Local leaders have a short-term rental conundrum

Pinellas County is home to nearly 24,000 known short-term vacation rentals, and elected officials have found it increasingly difficult to regulate a now sophisticated and nuanced industry.

They must also balance the need for housing options and the quality of life in surrounding neighborhoods. However, state preemptions likely present the tallest hurdle for local governments.

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Curtain call: The Studio @620’s Bob Devin Jones

Sitting by the big streetside windows inside The Studio@620, Bob Devin Jones is reflecting on two subjects close to his heart: The upcoming production of Hamlet, which he’s directing, and his retirement after two breathless decades of running the little theater/art gallery/performance space that could.

His voice is soft, his tone measured. He is, as ever, both erudite and folksy, and he peppers the conversation with song lyrics from Boyz II Men, the Bluenotes and Frank Sinatra.

Arts Alive! podcast: Film commissioner Lisa Dozois

Today’s Arts Alive! conversation with Pinellas County Film Commissioner Lisa Dozois covers a lot of ground. We talk about the history of movie-making in Florida, the benefits to city, county and region when filmmakers come to the area to work, and about the role of the film commissioner: Facilitator, cheerleader, location scout, lobbyist, advocate.