Florida police and fire unions oppose property tax amendment
The Florida chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police is the latest public safety organization to oppose Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment designed to provide property tax relief to homeowners but which critics allege could radically reduce revenues for local government essential services, including public safety. “The Florida State Fraternal Order of Police believes…
Melvins-loving stoner-rock band Iron Buddha plays ‘Beer & Metal’ Fourth of July show in Tampa
After a stint in the stoner-rock and Melvins-worship realm, Coral Springs metal trio Iron Buddha loosened up even more, and got heavier and darker, too. The proof is all over a 2023 EP, Raze//Repose, a majestic five-track outing that sprawls across 30 minutes, giving Iron Buddha lots of room to mix clean vocals with growls…
Jo Koy, Kym Whitley top Tampa Bay’s best stand up comedy gigs for July 2026
July brings a diverse group of comedians to Tampa Bay clubs and venues. We have a comedian with multiple Netflix specials (Jo Koy) at the Hard Rock Events Center, a “Scary Movie” star (Marlon Wayans) at Funny Bone, a “Last Comic Standing” finalist (Rachel Feinstein) at Side Splitters, a six-show run that’s already sold out…
Photos: Jessi Uribe performs at Tampa’s Hard Rock Events Center
Colombian pop star Jessi Uribe brought his brief Repítela tour to Tampa last week. It’s been a busy six months for Uribe. The 39-year-old and his wife, Paola Jara, released a collaboration album, Despecho a 2 Voces, and welcomed a newborn daughter, Emilia. Before his weeklong trip to the U.S., during which he also played…
Florida blocks undocumented immigrants from state colleges, GED programs
The Florida Board of Education approved measures that will block undocumented students from attending state colleges and taking the General Educational Development test. The boards of trustees of the state’s 28 public colleges will now be required to ensure all admitted students are citizens of the United States or lawfully present in the U.S., and…
America made Dalí famous, but he might’ve had a hard time making it in 2026
When Salvador Dalí died in 1989, European newspapers seemed only capable of reflecting on his time as a surrealist in their neck of the woods. But half of the artist’s life was actually lived in the United States. “It was like America was never even part of Dalí’s world to them,” Peter Tush, Curator and…
In St. Pete, new Dalí exhibit salutes cosmic grandeur of famed surrealist’s American experience
In his characteristically exuberant (and unreliable) autobiography, “The Secret Life of Dalí,” Salvador Dalí describes his pivotal 1934 arrival in America: “I went out on the deck of the Champlain, and suddenly I beheld New York. . . I exclaimed, ‘New York salutes me!’. . . and I in turn saluted the cosmic grandeur and…
Tampa Bay’s best things to do this week, including Bad Bunny 4th of July, Marlon Wayans and more
Have a look at what’s going down the week of July 2-9, and don’t forget, you can always submit to CL’s calendar.
Some Florida local law enforcement agencies aren’t participating with immigration enforcement, says council
Florida’s local law enforcement agencies have been required by state law to assist the federal government in immigration enforcement for over a year. But some agencies, including some of the largest sheriffs and police departments in the state, still aren’t participating. At a State Immigration Enforcement Council meeting on Tuesday, Florida’s top cops said…
The Sonder Atelier brings a whimsical fashion show to St. Pete
A year into running her fashion shop, The Sonder Atelier, Armantrading’s runway show at FloridaRAMA next week is a love letter to the princess she believes anyone can be through style.
Deviant Libation hosts a clothing swap in Tampa this weekend
The event is gender- and size-inclusive, with leftovers going to CASA or Out of the Closet. There’s no cover, but alcoholic and N/A drinks will be available for purchase and food trucks will be onsite.
As most of the U.S. abandons the death penalty, Florida is executing prisoners at a record pace
This article is a partnership between ProPublica, where Pamela Colloff is a senior reporter, and The New York Times Magazine, where she is a staff writer. This spring, Father Dustin Feddon began waking up in the middle of the night. Heart racing, he would stand at the bathroom sink in the dark, splashing cold water…
‘This is such a terrible opinion’: Florida GOP not happy about Supreme Court’s ruling on late-arriving mail-in ballots
Florida Republicans criticized a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday that upheld Mississippi’s law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted as long as they are postmarked and received with five days of Election Day, with some saying it gives further urgency to pass the SAVE America Act being pushed by President Trump. “This is such a terrible opinion,” said Florida…
‘Scary Movie’ star Marlon Wayans does five standup shows in Tampa this week
“I think our world, our culture, everything has gotten real negative and dark and sad,” Wayans told ET while filming the latest ‘Scary Movie.’
A Bad Bunny party comes to The Ritz in Ybor City this weekend
While the night is themed around his 2022 chart-topping album Un Verano Sin Ti, promoters promise to play all Benito’s hits “from back then to now.”
‘Wasn’t my proposal’: DeSantis distances himself from property tax cut amendment
Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to put some distance between himself and a property tax measure he pushed for that is going before voters in November. DeSantis said Monday he will vote for the ballot item regarding homestead property taxes, but “what the Legislature did wasn’t my proposal.” “If someone asked me to do something, I’m…
Complaint filed against James Fishback says he’s not eligible to run for governor in Florida
Florida Lt. Gov. and Republican gubernatorial candidate Jay Collins has filed a complaint challenging the eligibility of one of his opponents, investment firm CEO James Fishback. Collins contends Fishback has not resided in Florida for seven years, one of the legal criteria in the Florida Constitution to run for governor. Collins says that, according to…
Florida woman killed, child injured in separate alligator incidents this weekend
A Central Florida woman died from injuries related to an alligator bite this weekend, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife and Conservation Commission (FWC). The death was just one of three separate alligator incidents across the region over the last few days. On Sunday, the woman (who was not identified) was swimming with friends…
DeSantis signs Florida budget, touts more than $800 million in cuts
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his eighth and final budget (HB 5001E) of his tenure Monday, vetoing more than $800 million from a $114.5 billion spending plan. The move came two days before the fiscal year was set to begin, after lawmakers’ battle over the amount of spending led to a stalemate that required a special…
DeSantis says he vetoed bi-partisan bill allowing kids to earn scholarships for volunteering at polls because SPLC supported it
Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed legislation that would have allowed high school students to earn scholarships by volunteering at polling locations — and he’s citing the support of a progressive civil rights organization loathed by conservatives as a reason for rejecting it. Debate about the bill (HB 461) during the committee process was devoid of…
DeSantis says he will veto Florida bill allowing larger lawsuit payouts against local governments
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Monday that he’s vetoing legislation that would help people sue state and local government bodies, saying it would also increase the number of “unmeritorious” damages lawsuits and balloon local government costs during a time when residents want lower property taxes. “I have no question, no doubt that that would happen,…
‘Anarchist psychos’: Florida GOP is fixated on rising popularity of Democratic Socialists
With members of the Democratic Socialists of America winning congressional seats in New York City last week, Florida Republicans have seized upon fresh material to motivate their base in what could be a tough political environment for the GOP in this fall’s midterm election. That was a major theme of the Republican Party of Florida’s…
‘Bit of an overreach’: Florida Gov. DeSantis vetoes bill limiting e-bike speeds
Gov. Ron DeSantis has vetoed a speed limit for electric bicycles, a measure that passed the House and Senate unanimously, calling it an “overreach.” The bill would have capped e-bikes’ speed at 10 miles per hour within 50 feet of a pedestrian on ways shared with pedestrians. “Do we really want to have policing of…
Howell Key, an off-the-grid private island in Florida, is back on the market with a $5 million price cut
One of Florida’s rare private islands is back on the market in the Florida Keys, but this time with a significant price cut. Howell Key, which is about a mile offshore from the 25-mile mark in Summerland Key, hit the market this week with a new asking price of $16.9 million. The nearly 10-acre private island…
Everyone who stepped into the photo booth at Tampa’s Meet The Chef’s 2026
While last week saw chef’s from around Pinellas County converge at the Birchwood in St. Pete for Meet The Chef’s, last night it was Tampa’s turn. The Vault in downtown Tampa played host to this year’s Meet the Chef’s Tampa event, where hundreds of guests and dozens of chefs served and sampled some of the…
Photos: Tampa’s 2026 Meet the Chefs at The Vault
On Thursday night, a drove of people lined up outside The Vault, wrapping around the prestigious building that once served as the Exchange National Bank to embark on the culinary odyssey that is Tampa Bay’s annual Meet The Chefs event. This year, 14 chefs thoughtfully crafted bites for the mini food crawl that absolutely crushed.…
DeSantis signs bill renaming Florida roads and airport after Trump, Charlie Kirk
Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed three bills late Thursday, his first rejection of legislation passed this year, and signed 15 others. Among the bills he signed into law was a measure (HB 33) to name part of State Road 985 in Miami-Dade County after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and to name part of State Road…
Crossword junkies unite for a good cause in St. Pete next week
What if, by working on a crossword puzzle, you could help people who are literally at a loss for words? At the fourth annual Word Play on July 1, you can do just that. The Best of the Bay-winning gala benefits Voices of Hope for Aphasia, whose programs support people with language disorders due to…
‘Catch of the Day’ marine-chic ceramic exhibit closing in St. Pete
Sardinecore is so hot right now. Maybe it’s the constant threat of recession, our obsession with protein, or the vague fantasy of a Mediterranean vacation. Ceramicist Nina Samuels explores the commodification of nature in her exhibit, “Catch of the Day,” turning the Morean Center for Clay into a fish market. For Samuels—who moved to the…
New political committee ‘Stop Unfair Tax Shifts’ takes aim at Florida’s property tax cut amendment
Three weeks after the Florida Legislature placed a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would increase the state’s homestead property tax exemption, a political committee has launched a campaign opposing the measure. Stop Unfair Tax Shifts is chaired by former Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge. The committee has unveiled its website, VoteNoOnAmendment3.com, where it…
Bodega Bus arrives in downtown Tampa, Edison Food + Drink Lab takes a break, and more local food news
There’s still time to enjoy Tampa Bay Restaurant Month, with special prix-fixe menus at nearly 60 restaurants and cafes across Pinellas and Hillsborough counties through June 30.
Downtown Tampa’s Bodega Bus is open, now serving chopped cheese, smashburgers, hot dogs and more
Chopped cheese has finally arrived in downtown Tampa. Bodega Bus, the new late night mini-mart and smoke shop with vape, hookah and legal hemp products, has soft-opened at 505 N Franklin St. and is serving a limited menu that includes chopped cheese, smashburgers, chicken and steak over rice, and loaded hot dogs. The halal beef…
The 5 best things to do in Tampa Bay if you’re a ‘former’ Nazi
Were you a self-described Nazi just a few months ago? Are you currently in town for two non-consecutive shows and locked into a binding contract that can only be canceled if there’s a level 5 terrorist threat? Sounds like you might have a day off or two. Well, don’t confine yourself to a stuffy backroom…
Despite being plagued with financial, humanitarian and legal issues, DeSantis hails Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ as a success
‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ the state-run Everglades immigration lockup, is closed, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday, hailing the facility as a success for state and federal partnerships and the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigration. It lasted just under a year. Joined by Border Czar Tom Homan and Florida Immigration Enforcement Director Anthony Coker, DeSantis claimed the…
Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus holds ‘Meet The Candidates’ forum in July
Early voting in the 2026 primary election kicks off in less than 40 days, and the Hillsborough County Democratic Black Caucus wants the public to Meet the Candidates during a July forum in the College Hill Belmont-Heights neighborhood. The forum happens Thursday, July 9 inside two community rooms at the C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public…
Tampa Bay’s best live music happening June 25-July 9
Tampa Bay’s live music weekend kicks off tonight during “Heightened Senses” in Tampa Heights with a set by producer Bauxmonk, who’s joined by Orlando jazz band Golden Flower and harpist-multi-instrumentalist Seth Adam Lynn inside the Wave & See gallery. A “Divinity” art show with more than a dozen artists is on tap. That show is…
Oracle of Ybor: Is moving back to the city I once loved a mistake?
You asked me if you could move and if you should. If you’re looking to live in a place that’s best for your soul, then yes, you should. But if it were that simple, you would have left long ago.
Tampa Bay theater shows explore America’s fundamental freedoms this summer
If MAGA’s notion of sesquicentennial patriotism is all about UFC matches and rah-rah birthday bashes, many local theaters have a different idea. Three Tampa Bay companies are observing America 250 this summer with plays that raise key questions about the country’s founding principles.
Jazz composer Simon Lasky used his Palladium fellowship money on new work being showcased this week
Since 2021, St. Petersburg’s Palladium Theater has doled out cash as part of a “Creative Fellowship” program for homegrown artists. Pianist and composer Simon Lasky got support last year, and in response, he created new works meant for New York musicians including saxophonist Lucas Pino, trumpeter Dave Smith, drummer Jimmy MacBride, and bassist Peter Slavov.…
Tampa’s Edison Food + Drink Lab closes temporarily
Edison Food + Drink Lab is closing for the summer, the restaurant announced this week. “After 14 years of creating, serving and welcoming you, we are taking a summer break to refresh and dream up something extraordinary,” the Monday post reads. “Thank you for every adventurous bite, every craft cocktail, every moment you trusted us…
SeptemberIsTheOnlyTimeIDontThinkOfYou brings screamo rival to Tampa on Wednesday
The screamo revival is real, and it comes to the skatepark thanks to SeptemberIsTheOnlyTimeIDontThinkOfYou whose 2026 LP, Scars Like Kimberly, includes art reminiscent of early Poison The Well CD-Rs and a sound that certainly harkens to the golden age of ear-splitting emo. Another space bar-averse band, DepartMeFromBearIsland, supports along with homegrown favorite Flowers For Emily…
