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Tag: tampa

  • Del Couch gives aspiring musicians the tools they need

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    PALMETTO, Fla. — Through his Del Couch Music Education Foundation, a Manatee County man is helping young people pursue their goal of being musicians, singers or even recording studio engineers.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dell Couch started the Del Couch Music Education Foundation to give back to the community after a career in music and real estate

    • The foundation provides musical instruments, lessons and opportunities to perform

    • Couch operates a production studio for student training inside the Manatee School for the Arts


    Longtime musician Del Couch said an act of kindness in high school motivated him to start his nonprofit — his band instructor gave him a trumpet so he could play in the high school band. Couch went on to play in the United States Air Force Band for several years, and then performed in bands for decades.

    Couch eventually transitioned into a real estate career, but in the 1990s he went to the Berklee College of Music and got a master’s degree in music production. He opened his own music production studio and started his foundation.

    In 2012, the Manatee School for the Arts allowed Couch to move the studio into the school.

    Couch now teaches students how to use the studio to produce music. His foundation also provides students with musical instruments and lessons, among other things.

    “It’s an opportunity rare to get,” Couch said. “Especially at no cost. That’s the biggest thing. No parent or student pays for anything.”

    On a recent morning Couch was in the studio with high school senior Jayden Bell to work on the mix for some Latin-style music.

    “And we are doctoring the mix,” Couch said. “So, he is going to add a little sparkle to the drums. And a little bottom to the bass.”

    Bell has been training in the recording studio for four years and sees it as invaluable.

    “Well, I get the opportunity to do stuff that you can’t really do anywhere else in the country with people that have been doing this a long time that want to do this for the love of it,” he said.

    Dell also works with lots of the students at the school who are forming bands. He gives them advice on their performances and sets up music events where the bands can play in front of large crowds.

    “They get an opportunity to play in these events on major stages that they would never get before,” he said.

    Many of Couch’s students have gone on to success in the music business.

    “For example, Bella Garland, who is our latest girl in Nashville, won the Bluebird Café songwriting competition,” Couch said. “It is huge and is recognized by the national songwriter’s competition.”

    Couch said he gets a great deal of satisfaction from working with the students.

    “The biggest thing is their enthusiasm,” he said. “They are willing to learn. They want this knowledge and to see them become successful.”

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    Rick Elmhorst

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  • Bayside Bridge to take on new name Tuesday in honor of long-time attorneys

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The Bayside Bridge officially gets a new name on Tuesday.

    The county is renaming the bridge the Dillinger McCabe Bayside Bridge.

    The new name is in honor of long-time public defender Bob Dillinger and long-time state attorney Bernie McCabe.

    Pinellas County commissioners approved the name change in January.

    According to our newsgathering partners at the Tampa Bay Times, Commissioner Chris Latvala pursued the name change after Dillinger’s death in 2024, and that his wife supported the idea.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Hillsborough County Public Defender brings free legal help directly to community

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    HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — In a first-of-its-kind event, the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office offered free legal help and additional resources in Tampa.

    The initiative is called PD 13 Street Legal, which brought legal services directly to Tampa residents.

    What You Need To Know

    • PD 13 Street Legal brought legal services directly to Tampa residents

    • The initiative was organized by the Hillsborough County Public Defender

    • Wraparound services were also offered at the inaugural event

    • The event will be held on the third Saturday of every month


    “This has been my area, my neighborhood, but I had never seen this right here,” said Tampa resident Cornelius Trussell.

    Trussell has lived in the University area of Tampa his whole life. He stopped in PD 13 Street Legal looking for legal help for his wife. He has a part-time job but he’s hoping to get assistance finding a full-time warehouse job.

    “I’m good with my hands, so I like doing stuff like that, and being active as well,” he said.

    Public defender Lisa McLean said she felt that many clients have challenges when it comes to meeting with their attorney, so she wanted to bring their services to them. McLean said it’s all about communication.

    “We’re not about, ‘Hey, let’s move these people through the system. Let’s plead out as many cases. We can try the cases that we need to and just keep things moving.’ That’s not what we do here. We take a holistic approach to what we do,” she said.

    At Saturday’s event, that holistic approach included wraparound services. Community partners helped with different types of needs like food insecurity, public transportation, mental health, drug treatment and more.

    “We’re really hoping that not only can we provide these services to the clients that we currently represent, but if we have an opportunity to meet with people in the community before they get involved in the criminal justice system, it gives us the opportunity to make real change in the community,” McLean said.

    Trussel was grateful for the support and said PD 13 Street Legal is a great event for the neighborhood.

    “There’s nothing that can’t possibly get done with all these resources here. So that’s amazing,” Trussell said.

    It’s help that Trussell hopes he can return one day.

    If you missed Saturday, there will be future events. It will be held on the third Saturday of every month.

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    Tyler O’Neill

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  • Advocates in Tampa Bay push to close racial gap in organ donation

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — When it comes to organ donations and those in need of a transplant, numbers show there are some serious racial disparities.

    What You Need To Know

    • Some local donor advocates are sharing their stories to encourage more people to consider live-saving and life-changing options

    • According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Black Americans make up 27% of candidates on the transplant waiting list, and only about 13% of organ donors are Black

    • Experts say a more diverse donor pool can help when it comes to finding the right match


    It’s a gap in life-saving health care that experts say, many times, is rooted in mistrust and misinformation, and it’s affecting the Black community in record numbers.

    Some local donor advocates are sharing their stories to encourage more people to consider life-saving and life-changing options.

    Jacquez Welch, 18, was the picture of perfect health, until he wasn’t.

    “Perfectly healthy. No health issues,” his mother, Marcia, said. “One day at a football game, Friday night lights, he collapsed on the field, and he had a stroke. Got him to the hospital, did tests and found out he had AVM.”

    It was an arteriovenous malformation, a tangled web of blood vessels in the brain that can burst without warning. Marcia said her son was in good health his entire life. So when she watched him collapse at the game, she was shocked. She said there were no warning signs.

    “Me, I thought he was just cramping because a lot of time he cramps. But when he didn’t get up and the coach signaled me down, I knew it was serious then,” she said.

    She learned the condition could’ve taken her son’s life at any time.

    “It’s basically veins in your brain that develops when you’re born and then they tangle up and then they burst and have a stroke,” she said. “What he has is not genetic. It’s not genetic at all. That was my first thing. What if my other kids have it because they all played football? Even my girls. They say it’s nothing genetic. It’s just something that happened while he developed in my stomach while I was pregnant.”

    Marcia said she got educated quickly about her son’s condition. After a few days on life support and learning there was no chance of survival, she had to make a difficult decision. She is grateful Jaquez had already made his wishes clear.

    “We decided to donate his organs when he was 16,” she said. “We went to the DMV to get his driver’s license. And they asked him, and he looked at me and was like, ‘Mom, what does that mean?’ I said that means when you’re gone, you pass away, and somebody takes your organs you can’t use anyway.

    “And he looked at me and said, ‘Sure, why not.’”

    Marcia lost her son, but she says he was able to save the lives of four people and donate tissue to more than 70 patients.

    “He gave his heart, liver, both of his kidneys, pancreas,” she said. “I know it was seven organs.”

    It’s the kind of giving people like the Rev. Kenny Irby are counting on. He has a genetic disorder that he learned he was living with years ago, and over time he learned how it affected his family for decades.

    “I was diagnosed with polycystic kidneys,” Irby said. “My family migrated from Newberry, South Carolina, to Washington D.C. because my grandmother had what was called then, the disease. And the doctors in South Carolina told my great grandmother, ‘You have to get her to the north. The hospitals here can’t treat her.’”

    Reverand Ibry is known for his work with the nonprofit, Men in the Making, and his work as the Faith in Community Justice Liaison with the city of St. Pete. He’s also the former pastor of one of the area’s oldest Black churches. But even that couldn’t prepare him for this.

    “I was diagnosed in 2022 with prostate cancer,” he said. “My wife had breast cancer in 2023, and so we went through 2024, and as soon as we got through that, I got the diagnosis on the renal failure.”

    Irby said the chemo from his prostate cancer treatment worsened his kidney condition. Now, the man of faith, known for his giving, is in need of a gift himself. He needs a kidney donation.

    “I actually did have two brothers that I’ve worked with over the years that said, I’d give you a kidney, but I’ve only got one. Because folks don’t even realize at that level you can live a functional and healthy life,” he said.

    But finding a match can be harder, especially for Black patients.

    According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Black Americans make up 27% of candidates on the transplant waiting list, and only about 13% of organ donors are Black. It’s a gap that has widened over time, leading to longer wait times.

    Experts say a more diverse donor pool can help when it comes to finding the right match.

    “It’s not that the donor and the recipient have to be the same race or the same ethnicity. But by having genetic variables in common, it helps to increase compatibility,” said LifeLink Florida Associate Medical Director and Recovery Surgeon, Dr. Jacentha Buggs.

    LifeLink is an organ procurement organization.

    “Our team here at LifeLink can’t even approach a family to talk to them about organ donation until one of two things have happened. The patient has been legally declared brain dead, or their injuries are so severe that they’re having conversations about withdrawal of care,” Buggs said.

    She agrees that a history and hesitation to even be listed as an organ donor has created barriers for the Black community.

    “There are valid reasons that people of color would distrust the medical system. Especially when you think about things that happened with the Tuskegee experiment and so forth. But what I think we have to do is meet people where they are,” she said.

    Dr. Buggs said education and building trust are key to saving more lives.

    For Reverend Irby, it’s going to take those efforts and a whole lot of faith. 

    “Certainly at the metaphysical level, when you think about it, when you’re gone, you’re not gonna need it. And if you can be a blessing and your organs and tissues can be a blessing to individuals and medical research, then I think you want to do that as a part of your legacy,” Irby said.

    It’s a plan Marcia’s son made long before she learned to find purpose through her pain.

    “Imagine your child needing a heart, a liver, imagine if it was your parent, a grandparent. Imagine you losing a child and all you have left is to give something to someone else,” Marcia said.

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    Saundra Weathers

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  • Secret Service: armed man shot, killed after entering perimeter of Mar-a-Lago

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    WASHINGTON (AP) — An armed man drove into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida, before being shot and killed early Sunday morning, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service. Trump was not there but was at the White House in Washington.

    What You Need To Know

    • The U.S. Secret Service announced Sunday that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida

    • Although Trump often spends weekends at his resort, he and First Lady Melania Trump were at the White House during this incident

    • The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. He was reported missing a few days ago by his family

    • According to officials, he was observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can and was ordered to drop the two pieces of equipment


    The man, who was in his early 20s and from North Carolina, had a gas can and a shotgun, according to Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman. He had been reported missing by his family a few days ago, and investigators believe he headed south and picked up the shotgun along the way.

    Guglielmi said a box for the weapon was discovered in the man’s vehicle after the incident, which took place around 1:30 a.m.

    The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

    Trump has faced threats to his life before, including two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. Although the president often spends weekends at his resort, he and first lady Melania Trump were at the White House when the breach at Mar-a-Lago occurred.

    The man entered the north gate of the property as another vehicle was exiting and was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

    “He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him. At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said at a brief press conference. The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat.”

    The FBI asked residents who live near Mar-a-Lago to check any security cameras they may have for footage that could help investigators.

    In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau would be “dedicating all necessary resources” to the investigation.

    Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile, and a motive is still under investigation. Asked whether the man was known to law enforcement, Bradshaw said “not right now.”

    On Sunday afternoon, vehicles blocked the entrance to a property listed in public records as an address for Martin at the end of a private road in Cameron, North Carolina.

    Braeden Fields, Martin’s cousin, reacted with disbelief. He described Martin as quiet, afraid of guns and from a family of avid Trump supporters.

    “He’s a good kid,” Fields, 19, said. He said they grew up together. “I wouldn’t believe he would do something like this. It’s mind-blowing,” Fields said.

    He said Martin worked at a local golf course and would send money from each paycheck to charity.

    “He wouldn’t even hurt an ant. He doesn’t even know how to use a gun,” Fields said.

    He said his cousin didn’t discuss politics.

    “We are big Trump supporters, all of us. Everybody,” Fields said, but his cousin was “real quiet, never really talked about anything.”

    The incursion at Mar-a-Lago took place a few miles from Trump’s West Palm Beach club where a man tried to assassinate him while he played golf during the 2024 campaign.

    A Secret Service agent spotted that man, Ryan Routh, aiming a rifle through the shrubbery before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire and caused Routh to drop his weapon.

    Routh was found guilty last year and sentenced this month to life in prison.

    Trump also survived an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally. That gunman fired eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter sniper. One rally attendee was killed by the gunman.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that “the United States Secret Service acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump’s home.”

    Leavitt used her post to blame Democratic lawmakers in Congress for the partial government shutdown affecting the Homeland Security Department, which began Feb. 14 after Democrats demanded changes to the president’s deportation campaign.

    The Secret Service is among the agencies where the vast majority of employees are continuing their work but missing a paycheck.

    “Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans,” Leavitt said. “It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their Department.”

    The White House referred all questions to the Secret Service and FBI. Both Trump and his wife posted statements on social media after the incident, but they were unrelated to the shooting.

    There have been other recent incidents of political violence as well.

    In the past year, there was the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; the assassination of the Democratic leader in the Minnesota state House and her husband and the shooting of another lawmaker and his wife; and an arson attack at the official residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

    Five days ago, a Georgia man armed with a shotgun was arrested as he sprinted toward the west side of the U.S. Capitol.

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    Associated Press

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  • St. Petersburg police chief says programs have kept youth crime down

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — New data shows violent crime was down in 2025 in the Tampa Bay area.

    The city of St. Petersburg had the lowest number of homicides in nearly 60 years. Youth crime is also down, according to the city’s police department.

    What You Need To Know

    • Violent crime is down in St. Petersburg, according to the city’s police department

    • St. Pete had the lowest number of homicides in nearly 60 years

    • Youth crime is also down, the police chief said, thanks to city programs

    • A new Young Influencer Felony Prevention Program starts in March


    St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said that’s in part because of city programs keeping kids out of trouble, and another new program is launching soon.

    Charles Price is starting the Young Influencer Felony Prevention Program next month. It’s a subject that hits close to home.

    “I got my first arrest at 12. Assault and battery. At 15, I had an armed robbery. At age 24, I went to prison,” said Price, who is the founder and president of Felons Ain’t Failures.

    Price started a podcast geared toward felons to foster community. That community will help facilitate the new program.

    “They’ll be able to tell the kids: this is not a life you want to live. It’s not a fun life. It’s not what TV makes it look like. It’s rough, it’s lonely, and mentally it does a lot to you,” Price said.

    The Young Influencers Felony Prevention Program will feature four different projects over ten months. With lessons focusing on self-discipline, goal setting and conflict resolution.

    “They see guys out here selling drugs, it looks cool, they have nice cars, they have women around them and so we’re trying to turn their minds into something different,” he said.

    While this program will focus on felony prevention, St. Petersburg’s “Forward Together” program helps young felons get back on track by addressing the root cause.

    Holloway said 60% of participants are not re-offending.

    “We’re getting on the front of it and not on the back end of it, because people make mistakes, but how do you address it after a mistake? So I think by us staying in front of it when a child does something wrong, that we’re addressing it right away,” Holloway said.

    New data shows that violent crime is down by 16% across St. Pete.

    Homicides, robberies and auto thefts were down from 2024 and are well below the five-year average.

    “What we tend to see is that people are starting to really talk to each other instead of just using a gun and finding a way of solution or using a knife or something like that,” Holloway said.

    Holloway said police will continue to build trust with the community to keep the downward trend in motion. Price hopes that his prevention program will have the same effect.

    “We believe with the mental, the physical, the group sessions and conversation, and then the professional readiness, that can keep a child from making a bad decision to go down the wrong path,” Price said.

    The new program will kick off at the Thomas “Jet” Jackson Recreation Center on March 4 for registered participants.

    Crime is also dropping on the other side of the bay.

    According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, violent crime was down by nearly 14% and homicides fell by 55% from 2024 to 2025.

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    Tyler O’Neill

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  • Cold weather shelters to open across Tampa Bay

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    TAMPA, Fla. — A cold front on the way could bring overnight temperatures to the 30s during the early part of the week.

    Counties are once again preparing to open up cold weather shelters for people in need of a warm place to sleep.

    What You Need To Know

    • A cold front on the way could bring overnight temperatures to the 30s during the early part of the week

    • Counties across Central Florida are opening cold weather shelters for people in need 

    • Monitor the conditions with our Weather Experts


    HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

    These shelters will take in guests from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 22, 23 and 24, unless they reach capacity prior to that time. 

     

    MANATEE COUNTY

    Manatee County will open cold shelters on Monday, February 23, and Tuesday, February 24. 

    Transportation to both locations will be available through Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) at 2:30 p.m. from Turning Points, located at 701 17th Ave. W. in Bradenton. Turning Points will also be open to provide warmth and coffee during the cold weather.

    For more information on cold weather safety and shelter updates, visit mymanatee.org/cold.

     

    PASCO COUNTY

    Pasco County will open cold shelters Monday, February 23, and Tuesday, February 24. The shelters will open at 6 p.m. each day and close at 10 a.m. the following day.

     

    PINELLAS COUNTY

    Cold night shelters in Pinellas County will be open Monday night, Feb. 23, the Homeless Leadership Alliance has announced. The shelters will be open from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

    The following cold weather shelters are available to adult men and women:

    Tarpon Springs

    • St. Timothy Luthern Church
      • 812 E. Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs
      • PSTA Route #19

    Clearwater

    • First United Methodist Church of Clearwater
      • 411 Turner Street, Clearwater
      • Allows leashed/contained pets
      • PSTA Route #52A

    Pinellas Park

    • Boys & Girls Club of Pinellas Park
      • 7790 61st St. N, Pinellas Park
      • PSTA Route #74
    • First United Methodist Church of Pinellas Park
      • 9025 49th St. N, Pinellas Park
      • Allows leashed/contained pets
      • PSTA Route #49

    St. Petersburg

    • Unitarian Universalist Church
      • 100 Mirror Lake Drive N, St. Petersburg
      • Requires the use of stairs
      • PSTA Routes #9, #20, #24, SunRunner
    • Salvation Army
      • 1400 4th Street South, St. Petersburg
      • Requires valid ID for entry
      • PSTA Route #4A or B
    • Allendale Church
      • 3803 Haines Rd. N, St. Petersburg
      • PSTA Route #16, #38

    Families with children will be placed in family shelters on cold nights (if space is available). Families should call 2-1-1, First Contact, for information about family shelters.

    Monitor the weather conditions with our Spectrum Bay News 9 Weather Experts.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Secret Service: armed man shot, killed after entering perimeter of Mar-a-Lago

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    PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An armed man drove into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida, as another vehicle was exiting before being shot and killed early Sunday morning, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service.

    What You Need To Know

    • The U.S. Secret Service announced Sunday that an armed man was shot and killed after entering the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida

    • Although Trump often spends weekends at his resort, he and First Lady Melania Trump were at the White House during this incident

    • The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. He was reported missing a few days ago by his family

    • According to officials, he was observed by the north gate of the Mar-a-Lago property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can and was ordered to drop the two pieces of equipment


    The man, who was in his early 20s and from North Carolina, had a gas can and a shotgun, according to Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman. He had been reported missing by his family a few days ago, and investigators believe he headed south and picked up the shotgun along the way.

    Guglielmi said a box for the weapon was discovered in the man’s vehicle after the incident, which took place around 1:30 a.m.

    The man killed was identified by investigators as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation.

    Trump has faced threats to his life before, including two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign. Although the president often spends weekends at his resort, he and first lady Melania Trump were at the White House when the breach at Mar-a-Lago occurred.

    After entering near the north gate of the property, the man was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

    “He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with them. At which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position,” Bradshaw said at a brief press conference. The two agents and the deputy “fired their weapons to neutralize the threat.”

    The FBI asked residents who live near Mar-a-Lago to check any security cameras they may have for footage that could help investigators.

    In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said that the bureau would be “dedicating all necessary resources” to the investigation.

    Investigators are working to compile a psychological profile and a motive is still under investigation. Asked whether the individual was known to law enforcement, Bradshaw said “not right now.”

    On Sunday afternoon, vehicles blocked the entrance to a property listed in public records as an address for Martin at the end of a sandy private road in Cameron, North Carolina.

    Braeden Fields, Martin’s cousin, reacted with disbelief. He described Martin as quiet, afraid of guns and from a family of avid Trump supporters.

    “He’s a good kid,” Fields, 19, said. He said they grew up together. “I wouldn’t believe he would do something like this. It’s mind-blowing,” Fields said.

    He said Martin worked at a local golf course and would send money from each paycheck to charity.

    “He wouldn’t even hurt an ant. He doesn’t even know how to use a gun,” Fields said.

    He said his cousin didn’t discuss politics.

    “We are big Trump supporters, all of us. Everybody,” Fields said, but his cousin was “real quiet, never really talked about anything.”

    The incident comes as the United States has been rocked by spasms political violence.

    The incursion at Mar-a-Lago took place a few miles from Trump’s West Palm Beach club where a man tried to assassinate him while he played golf during the 2024 campaign.

    A Secret Service agent spotted that man, Ryan Routh, aiming a rifle through the shrubbery before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire and caused Routh to drop his weapon.

    Routh was found guilty last year and sentenced this month to life in prison.

    Trump also survived an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally. That gunman fired eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter sniper. One rally attendee was killed by the gunman.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that “the United States Secret Service acted quickly and decisively to neutralize a crazy person, armed with a gun and a gas canister, who intruded President Trump’s home.”

    Leavitt used her post to blame Democratic lawmakers in Congress for the partial government shutdown affecting the Homeland Security department that began Feb. 14 after Democrats demanded changes to the president’s deportation campaign.

    The Secret Service is among the agencies where the vast majority of employees are continuing their work but missing a paycheck.

    “Federal law enforcement are working 24/7 to keep our country safe and protect all Americans,” Leavitt said. “It’s shameful and reckless that Democrats have chosen to shut down their Department.”

    The White House referred all questions to the Secret Service and FBI. Both Trump and his wife posted statements on social media after the incident, but they were unrelated to the shooting.

    There have been other recent incidents of political violence as well.

    In the last year, there was the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; the assassination of the Democratic leader in the Minnesota state House and her husband and the shooting of another lawmaker and his wife; and an arson attack at the official residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

    Five days ago, a Georgia man armed with a shotgun was arrested as he sprinted towards the west side of the U.S. Capitol.

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    Associated Press

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  • Vets organization aims to bring in younger veterans

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Leaving the military and adjusting to civilian life can be difficult for veterans. 

    That’s why organizations like Club 214 Land & Sea try to host different kinds of events, bringing vets together. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Club 214 Land & Sea host events in Tampa Bay  

    • The organization is making efforts offer events to younger veterans  

    • They host events for veterans of all ages 


    Saturday, they hosted an event at Par Bar in St. Petersburg. 

    Paul Keys, the founder of the organization, said they host events that suit veterans of all generations. However, they’re making an effort to bring in younger veterans.

    “They’re looking for a sense of connection, a way for the organization to help them with any needs they have, he said. “But I think the biggest thing is just being accepted, being brought in, and finding that connection with other younger veterans and their families.” 

    Deep Dabhi didn’t think he would join an organization like this when he left the Army. Now 30 years old, he served for seven years and left the Army in 2021. 

    Dabhi said the experiences he’s had with other veteran organizations made it seem like they weren’t for those his age.

    That changed with Club 214 Land & Sea. 

    “We’re playing mini-golf and hanging out with normal people. There’s nothing different about that,” he said.

    Keys said it doesn’t matter how old you are, what branch, or anything else.

    They’re trying to provide experiences that suit all vets. 

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • NASA to rollback Artemis moon rocket due to helium flow issue

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — On Saturday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X that due to a helium flow issue, the Artemis II moon rocket will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs and the possible March launch attempt has been canceled.

    What You Need To Know

    • This new issue has pushed the launch date to a possible April launch
    • The new issue is a helium flow that could result in the rocket being sent to the Vehicle Assembly Building
    • The Artemis II rocket has seen some issues during the first wet dress rehearsal

    “After overnight data showed an interruption in helium flow in the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage, teams are troubleshooting and preparing for a likely rollback of Artemis II to the VAB at @NASAKennedy,” Isaacman stated, who added that this could impact the March launch window.

    The U.S. space agency followed up with a blog post, stating that during the overnight, the issue was detected.

    “NASA is taking steps to potentially roll back the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida after overnight Feb. 21 observing interrupted flow of helium in the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage. Helium flow is required for launch,” NASA stated.

    In a follow-up post on X, Isaacman shared that engineers were unable to get the helium flow through the rocket during a routine procedure to repressurize the system.

    “Potential faults could include the final filter between the ground and flight vehicle, located on the umbilical, though this seems least likely based on the failure signature. It could also be a failed QD umbilical interface, where similar issues have been observed,” he stated.

    He said this issue was found on the Artemis I back in 2022 and stated that access and repairs to any of the issues can only be performed in the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    “As mentioned previously, we will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration,” he posted.

    NASA was eyeing as early as March 6, but now the next launch attempt should be in April.

    Both NASA and Isaacman stated that teams are reviewing the data and trying to determine the best course of action. Earlier on Saturday, the duo stated that a decision was being made to either make the repairs on the launch pad or roll it back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    NASA stated that high winds may make that decision for them.

    “In order to protect for troubleshooting options at both Pad B and the VAB, teams are making preparations to remove the pad access platforms installed (Friday), which have wind-driven constraints and cannot be removed during high winds, which are forecasted for (Sunday),” NASA stated in the blog post on Saturday morning. 

    The day before, NASA held a press conference about its second wet dress rehearsal, where the Space Launch System rocket was fueled with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel and other tests, like a simulated countdown to launch, took place on Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.

    The first test earlier this month saw a liquid hydrogen leak, but new seals were replaced and worked well for the second test.

    NASA officials were eyeing March 6 as the earliest possible test launch, but with this new problem, the next attempt may not be until April.

    During the Artemis I mission in 2022, Hurricane Ian forced NASA to roll the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    Once the Artemis II is ready, it will send NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen to the moon in a flyby mission while they are in the Orion capsule.

    Artemis II launch attempt dates

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    Anthony Leone

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  • NASA to rollback Artemis moon rocket due to helium flow issue

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — On Saturday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X that due to a helium flow issue, the Artemis II moon rocket will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs and the possible March launch attempt has been canceled.

    What You Need To Know

    • This new issue has pushed the launch date to April
    • The new issue is a helium flow that could result in the rocket being sent to the Vehicle Assembly Building
    • The Artemis II rocket has seen some issues during the first wet dress rehearsal

    “After overnight data showed an interruption in helium flow in the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage, teams are troubleshooting and preparing for a likely rollback of Artemis II to the VAB at @NASAKennedy,” Isaacman stated, who added that this could impact the March launch window.

    The U.S. space agency followed up with a blog post, stating that during the overnight, the issue was detected.

    “NASA is taking steps to potentially roll back the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida after overnight Feb. 21 observing interrupted flow of helium in the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage. Helium flow is required for launch,” NASA stated.

    In a follow-up post on X, Isaacman shared that engineers were unable to get the helium flow through the rocket during a routine procedure to repressurize the system.

    “Potential faults could include the final filter between the ground and flight vehicle, located on the umbilical, though this seems least likely based on the failure signature. It could also be a failed QD umbilical interface, where similar issues have been observed,” he stated.

    He said this issue was found on the Artemis I back in 2022 and stated that access and repairs to any of the issues can only be performed in the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    “As mentioned previously, we will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration,” he posted.

    NASA was eyeing as early as March 6, but now the next launch attempt will be in April.

    Both NASA and Isaacman stated that teams are reviewing the data and trying to determine the best course of action. Earlier on Saturday, the duo stated that a decision was being made to either make the repairs on the launch pad or roll it back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    NASA stated that high winds may make that decision for them.

    “In order to protect for troubleshooting options at both Pad B and the VAB, teams are making preparations to remove the pad access platforms installed (Friday), which have wind-driven constraints and cannot be removed during high winds, which are forecasted for (Sunday),” NASA stated in the blog post on Saturday morning. 

    The day before, NASA held a press conference about its second wet dress rehearsal, where the Space Launch System rocket was fueled with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel and other tests, like a simulated countdown to launch, took place on Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.

    The first test earlier this month saw a liquid hydrogen leak, but new seals were replaced and worked well for the second test.

    NASA officials were eyeing March 6 as the earliest possible test launch, but with this new problem, the next attempt may not be until April.

    During the Artemis I mission in 2022, Hurricane Ian forced NASA to roll the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    Once the Artemis II is ready, it will send NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen to the moon in a flyby mission while they are in the Orion capsule.

    Artemis II launch attempt dates

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    Anthony Leone

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  • No. 12 Florida rolls past Ole Miss 94-75, tightening SEC grip

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    OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Alex Condon scored 24 points and No. 12 Florida tightened its grip atop the Southeastern Conference standings with a 94-75 win over Mississippi on Saturday.

    Florida (21-6, 12-2 SEC) entered as the conference leader with a two-game cushion in the loss column over Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee with four games remaining.

    The win was the seventh consecutive for the Gators and extended its SEC road game winning streak to six. Florida improved to 16-2 since mid-December and remained unbeaten in February.

    Thomas Haugh added 20 points and nine rebounds as Florida had five players in double figures. Reserves Urban Klavzar scored 15 points while Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland had 11 points apiece.

    The Gators trailed in the opening five minutes before building a first half leads of 14 points on two occasions and led by as many as 22 points on Hough’s dunk with 3:14 remaining.

    Malik Dia scored 24 points for Ole Miss (11-16, 3-11), the ninth consecutive loss for the Rebels. Ilias Kamardine had 14 points and Patton Pinkins added 10, but Ole Miss never got within single digits in the final 18 minutes.

    Florida led 43-32 at halftime on the strength of a 14-2 run midway through the first half. Condon and Hough combined for 10 points in the surge that built what proved to be an insurmountable 24-14 lead with 9:15 left in the first half.

    The Gators dominated the rebound battle with a 39-24 edge and finished 11 of 22 from three-point range. Ole Miss forced 19 turnovers, but shot only 25 of 61, 41 percent, including 2 of 16 from the 3-point line.

    Up next

    Florida: The Gators complete a two-game road trip to Texas on Wednesday.

    Ole Miss: The Rebels complete a two-game home stand by hosting LSU on Wednesday.

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    Associated Press

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  • FAMU’s Dr. Walter L. Smith’s lasting global impact on the Black diaspora

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    TAMPA, Fla. — This Black History Month, the legacy of former Florida A&M University President Dr. Walter Lee Smith is being remembered not only for strengthening one of the nation’s leading HBCUs, but for extending its reach across the African diaspora.

    What You Need To Know

    • During Black History Month, Tampa’s library honoring Civil Rights activist and FAMU 7th President Dr. Walter L. Smith lands an $800,000 grant, advancing a legacy that reached from Florida to Africa and Haiti

    • Smith led FAMU from 1977 to 1985 — a period marked by post-Civil Rights era expansion in higher education and political instability in parts of the Caribbean and Africa

    • At the invitation of Haitian officials, Smith traveled to Haiti multiple times to assist following a “brain drain” and intellectual exodus during the Duvalier Era

    • On Saturday, Feb. 28 at 8 a.m., the Walter Smith Library & Museum will hold its yearly Black History Month event titled “Fish, Grits & Black History“


    Dr. Smith led FAMU from 1977 to 1985 — a period marked by post-Civil Rights era expansion in higher education and political instability in parts of the Caribbean and Africa.

    His son says his father saw education as something far bigger than a degree.

    “Dad internationalized FAMU under his administration,” said Walter L. Smith, Jr. 

    Building bridges during Haiti’s Duvalier Era

    In the early 1980s, during the presidency of Jean-Claude ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier, Haiti was facing political repression and an accelerating “brain drain.” Professionals and university-educated Haitians were leaving the country in large numbers — many bound for the United States, France, and Canada.

    At the invitation of Haitian officials, Smith traveled to Haiti multiple times.

    His mission: strengthen academic standards and create partnerships that would allow Haitian degrees to be recognized internationally.

    “What that Dad did was help to establish that articulation so that when people who had degrees from those colleges would go to Western Bloc countries, their degree would be of the same caliber or the same validity,” said Smith Jr. 

    Smith’s work came against the backdrop of a dictatorship that began under François Duvalier and continued under his son. Despite political instability, Haitian officials sought educational infrastructure support.

    “Despite the despotic nature of the government and of the family, they wanted my father to come and help,” said Smith Jr. 

    Smith was often joined by his wife, FAMU’s seventh First Lady, Jeraldine Williams.

    “I’ve been to Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien,” said Williams.

    She says Smith’s focus was not simply elite university access, but practical, workforce-driven education.

    “High on his (Dr. Walter Smith) list of agenda items was to install two-year schools, two-year colleges,” said Williams. 

    The goal was to create local two-year institutions that could provide credentials, workforce training, and pathways to four-year degrees.

    “So they got a degree, they have a certificate, and so they are qualified to perform at some level rather than not be,” Williams added. 

    Williams says Smith deeply worried about the long-term effects of intellectual migration and “brain drain.”

    “Those who had the brain power would go away, let’s say, from Haiti to the United States, or Haiti to France, or Haiti to England. And then they wouldn’t come back. So that’s a loss. There is an enhancement for them, but it’s a loss for the country,” she said. 

    A home for Haitian students at FAMU

    Some Haitian students did come to Florida, enrolling at FAMU during Smith’s presidency.

    Williams says many faced cultural and linguistic barriers. 

    They found opportunity and support. 

    “(Smith) was trying to deal with those people who were coming in, who probably felt more at a greater distance from success than he did because of the language, because of tradition, because of expectation,” Williams said.

    For Smith, education was about empowerment and nation-building. His work extended beyond the Caribbean.

    During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Smith also traveled to African nations, part of a broader effort by historically Black colleges to reconnect with the global Black diaspora following the Civil Rights movement.

    “Education was a sign of status and still is,” said Smith Jr. “If you had an education, especially a college education, you are big time. You’re doing something right. And that was the basis of the values, is to what was to create a society that could help them to grow that infrastructure.”

    And to his son, there was never a question about whether the work was worth it.

    “There’s never a time that I’ve ever witnessed my father not think the education of Black people was not worth it. He put it all on the line for more than half of his life,” said Smith Jr. 

    Smith’s lasting global impact on the Black diaspora

    Today, decades after his presidency, the influence of Dr. Walter Lee Smith’s legacy continues to cross borders.

    The Walter Smith Library & Museum in Tampa recently received an $800,000 grant from the Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency. On Feb. 28,  the library will hold its yearly Black History Month event, titled “Fish, Grits & Black History.”
     

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    Fadia Patterson

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  • Showtime Speedway keeps grassroots racing alive in Pinellas County

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    PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Grassroots racing has a charm to it. Robert Yoho can recall working at Showtime Speedway in Pinellas County as a kid.

    What You Need To Know

    • Showtime Speedway is a grassroots race track in Pinellas County

    • Robert Yoho worked at the track as a kid, and now owns Showtime

    • The track hosted the Outlaw Figure 8 World Finals earlier this month

    • Showtime has overcome a number of challenges to stay open, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to natural disasters


    “I was a vendor here saying ‘Coke’ ‘Pepsi’ sold them for a quarter apiece and then I went in the military I did my time,” Yoho said.

    Yoho joined the Army, served four tours overseas and when he finished his service, he came back to what he knew best: Showtime.

    “Came back 20 years later and it was closed down… I made a bid… and I’ve been here since 2011,” Yoho said.

    Now Yoho owns the track in a joint agreement with the state of Florida, which owns the land.

    But the lights went out at Showtime a couple of times in recent years. COVID shut down the track during the pandemic.

    Then in 2024, after hurricanes Helene and Milton, Duke Energy took over the track for their trucks. Later, FEMA used the grounds as a landfill for 90 days. Yoho said the track still hasn’t recovered.

    “I understand it, but when COVID came in and killed your crowd and you’re trying to get back to where you were and then they stop and do that again, I still have people stop over here and dump garbage, out in the parking lot, anywhere, they think it’s a landfill,” Yoho said.

    Well, it’s not a landfill anymore. The track is open and hosted the Outlaw Figure 8 World Finals earlier this month.

    Mark Tunny has won this Outlaw Figure 8 title six times, the most of any driver. He wasn’t going to miss the chance to get No. 7.

    “$10,000 and the bragging rights, obviously,” Tunny said when asked what the stakes are for this race. “We come down from Indiana every year, every February, and we look forward to this. Grassroots racing — I don’t think you find anything better than that… I don’t care what NASCAR fans have to say. F1. IndyCar. No, the short track racing with the guys that got money on their line, whether it’s their bank account or their sponsors’ money — I think that’s where you get the best racing.”

    That is why Yoho worked so hard to re-open this track; there is culture here. These drivers take time off their day jobs to race.

    Yoho, the owner of the track, throws on a fire suit and races from time to time as well.

    “I didn’t get to race when I was little. Now all my friends that raced when they were little are watching me race as I’m older,” Yoho said.

    Auto racing is at a pivotal moment for the sport. It has been a struggle to attract new fans. But the fans they do have still absolutely love it. There were kids running figure eights around trash cans during the intermission.

    “We’re having a ton of fun out here at Showtime Speedway. It’s so much fun running around and watching the cars go round,” young racing fan Cooper Meyer said.

    “We love it here, you got the beach down the road and like I said we can’t do any racing at home in February so we come down here we all get sunburnt we all have a real good time and go racing,” Tunny said.

    This track, which opened in 1960, has entertained generations of race fans. Through multiple closures and name changes, Showtime Speedway keeps finding a way to put on a show.

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    Michael Epps

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  • 75-year-old Clearwater physical therapy tech has no plans to retire

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — With physical therapy you get out what you put in. Sonny Harriel, 75, doesn’t just tell his patients that, the physical therapy tech lives it in his career.

    What You Need To Know

    • Sonny Harriel has worked at BayCare’s Morton Plant Hospital for 51 years. He is a physical therapy tech

    • The average that Americans have worked at their current job is four years. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics that is the lowest tenure average in more than 20 years

    • Harriel says he has no plans to retire anytime soon

    • To see more Black History Month stories, click here


    He has put in a significant amount of time during that career.

    “I felt so good. I wouldn’t have thought that I would be in the hospital, or anywhere working for 50 years. But once I got 20 and 30, I said, that is it. I am not going anywhere,” said Sonny.

    51 years now at BayCare’s Morton Plant Hospital, and it’s a place that has shaped his life in many ways.

    Sonny Harriel has his own parking space at BayCare Morton Plant Hospital dedicated to his over 50 of service. (Spectrum News/Erin Murray)

    Sonny even found love at the hospital.

    “I said no for a couple of weeks, I kept saying, no, no, no. Then finally he kept being so insistent,” said Janice Harriel.

    “It was it was 4:20, right outside the door at 4:20 we started talking,” said Sonny, who remembers the place and time he first talked to his now wife.

    The pair married in 1991. Like Sonny, Janice has worked at the hospital a long, long time. 

    “This year is 45 years for me. From a child, to now 62 years old. This is my only place I have worked,” she said. 

    Janice smiles when she reminds everyone, she was born in this hospital, on the day former President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. 

    For many African Americans, career longevity at one place of employment has proved more difficult. It is well documented that workforce challenges and discrimination have been a big part of history for Black Americans. 

    For Sonny and Janice, that was not the case. They both say it was the acceptance from their first day working at Morton Plant that played a role in both staying so long. 

    “Patients come up to us, they will come up to Sonny, and they will say you worked with me in therapy, and they will say, I remember you, you prayed for me,” said Janice. “And it’s such a good feeling, giving back to our patients in our community to let them know we love what we do here at Morton Plant hospital.”

    Combined these lovebirds have worked 96 years for Morton Plant Hospital. 

    They don’t plan to retire soon either. 

    “People ask me, when do you retire? I told them they shredded my paper, so I don’t have retirement paper. That’s a trick I play on people, because I like having fun and I just enjoy working here and I don’t know anyone leave, right? No plans,” said Sonny. “As long as I can walk, I’m coming to work.”

    Sonny is actually not the longest tenured employee at Morton Plant. A clinical nurse that started in 1973 has two years more on Sonny. 

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    Erin Murray

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  • El Niño is set to reappear in time for hurricane season

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — We’re just 100 days away from the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and while the Atlantic remains quiet right now, it could be quieter later this year for a whole different reason.

    To understand why this year could be a quieter hurricane season, you must first understand ENSO – or the El Niño Southern Oscillation. It’s a climate index that monitors fluctuations of water temperatures in key areas of the Pacific basin.

    What You Need To Know

    • La Niña continues in the Pacific with an expected end by this Spring

    • NOAA forecasts El Niño could develop by the peak of hurricane season

    • This could become the first strong El Niño since 2023 to develop

    • El Niño typically makes the Atlantic more hostile for hurricane development

    There are three key states of ENSO – El Niño, La Niña and Neutral. They all signal a different temperature pattern in the Pacific basin, which can influence not only tropical patterns in the Atlantic, but globally.

    It works like this: things that are warm like to rise, while things that are cold like to sink. And this rising and sinking motion works in tandem between the atmosphere and ocean.

    So, when the Pacific basin warms up more than it should, it helps to promote rising air over the Pacific Ocean. Rising air helps to develop clouds and thunderstorms, which, if conditions are right, can further develop into a tropical system. This is known as El Niño.

    Conversely, when the Pacific is colder than it should be, it promotes sinking motions. This sinking motion in the atmosphere helps to suppress rising motion, making it tougher for clouds and thunderstorms to form, and consequently harder for tropical systems to develop. This is known as La Niña.

    When the Pacific basin is near its normal temperature state, we call this ENSO Neutral. Neutral states don’t typically have a big push one way or the other in supporting or suppressing tropical development.

    How does this Pacific index drive Atlantic development?

    ENSO may be measured in the Pacific Basin, but it has impacts across the global tropical pattern. When rising or sinking motions are set up in the Pacific basin, the opposite sets up in adjacent basins.

    It’s just like the saying: what goes up, must come down.

    So, when La Niña gets declared in the Pacific basin, that typically means rising motion is supported in the Atlantic basin, allowing for more clouds and thunderstorm development. While this doesn’t solely mean hurricane development is more likely, it is a key factor in helping to enhance the total storm count for the season.

    Conversely, when El Niño gets declared in the Pacific – like we expect to happen this year – the rising motion moves to the Pacific basin. This should lead to sinking air across the Atlantic basin, which not only causes enhanced wind shear, but limits upward movement, which can reduce cloud and thunderstorm development. We typically see reduced storm count in these years as a result.

    When does El Niño arrive?

    According to the February report put out by the Climate Prediction Center last week, NOAA suspects the ongoing La Niña will come to an end by March or April. As the Pacific basin returns to a neutral state.

    A growing pool of very warm water near Papua New Guinea and the Philippines should continue its trek eastward over the late Spring and early Summer months, gradually warming the east Pacific waters up further. The waters should reach a state of El Niño by the peak of hurricane season – which is between the middle of August to the middle of October.

    This means while the start of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season isn’t expected to see much of an influence from ENSO, the back half of the season might. Remember, ENSO patterns alone do not drive how a hurricane season could go. It’s just one piece of the puzzle, but it can be a big piece.

    As we near the upcoming hurricane season, your Weather Experts will share tips and tricks to getting you hurricane ready. Remember, it only takes one storm to make it a bad season.

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    Meteorologist Zach Covey

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  • Eric Dane, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Euphoria’ star, has died at 53

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    Eric Dane, the celebrated actor best known for his roles on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria” and who later in life became an advocate for ALS awareness, died Thursday. He was 53.

    His representatives said Dane died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known also as Lou Gehrig’s disease, less than a year after he announced his diagnosis.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dane developed a devoted fanbase when his big break arrived in the mid-2000s: He was cast as Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, on the ABC medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy”

    • In 2019, he did a complete 180 from the charming McSteamy and became the troubled Cal Jacobs in HBO’s provocative drama “Euphoria,” a role he continued in up until his death

    • In April 2025, Dane announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells controlling muscles throughout the body

    • He became an advocate for ALS awareness, speaking a news conference in Washington on health insurance prior authorization

    “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world,” said a statement that requested privacy for his family. “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received.”

    Dane developed a devoted fanbase when his big break arrived in the mid-2000s: He was cast as Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, on the ABC medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” a role he would play from 2006 until 2012 and reprise in 2021.

    Although his character was killed off on the show after a plane crash, Dane’s character left an indelible mark on the still-running show: Seattle Grace Hospital became Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

    In 2019, he did a complete 180 from the charming McSteamy and became the troubled Cal Jacobs in HBO’s provocative drama “Euphoria,” a role he continued in up until his death.

    Dane also starred as Tom Chandler, the captain of a U.S. Navy destroyer at sea after a global catastrophe wiped out most of the world’s population, in the TNT drama “The Last Ship.” In 2017, production was halted as Dane battled depression.

    In April 2025, Dane announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells controlling muscles throughout the body.

    ALS gradually destroys the nerve cells and connections needed to walk, talk, speak and breathe. Most patients die within three to five years of a diagnosis.

    Dane became an advocate for ALS awareness, speaking a news conference in Washington on health insurance prior authorization. “Some of you may know me from TV shows, such as ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ which I play a doctor. But I am here today to speak briefly as a patient battling ALS,” he said in June 2025. In September of that year, the ALS Network named Dane the recipient of their advocate of the year award, recognizing his commitment to raising awareness and support for people living with ALS.

    Dane was born on Nov. 9, 1972, and raised in Northern California. His father, who the actor said was a Navy veteran and an architect, died of a gunshot wound when Dane was 7. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, landing guest roles on shows like “Saved by the Bell,” “Married…With Children,” “Charmed” and “X-Men: the Last Stand,” and one season of the short-lived medical drama “Gideon’s Crossing.”

    A memoir by Dane is scheduled to be published in late 2026. “Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments” will be released by Maria Shriver’s The Open Field, a Penguin Random House imprint. According to Open Field, Dane’s memoir covers key moments in his life, from his first day at work on “Grey’s Anatomy” to the births of his two daughters and learning that he had ALS.

    “I want to capture the moments that shaped me — the beautiful days, the hard ones, the ones I never took for granted — so that if nothing else, people who read it will remember what it means to live with heart,” Dane said in a statement about the book. “If sharing this helps someone find meaning in their own days, then my story is worth telling.”

    Dane is survived by his wife, actor Rebecca Gayheart, and their two teen daughters, Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine. Gayheart and Dane wed in 2004 and separated in September 2017. Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018, but later filed to dismiss the petition. In a December essay for New York magazine’s The Cut reflecting on Dane’s diagnosis, Gayheart called their dynamic “a very complicated relationship, one that’s confusing for people.” She said they never got a divorce, but dated other people and lived separately.

    “Our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love,” she said. “Eric knows that I am always going to want the best for him. That I’m going to do my best to do right by him. And I know he would do the same for me. So whatever I can do or however I can show up to make this journey better for him or easier for him, I want to do that.”

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    Associated Press

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  • Filing taxes? ‘No tax on tips’ provision could affect thousands locally

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — This year when filing taxes, those who receive tips could get more money back in their pocket.

    A study from Yale University says about 2.5% of workers are tipped, but in a vacation destination like Pinellas County, the proportion of workers who make the bulk of their income off tips is likely higher.

    Bay area tax professional Michael Price with Ralph, Price, McAuliffe & Associates, P.A, said he expects those tipped employees who work more than a shift or two a week could see some significant tax savings this year.

    What You Need To Know

    • ‘No tax on tips’ is  an above the line deduction up to $25,000

    • Hospitality, food service likely qualify

    • Applies through tax year 2028

    • Tips must be voluntarily given, properly reported


    “When you start talking about an extra $7,000 – $8,000 potentially of tax savings for people by not having tax on tips, I think it could add up quite significantly if you’re under the appropriate income thresholds,” he said.

    The ‘no tax on tips’ provision that is part of the One Big Beautiful Bill act is a tax deduction, not an exemption. It’s an above the line deduction of up to $25,000 for tips that were properly reported and given voluntarily.

    Price said all the information a tipped worker needs will be on their tax documents.

    “It’s going to be separately reported on their W-2,” he said. “So when they get their W-2 ,they’ll see the extra boxes where they’ll have a code for their qualified tips that they can put into whatever they use to do their tax preparation.”

    Jobs that qualify are those that customarily receive tips, like in the hospitality industry. Jobs like tutoring or fishing charters that received Venmo payments as a ‘thank you’ would not qualify.

    The deduction also doesn’t apply to automatic service charges, or mandatory gratuity.

    The ‘no tax on tips’ provision won’t benefit all tipped workers. Some part-time servers would earn too little to owe federal income tax on their earnings in the first place.

    Staff members at The Frog Pond in downtown St. Pete said they’re filing their taxes and hope they benefit. Owner Raymond Bourque says he hope his staff can get more money back this year given this new provision, and knows his customers prefer their tips going straight to their server.

    “If somebody leaves a $10 tip on a $20-$25 dollar ticket… they want to know that $10 will stay with them and not $7 in their pocket and $3 to the federal government,” Borque said.

    These tax provisions will remain through the 2028 tax season.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Paloma House, a women-centered community, opens in St. Pete

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For a long time, Paloma House owner and founder Sophie Moenter had a goal: create a space where motherhood, wellness, work and connection could co-exist. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Paloma House is a women-centered community in St. Petersburg

    • The idea is for women to have a place to bond over motherhood, wellness and work

    • Sophie Moenter opened the business with her best friend, Melissa Darr, in January 2026

    • While women can participate in day-to-day events and classes, there is a monthly membership for wanting more access


    “This is the non-judgmental zone as well. Your kid has a meltdown. That’s OK. We’re used to it,” said Moenter.

    Moenter and her best friend, Melissa Darr, started small with this dream. 

    “We originally started this concept out of my photography studio, which was 500 square feet,” said Moenter. “And we very quickly realized how much moms and women need community. And it blew up pretty much overnight.”

    It grew into a space in St. Petersburg they named the Paloma House. 

    “We are listening and we are looking for feedback. We’re hoping that this checks boxes for the women in the community. You don’t have to be a mom. You just have to be a woman. You know, someone who’s looking for support,” said Darr, co-founder of Paloma House.

    Inside the large black and white building, there are health and wellness rooms, cozy social meet-up spots, even quiet areas to work. All of this, with the understanding that children are welcome. There is even a play-care area where children can be watched if a mother needs to have time to work in a room nearby. 

    Play-care area at the Paloma House in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Spectrum News)

    Health and wellness room at the Paloma House in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Spectrum News)

    “Community. That is mainly why I joined. I literally became a member yesterday,” said new member Nicole Waters.

    “It felt very divine because we’ve just moved down to St. Pete from Boston this past fall, and I was always hoping that by the time I became a mom, something like this would exist,” said Emma Compagna, member. 

    Kids are everywhere, and the chaos that comes with children is embraced. Even Moenter’s son is there in the building. 

    “He’s been the inspiration behind everything here,” said Moenter, smiling at her son, Remy. “I feel very, very lucky that I get to bring him everywhere I go with me, and I wanted other moms to feel, you know, that ability as well.”

    “I have a two-year-old, and this type of environment was not around for me,” said Darr. “And when I kind of started learning more about our vision, it was a no-brainer.”

    But this space is not just for moms or moms to be — it is a place for working women, too.

    “So, as an entrepreneur, this space has been great because there’s a lot of other entrepreneurs here as well. So a lot of like-minded women. It is very community-oriented,” said Compagna.

    Working area at the Paloma House in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Spectrum News)

    For Moenter and Darr, it is a space for women to pause, breathe and grow in life in a calmer way. 

    “It kind of reminded me who I am again, because I have somewhere to flex my personality. And it’s not just small talk,” said Compagna. 

    Paloma House does have different memberships for those interested. 

    On Sunday, February 22, there is a grand opening celebration. It is happening at the Paloma House at 10787 Oak St. NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33716 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

    Moenter said it is free for families to attend, including dads.

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    Erin Murray

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  • Council hears recommendations from advanced air mobility task force

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — They’re being called a potentially transformative change to transportation in Tampa Bay.

    While it’s uncertain when advanced air mobility aircraft (AAM) will start carrying passengers in the region, St. Petersburg is one of the municipalities getting ready for them. 

    “You want to be ready for the latest technology. You want to be prepared. You don’t want to be reactive when something kind of comes on the horizon,” said Ed Montanari, chair of St. Petersburg’s Advanced Air Mobility Task Force.

    During an interview at Albert Whitted Airport, Montanari pointed out a model of the first commercial airliner. A sign on the display says it took off from downtown more than 110 years ago.

    “A lot of people don’t know this, but the airline business started right here in St. Petersburg in 1914, and this is the newest airborne transportation system that’s coming along,” said Montanari.

    A report from the task force describes AAM as “an emerging sector of the aviation industry that enables the quick and efficient transport of passengers or cargo over short distances.”

    While the report says this encompasses different kinds of aircraft, the most common kind being developed is the electric vertical take off and landing aircraft, or eVTOL.

    Montanari said they haven’t been approved by the FAA yet, but that could happen later this year or early next. Thursday, he told city council what can be done to prepare.

    “I think it’s going to be transformative to transportation throughout the region, and the state, and around the world,” he told Spectrum News.

    Improvements to Albert Whitted Airport were among the recommendations. They included creating AAM parking spots and installing electrical charging stations and fire safety systems in the next three years. It says one or more vertiports — or takeoff and landing sites — should be built in the next decade.

    “I see the first place these aircraft are going to operate out of would be right here at the airport,” said Montanari. 

    He also said there’s a potential for standalone vertiports in different areas of the city, like downtown. He compared those sites to helipads on the tops of tall buildings in New York City. Montanari said AAMs would first operate out of the airport.

    Council Member Brandi Gabbard said a critical part of getting the introduction of AAMs right will be cooperation beyond St. Pete.

    “I think we can look at our transit today and note that if there had been regional collaboration decades ago, we would be in a much different place,” Gabbard said during the meeting.

    The task force’s report does recommend working with regional planners to develop flight corridors to link Whitted with Tampa International Airport and other facilities. 

    “We also want to capture the jobs that might come with these new vehicles, the education, the training, and then the manufacturing,” said Montanari. “We’re going for it all right here. We really wanted to plant the flag of — this is the home of commercial aviation, we want to keep it the home of commercial aviation.” 

    Montanari said next, a study is needed to determine where at Whitted the infrastructure and landing spots should be.

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    Sarah Blazonis

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