McDonald's is buying out Tampa-based Caspers Company's stake in the McDonald's franchise, which is the largest in the state. The Caspers announced Monday they plan to sell all of its McDonald’s locations and franchises on Oct. 1. The Caspers Company is controlled by Blake Casper and Allison Casper Adams and operates 60 locations in Tampa and Jacksonville. "Three generations of Caspers have shined the arches, serving millions of Happy Meals along the way," a release from Caspers reads. "Caspers has contributed to countless charitable organizations supporting the communities with which it has operated. Blake Casper, Allison Casper Adams, and husband Robby Adams wish to thank the thousands of loyal team members who have made Caspers McDonald's so successful over the generations. They have been the smiling faces making the difference in millions of Floridians' lives. We wish the McDonald's system much success in the future." The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The siblings also own the Oxford Exchange, a coworking space with a restaurant and retail, and The Stovall House in Tampa as well as The Library, the restaurant on the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital's St. Petersburg campus.
Tampa-based Florida Funders, recognized as the top VC in the Southeast region by Pitchbook, and the Florida Institute have invested in Gemini Sports Analytics (GSA), a platform that allows stakeholders at elite sports organizations to make better decisions faster as they optimize tactics, acquire, develop and manage their athletes. Florida Funders invested in GSA's $1.5 million seed round from the Florida Funders’ Fund 2 LLC. Alongside Fund 2 and the Florida Institute, Miami-based Ocean Azul Partners also contributed to the round, which was anchored by leAD Sports and Health Tech Partners, the Orlando-based joint venture between Tavistock (owners of Tottenham in the English Premier League) and the family offices of Adidas founder Adi Dassler and other sports executives, according to a press release. GSA currently has letters of intent to work with teams in the NFL, NBA and European soccer.
The West Community Library at St. Petersburg College is hosting a viewing party in honor of NASA releasing the first images from its James Webb Space Telescope. The event will also feature a lecture from a NASA Solar Ambassador, Dr. Kathleen Blackett. The pictures from the $10 billion infrared telescope are over 20 years in the making and show parts of deep space yet unseen by the human eye. The viewing party begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, and participants will also have a chance to make paper models of the telescope. The library is located at 6700 8th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg.
A recent report shows Tampa Bay tech workers make just 75% of what their counterparts in San Francisco earn. According to private company data compiled by Carta, an equity management software provider, the region’s tech workers also make less than those in cities like Raleigh, Detroit and Nashville. The report is based on a survey of more than 127,000 tech employees from 2,000 startups that utilize Carta’s services. While the cost of living is much lower in Tampa Bay compared to San Francisco, Carta noted the rise in remote work is forcing companies to offer nationally competitive salaries. According to the report, the Tampa-St. Pete-Clearwater metro area is considered a “fourth-tier” city for tech wages. Workers in Austin and Miami reported strong earnings in the South. View the full report here.
During Thursday's meeting, the St. Petersburg City Council unanimously approved a resolution to set aside $1.47 million in annual rental assistance for the city’s lowest-paid employees. The move was expected after council members discussed details of the initiative at a Housing, Land Use and Transportation Committee meeting in June. Mayor Ken Welch must still include the funding in the city's budget. The city would provide a monthly stipend of $500 for employees with a residency requirement, a salary of less than $48,000 and a household income of less than 120% of the area median income. Nearly 250 city workers fall under those guidelines, and help could arrive as early as October. Read more here.
The Florida Department of Health issued an alert Friday warning residents of a harmful blue-green algal bloom found in Maximo Park. A June 30 water sample first detected the toxins near Sunshine Skyway Lane and Pinellas Point Drive South in St. Petersburg. In an email, the health department warned the public to exercise caution in and around the water at Maximo. The agency said it will post signs around the park to alert visitors. The health department urges people in the area to avoid drinking, swimming or boating in water where the bloom is visible.
After a complete rebuild, the much-anticipated Shore Acres Recreation Center is opening to the public. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand reopening event will take place on Saturday, July 9, at 10 a.m. Located at 4230 Shore Acres Blvd. NE., the 21,064-square-foot, two-story facility will serve residents of Shore Acres and throughout St. Petersburg. Among the center’s highlights is a 6-lane swimming pool, an indoor gym for basketball, volleyball and pickleball, an outdoor playground and greenspace. Programming offered at the facility includes yoga, Tae Kwon Do, dog obedience and before and after school childcare.
Over the next few months, the St. Petersburg City Council will consider adjustments to water, wastewater, reclaimed water, stormwater and sanitation utility rates and charges for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1. Final adoption will be voted on at a public hearing scheduled for Sept. 8, according to the city's news release. The funds collected go toward the maintenance of the stormwater system, which helps mitigate flooding and the water quality, and the city's infrastructure.
Pinellas County officials reported four new cases of monkeypox this week, bringing the total to five. An additional case was found in Polk County, bringing its total to two. No other counties in the Tampa Bay region have reported infected residents. Health officials say monkeypox is similar to smallpox and is typically a mild, viral illness. However, immunocompromised, pregnant women, infants and people with skin conditions can develop serious and even deadly complications. Symptoms can take as long as 21 days to develop, and include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, rash and headaches. The federal government is now working to distribute vaccines to the most at-risk populations.
Incoming Superintendent Kevin Hendricks will share his vision for Pinellas County Schools with the community through a series of seven “Listen and Learn” sessions. The meetings - held in person with a virtual option - begin on July 18 and run through September. The meetings are open to the public and provide opportunities for feedback. Each session begins at 6 p.m. and will feature a focus topic. Here is the schedule: Pinellas Technical College Clearwater: July 18, Student Experience and School Choice focus; Bay Point Middle: July 27, Staff Experience Focus; Dunedin Fine Arts Center (tentative): Aug. 17, Performing and Visual Arts Focus; Lealman Innovation Academy: Aug. 18, Student Experience and School Choice focus; Safety Harbor Middle: Aug. 23, Staff Experience focus; Richard O. Jacobson Technical: Aug. 29, Student Acceleration focus; and Melrose Elementary: Sept. 15, Bridging the Gap Plan focus.
Tampa-based PeopleGuru, a provider for payroll software to mid-market companies, has closed a $5 million Series A round. Atlanta-based CF Holdings led the financing with prior PeopleGuru investors also participating. The funding will be used to expand customer service and sales investments, according to a press release. More than 300 mid-market companies throughout the U.S. use PeopleGuru products. “We welcome this partnership with CF Holdings,” Richard Cangemi, CEO of PeopleGuru, said in the release. “There’s perfect alignment with their team on future expansion plans and capital needs for PeopleGuru, and their expertise in our core business brings much value to our partnership.”
The City of St. Petersburg has announced a lineup of new leaders to fill positions. The city named Community and Neighborhood Affairs Administrator James Corbett will serve as the new City Development Administrator. Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas CEO and former city council member Amy Foster will assume Corbett's former position as the Community and Neighborhood Affairs Administrator. Both positions are effective Aug. 15. Additionally, Interim City Development Administrator Joe Zeoli will assume his former role as Managing Director of City Development. “James Corbett has demonstrated superb dedication, professionalism, talent and growth in his 16 years with the city and will be an asset to our organization in this new role. Amy Foster’s experience in the advocacy sector and as a City Council member makes her an ideal person to lead or Community and Neighborhood Affairs department and I’m thrilled to welcome her to the team. I’d also like to thank Joe Zeoli for his excellent work as Interim City Development Administrator," St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said in the city's press release.
