

Florida Education Board says state’s order to reopen schools sparks confusion
DeSantis has faced similar pushback this week about his messaging on reopening schools.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis compared reopening schools to Walmart, and now all Walmarts require face masks
DeSantis has struggled to message his belief that schools should open in a full-scale way.
Despite the pandemic, Tampa Bay home prices have actually increased over the past year
Tampa Bay’s median home sale price in May was $241,011, which mirrors the rest of the country averaging at $263,408.
A COVID-19 vaccine is coming at a blistering pace, and missteps could erode public trust
Nearly 180 vaccine candidates now being tested in lab dishes.
Bernie Sanders-inspired PAC Our Revolution endorses three candidates in Tampa Bay elections
Sky U. White, Jessica Vaughn and Douglas “Doug” Rivero got the seal of approval.
Tampa’s New World Brewery hosts first acoustic BBQ show since 2017 this weekend
Rebekah Pulley and Rob Pastore play on July 18.
Florida has now passed 300,000 coronavirus cases
Locally, Hillsborough County is currently at 21,018 total cases.
Tampa Bay law firm offers free living wills to teachers ‘forced’ to return to schools this fall
“While we agree with medical experts that it is premature to reopen schools in this Tampa Bay hot zone, we want to help teachers that are forced to return.”
Former Tampa Bay Times staffer Daniel Figueroa joins WMNF
The Tampa Bay Times alum fills a role that’s been largely vacant since Janelle Irwin left in 2014.
Florida ‘Grim Reaper’ keeps pushing lawsuit to force Gov. DeSantis into closing beaches
“The case is on appeal and my brief is due soon,” Uhlfelder wrote. “Unfortunately, my prediction that Florida will be epicenter turned was true.”
Supreme Court will hear more arguments on whether Florida correctly carried out medical pot law
The case centers on parts of the law related to the licensing of companies to operate in the medical-marijuana industry.
Trump rescinds rule putting thousands of Florida international students at risk of deportation
“There will be no requirement for courses with a physical presence,” Villalón said in an email Tuesday evening.
Tampa Police Chief Dugan announces creation of new ‘Community Advisory Team’
Chief Brian Dugan has been noticeably absent from public view after his disastrous interview on Fox & Friends on June 24.
Florida prisons grapple with more workers testing positive for COVID-19
Glady said the department has not “experienced any degradation in security operations as a result of staff absences.”
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St. Pete’s Bananas Records says they didn’t know they violated city’s mask mandate
Bananas was listed in other media outlets’ coverage over the weekend.
Hillsborough County launches new COVID-19 data dashboard
As of today, the dashboard reports 19,828 total confirmed cases and 191 confirmed fatalities in Hillsborough County.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio says if CVS is open then schools should be too
The Senator’s words mirror a statement from Gov. Ron DeSantis that went viral a few days ago.
Florida Gov. DeSantis heckled at COVID-19 briefing: ‘We are getting record-breaking cases every day, and you are doing nothing!’
The press conference came as Florida reported more new official cases on Monday than all European countries combined.
Steve Miller, Cam Bertrand say they’ll skip the COVID-19 jokes at Tampa’s ‘Parking Lot Social’ comedy night
It happens Wednesday at Raymond James Stadium.
Rubio says Florida’s recent surge in COVID-19 is just ‘people behaving like people’
“I don’t think there’s any evidence that restaurants or Disney World, which is an outdoor setting, or beaches or parks, are the cause of this surge.”
Florida teacher union says state’s plan to reopen this fall is rushed and ‘putting lives in danger’
“As one of the last states to impose stay at home orders and one of the first to reopen, we are now paying the price for hasty decisions on public health.”
Universal may finally cancel ‘Fear Factor Live,’ one of its longest-running, least popular shows
Multiple sites are now reporting that the show will not return when other shows reopen.
Tampa Bay Abortion Fund launches new pro-choice billboard campaign
Since the initial surge of COVID-19 cases back in March the group says it has experienced a 1033% increase in calls.
Hillsborough School Board candidates talked transparency, budget conflicts and more during Tiger Bay forum
Yes, they talked reopening, too.
Tampa restaurant Ducky’s under fire after videos of unmasked partygoers surface online
On Sunday, Florida posted a nationwide record for new coronavirus numbers.
COVID-19 cases are soaring among Florida’s prison workers
In addition to worker cases, the department on Friday reported that 2,497 inmates had tested positive for the virus.
Florida will spend $8.6 million on new electric-vehicle charging stations along state’s highways
Most of the fast-charging station work will initially be in Central Florida and South Florida, where more electric vehicles are on the road.
Amid record COVID-19 cases, Florida Gov. DeSantis says he won’t rollback statewide bar ban
Florida reported a record 15,300 new cases Sunday, bringing the total number of cases to 269,811.
Florida judge tosses out lawsuit challenging local mandate requiring face masks
“We tell people whether they can smoke in their own business,” Cooper said.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office fires and arrests sergeant accused of pointing gun at man’s head
“I don’t believe for a second this had anything to do with race.”
Tampa Museum of Art’s new ‘HerStory’ exhibit is now open
It’s on view until January 2022.
Hitchcock’s now open in former Lucky’s Market spot at Tyrone Mall in St. Pete
Lucky’s Market St. Petersburg location, along with a few other Lucky’s stores around the state, shuttered in early February due to bankruptcy.
St. Pete’s new ‘Wild Child’ bistro and cocktail bar will open this September
Rob Reinsmith, former executive chef at Noble Crust, is part of the concept, too.
Saxophonist Mindi Abair books four homecoming concerts in Clearwater
She plays the Kate Tiedemann and Ellen Cotton Cabaret Theatre at Ruth Eckerd Hall.
Spyro Gyra brings 2019 album to February Clearwater concert
Update, this show is postponed until Oct. 21, 2021.
Songwriter Paul Thorn books February concert at Clearwater’s Bilheimer Capitol Theatre
Tickets go on sale Friday.
Daniel Myrick’s ‘Skyman’ is all promise with no payoff
I actually asked myself, how would I feel if this was the last movie I ever saw?
‘Homewrecker’ is a pitch-black, bloody brawl driven by Alex Essoe
Let this be a lesson to never, ever capitulate to a stranger’s demands.
Florida just set a new record for new COVID-19 hospitalizations
Last weekend, four hospitals in the Tampa Bay area were at maximum capacity, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Pinellas County opens free countywide face mask distribution sites
A list of all free mask distribution locations is available on the county website.
Sarasota Police find a ‘potentially explosive device’ in North Lido Beach parking lot
Representatives from MacDill Airforce Base arrived at North Lido Beach, removed the marking round and disposed of the device.
Pinellas releases plans for reopening schools, including mandatory masks
According to the reopening plan, the classroom setting will include face-to-face instruction with many safety and health changes put in place.
Environmental PAC spending $1.7 million on Tampa TV ads to remind everyone Trump thinks climate change is a ‘hoax’
It’s a difficult accusation against Trump to refute, considering the president has stated it so often.
Despite record COVID-19 cases, DeSantis says upcoming GOP convention will be a ‘safe environment’
“Safety is non-negotiable, it’s going to be a safe environment.”
Florida teachers and parents question decision to reopen schools this fall
“How is it logical that it’s not safe for me to go to the gym, but it’s safe for me to send my child to schools?”
Disney banned screaming on roller coasters over COVID-19 concerns, just not at Florida theme parks
“Please scream inside your heart.”
Florida may finally expand COVID-19 testing at group homes
The administration also announced that it would start providing the names of group homes where residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
Sprouts Farmers Market will open a new location in Seminole next week
This will be the company’s 18th Florida store, with four more coming soon in Tampa-Westchase, New Tampa, Stuart and Orlando.
St. Pete’s Woodson Museum is offering prints and shirts of recent ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural
It’s a limited run, so don’t sleep.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio says he won’t support a second shutdown
“I supported first ‘shutdown’ to flatten the curve,” Rubio tweeted. “But we are in a very different place now.”
Florida just reported 120 COVID-19 deaths, a new record
The state’s positivity rate is now 18.39%, which is also the highest on record.
Ybor’s Carne Chophouse fires employee over racist and homophobic comments
‘We do not tolerate racism, discrimination, or violence of any kind.’
As COVID-19 cases spike, Florida hospitals are asking the state to waive Medicaid rules
“I know that we have handled some issues on the Medicaid side,” McKinstry said. “It may not be the payors that you are having challenges with.”
PitBull’s Florida charter school received a least $1 million in PPP loans
Pitbull, also known as “Mr. Worldwide” and “Mr. 305,” is a heavy promoter of the charter school, which serves students in grades six through 12.
Spooky Empire cancels 2020 events in Orlando and Tampa
But like all good horror franchises, a sequel is already in the works.
Charley Crockett escaped death then made a gamble with new LP ‘Welcome to Hard Times’
The Texas songwriter probably would’ve been on tour right now.
St. Pete police say they will now ticket protesters for blocking traffic
As of now, there’s been zero reported cases of protesters blocking roadways for emergency vehicles.
Koya, Tampa’s first omakase-only restaurant, plans late-July opening
From the minds behind Noble Rice.
Savage Love: Here’s the best way to engage in cuckold role-play between lesbians
Especially since it’s unsafe to cuck in real life right now.
Florida Gov. DeSantis defends Trump’s statement that 99 percent of COVID-19 cases are ‘totally harmless’
Also not minimized: Florida’s case count itself.
Hillsborough County relaxes penalties for businesses if customers refuse to wear masks
As long as a “reasonable effort” to enforce is made, of course.
St. Pete punk band CondominiumFL donates proceeds from new EP to NAACP legal defense fund
Let’s put a smartwatch on George Wallace.
New soda shop restaurant ‘Pickford’s Counter’ is now open at Tampa’s revamped Pickford’s Sundries
It shares space with the relocated Urban Bungalow.
Hey snowflake, just stay home if you’re too scared to wear a mask
It’s called the ‘Home of the Brave’ for a reason, you cucks.
Three women are suing Franklin Manor owner Lanfranco Pescante in a sexual battery and exploitation lawsuit
The Nocturnal Group LLC is also listed as a defendant.
New North Hyde Park restaurant Rome + Fig will open July 21
UPDATE: The opening got pushed to July 29.
Harvard just released a new coronavirus data map, and Tampa Bay counties are ‘in the red’
Florida is one of just three states, including Arizona and Mississippi, “in the red” with a total average of 29.1 daily new cases per 100,000 people.
Four-and-a-half hour dinners encouraged when Odessa’s new Santelli Pizza & Pasta opens its dining room
The mom and pop has been coming along as COVID-19 forces the local food scene into stops and starts.
Owners of Dunedin’s The Restorative opening new, casual concept ‘Side Piece’
It’ll operate out of Caledonia Brewing.
New Indian street food spot Mowgli’s Tiffin coming to St. Pete’s Edge District
Owner Amita Mukherjee calls Mowgli’s Tiffin a 25-year passion project.
Tampa’s Fly Bar and Restaurant is finally opening next week
Fly Bar is currently hiring for all positions.
COVID-19 struck, and the skaters at Tampa Bay’s Revolution Roller Derby got even tougher
Fundraisers and non-rink training are keeping the league on track.






