Tampa Bay

Staff ReportsNovember 13, 2017

The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg says it “reported an annual surplus of $627,000 in 2016, continuing its trend of continuous financial improvement,” according to a recent press release. “I applaud the hard work of the Poynter staff to get us to the point where we have begun to reinvest in the Institute,” said Neil Brown, the newly […]

Mitch PerryNovember 13, 2017

Republican HD 66 candidate Berny Jacques cleared $100,000 in total fundraising last month after bringing in $26,565 between his campaign and committee, while primary rival Nick DiCeglie is catching up after posting more than $30,000 raised for October. Jacques brought in $5,565 of the haul through his campaign account, with most of the money coming […]

Peter SchorschNovember 12, 2017

The 2017 edition of the Harvesting Hope fundraiser is adding a new award named in honor of late Bay-area philanthropists Jack and Ruth Eckerd, who founded the child-focused nonprofit group Eckerd Connects which provides services in Florida and 19 other states. The inaugural “Jack & Ruth Eckerd Legacy Award” award will be presented to Stewart […]

Mitch PerryNovember 10, 2017

An initial distribution of money is now beginning for more than 24,000 victims of Bernie Madoff‘, the Justice Department announced Thursday. Madoff had operated the most massive Ponzi scheme in U.S. history. While this new development makes Congressman Vern Buchanan happy, the Longboat Key Republican still believes payments were unnecessarily delayed. Buchanan has often criticized the […]

Mitch PerryNovember 10, 2017

Charlie Crist is teaming up with California Republican Congressman Jeff Denham on a bipartisan bill to provide federal resources for the establishment of new treatment courts for military veterans in the criminal justice system. The St. Petersburg Democrat is signing onto Veterans Treatment Court Coordination Act of 2017, which establishes a program within the Department of Justice, […]

Mitch PerryNovember 10, 2017

For many reasons, conventional wisdom is that—in effect—Republican Lawrence McClure has won the House District 58 special election. But there are four candidates on the Dec. 19 ballot, not just two. And they all appeared at a candidates’ forum Thursday night at the Bruton Memorial Library in Plant City. The eastern Hillsborough County seat is considered prime […]

Mitch PerryNovember 10, 2017

Sarasota businesswoman and community activist Ruta Jouniari has won the endorsement of the Florida LGBTA Democratic Caucus in her bid for the House District 72 special election. “Democrats across the country, and especially here in Florida, are on a winning streak, and we intend to keep that going by electing Ruta Jouniari,” said Caucus President Terry […]

Staff ReportsNovember 10, 2017

A local contractor which helped transform St. Petersburg’s Sundial outdoor shopping complex is suing the owner of the premier upscale entertainment and retail center. At issue is more than $132,000 left unpaid of the $11.5 million contract. Hennessy Construction Services is the contractor behind some of the city’s most high-profile projects. Founded in 1920, Hennessy, through […]

Mitch PerryNovember 10, 2017

In her just-concluded re-election bid to the St. Petersburg City Council District 2 seat, Darden Rice received the backing of the Suncoast Police Benevolent Association, an endorsement of which she’s very proud. She’s also the niece of former Pinellas County Sheriff Everett Rice. Rice mentioned those facts, among others, to an audience at Tampa’s Oxford Exchange […]

Drew WilsonNovember 10, 2017

Republican Ardian Zika posted a solid fundraising report for October with $23,000 raised and an on-hand total of $124,000 in the race to replace House Speaker Richard Corcoran in House District 37. Zika took in 44 contributions last month, including 15 for the maximum donation of $1,000. His spending clocked in at just $1,250 – […]

Tampa Bay

Poynter posts surplus despite operating loss last year

Nick DiCeglie adds $30K, Berny Jacques $26K in HD 66 race

Harvesting Hope to celebrate past and present Bay area philanthropists

Vern Buchanan is (sort of) happy Bernie Madoff victims are finally getting paid

Charlie Crist, California Republican team up on bill enhancing veteran treatment courts

Third-party candidates liven up the race in HD 58

LGBTA caucus backs Ruta Jouniari to keep Dem ‘winning streak’ alive in HD 72

Sundial contractor sues owner for unpaid $132K of $11.5M contract

Darden Rice, Yolie Capin talk regionalism during Cafe Con Tampa

HD 37 Republican Ardian Zika adds $23K in October