future.
“This science center has done so much to take children, their dreams and making them come even bigger and better. So, I’m super excited to see what it will do for the next generation, including my grandson, who’s coming in March,” she said.
That’s why Sen. Darryl Rouson says he got on board to make this project happen from the very beginning.
“I’m excited. I’m excited that it’s finally going to happen. It took seven years, five years, for us to get to this point,” he said.
Rouson and other lawmakers rallied to raise awareness and money to make the $22 million project happen.
They’re still short $10 million, but Hamilton said with the rich memories made there and the reimagined changes to come, they’re confident they’ll meet their goal through their capital campaign.
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Saundra Weathers
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LARGO, Fla. — A new housing complex for seniors officially opens Thursday, marking the first in a series of upgrades and changes to Largo’s Rainbow Village neighborhood.
The new Heritage Oaks complex has 80 affordable one-bedroom units for seniors. The apartment-style building replaces what was 48 old block style homes that were part of the original public housing development.
Rainbow Village was first constructed in the late 1960s and consisted of 200 units of public housing for families.
Heritage Oaks marks the first part of a 4-phase redevelopment plan for the area. Those who were living in the homes that were demolished to make way for Heritage Oaks were placed into alternative housing situations with help from Pinellas County or went to live with family.
Yvette Feazell, 64, was one of the first residents of Heritage Oaks when she moved in November. She says since graduating college, she had lived independently until 18 months ago when rent spiked and she had to move out of her apartment. She spent just over a year living with her daughter and her four grandchildren.
“It was nice but I felt like I was imposing,” she said. “I’ve lived independently almost all my life.”
Heritage Oaks is for seniors living at 60% of the average median income in Pinellas County. Feazell said being in a place that’s safe, nice and affordable is what she had been hoping for.
“It takes the stress off of… am I going to be able to afford to live in this apartment? Is the rent going to jump up like it did in my last apartment where people are like… I can’t afford that,” she recalled.
The $31 million project was made possible by Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments and Raymond James Bank, $3.36 million in Pinellas County HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP), and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, low-income tax credits allocated by Florida Housing Finance Corporation, PCHA funds, and HUD rental assistance.
Thursday’s ribbon cutting of Heritage Oaks marks the first of four planned phases to re-imagine Rainbow Village. In all, 400 units of housing for families and individuals will replace the 200 units that were built in the 1960s.
Heritage Oaks is a product of Newstar Development, a full-service development firm specializing in affordable and workforce housing.
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Angie Angers
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The city of St. Petersburg officially opened its 30-day proposal window this past Sunday to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District, as some community members have urged city council to reject the process and plan for the project first.
“The way it’s being handled now is going to cost the city more than $1 billion and permanently surrender control,” said Ron Diner, Home Runs Matter founder. “This is a gold mine for developers, and this is our gold… not theirs.”
Diner is a former Raymond James executive who wants a city-led plan completed before any of the 86 acres of prime downtown land can be redeveloped.
“The city should plan first,” he said. “They should form a community advisory council, hire national planners, and then lay out the property and then have the developers come in and buy the land parcel by parcel at fair value.”
Instead, Mayor Ken Welch has decided to go with a master developer approach where all the land is acquired first. The process has not been rushed but is responsible, according to Welch. The mayor also wrote that the city will move deliberately, guided by the principle that redevelopment must serve all, including those once left behind.
Ark Ellison Horus has been the only team to officially submit a proposal during the current open window. It’s the team that triggered the process with an undisclosed proposal last October. At least a half dozen other developers reportedly plan to submit proposals before the Feb. 3 deadline.
City Council member Corey Givens Jr. said he agrees with Diner’s approach and will vote down any of the development proposals that come in this month. Givens said putting the cart before the horse is bound to fail.
“I want a citizen-driven plan. I think what happens first is the citizens need to decide what they want,” he said. “But we also need to bring in experts, advise us. A lot of times you’ve got to go outside of St. Pete to find out what will work best in St. Pete.”
Diner spoke out at the St. Pete city council meeting on Thursday, telling members he wants them to draw the line on the proposal-first approach.
“What I challenged the city council to do today was to stand up and say that we will not approve of a developer proposal first process if any is brought before us,” he said. “We insist the city do a planning process first.”
This is the city’s third attempt to find a Gas Plant developer in the past six years.
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Josh Rojas
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A new approach to supporting the neurodivergent community focuses on helping people thrive on their own terms.
Neurodivergent is used to describe people whose brains process information, learn, and behave differently from other people, while it also encompasses conditions like autism, ADHD and dyslexia, among others.
Dr. Angela Fisher founded the Neurodivergent Empowerment Institute in St. Petersburg.
“Most of the community has to get pieces of their treatment from a multitude of different places, and you don’t have to go to a multitude of different places,” said Fisher.
A multidisciplinary team made up of psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists specializing in music and art, and occupational therapies and a holistic team provides support both in-person and virtually.
Fisher says the foundation of the program is based on three pillars: validation, acceptance and nurture.
“We’re looking at validating, yes, you might be unique in some way. That’s OK, it’s not broken,” said Fisher. “Accepting that you might be unique in some way. The nurture aspect is actually learning to be happy with and to nurture ourselves instead of pushing ourselves to be different from what we are.”
Diagnosed with autism and ADHD, 8-year-old Goldie Lenerz has been receiving support at NEI for about a year.
Part of Goldie’s support at NEI includes participating in music and art therapy.
“I like that I kind of get to draw whatever I want,” Goldie said while drawing a cartoon character.
“We really treat it on an individual basis where we are seeing the child, the adult, whoever it is, their strengths, their unique gifts, what makes them them, and really enhancing that and really starting to empower them to explore their uniqueness,” said recreation therapist Alli Williams.
“We’ve been working on emotional expression,” said music therapist Abby Hagan.
Goldie’s parents say they are seeing a difference in their daughter.
“They’re trying to help her build skills with her unique brain, so she can navigate the world in her own way,” said Rachel Lenerz, Goldie’s mother.
“To see like a huge turnaround, you know, since treatment started. With her attitude to school or her being able to do homework and get it done in a timely manner and feel confident,” said Goldie’s father, Chris Lenerz.
That kind of turnaround is the mission of the new institute.
“I’ve seen people come out of burnout,” said Fisher. “I’ve seen people be able to work where they weren’t able to work before. I’ve seen a lot of children excel in school where they were getting kicked out or having to be homeschooled.”
An official grand opening for the Neurodivergent Empowerment Institute was held in December.
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Melissa Eichman
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PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — With the new year comes some big changes for volunteers in Pinellas County Schools. The district is now requiring all volunteers to go through a Level 2 background screening, costing volunteers anywhere from $75 to $90.
Curtis Campogni has two kids in Pinellas County Schools and volunteers himself. He says an email he received from the district prior to going on winter break is on his mind. It stated that as of January, all volunteers must undergo a Level 2 background screening and pay for it.
“First and foremost, moving to a Level 2 is definitely safer and prioritizing children’s safety is the primary goal,” said Campogni, and while he says Level 2 screening is absolutely safer for students, he has a lot of questions about the implementation.
“It’s not just simply the cost associated with it, it’s the time, the communication,” he said. “It’s some of the bureaucracy that comes with, well what does it mean to be a volunteer and what does it mean to be a mentor?”
Mistine Dawe is the director of strategic partnerships for Pinellas County Schools. She says all 9,000 Level 1 volunteers will need to become Level 2 volunteers by the end of June.
“Which means they will go through a background screening with clearinghouse,” Dawe said. “It’s the same system we use for our employees, and we also use it for our contractors, so they will be fingerprinted. That allows us to have continuous monitoring; it also allows us to have any arrest notifications that come in.”
Dawe says fingerprinting can cost anywhere from $75 to $90, but there is financial assistance in place for anyone who needs it. She says the district doesn’t want to place any barriers for anyone who wants to give their time.
“As we began to look at the safety and security of our schools, this was just an area that we knew we needed to make some adjustments in,” she said.
Campogni says he appreciates the added security and hopes volunteers don’t get discouraged.
“Being a mentor, or being a volunteer is about planting trees for the shade you might not see, but you will see it, so do not get discouraged,” he said. “Ask a lot of questions, get involved, and continue to wrap this village around our students.”
Pinellas County Schools urges any volunteers who need assistance or have questions about the new policy to reach out.
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Fallon Silcox
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