The Tampa Bay Rowdies face the Memphis 901 FC Saturday, June 2, in a match that promises fireworks both on and above the pitch. The Rowdies own a seven-game winning streak and now sit in third place in the USL’s Eastern Conference. After remaining unbeaten through the month of June, Tampa Bay will take on a Memphis squad that leads the 14-team division with 35 points and a record of 11 wins, two draws and three losses. Immediately after the conference showdown, the skies above Al Lang Stadium will light up with a fireworks display in honor of Independence Day. The match begins at 7:30 p.m., with fireworks following the last whistle.
Pinellas County announced Thursday that its emergency planning mobile application is updated and fully operational. As hurricane season heats up, county officials are encouraging residents to download the updated Ready Pinellas app to better prepare themselves and their families. The updated version features a new design and user interface, additional emergency preparedness information and tips and checklists to ensure proper preparation. Residents can also build a personal emergency plan utilizing a supply checklist, home inventory tool and emergency contact list. Ready Pinellas also provides real-time storm updates and resources to contact Pinellas County Emergency Management. The app is free to download in the Apple App or Google Play Stores by searching for “Ready Pinellas.” Android users must delete the old app and install the new one to receive the updated version, and the county recommends enabling location services to receive accurate evacuation information.
Tampa topped all other metro areas in the country for its housing price rate increase. According to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index released Tuesday, the region saw a 35.8% year-over-year jump in April. Miami came in second with a 33.3% rise, with the Phoenix area following at 31.3%. Tampa and Miami were the only Florida markets included in the analysis of 20 metro areas.
In just its first week of operation, the Tampa housing hotline helped 801 callers. Of those, 370 sought rental assistance. Emergency rental assistance is running out throughout the region. The city launched an information line on June 21 to streamline resources for people with housing issues, including eviction notices, landlord complaints or trouble finding affordable housing. The Tampa Bay region continues to be plagued by soaring inflation and skyrocketing rents, and anyone in need of housing help can call 813-307-5555.
The Warehouse Arts District Association has named Markus Gottschlich as its new executive director. The Austria-born pianist and composer has a track record of engaging communities with compelling arts education programs and culturally unique event initiatives.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will receive $1 million from the Florida Commission for Transportation Disadvantaged for a re-launch of a regional transportation disadvantaged service in Tampa Bay, which was discontinued a year ago due to a lack of funding. In partnership with agencies in Hillsborough and Pasco counties, the funding will re-launch same-day, door-to-door regional trips within Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco Counties. “When the state funding was canceled last year, I know a lot of residents who relied on the service to get from Pinellas to Tampa or Pasco to Clearwater were left stranded. So this time, all three counties worked collaboratively and I’m grateful to the Commission for approving of this new regional approach," PSTA CEO Brad Miller said in the news release. The new regional service will be provided by rideshare companies Uber and Lyft, taxis, and wheelchair van services for all qualified residents within the counties.
St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch will make his much-anticipated selection of a developer for the Tropicana Field site on Wednesday, June 29, at 10 a.m. The announcement takes place adjacent to the stadium at the corner of 16th Street and 5th Avenue South, under the I-175 overpass. The City of St. Petersburg will live stream the event from its Facebook page.
Philanthropists Carol and Frank Morsani have gifted $7 million to the University of South Florida, to endow the Morsani Scholars, which will offer scholarships to USF students; create an endowed chair in geriatrics; and a directorship and professorship focused on ethical leadership in business. In March, the couple gave $5 million to support the development of an on-campus stadium.
Brightline, a high-speed passenger rail system that operates in South Florida, will no longer have a Disney stop between the planned Orlando-to-Tampa route. Walt Disney World said it was pulling out of a Brightline station at its Disney Springs site due to changes in its route configuration, according to multiple reports. The plans for the Brightline Disney station were unveiled in late 2020. Route maps Brightline submitted to the state also showed a Disney station. The Disney stop was planned as Brightline formed plans to connect from the Orlando International Airport to a site in Tampa. With Disney out of the picture, the passenger train will now travel directly from International Drive in Orlando to Tampa. The news follows Brightline receiving $15.875 million through a federal grant toward its Tampa-to-Orlando connection.
Code-X, a St. Petersburg-based cybersecurity company, has closed a Series B funding round. Sagewind Capital LLC, a New York-based middle-market private equity firm, announced that it led the round. “The Sagewind team has an impressive track record of working constructively with management teams in government services and the corporate sector to help drive growth and deliver successful outcomes. We believe this enhanced partnership will better position us to execute on our strategic objectives," Code-X CEO Darren LaCroix said in a statement. The financial details of the round were not disclosed. Code-X is a data security firm focused on working with the Department of Defense and AWS has many military customers who use its platform to process, store and transmit DoD data. Several months ago, the startup inked a partnership deal with Amazon Web Services.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies beat the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 5-2 Saturday night, earning their first win at Highmark Stadium since joining the USL Championship in 2017. The victory is even more impressive considering the Rowdies only scored twice in five prior trips to Pittsburgh. Leo Fernandes found the net twice for the two-time defending Eastern Conference champs. Tampa Bay is riding a seven-game winning streak, making up for somewhat of a slow start to the season. Now sitting at third place among the 14 teams in the East, the Rowdies will face division leader Memphis 901 in a conference showdown on Saturday, July 2, at Al Lang Stadium.
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s streak of 11 straight NHL playoff series victories came to a halt at home Sunday night following a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Avalanche secured their first Stanley Cup in over 20 years, while the Lightning lost the last game of the season for the first time in three years. Playing without star center Brayden Point, Tampa Bay jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after veteran captain Steven Stamkos found the net in the first period. Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen got the puck past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy in the second, and neither team scored in the third. Most of Tampa Bay’s core remains signed through the 2022-23 season, and coach John Cooper told fans after the game that “we’re not done.” The next NHL season begins on Oct. 11.
