Tampa Bay

Jacob OglesAugust 6, 2018

State House candidate Ray Blacklidge is taking heat from opponents for sharing a Facebook meme suggesting white slaves suffered more than black ones. But he says he just wanted to educate the public about slavery’s long reach. Blacklidge, a Madeira Beach Republican, shared a post on March 26, 2017, from writer Jerome Palkowski containing a historical […]

Jacob OglesAugust 5, 2018

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Thousands gathered in Clearwater on Sunday as Rev. Al Sharpton called on justice for Markeis McGlockton, a father shot down last month after a dispute over a parking space. To cheers, Sharpton called on law enforcement to arrest shooter Michael Drejka. “Lock him up or give up your badge,” Sharpton said at the event Sunday. […]

Jacob OglesAugust 5, 2018

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Gubernatorial candidates Andre Gillum and Jeff Greene both called for a full repeal of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law during MSNBC interviews with Rev. Al Sharpton. “The fact that you have an individual who becomes judge, juror and executioner all in there own minds under the protection of the law in the United States is […]

Drew WilsonAugust 4, 2018

Republican Sen. Dana Young reported another $93,745 in fundraising last week, helping her hold on to a threefold cash lead over in her Senate District 18 re-election bid against House Minority Leader Janet Cruz. Young’s new reports, covering July 21 through July 27, show $32,650 in hard money and another $61,095 in receipts for her […]

Drew WilsonAugust 4, 2018

Former state Rep. Ed Hooper continued piling on to his fundraising lead in the race for Senate District 16, adding $37,156 to his war chest last week. Hooper, a Clearwater Republican, is running against former state Rep. Amanda Murphy, a New Port Richey Democrat, for the Pinellas and Pasco-based state Senate seat that was held […]

Drew WilsonAugust 4, 2018

Businessman and U.S. Army veteran Sean McCoy added another $7,150 to his campaign account last week, building his edge in outside fundraising in ahead of his Aug. 28 showdown with attorney Mike Beltran. McCoy and Beltran, both of Lithia, are vying for the Republican nomination in House District 57, a southeastern Hillsborough County district that’s currently represented […]

Drew WilsonAugust 3, 2018

State Rep. Kathleen Peters picked up a nod from the Fraternal Order of Police in her bid for the District 6 seat on the Pinellas County Commission. “The members of the Fraternal Order of Police have confidence in Kathleen Peters to protect the public and support first responders,” said Tom Porter, the director of FOP’s […]

Drew WilsonAugust 3, 2018

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Republican Rep. Joe Gruters wants Belleair Bluffs businessman Nick DiCeglie to join him in the state Legislature. The Sarasota GOP chair, who co-chaired Donald Trump’s Florida campaign, called his Pinellas counterpart a “true conservative leader” when he endorsed him over House District 66 Republican primary rival Bernie Jacques on Thursday. “As Chairman of the Pinellas […]

Bill RuftyAugust 3, 2018

Republican Agriculture Commissioner candidate Baxter Troutman and his wife Becky are taking to the airwaves (and Internet) to criticize one reporter’s characterization of attendees at the Donald Trump rally Tuesday in Tampa as “hillbillies.” The former state Representative from Winter Haven posted a Facebook video decrying the situation and suggesting more civility from the news […]

Staff ReportsAugust 2, 2018

Gallito, a twist on Mexican street food, is the latest addition to Sparkman Wharf, an expansive waterfront retail, dining and recreation center at the center of the billion-dollar Water Street Tampa project. The modern taqueria concept is the creation of chef Ferrell Alvarez and restaurateur Ty Rodriguez. Alvarez, a 2017 James Beard Best Chef South […]

Tampa Bay

Ray Blacklidge feels backlash to ‘Irish slaves’ meme

Al Sharpton on Markeis McGlockton killer: ‘Lock him up or give up your badge’

Andrew Gillum, Jeff Greene call for Stand Your Ground repeal on MSNBC

Dana Young maintains threefold cash lead over Janet Cruz in SD 18

Ed Hooper clears $650K raised, Amanda Murphy cracks $100K in SD 16 battle

Sean McCoy outpaces Mike Beltran in HD 57 fundraising

Kathleen Peters gets police union support in Pinellas Commission race

Joe Gruters backs Nick DiCeglie in HD 66 Republican primary

Baxter Troutman, wife bash ‘liberal’ media coverage of Trump rally

Modern taqueria concept from Rooster & Till owners latest in Tampa’s Sparkman Wharf