St. Petersburg city officials are now accepting applications for the Community Benefits Advisory Council (CBAC), a nonpartisan board that consults on the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) Program's implementation. The CBAC will review the $6.5 billion Historic Gas Plant District’s redevelopment. The announcement notes that the project will have an “enormous” economic and social impact and “requires the utmost consideration.” For more information and application instructions, visit the website here.
The Carnival Paradise cruise ship has returned to Tampa after a refurbishment project that included upgrades to onboard spaces such as the Serenity adult-only retreat and the ship’s casino as part of a 16-day dry dock in Freeport, Bahamas. The 2,124-guest ship’s current six-day sailing schedule from the Tampa homeport includes a stop at Key West; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Grand Cayman, one of the Cayman Islands.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) and partnering agencies collected 827.4 pounds of prescription medication between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. Operation Medicine Cabinet officials said the initiative provides proper medication disposal information, helps prevent children from accidental ingestion and raises prescription drug abuse awareness. Drop-off locations in the PCSO’s Administrative Building in Largo and the North District Station in Dunedin are open year-round.
HCA Florida St. Petersburg Hospital has received a Healthgrades Critical Care Excellence Award and was named among the top ten percent in the nation for critical care. The 215-bed acute care facility also received a five-star quality recognition for specialty care in the treatment of gastrointestinal surgeries, according to an announcement earlier this month. The Healthgrades report evaluates hospitals solely on clinical outcomes based on risk-adjusted mortality and complications.
University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine and Tampa General Hospital today announced the launch of a new medical residency training program in anesthesiology. The new anesthesiology residency program is based in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM) at the University of South Florida and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Residents in the four-year program will work at Tampa General Hospital and other TGH locations throughout the Tampa Bay region and be trained by USF Health faculty. Recruitment for applicants to the inaugural class has already begun.
Scientists at the Florida Institute of Oceanography’s (FIO) Keys Marine Laboratory are returning thousands of rescued corals to the sea as water temperatures have cooled to normal levels. The FIO, based at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, housed over 5,000 at the KML for three months due to a massive coral bleaching event caused by “unprecedented” water temperatures. Coral reefs provide vital ecosystems and a buffer between damaging wave action and coastlines.
St. Petersburg officials will transform part of Central Avenue into a Halloween block party Sunday, Oct. 29. Starting at 6 a.m., Central Avenue will close between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street and 31st Street North. The SunRunner will offer free rides throughout the day, and roads will reopen by 8 p.m. Sunday.
Richard Nixon was president when Izella “Grandma” McCree began her career with Pinellas County Schools at Lakewood Elementary School in 1973. She is still a devoted paraprofessional, assisting students and staff. District officials held a surprise celebration for McCree, crowning her “queen for a day,” Oct. 27 at Northshore Elementary School. She briefly retired in 2004 and currently helps students learn how to read.
The Tampa General Hospital Foundation, a philanthropic organization that supports TGH, has officially kicked off a five-year capital campaign to raise $100 million for the health system. The campaign, called Elevating Excellence, would fund expansions, technologies and programs for the Tampa Bay community, region and state, according to a recent announcement.
St. Petersburg-based Neptune Flood, the nation’s largest private flood insurance provider, now has over $200 million of premiums in force. According to company officials, crossing that threshold makes Neptune the primary alternative to the National Flood Insurance Program. The company also added seven members to a newly created advisory board.
Tampa-based Vector Solutions, an information and e-learning software company, acquired Colorado-based educational platform Pathwayos. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Pathwayos has developed a leading platform for connecting K-12 schools and students to work-based learning opportunities. The acquisition will expand Vector Solution’s footprint at the intersection of education and industry with a move into the Career and Technical Education (CTE) market, according to an announcement. Vector Solutions plans to use the acquired platform to connect its industry customers with trained talent, addressing skills gaps and labor shortages by providing a direct ‘skills-based’ talent pipeline.
St. Petersburg-based Duke Energy Florida announced Friday that it will soon break ground on the nation’s first “end-to-end system to produce, store and combust 100% green hydrogen.” The company will build the turbine at its DeBary Plant in Volusia County. Duke officials expect a “fully functioning” system to provide clean power throughout the state in 2024.
