

‘Phony narrative’: Florida Gov. DeSantis denies Trump dictates his COVID-19 response
DeSantis, in a one-on-one interview with CBS 4’s Jim DeFede, rejected Monday the proposition that he was “tethered” to the President.
As some schools prepare to reopen, DeSantis and Florida’s largest teachers union are still locked in a legal battle
The union on Tuesday filed a motion asking Eig to issue a temporary injunction “to stop the reopening of schools until it is safe to do so.”
Peterbrooke Chocolatier coming soon in downtown Tampa
The Hill family is ready to serve up the sweets.
In nearly every way, it’s statistically harder to be a person of color in Hillsborough County, report finds
“In Hillsborough County, not everyone has a fair opportunity to be healthy,” the report read.
Sprouts Farmers Market is officially coming to Tampa Heights
Store hiring and grand opening details for the Tampa Heights location will be announced at a later date.
Union demands USF invest in health and safety of graduate assistants
In addition to concerns about rising healthcare costs, GAU union members spoke on Monday to the “poverty wages” that USF GAs are afforded.
Vice President Mike Pence is in Tampa Bay today, so brace yourself for traffic jams
Pence announced the visit yesterday.
Florida group homes will now require staff to test for COVID-19 every other week
As of Thursday, 423 group-home residents and 385 staff members had COVID-19 infections, according to state reports.
Florida Gov. DeSantis is now ‘cautious’ about linking reopening schools to COVID-19 positivity rates
The governor’s remarks came a week after the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics sent a white paper to DeSantis.
Someone spilled paint on Tampa’s illegal ‘Back the Blue’ mural
It is now even more illegible.
After discrediting mail-in voting for months, Trump now says it’s actually good, but only in Florida
Elections experts maintain that fraudulent voting is very rare.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis now says emergency room visits, not positivity rates, are the best COVID-19 metric
Florida does not have the raw emergency department data available each day in a forward-facing window in its COVID-19 reporting.
Viral chicken and waffle spot, Chick’nCone, will officially open next week in St. Pete
The grand-opening will offer free chicken samples and $5 Chick’nCones all day.
Super Bowl champ Logan Ryan adopted four kittens from St. Pete’s Friends of Strays
The kittens, found orphaned under a bridge in Largo, have been named Apple Jack, Cocoa Puff, Lucky Charm and Fruity Pebble by the Ryan’s two kids.
Florida Medicaid enrollment expected to pass 4.3 million this year
The projected 14.3 percent increase is by far the largest in recent history.
Five people who attended a meeting with Gov. DeSantis in Florida test positive for COVID-19
The association “exceeded” social distancing guidelines at the event.
Florida Gov. DeSantis calls Isaias a ‘trial run,’ warns of active hurricane season
“It all proved to be very helpful,” he lauded.
Mail-in ballots are popular in Florida, but experts warn votes from minorities and young people are at risk
Research shows that Black, Hispanic and young voters are more likely to have their mail-in ballots rejected or received too late to be counted.
Publix made an extra $2.5 billion during the coronavirus pandemic
Employees of the Lakeland-based grocery store have not been receiving hazard pay during the pandemic bump in sales.
Seminole Heights’ Rooster & the Till links with King of the Coop for Sunday Supper Club
Diners can place their pickup orders until Thursday.
St. Petersburg’s Nueva Cantina is hosting a parking lot party this weekend
City officials say it looks as if the Mexican joint is taking necessary precautions.
The Rock may have just saved the XFL, and with it the Tampa Bay Vipers
For now, the plan is to try to relaunch the league, which is great news for everyone who purchased Tampa Bay Vipers gear.
Navy SEALs launch investigation after video shows a dog attacking a man in a Kaepernick jersey in Florida
“The inherent message of this video is completely inconsistent with the values and ethos of Naval Special Warfare and the U.S. Navy.”
Grilled cheese hub, Fo’Cheezy, is now open on St. Pete Beach
“Not yo’ mama’s grilled cheese”
Esposito’s Italian Restaurant is now open in Tampa
the concept bills itself as “Old World Italian with a New World Swagger.”
Florida’s prison chief tested positive for COVID-19 after visiting a correctional facility with over 1,300 cases
Inch is the highest-ranking state official known to have tested positive for the virus since the first COVID-19 case was reported in Florida on March 1.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declares state of emergency as Hurricane Isaias approaches
Isaia’s impacts are expected to be felt in South Florida, one of the hardest-hit spots for COVID-19, starting Friday night.
Florida Rep. Sabatini faces ethics complaint in connection to mask lawsuits
The complainant argues using the official email, rather than a private email address Sabatini also uses, violates Florida State Statute.
Black-owned Thyme + Bloom market and community garden has plans to open in Tampa
The forthcoming concept has raised over $10K through GoFundMe.
St. Pete Opera will stage four free, in-person open-air shows on August 9
While the performances are free, donations are accepted.
Tampa teen accused of hacking high-profile Twitter accounts in Bitcoin scam
Typically this would be a federal case, but it appears that Warren is taking on this case so he can charge the teen as an adult.
Florida’s first Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams location is now open at Tampa’s Sparkman Wharf
Another location is coming to Tampa Heights.
Florida election officials warn of confusing vote-by-mail applications, sometimes containing names of children and pets
“This has been going on for well over a decade,” Corley said. “It’s just never-ending.”
Doormét Gourmet Café opens its second location in downtown St. Petersburg
It’s at the old Amigos Tortilla Bar.
Four Stacks Brewing Co. will close its Riverview location this weekend
Say farewell to the location before August 1.
Starting today, you can get drive-thru fair food from Tampa’s Florida State Fairgrounds
Because your car needs to smell like deep-fried Oreos.
Hurricane Isaias expected to reach Category 2, with Tampa Bay still out of storm’s path
Many of the Sunshine State’s east coast communities from Fort Lauderdale to Titusville received a hurricane watch Friday morning.
Florida breaks its own record for single-day coronavirus deaths for fourth day in a row
As of Friday morning, Florida saw 8,236 hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of coronavirus.
Donald Trump is in Tampa today, here’s his full schedule
The official White House itinerary says to “expect significant disruptions in travel due to the presidential visit.”
Florida judge agrees to temporarily hide identities of police officers involved in use-of-force incidents
The police union filed a lawsuit against the city of Tallahassee last month, asserting that the Marsy’s Law amendment applies to the officers.
New restaurant from Columbia group, Casa Santo Stefano, opening in Ybor this year
“Roughly 60 percent of Ybor’s Italian early immigrants came from one Sicilian village: Santo Stefano Quisquina. We’re honoring that,”
Republican ‘Dark money’ casts shadow in Florida Democratic primaries
“Do I know this is Republican meddling in our primaries? Yes. Can I prove this is Republican meddling in our primaries? No.”
Savage Love: Navigating COVID-19 when your heart is lesbian but your vagina is bi
AKA how to initiate that casual pandemic thing.
Tropical Storm Isaias expected to become a hurricane by Friday, now tracking further east off Florida coast
All of Tampa Bay has now moved out of the cone.
Governor Eskamani? Progressive Florida lawmaker is not ruling it out
“Earlier this month, both the Tampa Bay Times and the Tallahassee Democrat mentioned me as a potential gubernatorial candidate, too,” Eskamani said.
After Trump suggests postponing November election, DeSantis says Florida is in ‘good shape’
Florida has 13.7 million registered voters
Tampa’s Dallas Bull country nightclub is in ‘dire need’ of help to stay alive
Money raised through crowdfunding will just ‘slow the bleeding.’
‘Dead Dicks’ delivers a gory and poignant portrait of suicide and rebirth
Imagine if David Cronenberg directed “Flatliners”.
The latest phase in Tampa Bay’s pandemic journey is new, but there’s nothing normal about it
That once-new-now-old familiar feeling of life under quarantine is starting to fade away.
Tampa Fringe announces its 2020 digital festival lineup
Watch it starting August 1.
Tampa Fringe Festival partnership produces a virtual tour of MOSI museum
Thanks to a collaboration between Tampa International Fringe Festival and the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), you can take a virtual trolley from Ybor City to MOSI this year as part of the digital Fringe experience. “When we were closed, we never stopped working,” MOSI Senior Director of Exhibits and Innovation, Anthony Pelaez, tells…
Tampa Fringe Festival, which opens Saturday, is now free and online in 3-D
It’s virtually happening in Ybor City, too.
St. Pete’s Pinball Arcade Museum is now closed due to COVID-19, hopes to reopen in 2021
The Pinball Arcade Museum tried several different ways to adapt to the pandemic.
For the third straight day, Florida has broken its daily record for new COVID-19 deaths
According to John Hopkins University, the positivity rate is now 19% in Florida.
Florida pediatricians warn Gov. DeSantis of risks and benefits with reopening schools
“While it is clearly in a child’s best interest that he/she attend classes on-campus, the benefits must outweigh the medical risks…”
Florida Gov. DeSantis wants restaurant workers to get back to work faster after getting COVID-19
Meanwhile, his top business regulator continues to plan meetings with craft brewers and bar owners about reopening.
Tropical Storm Isaias shifts east, but still eyes Florida for heavy weekend showers
It’s too early to predict exactly where the storm will head over the next few days.
St. Pete protesters worry a local Facebook group will lead to real life violence
Admins also appear to be fake profiles.
Florida lawyer wants to put a Ron ‘DeathSantis’ billboard outside of the governor’s mansion
“This will be located in Tallahassee to expose Ron DeSantis and make sure he knows we will not allow him to continue to kill Floridians.”
St. Pete Police actually had to remind everyone that it’s illegal to run over protesters with a car
“Anyone who intentionally drives into a protester will be charged according.”
Florida residents are receiving mysterious bags of seeds from China, and the state is asking you not to plant them
As of Monday, at least 160 people had reported such packages, the department said.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott says he welcomes sending federal troops into cities
“The federal government has a responsibility to protect our country from anarchy.”
Naked Farmer’s new Sparkman Wharf location is now open in downtown Tampa
No need to cross the bridge for fresh eats.
Tampa protesters will have a ‘Wall of Moms’ for Trump’s upcoming visit on July 31
The upcoming protests will also be joined by another support group, Wall of Vets Tampa.
New fast casual restaurant Oronzo Honest Italian is now open near New Tampa
And they have massive Italian burritos on the menu.
Lebron James donated $100K to help pay off debts of ex-felons in Florida who want to vote
“This is a fight about their constitutional right to vote being denied,” James tweeted.
Two Shepherds, Tampa’s first indoor-outdoor, dog park and bar is now open
The first event is on August 2.
After Tampa Police doxxed her, Army vet Joneisha Wilkerson says her life is in ‘shambles’
Wilkerson joined a Black Lives Matter press conference Friday in downtown Tampa.
Tiki Docks will open next week in former Getaway spot in St. Pete
The 15,000-square-foot restaurant’s transformation into the tropical-inspired Tiki Docks was around a $500,000 investment.
‘Teachers are scared’: Hillsborough schools delay start date by two weeks, but educators worry this isn’t enough
So far, the Hillsborough County School Board has not made its final decision on e-learning.
Jane Castor says federal forces not welcome during Trump’s Tampa visit—unless she asks
“If the community needs assistance with their violent crime, they should request assistance, not the other way around.”
Restorative offshoot restaurant ‘Side Piece’ opens in Dunedin on July 23
A week ahead of schedule.
New brewery Brighter Days Brew Co. will open soon in Tarpon Springs
“Hi friends, game on.”






