Tampa Bay

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 17, 2018

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Christmas in downtown St. Petersburg is a little different this year — better by most accounts. One of the most notable changes to the city’s holiday display is the absence of the popular nativity scene that has been on display in North Straub Park every year since former Mayor Rick Baker raised private funds to […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 16, 2018

Former Pinellas County Commissioner Norm Roche has applied to fill a vacant Tallahassee City Commission seat. Seat 1 was vacated after Gov. Rick Scott suspended Scott Maddox following a federal indictment against the longtime Tallahassee politician. Roche moved to Tallahassee after losing his re-election bid for the Pinellas County Commission to fellow Republican Ed Hooper […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 15, 2018

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority is looking for two residents to fill open positions on the Independent Oversight Committee being created to oversee spending of the one percent sales tax voters approved for transit and transportation improvements. The agency is moving forward with filling its positions on the committee despite a lawsuit challenging the […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 14, 2018

Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp is warning constituents not to buy into claims that merging local Metropolitan Planning Organizations is a good idea. Kemp described the concept as an attack on local power on Friday during Cafe Con Tampa, a community forum held at the Oxford Exchange to inform residents of issues facing their communities. […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 13, 2018

The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce passed its board leadership to its 2019 chair, Jamie Harden, during its 133rd Annual Meeting at the Tampa Convention Center Thursday. Harden, CEO of Creative Sign Designs, replaces attorney Steven Bernstein. The chamber also announced the rest of its 2019 executive leadership board including Mise En Place owner Maryann […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 13, 2018

Tampa mayoral candidate Ed Turanchik released a new agenda Thursday aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion in communities of color, particularly in East and West Tampa. “We are calling it our ‘New Day’ agenda, because Tampa’s diverse communities have been left behind, and need a fresh start,” Turanchik said. He created the agenda based on […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 13, 2018

The Florida Board of Governors appointed real estate executive Mike Griffin chair of the University of South Florida’s Consolidation Planning Study and Implementation Task Force Thursday. Griffin will replace Dr. Jonathan Ellen who resigned earlier this week from both the task force and as CEO of All Children’s Hospital. The task force oversees recommendations for […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 12, 2018

The Tampa Bay Partnership’s 2019 Regional Competitiveness Report shows the Tampa Bay region has room for improvement in several areas — some surprising, others not so much. The report shows the region lagging behind others in job growth, wages, household income, transportation and transit and talent access. Companies, community organizations and government agencies can use […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 12, 2018

Tampa mayoral candidates bundled up Tuesday night to answer questions about pedestrian and cyclist safety at a forum at the newly opened Sparkman Wharf in downtown Tampa. The forum, presented by the group Walk Bike Tampa, tackled an important topic, but its narrow focus led to a lot of redundant answers and not a lot came out to […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 11, 2018

With the Ybor City stadium deal likely dead, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman is ready and willing to again talk about keeping the Tampa Bay Rays in his city. “The memorandum of understanding we struck with the Tampa Bay Rays worked as intended. The organization was given three years to explore future stadium sites throughout […]

Tampa Bay

Away in a manger … just a little further down the road in St. Pete now

Former Pinellas Commissioner Norm Roche seeks vacant Tallahassee City Commission seat

Hillsborough transit agency seeks transportation tax oversight volunteers

Pat Kemp rejects plan to merge Bay area transportation planning groups

Tampa Chamber of Commerce rings in new year of advocacy

Ed Turanchik launches ‘New Day’ initiative to increase diversity and inclusion in Tampa

Mike Griffin to head USF consolidation task force following Jonathan Ellen’s resignation

Tampa Bay Partnership study shows lag in job growth, pay and transit

5 takeaways from the Walk Bike Tampa mayoral forum

With Ybor stadium deal dead, St. Petersburg back in play for Rays