

Hillsborough County is offering free face masks at four locations
Each person present in a vehicle will receive two face coverings and drivers may request face coverings for immediate family members not present.
Former Florida COVID-19 data scientist says state is deleting cases to proceed to next phase by July 4
Jones has charged on her Twitter account that the state is actually “slowly” deleting cases and even deaths.
Protesters are now calling for Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to fire Chief Dugan
“We are tired of Chief Dugan not holding himself or his Department accountable for their actions on the citizens they’re supposed to serve.”
Bake‘n Babes temporarily closed after employee tests positive for coronavirus
“We love you fam & are looking forward to serving you freakshakes & desserts again soon.”
New beer bar, Blue Lizard, officially opened in Tampa last week
In an effort to create a lounge a “classic house party” feel, The Blue Lizard offers popular games like Jenga, Foosball and beer pong.
Starting today, face masks are now required in all Pinellas County businesses
Violators of the ordinance could face civil citations beginning at $100 for the first offense, $250 for a second offense and $500 for a third offense.
Orlando bar owner says state used year-old photos to suspend license, after 41 people test positive for COVID-19
The state department says 13 employees and at least 28 customers at the pub tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
St. Pete’s Dalí Museum responds after ‘Shame on you’ petition surfaces online
A PR rep told CL, ‘To be respectful of our staff, we do not discuss human resources specifics.’
Florida reported over 5,500 new COVID-19 cases, crushing previous record
Florida’s previous daily record for COVID-19 cases was Saturday, with 4,049.
As Florida Gov. DeSantis blames young people for recent spike in COVID-19 cases, colleges receive green light to reopen
Florida universities have been working on plans to reopen campuses after the coronavirus pandemic emptied out campuses in March.
NAACP, ACLU and Tampa Bay law enforcement announce plan to address calls for police reform
Six county law enforcement agencies have signed on.
Amid surging COVID-19 numbers, Florida defends ICU capabilities and new reporting changes
Surgeon General Scott Rivkees asked hospital officials to change how they were reporting available ICU beds in the state’s “Emergency Status System.
Tampa Police Chief says ‘George Floyd had to get murdered’ for people to come to Citizen Review Board meetings
Board member Rev. Bartholomew Banks later chastised Dugan’s behavior.
Florida State Forests will no longer accept cash
The new system comes as more recreational areas are reopening, and in anticipation of the Independence Day holiday.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio says ‘Maoist, Marxist weirdos’ driving protest ‘mobs’
“This is now driven by anti-American Maoist, Marxist weirdos who hate our country,” Rubio said,
State of Florida suspends bar’s license near UCF after 41 people test positive for COVID-19
DeSantis said there will be “no tolerance” for businesses that don’t try to meet the 50 percent indoor occupancy requirement.
New seafood spot Hungry Crab opening in Seminole this weekend
This will be the Hungry Crab’s second location.
Tampa Police Chief Dugan has lost the public’s trust, and it’s his own damn fault
Over the past week, Dugan’s department doxxed a woman to combat a “false narrative,” and has been woefully blind to its own toxicity.
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Matchbox 20 reschedules Tampa concert for August 2021
Get ‘Back 2 Good.’
Hillsborough schools announce reopening plans, and masks won’t be required
Staff will be given Personal Protective Equipment and hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray will be provided in the classrooms, the district said.
Florida Power & Light wants to build more electric vehicle charging stations
The five-year pilot program, which would take effect Jan. 1, deals primarily with cost-related issues.
Judge will decide whether to move forward with a class-action lawsuit against Florida unemployment system
The lawsuit makes a series of allegations, including negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott on state’s surge in COVID-19 cases: ‘It’s not all tied to testing’
“We clearly haven’t beat it. I think everybody is concerned when they read about the number of cases being up.”
Pasco County Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning tests positive for COVID-19
“My symptoms are relatively minor, but I’m not taking this lightly,’’ Browning, 61, said in a prepared statement.
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Rosanne Cash announces January Clearwater concert at Bilheimer Capitol Theatre
Tickets go on sale Friday, June 26.
Video shows man trying to fight his way into a Florida Walmart after refusing to wear a face mask
“Bro, you gotta wear a mask,” says someone off camera.
Florida has now passed 100,000 COVID-19 cases
In total, the state has now conducted 1,618,540 COVID-19 tests. It’s also seen 13,119 hospitalizations.
Florida Gov. DeSantis signs 21 bills into law, including bus safety and bear poaching measures
The bills were passed during the legislative session that ended in March but did not formally get sent to DeSantis until this month.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he’ll crack down on bars and restaurants not social distancing
DeSantis urged people to wear masks. but repeated his opposition to imposing a statewide mandate.
Tampa artist is giving away artwork in exchange for donations to The Okra Project
“Saddens and angers me that in just the 10 days since I created this piece, more names have been added to this list,” the post read.
City of Tampa is offering residents free face masks at three locations
UPDATE: Here’s a fourth and fifth location.
Florida’s unemployment rate jumps to 14.5 percent
The department also revised upward the April unemployment rate to 13.8 percent. It had been earlier estimated at 12.9 percent.
Three Tampa Bay Lightning players reportedly test positive for COVID-19
UPDATE: The Lightning has issued a statement.
Chad Spikes, Liz Pennock play low-key bluegrass and blues gigs in St. Pete this weekend
The shows are on Saturday and Sunday, just five miles apart.
Tampa songwriter Forrest Hoffar brings The Attic Ybor out of coronavirus shutdown on Saturday
Only 75 guests will be admitted.
DJ Sandman added to Crowbar’s first ‘Road to Reopen’ Tampa concert
The shows will be livestreamed, too.
Tampa arts collective Crab Devil eyes early 2021 opening, puts out call to artists
The Ybor Heights Peninsularium had some COVID-19 related delays.
Tampa guitarist George Pennington plays Wild Rover Brewing on Saturday
The coronavirus reopenings continue.
This South Tampa CVS wants to wish you a ‘Happy Farter’s Day’
A store employee was “not aware” of the holiday product.
Well, at least Florida’s shark attack numbers are down
Florida has actually seen only two unprovoked bites between Jan. 1 and June 18.
Florida just added nearly 4,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, a new single-day record
With today’s numbers, Florida now has at least 89,748 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The long-awaited St. Pete Pier will finally open July 6
The city says there will be no organized mass gathering to coincide with the opening.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor announces new policies for police, including excessive force changes, and a new task force
In a Friday morning Facebook Live conference, Castor announced three new initiatives that will be effective immediately.
Questions for Tampa Mayor Jane Castor ahead of today’s ‘next steps on policing’ announcement
Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan passed on the inquires.
Hillsborough County commission candidates will meet today at Tiger Bay virtual forum
The participants are vying for seats in districts one and three.
For Florida’s 32,000 ‘Dreamers,’ DACA has been an emotional rollercoaster
President Donald Trump’s administration has tried to dismantle the program, prompting lawsuits that resulted in Thursday’s 5-4 court decision.
Florida Gov. DeSantis says ex-felons voting without paying fines, fees would ‘corrupt’ elections
In a 35-page brief filed Wednesday, the state’s lawyers argued that the 2019 law should not be overturned.
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz says he has an adult Cuban son, after shouting match on House floor over race
“For all those wondering, this is my son Nestor.”
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor will make face masks mandatory within city limits
The order goes into effect Friday, June 19 at 5 p.m.
Florida just added over 3,000 new COVID-19 cases in a 24 hour period. That’s never happened.
Previously, the most cases in a single report were 2,783, reached Tuesday.
Florida adds over 86,000 new jobless claims, but overall numbers are down
The U.S. Department of Labor reported 1.5 million new claims nationally during the week that ended June 13, including an estimated 86,298 in Florida.
St. Pete now has a giant ‘Black Lives Matter’ street mural
The new mural is located on 9th Avenue South in front of the the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum.
Protesters plaster downtown Tampa with demands for mayor and police chief
‘We want change and we will not stop until we get it.’
Central Florida’s ‘Road Rave’ drive-in music fest set for this weekend has been canceled
Blame it on the rain.
Tampa Bay Bucs reveal first photos of The Gronk in uniform
There’s even a few in there showing the Gronk Smash.
Lauris Vidal’s one-man band plays Ella’s in Seminole Heights on Sunday
Daryl Hance plays on Friday night.
Tampa hip-hop group Uglysquad plays Orpheum Ybor’s first concert since coronavirus shutdown
Masks aren’t required for guests, but they’re highly encouraged.
Clearwater native Leon Majcen comes home for album release show at Hideaway Café
‘Back ‘til I’m Gone’ premiered on American Songwriter.
Vanchetta food truck finds permanent home at St. Pete’s Cage Brewing
Since social distancing is here to stay, they’ve built a large outdoor seating area.
Florida boosts COVID-19 testing requirements for long-term care facilities
The emergency rules came after an effort to test staff members and residents at all 3,803 long-term care facilities across the state.
Florida farm workers warned DeSantis of COVID-19 concerns, now he blames them for rise in new cases
“We sent this letter to the governor more than two months ago and now he is realizing that foreign workers are more suitable to get infected.”
4 Rivers’ nonprofit ‘Feed the Need’ provides meals for families in Tampa Bay and beyond
John Rivers started the program in March.
Emadi Okwuosa is the 22-year-old protester who embodies the resilience of Tampa’s new BLM movement
Four weeks ago, he was wondering where he might get his master’s degree—plans changed.
Savage Love: Sorry, straight guy, but you’re not secretly gay
Plus: the ultimate long signoff.
The Tampa Bay Bucs release ‘first look’ of Tom Brady in uniform
Based on the Twitter reactions alone, it’s safe to say fans approve and are excited for next season, if it even happens.
Dave Bautista and Titus O’Neil will lead ‘Love Walk’ through downtown Tampa next week
The march will cross the Fortune Taylor Bridge Saturday June 27
After adding 1,758 cases since Sunday, over 77K Florida residents have now tested positive for COVID-19
That’s an increase of 1,758 since the state last released figures on Sunday.
Tampa’s Meat Market notifies public of COVID-19 exposure
The restaurant sent an employee home on June 8.
The Tampa Bay Times finally takes down its mugshot gallery
Since its creation, the Tampa Bay Times mugshot gallery has been criticized by both active staffers and former employees.
While looking for his Frisbee, a Tampa Bay man was bit in the face by an alligator, says police
The incident comes as Florida is at the peak of alligator mating season.
UberEats is waiving delivery fees for Tampa Bay’s Black-owned Businesses through the rest of 2020
Feed your need to help the cause.
Ybor City cafe The Bunker is closed, says employees
Owners say they hope it can reopen with someone else in charge.
Tampa songwriter Shevonne reflects on the relationship with her dad on new song, ‘Someday’
He was out of the picture when she was 10 days old.
It’s 2020, and The Tampa Bay Times still has a mugshot gallery
Gannett just ditched theirs.
‘These are good people’: Union by Commune+Co. Founder Joel Davis supports the CL Press Club
‘I hate to even think about not having the local coverage that Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has provided our community.’
Current Initiatives Founder Jason Sowell on the importance of alternative, independent journalism in Tampa Bay
‘The beauty is that they care—about our uniqueness, our heartbeat, our community, our stories… your story.’






