City officials have formally announced the search for St. Petersburg Fire Rescue’s new leader after former Chief James Large retired March 1 after 50 years with the department. Budget management and public relations skills and a commitment to diversity, inclusivity and excellence are among the list of desired qualifications. While the annual salary is negotiable, it will not exceed $227,517.
Tampa Bay Rowdies officials announced Thursday that they signed local youth standouts Christian Ortiz and Taner Akin to USL Academy contracts for the 2024 season, pending league approval. The program allows the boys, 16, to play professional soccer while maintaining their college eligibility. Ortiz is a New Port Richey resident who has played in four preseason Rowdies matches. Akin participated in the team’s preseason youth camp this year.
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg officials selected the four mayors who have led the city since the race’s inception to serve as grand marshals for the 20th annual event. Mayor Ken Welch and former Mayors Rick Kriseman, Bill Foster and Rick Baker will collectively command drivers to start their engines Sunday. The nationally televised race begins at noon.
The Florida Young Men's Leadership Initiative is holding an Empowerment Summit Saturday, March 9 from 10 a.m. though 2 p.m., at the Pinellas County African American History Museum, at 1101 Marshall Street in Clearwater. Co-sponsored by the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition, Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center, Artz 4 Life Academy and others, the summit will feature students from Atlanta's SAVE Institute as lead facilitators, aligning with their mission to "save" young African American men from cycles of poverty, crime, incarceration and lack of purpose through engagement in service, agriculture, vocational training and entrepreneurship. For more information, click here.
Visit St. Pete/Clearwater announced the Gulp Coast Passport program's relaunch Wednesday in celebration of Tampa Bay Beer Week. The mobile platform helps guide visitors and residents to 40 Pinellas County breweries and offers several deals and discounts. Participants can also receive a custom T-shirt. For more information, visit the website here.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) officials expect to see over 100,000 passengers March 9 and March 17, setting new daily records. TPA has already surpassed its single-day benchmark with 93,334 flyers Feb. 25. Officials are now preparing to accommodate 90,000-100,000 people every Saturday and Sunday throughout the 38-day spring break travel period.
Tampa Bay homeowners must earn nearly double what they made four years ago to afford a home in the 2024 housing market, Zillow reports.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority has partnered with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to provide race fans with a low-cost transit option. Attendees can receive discounted fares on all fixed routes, including the SunRunner. A three-day event pass is $10 in the Flamingo Fares App, and daily group passes are $3. For more information, visit the website here.
A recently released RentCafe report found an average of eight prospective renters compete for the same vacant apartment in Tampa Bay. The real estate platform’s research showed the region’s available rental units typically stay on the market for 40 days. The report states that 65.4% of renters chose to renew their lease in January, about 4% higher than the national average.
Opening Friday at the St. Pete Pier, the second annual, 5,000 square-foot "Rockin Roller Rink" will be open through April 14. Tickets include skate rentals and 75 minutes of skate time; upcoming DJ theme nights include Taylor Swift Day, '90s Party, Latin Night and more. All information can be found here.
Tampa-based Bloomin’ Brands, the parent company of Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill and Carrabba’s Italian Grill, recently announced plans to shutter 41 underperforming locations nationwide. Company officials told WTSP that the only location closing in Tampa Bay is an Outback Steakhouse in Sarasota.
A new report found that Tampa Bay residents must earn $116,329 annually to comfortably afford a home. According to real estate platform Zillow, that number was just $58,577 in 2020. In addition, the report states it will take potential homebuyers earning the region’s median income 9.8 years to save for a 10% down payment.
