Tampa Bay

Danny McAuliffeMarch 5, 2018

The three independent campuses affiliated with the University of South Florida network could soon be consolidated under one accreditation. The House passed a bill Monday afternoon that, if signed into law, would require two smaller auxiliary campuses, USF St. Petersburg and USF Manatee/Sarasota, to become part of the main USF Tampa campus by July 1, 2020. The […]

Peter SchorschMarch 5, 2018

Pinellas County School Board Chair René Flowers picked up three endorsements Monday for her re-election campaign to the District 7 seat. Flowers picked up nods from Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch, St. Petersburg City Council Chair Lisa Wheeler-Bowman and Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church Pastor Dr. G. Gregg Murray. “Students from all over the county are in […]

Mitch PerryMarch 5, 2018

With local governments in Florida prohibited from regulating firearms, the Pinellas County Commission is making it clear where it stands on several specific gun-control issues that have emerged since the massacre at Parkland nearly three weeks ago. The board discussed a series of proposals at its February 27 meeting, and in a letter sent to […]

Mitch PerryMarch 5, 2018

Illinois Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos will appear in Clearwater later this month to keynote the annual Pinellas County Democrats’ Prelude to Victory Dinner. Bustos was one of just 12 Democrats to win her seat in the same district that President Donald Trump won in 2016, though nobody did it better, as she took Illinois’ 17th Congressional […]

Staff ReportsMarch 4, 2018

Charlie and Carole Crist have sold their condo in the Parkshore Plaza building in downtown St. Petersburg. The couple, who are going through a divorce, sold the condo to Susan and Daniel McGeown for $1.35 million, about $300,000 more than they paid for the property when they bought it in mid-2015. The Crist real estate […]

Drew WilsonMarch 3, 2018

Tampa Republican Sen. Dana Young got slammed by her Democratic re-election opponent in a Saturday email for not voting on an amendment that would ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Tampa attorney Bob Buesing said the move was “not surprising” given Young’s “A” rating from the National Rifle Association, but still said the lack of […]

Jim RosicaMarch 3, 2018

An embittered Sen. Tom Lee on Friday said the Legislature’s rank and file is “getting crumbs” from leadership and “they’re fed up about it.” Senate President Joe Negron later countered he’s “proud of the process,” saying “everyone is entitled to their opinion.” Lee had disagreed with a provision in the House’s big education bill (HB 7055) […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2018

After the Parkland mass shooting two weeks ago, Bernie Fensterwald is more determined than ever to win in Senate District 16. As proof, the Dunedin Democrat is putting $25,000 of his own money into the campaign. “I’m 100 percent committed to this race, and I’m willing to prove it,” Fensterwald announced Friday. “The tragedy in Parkland […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2018

Only 16 days ago, a mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School took the lives of 14 high school students and three adults. Nevertheless, some believe the gun control debate is “over.” That’s what Cafe Con Tampa head Bill Carlson was told when announcing the weekly lecture series would focus on three Hillsborough County students […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2018

Updated In 2016, Luis Viera defeated Jim Davison by just 65 votes to win Tampa City Council District 7. Could there be a rematch in 2019? “I haven’t decided,” Davison said Friday morning, the day after Viera officially filed for re-election. In fall 2016, the two men engaged in an intense battle for the North […]

Tampa Bay
Aerial photo courtesy Jesse Biter.

House passes USF consolidation plan

René Flowers adds endorsements for Pinellas School Board re-election

Pinellas commissioners want a ban on assault weapons

Illinois U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos to keynote Pinellas Democrats event March 24

Charlie Crist sells downtown St. Petersburg condo

Email Insights: Dana Young a no-show on assault weapons vote

Tom Lee ‘fed up’ with Joe Negron, top down leadership

After Parkland, Bernie Fensterwald determined to win state Senate race

Hillsborough students say they’ve only just begun to focus on gun control

Luis Viera files for re-election on Tampa City Council; Jim Davison could challenge