St. Petersburg its getting its first-ever anime convention. The organizers of the St. Petersburg Comic Con, which debuted in January, have announced Anime St. Pete at the Coliseum Sept. 17 and 18. The event will feature prominent anime voice actors and anime cosplayers, more than 50 panel discussions and events including “Anime Jeopardy, cosplay contests, a lip sync competition and a TikTok Film Festival. Details and tickets are available here.
Visit St. Pete/Clearwater (VSPC), a destination marketing organization charged with promoting the region, has launched a new brand campaign inspired by the thriving art scene and year-round sunshine. The campaign, dubbed "Let's Shine," portrays experiences like kayaking through mangroves, visiting The Dalí museum, spotlighting the beaches, the trendy culinary and craft beer scene and biking on the Pinellas Trail. The new campaign will launch in markets throughout the Midwest, South, Northeast and Florida.
Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, made a trip to Port Tampa Bay Tuesday to show his approval of a $12.6 million federal grant. The funding, provided by the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) initiative, will help build a $17 million expansion in South Hillsborough County. According to CEO Paul Anderson, the new, $17 million Berth 301 at Port Redwing will create 800 jobs and allow for a third ship to operate out of the port.
St. Petersburg police announced Monday that the burned body found in an alley last week was Heather Elizabeth Olmstead, 31. On Tuesday, Police Chief Anthony Holloway told the Catalyst that detectives were still searching for answers and leads, and the department hopes that someone will come forward with information. First responders were called to a fire in an alley behind the 2900 block of Emerson Avenue at 12:42 a.m. on Aug. 18. After extinguishing the fire, officials discovered a badly burned body, later identified as Olmstead. Police ask anyone with information to call 727-893-7780 or text SPPD + your tip to TIP411.
The nominations for the Good 'Burger awards will close on Aug. 25. The annual event hosted by the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes the businesses, organizations, and individuals making a positive impact in the community. To be considered as a finalist, nominees must complete a finalist application (for only one category). Voting for finalists will open to the public at stpete.com from Sept. 5 to Oct. 10.
After an 11-day absence due to “personal reasons,” quarterback Tom Brady rejoined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Monday morning. Coach Todd Bowles said he excused Brady from training camp, but the hiatus still sparked several rumors. Brady retired once this offseason and returned after 40 days. Brady, who turns 45 this year, has one more year left on his contract with the Bucs and becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2023.
The Tampa Bay Rays made Major League Baseball history for their diverse starting lineup Sunday, which included players from eight different countries. Players representing the United States, Columbia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Taiwan and Venezuela took the field for the Rays. Tampa Bay would go on to beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 at Tropicana Field Sunday, upping their record to 65-55.
The St. Petersburg College announced a new scholarship that will support residents in South St. Petersburg who want to take the first step on a new career pathway. The Speer Foundation has awarded the SPC Foundation a $125,000 grant to fund the First Step Scholarship, SPC announced Tuesday. Recipients will receive a scholarship for full tuition, books, and materials related to the selected training in specialized manufacturing, financial services, data analytics and creative arts and design.
A federal judge sentenced St. Petersburg resident Thomas Coelho to 10 years in prison Thursday after he pled guilty to stealing nearly $2 million in a concert ticket resale scheme. The judge also ordered him to pay over $1.8 million in restitution. According to prosecutors, Coelho continued to con victims after his first arrest in March. The sentence was well above federal guidelines but less than the 20-year maximum. The scheme involved convincing people he could score tickets to see high-profile artists like Adele, Fleetwood Mac and Phil Collins and then resell them for a profit. However, despite creating fake documents stating the contrary, Coelho never purchased the tickets.
Pinellas County officials recently announced the completion of the annual local hazard mitigation strategy (HMS) update. The plan identifies potential hazards - such as flooding, sea level rise and storm surge - and sets goals to reduce associated risks. The county updates its LMS annually according to federal and state Emergency Management criteria. Participation is a requirement for federal hazard mitigation grants. According to the county release, the Florida Division of Emergency Management has previously recognized the Pinellas LMS as one of the best in the state.
The inaugural Powerboat P1 Grand Prix will be returning to the St. Pete Pier. On Facebook, the group wrote, “The 2nd annual St Petersburg Powerboat Grand Prix is returning to the St Petersburg Pier. Come watch the adrenaline pumping action as Competitors from across the USA and from all over the world, compete for the top spot in the APBA National Championships!!" It will be held on Sept. 2-4. The race was first introduced at the St. Pete Pier last year. Powerboat P1 has held races offshore at Sarasota, Fort Myers, St. Pete Beach and other coastal cities.
All of the northbound and southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 19 will be closed today (Aug. 19) at 9 p.m. and will reopen on Sunday at 9 p.m. The closure includes the northbound frontage road. This closure is needed for crews to perform overhead work as part of the Gateway Expressway project, according to the Florida Department of Transportation's post.
