Columbus
Axios Tampa Bay
Harris picks up surge of volunteers in Florida
More than 7,000 Floridians have signed on to help with Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign — its largest surge of volunteers so far.Why it matters: The numbers, shared with Axios by the Harris campaign, show "an overwhelming groundswell of support" in the Sunshine State, Florida director Jasmine Burney Clark said in a statement.And it potentially signals untapped enthusiasm among Democrats in Florida as the state's voter rolls and election results have grown increasingly red in recent years.By the numbers: As of Wednesday, the campaign had amassed more than 6,600 volunteers in Florida, a number that swelled to more than 7,200 by Thursday, per the Harris campaign.The campaign had recruited by Wednesday about 5,700 volunteers in Pennsylvania, 4,300 in Georgia and 3,300 in Michigan — the three most populous states most likely to decide the November election.Reality check: Republicans have continued to dominate voter registration in Florida with a lead of more than 950,000 voters as of June 30.
How to celebrate 727 Day in Pinellas
Sorry Tampeños. This weekend is all about the St. Pete and Clearwater side of the bay. State of play: Saturday is July 27, aka 727 Day, and tourism agency Visit St. Pete-Clearwater has announced dozens of 727-themed deals, and chances to win prizes by visiting one of these spots at the following times:7:27-9am: The Bayou Cafe in Tarpon Springs10:30-11:30am: Café Vino Tinto in Safety Harbor1:30-2:30pm: Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard in Seminole2:10pm gates, 4:10pm first pitch: Tampa Bay Rays game at Tropicana Field in St. PeteDeals include tons of food, drinks and sightseeing options, from a $7.27 key lime martini at Bon Appetit Restaurant in Dunedin to $7.27 off admission to the Dali Museum in St. Pete (with a Pinellas County ID).Check out the full list here.
Fans across the internet celebrate Layla the Clearwater Threshers bat dog's retirement
Clearwater Threshers bat dog Layla retired on Friday, and a video of her last round of fetch amassed thousands of well wishes from across the internet.State of play: "14/10 happy retirement, Layla," the popular account We Rate Dogs wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in a post with more than 6 million views.Before her six-year bat dog career, the pup, now 13, was just a humble beer dog, fetching cold ones for her owner, Andrew Davis, the Tampa Bay Times reported.Davis sent a video to the team, and they responded, "You think your dog could fetch bats?" The rest is history.Fun fact: Fans can bring their dogs to the team's Beach Dogs Fridays games. The last one of the season is Aug. 23, with dog ticket sales ($7 per dog) benefiting the Humane Society of Pinellas.The bottom line: "Dogs and baseball are universal," team spokesperson Robert Stretch tells Axios. A good girl deserves a good cake. Photo: Clearwater Threshers
Bite Club: Sesh serves a toast to pop-horror nostalgia
On a recent visit to Tampa Bay, my wife Carly and I were in search of a dog-friendly mid-afternoon hangout and found our way to Sesh St. Pete.Housed in a historic (and possibly haunted?) building at 2221 4th St N., Sesh has an expansive food and drink menu and a huge tap list.We enjoyed our stop-in enough that we came back the next night for dinner. Yep, that familiar box up there is a replica of the one that Chucky came in. Photo: Jeff Weiner/AxiosThe vibe: Think Lovecraft meets Child's Play. The decor is gothic, with tentacles, horned skulls and...
Happy first birthday to Wisp, Tampa's icky stinky TikTok-famous queen
Happy fur-st birthday to Tampa's own icky, stinky queen!By that we mean Wisp, the Persian kitty with thousands of fans around the world, thanks to local animal rescue Rags to Riches' wildly popular TikTok videos chronicling her life.State of play: In just a year, Crispy Wispy has published a children's book (with a second on the way); inspired a calendar, stuffed animal and so much fan art; and helped bring attention, and money, to the rescue's other critters on the hunt for their furever homes.After struggling with health issues, she's pooping on her own and gaining weight, per a health update in April.The bottom line: She may look more like a cat these days, but she'll always be a scrungly used tissue in our hearts.
A free collar tag could save your pet's life during the next hurricane
Pets need to hurricane prep too.Why it matters: Many pets died or went missing after Hurricane Ian slammed Florida in 2022. We're still in what forecasters predicted to be a hyperactive season.Driving the news: Pet Disaster Alert, (P.D.A.), a new, free disaster relief plan for pets, launched in Florida on Tuesday. The plan, which includes a smart tag, is offered by nonprofit animal rescue Flew The Coop and pet-collar tech company FidoAlert.How it works: Pet owners who register for the P.D.A. plan get preemptive guidance before storms including locations of pet-friendly shelters, a "Pet Prep Playbook," and real-time SMS text message alerts during storms with resources for people and pets.They also get a free pet tag engraved with the animal's name and a unique pet ID number, which links the pet to FidoAlert's national database to assist in reuniting lost pets with their owners.If a pet is lost, a text alert can be sent to every member of the alert network within a few miles. Someone who finds a pet can scan the tag's QR code, automatically contacting the pet parent and their emergency contacts.
Gen Z gets better, sweatier together with Pinellas Run Club
In just a year, young Tampa Bay newcomers have taken the Pinellas Run Club from a group of seven friends and family into a diverse swarm of around 150 taking over St. Petersburg twice a week.The big picture: Tech is failing the loneliness crisis, so Gen Z is turning to old-fashioned sweat and shoelaces.Running is lapping other sports across fitness trackers, and Gen Z is setting the pace.What they're saying: "When you sweat with someone you build another type of relationship than if you were to just go grab coffee or a beer," Brent Thomas, who runs the club with...
Which Floridians would benefit from $17/hour
Data: Oxfam America; Chart: Axios VisualsMore than a quarter of Florida workers — mostly women, Black and Hispanic — would benefit from a raise in minimum wage to $17, according to new data from Oxfam.The organization revised its definition of a low-wage worker this year, from those earning less than $15 an hour to those earning less than $17.State of pay: This fall, state minimum wage increases to $13 per hour for non-tipped employees and $9.98 per hour for tipped employees.Flashback: Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2020 to make the minimum wage $15 by 2026. It will increase by a dollar on Sept. 30 every year until then.After that, the minimum wage will be adjusted each year for inflation.The big picture: Just 13% of U.S. workers earn less than $15 an hour; two years ago, that number was 31.9%, per Oxfam.
Florida officials react to Biden's 2024 exit
President Biden's sudden exit from the 2024 race prompted swift reactions from Florida's political leaders, including Democrats who remained staunch supporters even as questions about his viability grew. Why it matters: The Florida Democratic Party profusely welcomed Biden's re-election campaign and its presence in the state. Chair Nikki Fried touted the president's support as a sign of the embattled state party's vitality.The party even canceled its presidential primary in March and awarded all its delegates to Biden — a controversial show of support that some said dampened turnout in local races.What they're saying: "Thank you @POTUS," Fried said in a...
Rays stadium plan wins long-awaited approval by St. Pete City Council
The Tampa Bay Rays finally received the greenlight from the St. Petersburg City Council on their plans for the Historic Gas Plant District and a new stadium.Why it matters: The "yes" has been years and dozens of contentious meetings in the making, and puts the team one step closer to a new, innovative stadium and a livelier downtown.It's also a loss for community advocates who say the deal will fail to deliver the affordable housing necessary to make up for harm done to the Black community during the building of Tropicana Field.Roll call: Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders and council members Copley...
GOP commissioners halt Hillsborough vote on tax for schools
The Hillsborough Commission has swung back into Republican control, and Commissioner Joshua Wostal is already flexing his renewed muscle.Why it matters: Wostal, backed by his GOP colleagues, stalled a ballot referendum that would've given Hillsborough's sprawling school district the means to raise teacher salaries.His move tees up a legal battle with the school district.State of play: The commission's new makeup is a fresh face on an old GOP agenda.Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Republican hopeful Christine Miller last month to replace Michael Owen, whose resignation had created a short-lived deadlock on the commission.Miller's first vote on Wednesday is a sign that...
🤘The kids are alt rock: Girls and nonbinary campers become punk stars at St. Pete Girls Rock
Jannus Live is known for hosting world-famous musicians, but this weekend's headliners are bands you've never heard of — because they didn't exist a week ago.Why it matters: Girls Rock St. Pete takes fifty girls and nonbinary kids aged 8-17 and turns them into punk rockers with the confidence and knowledge to take on the world offstage.State of punk: Eight bands formed in the weeklong camp hosted at Allendale United Methodist Church will take the stage Saturday, performing original songs.Alumni will perform as Anarkitty, which opened for Pussy Riot and Idina Menzel at the last two St. Pete Pride festivals.How...
Trim app brings Uber experience to haircuts in Tampa Bay
You can now order a haircut with the same few clicks it takes to get takeout or groceries delivered to your door.The buzz: The Trim app launched in Tampa Bay last week, allowing barbers and hair stylists to connect with customers instantly.Co-founders Joe Helton, based in North Carolina, and locally based Babak Keradman and Logan Morello call it "the Uber of haircuts."Why it matters: Aside from convenience, the app also makes hair styling more accessible for neurodivergent folks who need special services or those who have trouble leaving their home.Trim's co-founders also want the app to empower independent barbers and...
Tampa Bay's boomer population booms
Data: U.S. Census Bureau; Map: Alice Feng/AxiosTampa Bay got a bump in its boomer population over the last few years, and we're not alone.Why it matters: Cities with growing senior populations must be mindful of older residents' specific needs, like health care, transportation and affordable housing.The big picture: The 65-and-up population grew in all of America's biggest cities from 2020 to 2023 — by nearly 20% in some cases, according to the Census Bureau's latest population estimates.America's overall 65-plus population rose 9.4%, to about 59.2 million people in this time frame.Zoom in: Tampa-St Petersburg-Clearwater grew by 9.5% from 2020-2023, containing Tampa Bay's largest senior population at just under 690,000 residents, per the Census Bureau.North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota saw the area's largest increase in the same time frame — 12% growth to more than 304,000 residents.Lakeland-Winter Haven grew 10%, increasing to around 159,000 senior residents.
Gas Plant and Rays stadium redevelopment agreement heads for home
New details in the Historic Gas Plant redevelopment plan emerged on Tuesday as it heads for likely approval from the St. Petersburg City Council.Why it matters: The meeting was the council members' last chance to voice concerns and hash out issues with the Tampa Bay Rays and their developer before voting on the plan on Thursday.Catch up quick: The agreement was tentatively approved last month, gaining five necessary yeses in a preliminary vote. Council members Richie Floyd, John Muhammad and Lisset Hanewicz voted no.Friction points: Floyd reiterated his disappointment in the deal's sacrifice of affordable housing commitments. "It's wholly unacceptable...
Rick Scott hasn't returned donations from businessman accused of trust fraud
Months after fraud allegations against Leo Joseph Govoni came to light, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott hasn't returned tens of thousands the Pinellas businessman donated to support his campaign, federal election records show.Why it matters: Thousands of families watched their money evaporate after entrusting it to Govoni's nonprofit, which managed trust funds for vulnerable people, according to court records.Scott called the situation "heartbreaking" in an April letter he sent to the Social Security Administration, adding that Govoni should be "held accountable" in a manner that also makes the victims "whole."Govoni has not been charged criminally and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.Driving the...
Pass-a-Grille beach to get influx of sand to help with erosion
More sand is on the way for eroded Pass-a-Grille Beach, Pinellas County officials announced last week.Why it matters: Periodic renourishment is necessary to restore beaches from natural and hurricane-induced erosion. Healthy shorelines help protect waterfront habitats and communities from storms — and keep Tampa Bay's beloved beaches accessible.State of play: Workers are set to dredge and pipe 140,000 cubic yards of sand — enough to fill 43 Olympic swimming pools — to the shore between First and 22nd avenues, per a county news release.It adds to more than 10,000 cubic yards of sand added last month to the south end...
Focus group: Florida swing voters confused by abortion amendment
Florida swing voters say abortion rights will influence their vote in November, but they find the ballot question's wording unclear, according to our latest focus group with Engagious/Sago.Why it matters: The language used in the referendum left some voters confused and thus unwilling to support it, even those who consider themselves "pro-choice."Republicans in Florida have leveraged that confusion to make false claims that the referendum allows abortion "until the moment of birth."Between the lines: While a focus group is not a statistically significant sample like a poll, the responses show how some voters are thinking and talking about current events.The...
Axios Tampa Bay
2K+
Posts
17M+
Views
Axios Tampa Bay, anchored by Ben Montgomery and Selene San Felice, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.