Author: stpeteclearwatersun
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Sarasota city leaders are moving forward with a proposal to extend paid parking hours to 7 days a week to fund mounting infrastructure needs without drawing on taxpayer money. Under the plan, paid parking would operate daily from 8 a.m. to midnight — an expansion from the current schedule. The proposal also includes a $5…
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Researchers at the University of South Florida are working to help cities in the Tampa Bay region prepare for the potential arrival of electric air taxis, studying everything from takeoff and landing site locations to equitable pricing models. The team at USF’s Smart Urban Mobility Lab is examining the details involved in standing up an…
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Tampa City Council members peppered Tampa Bay Rays CEO Ken Babby with questions on Wednesday night about how the public would foot its share of the bill for a proposed $2.3 billion ballpark at the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough College. The Rays have said they are prepared to cover more than half the cost…
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The end of the 2025-26 school year is just weeks away for students across the Tampa Bay region, with most local districts wrapping up between Wednesday, May 27, and Friday, May 29. The last day of school varies by county. Hillsborough County students finish on Friday, May 29. Pinellas County students wrap up a day earlier, on Thursday,…
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The Florida Department of Education on Monday released the framework for a new state-developed U.S. History course for high school students, positioning it as an alternative to the College Board’s Advanced Placement program. The Florida Advanced Courses and Tests (FACT) U.S. History course will be available to public and charter schools in the upcoming school…
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A new St. Pete Beach ordinance banning signs and posts on the sand near the waterline took effect Tuesday night, following a dispute over property markers placed by a local hotel that residents said posed a danger to beachgoers. City commissioners passed the emergency ordinance last week, giving property owners seven days to comply. The…
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Severe drought conditions along the Withlacoochee River have pushed water levels far below normal, prompting the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to lower the gate at the Wysong Water Conservation Structure, located between Citrus and Sumter counties. District chief professional engineer Dr. Mark Fulkerson said current water levels haven’t been seen in roughly nine…
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The Indian Rocks Beach city commission has unanimously approved a new citizen advisory panel and taken steps to protect residential streets from beachgoer overflow as a paid parking program prepares to launch later this month. The Neighbor Advisory Board, approved 5-0 on April 14, will consist of five regular members and two alternates serving one-year…
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With the share of first-time homebuyers at a historic low, a free workshop in Tampa this weekend is seeking to give aspiring homeowners the tools they need to succeed. The Freddie Mac CreditSmart® Essentials Workshop takes place Saturday, May 9, at CareerSource Tampa Bay, 9215 N. Florida Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon. The event…
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Construction is officially underway on a new eight-story, 161-unit hotel along Madeira Way after a groundbreaking ceremony last Thursday. The project, called The Beachmaker, will replace a cluster of vacant and storm-damaged buildings that have sat idle since the 2024 hurricane season. Madeira Beach Mayor Anne-Marie Brooks attended the event and operated construction equipment to…
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Downtown Tampa braces for a packed weekend as Riverfest, one of the city’s largest annual events, gets underway today along the Hillsborough River. The free festival, hosted by Friends of the Tampa Riverwalk and presented by Publix Super Markets, runs Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, with events stretching along the riverfront between Curtis…
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Manatee County’s oldest city is making a significant bet on its own future, with a series of public and private investments aimed at transforming downtown Palmetto from a commuter corridor into a regional destination. The Palmetto Community Redevelopment Agency is leading several projects to improve the downtown area and waterfront, encouraging more visitors and residents…
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Construction is officially underway on a new shared Hillsborough County campus for Just Elementary and Stewart Middle Magnet School in West Tampa, following a groundbreaking ceremony held Tuesday. The $77 million project is designed to serve more than 1,500 students. Renderings show the two schools linked together by the historic Blake High School gymnasium. Superintendent…
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Siesta Beach on Sarasota County’s Siesta Key has earned a spot on the World’s 50 Best Beaches list, making it the only American beach to appear among the global rankings. The World’s 50 Best Beaches said its judges, beach ambassadors, and team explored beaches worldwide to compile the list. Siesta Beach came in at No.…
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As rental fraud schemes become increasingly common, the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s Office is pointing residents to a new way to verify who actually owns a rental property before signing a lease or paying rent. The office has added a direct link to Florida’s official Division of Corporations database, known as Sunbiz, to its online…
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Officials from the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and the City of Tampa met Monday to discuss next steps for restoring cross-bay ferry service between downtown Tampa and downtown St. Petersburg. The meeting comes as the newly renamed Tampa Bay Ferry — formerly the Cross Bay Ferry — moves closer to a potential launch this spring…
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Florida legislators gathered Tuesday in Tallahassee to begin a special session running through May 1, with congressional redistricting emerging as the session’s most contentious issue alongside agenda items covering artificial intelligence protections and health care policy. The push to redraw Florida’s congressional maps follows former President Donald Trump’s call last year for a new census…
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A federally funded dredging project is weeks away from restoring more than a mile of Lido Beach while also improving navigation safety through the New Pass Channel, city officials said. Workers are dredging sand from sandbars in the New Pass Channel and pumping it onto Lido Beach, with the goal of returning more than 300,000…
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A program in Pasco County is offering millions of dollars in incentives to developers willing to build affordable housing is closing its application window on Tuesday, April 28. The “Better Futures” initiative is backed by $100 million in federal block grant funding tied to hurricane Helene and Milton disaster relief. County leaders say they chose…
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The Lakeland Downtown Development Authority is seeking approval to expand its security camera network, proposing to add five cameras to a system that already watches over roughly a 16-block area of the city center. Officials say the existing cameras in Lakeland have already proven effective, helping identify suspects in thefts, vehicle break-ins, and dine-and-dash incidents…
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The Philadelphia Phillies moved a significant step closer Thursday to a sweeping renovation of their Clearwater spring training complex after Pinellas County commissioners voted to commit public funding to the project. In a 6-1 vote, the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners approved a term sheet directing $85 million in tourism dollars toward the $205 million…
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Seagrass conditions across much of the Tampa Bay region are improving, according to preliminary survey results released Wednesday by the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). Scientists conducted field surveys this week near Fort DeSoto Park in Pinellas County, including in Boca Ciega Bay, to verify aerial photography taken from small aircraft. Chris Anastasiou, the…
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A $12 million dredging project is simultaneously restoring Lido Beach and improving navigation safety in the New Pass Channel, with work expected to wrap up within the next few weeks. Workers are dredging sand from sandbars in the New Pass Channel and pumping it onto Lido Beach, adding more than 300,000 cubic yards of sand…
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Publix is expanding its popular deli sub lineup with a new brisket-focused menu available now at stores across the Southeast. The Lakeland-based grocer announced three new brisket subs and one new brisket sandwich, all featuring smoked brisket sourced from a Texas supplier. The three new subs are: the Spicy Brisket Sub, made with Boar’s Head…
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Five years after one of Florida’s worst environmental disasters, the site responsible — a former phosphate processing facility in Manatee County known as Piney Point — is on course to be permanently closed by the end of 2026. For decades, crews processed phosphate at Piney Point to produce fertilizer, generating large amounts of wastewater that…
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A major new entertainment venue is coming to downtown Clearwater, with Texas-based EVO Entertainment announcing plans for an 83,000-square-foot family entertainment center at the corner of Cleveland Street and Myrtle Avenue. The development represents an approximately $50 million private investment and will serve as EVO Entertainment’s flagship location. At the heart of the project is…
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The St. Petersburg City Council has approved $1.4 million to demolish the Jungle Prada Pier, which has been closed since Hurricane Helene severely damaged it in September 2024. The vote, taken Thursday as part of a consent agenda, moves the city toward tearing down the waterfront structure — but leaves its future uncertain, to the…
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Florida’s roughly three million Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients are waking up to new limits on what they can buy with their benefits, as restrictions on certain foods and drinks took effect today. Beginning April 20, soda, energy drinks, candy, and ultra-processed shelf-stable prepared desserts can no longer be purchased using SNAP benefits in Florida.…
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As Florida’s rainy season approaches, Pinellas County officials are calling on residents to take steps now to reduce mosquito breeding around their homes. County Mosquito Control officials warn that mosquitoes can breed in surprisingly small amounts of standing water — as little as a quarter of an inch, roughly the volume of a bottle cap,…
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Downtown St. Petersburg’s 400 Central — the tallest residential building on Florida’s Gulf Coast — has announced its first retail tenant: Volta Wine + Market, a wine shop, specialty food market, and wine bar lounge set to open this summer. Volta founder Rachelle Tomushev announced the venture at a press conference Wednesday, crediting the small…
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St. Pete Beach city officials are moving toward ending their nearly 7-year relationship with Freebee, the electric shuttle service that replaced PSTA buses and trolleys serving the Pass-a-Grille area, amid mounting cost and ridership concerns. City commissioners directed staff Tuesday to begin exploring alternative transit vendors, as the Freebee contract could expire at the end…
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A grocery store may be coming to Sulphur Springs, a Tampa neighborhood that has gone without one for more than 15 years, but officials caution that no agreement is finalized. Hillsborough County Commissioner Joshua Wostal publicly named Aldi for the first time on Wednesday as a potential grocer for the community, which has long been…
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Fort Meade city commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve a developer agreement for what would be Florida’s first hyperscale data center, advancing a project that drew strong opposition from residents at the meeting. The proposed facility would span 4.4 million square feet on a 1,300-acre former phosphate mine just west of U.S. 98 in…
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A University of South Florida researcher is heading up a statewide initiative to integrate electric air taxis into Florida’s transportation network, with the Tampa Bay area among the first regions targeted for potential service. Dr. Yu April Zhang, who leads USF’s Advanced Air Mobility program, is working to incorporate electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft…
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The Hillsborough County Planning Commission has found a proposed development in Lithia to be inconsistent with the criteria governing the county’s Urban Service Area, raising questions about whether the project aligns with the county’s long-term growth policies. The decision came during a recent commission meeting, where members voted against a county staff recommendation that supported…
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The Florida Lottery has surpassed $50 billion in contributions to the Florida Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) as of January, marking a significant milestone for the program since its launch in 1988. The funding supports public schools, higher education, and vocational training programs across the state, including the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program, which helps…
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Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 246 into law last Friday, authorizing five new specialty license plates for Florida drivers. The new plates are themed around the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Miami Northwestern Alumni Association, an “Outsider” design benefiting a public spaces nonprofit, St. Petersburg College, and first responder mental health. Proceeds from each…
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Nearly two years after hurricanes Helene and Milton battered Sarasota County’s barrier islands, residents and business owners on Siesta Key are forming a new organization to accelerate recovery and prepare the island for future storms. The Siesta Key Beautification Alliance received unanimous approval Monday from the Sarasota County Commission to pursue grant funding for rebuilding…
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Tampa city leaders are urging caution on a proposed $2.3 billion stadium deal for the Tampa Bay Rays, saying major financial and legal questions must be answered before any commitment is made. A working draft memorandum of understanding outlines a plan to build a new stadium on the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus, with a…
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Tampa International Airport is planning a complete redesign of its second-floor ticketing level — the first such overhaul since it opened in 1971. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority recently approved a $25.44 million design-build contract with Austin Commercial LP to carry out the renovation. The project will add more ticket counters to serve all 22…
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Higher parking rates took effect in St. Pete Beach on Wednesday, following a decision city commissioners made two weeks prior. On March 24, commissioners voted 4-to-1 to increase parking fees by 50 cents per hour. The new rates bring the weekday cost to $5 per hour and the weekend rate — which now includes Fridays…
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A major live music venue is coming to Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood, with developers announcing plans for a 4,300-capacity concert hall as part of the growing Gasworx District. Washington, D.C.-based real estate firm KETTLER announced the project, which will be operated by Live Nation and is scheduled to open in late 2028 on North 15th…
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The cost of raising a child in the United States has crossed the $300,000 threshold for the first time, according to a new analysis from financial services company LendingTree. The study puts the total at $303,418 for 2026, or roughly $16,857 per year — a roughly 2% increase from the previous year and the first…
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