

City of Lakeland votes to once again close all city parks and recreation facilities
The 5-1 vote came on Wednesday.
The Peach Moon creates new cover of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, donates fee to local artist in need
She ditched the beach for a peaceful palette on this one.
Florida has the nation’s third-largest prison system, and workers are now testing positive for coronavirus
Mothers of inmates are frantically reaching out to state lawmakers for help.
Free ways to to see and support your favorite Tampa Bay comedians
“How do you quantify lost laughter, you know? You can’t put a price on smiles.”
Here’s an always updating count on Florida’s confirmed coronavirus cases
You can sort the number of those tested, positive, hospitalized and dead by county.
Celebrity chef Jeff Philbin teams up with Feeding Tampa Bay for charity cooking show
The weekly series starts tonight.
Florida’s statewide stay-at-home order still allows churches and their followers to gather during coronavirus outbreak
Among the “essential activities” include “religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses of worship.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issues statewide stay-at-home order
DeSantis said the issue will go into effect Thursday, April 2, at midnight.
Justin Bieber just postponed his 2020 Tampa concert
“He asks that his fans hold on to their tickets, as they will be honored as soon as the dates are rescheduled.”
Shaq would like to explain his weird cameo in Netflix docuseries ‘Tiger King’
“But I had no idea that stuff was going on,” he said. “It’s actually a really good documentary, I binge-watched the documentary.”
Congress members are urging Gov. DeSantis to issue statewide stay-at-home order
“We cannot wait, and we cannot leave this decision to county and municipal governments. “
Florida Education Commissioner calls for school campuses to stay closed until May 1
He had originally intended for school districts to resume on-campus classes by April 15.
Court strikes yet another blow to Florida Gov. DeSantis’ attempt to keep former felons from voting
The order also denied the governor’s request for a rehearing by the three-judge panel.
Florida hospitals are getting coronavirus tests with five-minute results, says Gov. Ron DeSantis
DeSantis said there are 2,000 of the tests on the way to Florida.
Publix says they will now offer paid sick leave for employees who test positive for coronavirus
They get two weeks to quarantine and recover from the illness.
Tampa is officially getting a new area code
With the implementation of the additional area code, the region isn’t expected to face the need for another area code for 37 years.
Community spread of coronavirus has now reached The Villages, says study
In all, 25 people tested positive, including two who were asymptomatic.
Foundation Coffee closes Tampa Heights location due to coronavirus
The company says its Riverview location is still open.
Hillsborough sheriff says he’s now getting ‘6 tips a day’ on ‘Tiger King’ cold case
Chronister also said Baskin’s attorney told her to refuse a polygraph test.
The coronavirus outbreak is forcing Florida-based cruise lines to face the consequences of shady business practices
The long history of questionable practices seems to have finally caught up to the industry.
Two employees at a Florida Publix have now tested positive for coronavirus
Yesterday, Publix announced that they will allow employees to wear masks and gloves.
Florida state representatives hammer DeSantis on state’s ‘shameful’ unemployment website
Last week, more than 133,000 people applied for benefits.
AARP calls on Florida to disclose locations of coronavirus-infected long-term care facilities
An estimated 20.5 percent of Florida residents are 65 or older.
Publix will finally allow its employees to wear gloves and face masks during coronavirus outbreak
The company still does not provide paid sick leave or hazard pay.
Florida gas prices have plummeted below $2 a gallon
If only there was somewhere to go.
Publix will allow shopping center tenants to not pay rent for two months
The rent relief is being offered to businesses operating in Publix-owned shopping centers.
Hillsborough County sheriff needs your help with ‘Tiger King’ cold case
Someone out there has to know whether or not Don Lewis was turned into tiger food.
DeSantis orders more coronavirus checkpoints for motorists entering Florida
The announcement came a day after DeSantis said he was setting up a similar checkpoint in Northwest Florida, targeting travelers from Louisiana.
Seven Florida Department of Corrections employees tested positive for coronavirus
The employees will not return to work until they have been cleared by health officials, the agency said.
John Prine, who keeps a home in Gulfport, in critical condition with COVID-19 symptoms
The country and Americana legend just played Tampa Bay in December.
Tampa Bay realtor and gay rights warrior Robert Barnum dies after fight with coronavirus
A private funeral is set for March 30 in Largo.
SeaWorld just furloughed over 90 percent of its workforce
“The Company looks forward to welcoming back its ambassadors and guests when it is safe to open again.”
Hillsborough County no longer taking COVID-19 drive-through test appointments
UPDATE: On March 31, the county opened the testing site back up.
An ongoing list of Tampa Bay DJ sets and other live performances you can livestream
It’s always evolving.
Tampa Bay food truck drive-through serves free meals to first responders and healthcare workers
The public can also order from the ‘Tampa Carryout’ project.
Petition calling for DeSantis to shutdown Florida now has over 300,000 signatures
It was only created six days ago and already has over 320,000 signatures.
Video shows phones at a Florida beach during spring break, and where they all traveled during the coronavirus outbreak
This is just one beach, in one small part of the country.
SNL’s Kate McKinnon will play Tampa Big Cat Rescue CEO Carol Baskin in ‘Tiger King’ scripted series
Joe Exotic should be played by either Matthew McConaughey, David Spade, or Danny McBride. There’s no discussion on this.
Florida chose not to postpone primaries, and now two election workers test positive for coronavirus
Florida was one of three states that went ahead with the presidential preference primary election.
Democrats and labor groups call for increased benefits, as ‘massive wave of unemployment’ hits Florida
“It’s going to be a homeless crisis,” said a spokeswoman for the Department of Economic Opportunity. “It’s going to be a children without food crisis.”
DeSantis says 40 people tested positive for coronavirus at Florida’s long-term care facilities, but not much else
Of the 40 coronavirus cases in long-term care facilities as of Wednesday evening, 16 were in Broward County, according to the state data.
Hillsborough County’s stay-at-home order will officially start on Friday
It took officials a week to agree on the “safer-at-home” order.
Rick Scott, who gutted Florida’s unemployment system, said coronavirus stimulus pays some low-wage workers too much
“We cannot be paying people more money on unemployment than they get paid in their job.”
Here’s a list of local Tampa Bay small businesses that are still open and need your business
It’s changing every day.
The founder of Tampa’s Big Cat Rescue is not pleased with Netflix’s ‘Tiger King’
“When the directors came to us five years ago they said they wanted to make the big cat version of “Blackfish.’”
Here’s a massive, updated list of Tampa Bay restaurants still offering takeout and delivery
It’s changing every day.
Florida colleges may offer students pass-fail grades during coronavirus outbreak
The grading options would include pass/fail, satisfactory/unsatisfactory, or the traditional grade-point average.
Florida Democrats are bashing DeSantis for not doing enough amid coronavirus pandemic
With more than 1,600 cases of COVID-19 in Florida, Democrats aren’t backing down from their demand that DeSantis take a more strident stance.
A Tampa Bay take on how the stories of Salome and Scheherazade got totally messed up
From a piece about the MFA’s ‘Art of the Stage.’
We hate social distancing, too, but it’s time for Tampa Bay to stay home
Empathy takes energy.
Tampa’s DJ Ku lost his income to the coronavirus, and he’s kind of OK with it
Life under Ku-arantine.
Let’s talk about the latest Tampa Bay Times coronavirus op-ed and how much it sucks
Yeah, it sucks pretty bad.
Owners of Tampa Sandwich Bar in South Korea send love to rescheduled International Cuban Sandwich Festival
Geunmin Kang and Hyunmin Cho obviously can’t make it here this year.
Tampa nonprofit will pay for laundry of needy families and hospitality workers affected by coronavirus
But it needs the community’s help.
Tampa Bay’s ‘Different Church’ just ‘reverse-tithed’ $3,500 to local business and nonprofits
‘Spread Love, Not Germs’
Tampa chef Ferrell Alvarez will layoff 41 employees, launches plan to bring them back ‘one-by-one’
If you’ve ever wanted him to deliver food to your house, now is the time.






