The Tampa Bay Buccaneers unveiled their much-anticipated “Creamsicle” throwback uniforms Wednesday in a photo and video shoot filmed at downtown St. Petersburg’s new disco club, Goodnight John Boy. The promotional video featured current stars like Mike Evans and Chis Godwin and team legends such as Derrick Brooks and Ronde Barber. Comedian Bert Kreischer and makeup entrepreneur Jaclyn Hill – both Buccaneers fans – also made appearances. Watch the video here.
According to multiple reports, several people on a St. Petersburg-bound Allegiant Air flight suffered injuries due to severe turbulence. Four people, including passengers and crew members, were examined for injuries after the flight. The plane was carrying 179 passengers and six crew members Wednesday afternoon as it traveled from Asheville, North Carolina to the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. Airport officials told media outlets that the flight landed normally and taxied to the gate under its own power.
An early morning fire Thursday killed dozens of animals at the Alligator and Wildlife Discovery Center at John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk in Madeira Beach. A Facebook post confirmed that the fire killed “nearly all of the animals.” Firefighters responded to the blaze at around 3 a.m. Thursday morning and were unable to rescue most of the 250 reptiles and small mammals. To learn more about a fundraising drive for the center, visit the website here.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Wednesday morning, consumer prices in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area increased by 7.3% from May 2022 to May 2023. However, it did not include the region’s June data. Miami had the highest listed consumer price index last month, at 6.9%. The national average slowed to 3%.
China Finders, a store in the Grand Central District that sells rare and antique dinnerware, crystal and glassware, is closing its doors. The owners are expected to close the 2823 Central Ave. location in early September. The family-owned business started in the early 1980s when two brothers became pickers and sold items to other retailers, according to the company's website.
Tampa-based venture capital firm and investor network Florida Funders has invested in Passes, an invite-only brand-friendly paywall platform for creators. Through the Florida Funders 2 LLC, the group invested in Passes' $9 million round. The round was led by Multicoin Capital with participation from Anti Fund, Gradient Ventures, Craft Ventures, Menlo Ventures and 11:11 Media, according to the Wednesday announcement. Lucy Guo, founder and CEO of Passes, has reported net worth of $360 million. “Lucy Guo plays an integral role in Miami’s tech ecosystem – and combined with her entrepreneurial spirit – we couldn’t be more thrilled to back her and this platform," Saxon Baum, partner at Florida Funders, said in a prepared statement.
A recent report published by Site Selection Magazine highlighted Pinellas Park as one of the best cities nationwide with a population under 75,000 to launch a small business.VerizonSpecials.com ranked the communities based on six criteria: Growing population; workforce education; commute times; tax climate; access to capital; and broadband internet access. Researchers ranked Pinellas Park, with around 50,000 people, among the 50 top small cities for small business owners.
Dalí Alive 360°, the Dali Museum's highly-anticipated "multi-sensory" immersive art experience, debuts Saturday in the Dali Dome. Located in the museum’s “Avant garden,” the dome stands 39 feet tall and 60 feet in diameter. Admission is an optional $15 add-on experience to the $29 museum ticket.
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena clobbered 82 home runs throughout Monday night’s Home Run Derby, second most in the event’s history. However, it was not enough to beat Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who hit 25 homers in the final round to Arozarena’s 23. The burgeoning Rays superstar nearly closed the distance by hitting 15 home runs in the closing 90 seconds.
The Tampa Bay Rays ended the first half of the season on a high note, beating the Atlanta Braves 10-4 at home Sunday after dropping the previous seven games. However, the team still leads the American League at 58-35 and has the five-day All-Star break to recuperate and refocus. Outfielder Randy Arozarena will help kick off the festivities as he competes in the Home Run Derby for the first time tonight at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
According to a recent Brookings Institution report, the average Tampa Bay metro area household traveled 31,110 miles across all transportation methods in 2022. While that is slightly above the national average, it is significantly less than the Lakeland-Winter Haven metro area, at 36,598 miles. The analysis highlighted how living closer to multiple activity centers can save the average resident around $1,000 in annual transportation costs and reduce their carbon dioxide output by 2,455 to 3,020 pounds.
St. Petersburg-based Raymond James Financial has named a new leader of its Western Division. Effective Oct. 1, Bert White, who was running Raymond James and Associates’ Florida region, will take over as head of the Western Division. White will be replacing Pat Allison, who is retiring this year. The new leadership comes as the firm is reorganizing Raymond James and Associates to better align with Alex. Additionally, the firm announced last week that Clearwater-based firm Keybridge Wealth Management, which has $350 million of assets under management, will be joining Raymond James Financial.
