Author: Owen E. Richason IV
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Pinellas County Schools officials say community members still have opportunities to provide input as the district continues evaluating additional school closures and consolidations driven by declining student enrollment. District leaders updated the Pinellas County School Board on Tuesday about the ongoing planning process, emphasizing that no final decisions have been made regarding the next round…
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Federal student loan borrowers across the country are navigating a major shift in repayment rules following the end of the Biden-era SAVE program, even as default rates continue to climb nationwide. Data from the Office of Federal Student Aid show that roughly one in five federal student loan borrowers is now in default, representing more…
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved nearly $55 million to support resilience and recovery projects across Florida, including funding earmarked for the Tampa Bay region. The award is part of a broader $584 million nationwide investment FEMA announced this month through its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, its Public Assistance program, and its…
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A new Florida law changes who is responsible for paying commissions associated with collecting voter-approved school property taxes, ending a dispute that affected multiple school districts and prompted legal action in Sarasota County. The legislation, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, prevents county tax collectors from charging school districts commissions on voter-approved operating millage.…
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Congress is once again pushing to end the twice-yearly clock changes, a fight that has resurfaced repeatedly for decades and failed every time it reached the finish line. The House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act on July 14 in a bipartisan 308-117 vote, sending the measure to the Senate. The bill would make…
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Florida students, parents, and educators will see several changes this school year as new state laws take effect and recent court decisions influence school policies statewide. The changes affect classroom instruction, school operations, student athletics, and employee rights. Among the most significant changes is a new law requiring later start times for many public schools.…
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A wave of Tampa commercial real estate deals is pushing several long-standing properties toward major redevelopment, as owners move to convert aging retail sites into mixed-use districts combining housing, offices and retail. Third Lake Partners, a company based in Ybor City, purchased the 57-year-old Westshore Plaza for $135 million after an earlier prospective buyer backed…
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Manatee County commissioners are drafting new rules aimed at short-term rental properties after fielding hundreds of complaints from residents in Bradenton, Palmetto, and beachside neighborhoods. The county currently has no dedicated short-term rental ordinance and instead relies on state law and existing local noise, fire, and property maintenance codes. Judy Vobroucek, a Bradenton resident of…
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Drivers traveling near 18 Tampa schools will soon encounter automated speed enforcement cameras as part of a city effort to reduce speeding in school zones. The Tampa City Council approved the locations after reviewing traffic data collected at 29 schools and 31 school zones. The selected sites were identified based on measured speeding activity rather…
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A Florida-based company is offering Tampa Bay residents a new option for hurricane season: a membership that guarantees a seat on an evacuation flight, rather than joining the crowds fleeing by car. PriorityEvac is selling memberships priced at $1,250 per person that cover two storm evacuations per year, with flights departing from Tampa International Airport…
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Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said the district’s declining enrollment continues to shape long-term planning, but he does not expect sweeping changes to occur all at once. Speaking during a recent School Board workshop, Hendrick said enrollment trends have been clear for several years as fewer school-age children live in Pinellas County. District leaders…
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Pinellas County Schools is asking families to help decide which schools stay open, as district leaders weigh a new round of closures driven by years of declining enrollment. The district hosted three community meetings Wednesday, including one at Pinellas Park High School, where Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said officials are studying what works best for individual…
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Central Florida officials and aviation leaders unveiled new infrastructure at Kissimmee Gateway Airport this week to bring electric air taxi service to the region, with projected Orlando-to-Tampa flight times of about 30 minutes. The airport installed a “Beta Charge Cube,” a fast-charging station designed to support a new generation of electric aircraft currently undergoing real-world…
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Tampa ranked as the best large city in the nation for first-time homebuyers and placed fourth overall among 300 cities studied, according to a new report from the personal finance site WalletHub. The rankings come as first-time buyers face mounting challenges nationwide. WalletHub said first-time homebuyers accounted for just 21% of the housing market last…
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Tampa Bay families across the area are facing sharply higher costs for classroom supplies as the new school year approaches, adding financial pressure just weeks before students head back to class. The Hillsborough County School Board is expected to vote on adding $3 million to the district’s budget for classroom supplies, citing inflation as a…
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Haines City officials say a proposed state constitutional amendment expanding homestead property tax exemptions could cost the city $10 million a year in general fund revenue once fully phased in by 2028. The city held a town hall meeting for residents ahead of the November general election, with officials saying the goal was to explain…
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The U.S. House of Representatives voted Tuesday to make daylight saving time the permanent national standard, advancing a measure that would end the twice-yearly ritual of springing forward and falling back. Lawmakers approved the Sunshine Protection Act 308-117, with 22 Republicans and 95 Democrats voting against the measure. The bill, formally known as H.R. 139,…
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Clearwater City Council members are preparing to discuss the future of the city’s electric service during a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, as leaders weigh whether to renew a long-standing agreement with Duke Energy or move toward creating a city-owned utility. The 30-year franchise agreement between Clearwater and Duke Energy expired in December 2025.…
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Families in Hillsborough County can now register for free back-to-school health clinics designed to help eligible students meet medical requirements before the new school year begins. Project Link is operating its annual Back-to-School Health Clinics through Aug. 8, providing school physicals, required immunizations, Florida DH 680 immunization certificates, and immunization record transfers for children ages…
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Even though Florida lawmakers exempted school district property taxes from a proposed constitutional amendment headed to the November ballot, Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick says local schools could still experience significant indirect effects if voters approve the measure. Speaking during a June 15 meeting of the Belleair Bluffs City Commission, Hendrick said the proposal…
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A newly opened affordable housing community in Bradenton is offering priority leasing to teachers, first responders, health care workers and other local employees as Manatee County continues to grapple with high housing costs. The Nest Apartments, a $22.9 million complex built by One Stop Housing, is designed for renters earning 80% of the area’s median…
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Pinellas County Schools kicked off a fresh round of community meetings last week as district leaders begin identifying which schools could be closed or consolidated for the 2027-2028 school year, part of an ongoing effort to address enrollment declines that officials say could persist for decades. Three “Planning for Progress” meetings were held Thursday across…
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The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote next week on the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would eliminate the twice-yearly clock change and make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. The vote follows a 48-1 committee approval of the bill in May. What the bill would do Daylight saving time currently runs from…
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Manatee County homeowners recovering from storm damage caused by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton have more time to apply for financial assistance through the Lasting Manatee Home Recovery Program after county officials extended the application deadlines. The program is funded by a $252 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and…
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Florida utility regulators are weighing whether Duke Energy’s proposal for serving large artificial intelligence data centers complies with a new state law designed to prevent existing utility customers from paying the costs of expanding infrastructure for those facilities. The case is the first major test of Florida’s data center law, which took effect July 1.…
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September 26th and October 9th will mark the two-year anniversaries of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. But even twenty-three months after the destruction that both storms fiercely unleashed, there are still homeowners trying to recover. Although much of the Tampa Bay area, including Pinellas County, has rebuilt and rebounded, a substantial number of residents remain uncertain…
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Parents in Hillsborough County are moving quickly to secure spots in the county’s after-school program as enrollment opens ahead of the 2026-27 school year. County officials say many program locations are already approaching capacity just days after registration began and are encouraging families to enroll as soon as possible if they plan to participate. The…
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Florida is set to receive nearly $2 billion in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement funding to support disaster recovery projects across the state, according to U.S. Senator Ashley Moody. The announcement is expected to be made during a news conference with leaders in Charlotte County. The latest allocation follows a previous announcement in May,…
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A new statewide poll shows Florida’s property tax relief ballot measure has enough support to pass this November, according to survey results released by government and political public relations firm Sachs Media. The poll found 64% of Floridians support reducing their property tax bill on their primary residence this November. The measure originated as a…
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Despite carrying billions of dollars in debt and ongoing negotiations with creditors, Brightline says passengers should not expect any disruption to train service during one of the year’s busiest travel periods. The privately operated passenger rail company reported strong demand over the Independence Day holiday weekend, noting that ridership continues to grow as more travelers…
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Hillsborough County voters will decide in November whether to renew the school district’s half-penny sales tax, a levy that has funded $97 million in campus improvements this summer alone. With students on break, construction crews are working at schools across the district, including a complete heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning overhaul at Steinbrenner High School. “It’s…
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced 14 changes to the Federal Housing Administration’s single-family mortgage insurance program, saying the updates are designed to reduce regulatory burdens, lower administrative costs for lenders, and streamline the mortgage process. The policy changes affect several areas of FHA lending, including the agency’s renovation loan program,…
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Following the Florida Legislature’s June special legislative session, local governments across the Tampa Bay area are rapidly drafting financial contingency plans and issuing stark warnings to residents regarding the potential fallout of a major property tax overhaul on the upcoming November ballot. Dubbed Amendment 3, or the “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes” amendment,…
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Twenty high school seniors spent four days this week learning to change tires, replace oil, and handle other basic vehicle maintenance tasks at an all-girls automotive summer camp hosted by Pinellas County Schools at Northeast High School. The camp is part of a district effort to draw more female students into automotive careers, a field…
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A new Florida law that changes some of the requirements for earning a standard high school diploma is now in effect, giving students additional options for meeting graduation requirements. The law, which took effect July 1, allows students who complete two years of marching band to satisfy both the one-credit physical education requirement and the…
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A new state law regulating large-scale data centers took effect Wednesday, part of a wave of Florida legislation that became active on July 1. Senate Bill 484, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May, is designed to protect residential and small-business electricity customers from having to foot the bill for power-hungry facilities. The law bars…
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The Madeira Beach Fire Department has become the first agency in Pinellas County to receive a rip current simulator, giving firefighters a new way to train for one of the Gulf Coast’s most dangerous water emergencies. The simulator, purchased for approximately $13,000 and reimbursed through a grant from the Florida Department of Children and Families,…
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Millions of Americans with federal student loans will see significant changes beginning today as a sweeping overhaul of the student loan system takes effect. The new rules affect both future borrowers and many current borrowers by changing borrowing limits, repayment options, and loan eligibility. The changes impact an estimated 43 million Americans with federal student…
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Visitors to St. Pete Beach will see new restrictions on beachfront signs following approval of an ordinance aimed at regulating how signs are placed along the shoreline. The St. Pete Beach City Commission approved Ordinance 2026-11, which prohibits permanent signs, stakes, poles, and similar structures within 50 feet of the Gulf shoreline. Removable A-frame signs…
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Residents in Tampa could soon see one of the nation’s most advanced drinking water treatment systems as the city moves forward with plans to remove PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” from its water supply. The City of Tampa is preparing to construct a new treatment facility at the David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility…
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As the 2026 hurricane season continues, TECO Peoples Gas has launched a door-to-door effort in parts of South Tampa to identify homes that rely on natural gas-powered generators during extended power outages. The initiative follows problems reported during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, when some residents with standby generators lost access to natural gas…
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Starting Wednesday, every Florida high school student who wants to play sports must undergo an electrocardiogram (ECG) screening, under a new state law aimed at catching hidden heart conditions before they turn deadly. Senate Bill 1070, known as the Second Chance Act, was passed by the Florida Legislature in 2025 and takes effect July 1.…
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A New Port Richey homeowner’s monthslong flooding nightmare has come to an end after the city traced the source to an abandoned water main that may have been buried since the Eisenhower administration. Mike Armstrong’s front yard had been flooding repeatedly since February. He believed a leaking city water pipe was to blame, but city…
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