The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DOJJ) has decided to close St. Petersburg’s Charles Britt Academy after two employees were arrested on child abuse charges earlier this week. The allegations involve a 17-year-old resident at the state-owned treatment center for boys. The facility’s residents will be moved to nearby detention centers until the DOJJ can admit them to other programs.
With their hopes of winning three-straight Stanley Cups hanging by the smallest of threads, the Tampa Bay Lightning staved off elimination with a gritty 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche Friday night. NHL officials had the Stanley Cup ready to present to the Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver, but the Bolts’ Game 5 win ensures the Lightning faithful will get one more chance to watch the team at home. Colorado now leads the two-time defending champs 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, with every game a must-win for Tampa Bay. Ondrej Palat, an afterthought when drafted in the seventh round in 2011, slapped in the game-winner with 6:22 remaining in the game. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy turned in a 35-save performance that embodied the determination and heart the Lighting displayed in a hard-fought win. The series returns to Amalie Arena Sunday night.
The St. Pete Pride parade is celebrating its 20th anniversary Saturday, and organizers expect nearly 300,000 people to descend on the downtown route. St. Pete is known for its inclusivity, and Pride celebrations take place throughout June with the parade billed as one of the largest in the Southeast. The event drew a reported 260,000 in 2019, making it the 13th largest in the country. Organizers hope to crack the top 10 this year. Saturday’s parade, the largest yet with 175 entries, begins at 2 p.m. and will last about four hours. The route spans the St. Petersburg downtown waterfront, beginning at Vinoy Park and running along Bayshore Drive to Albert Whitted Park.
St. Petersburg-based Raymond James announced Wednesday the addition of two financial advisors to its independent Financial Services channel. C. Jefferson A. “Skip” Parker and Harriet M. Parker operate Four Corners Private Wealth, based in Connecticut. They provide wealth management services and previously managed nearly $150 million in assets. “Raymond James offers all the products and services that we’re accustomed to, with the added benefit of superior technology and account security for our clients,” said Skip Parker in a statement. Harriet Parker said she also appreciates the firm’s philanthropic reputation as a well-known supporter of the arts.
The City of St. Petersburg is once again lighting up the downtown waterfront in honor of Independence Day. The annual celebration takes place Monday, July 4, beginning with St. Pete Runs the 4th that morning. The 5K fun run starts at 7 a.m. near Spa Beach at the St. Pete Pier. According to the city, fireworks are scheduled for 9 p.m. but could start anytime between 8:30 and 10 p.m., depending on the weather. Revelers can view the display along Bayshore and North Shore Drive, and from Albert Whitted, North Straub, South Straub, North Shore, Elva Rouse and Flora Wylie Parks. Admission is free and parking garages, city lots and metered parking are available for a fee downtown. For more parking information, visit the website here.
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s dream of becoming the first NHL team to win three-straight Stanley Cups since Ronald Reagan’s first term got a lot more difficult following a dramatic 3-2 loss Wednesday night. Playing in front of a raucous home crowd at Amelie Arena, the Bolts took control of Game 4 early but failed to put the Colorado Avalanche away. With Tampa Bay battling a series of injuries, the game went into sudden-death overtime tied at two. Colorado’s Nazem Kadri found the net with 7:58 remaining in the extra period, sealing an Avalanche victory. The goal shocked the Lightning and the Tampa Bay faithful, as it appeared Colorado had too many men on the ice during the play. After the game, the NHL released a statement calling the potential penalty a “judgment call.” The call, or lack thereof, is not subject to review. Tampa Bay now heads to Denver for Friday’s Game 5, down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.
Pinellas County Schools (PCS) is offering a solution for students and families in need of reliable internet access outside of the classroom. Beginning July 18, a student or parent can contact their school and request a free, T-Mobile LTE wi-fi hotspot that connects up to 15 devices. Unlimited high-speed data is also provided at no cost.
The St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership is teaming up with the Environmental Defense Fund to highlight Pinellas County-based companies and leaders who have made sustainability and climate resilience an integral part of their business practices. Nominations are now officially open for the inaugural 2022 Sustainable Leadership Awards. "We are specifically looking for unique innovation related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, structural preservation, water conservation, water quality, electric vehicles, advocacy, affordability and access, as well as facilities with new construction or existing building certifications," the groups wrote. Nominations can be submitted here. Nominations close on Aug. 30. Winners will be notified in September and will be invited to accept their award in person at the Sustainable Leadership Awards Ceremony and Forum on Oct. 25.
In a lengthy Instagram post Tuesday afternoon, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski announced he is retiring from football. Gronkowski retired as New England Patriot before the 2019 season, only to follow his friend and former teammate to Tampa Bay in 2020. In his farewell address, Gronkowski relayed a college assignment that required him to write about a dream job and where it would take place. He wrote that he wanted to play professional football in Tampa for the Buccaneers. “And let me tell ya, the journey in Tampa over the last two years has blown away what I originally wrote about in college,” he said. “Big time.” Gronkowski, 33, is a lock to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame after the mandatory five-year waiting period. In 11 seasons, the last two with the Bucs, the dominant tight end won four Super Bowls and caught 621 passes for 9,286 yards and 92 touchdowns.
Starting Wednesday, the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge will be lit in rainbow colors for seven days to celebrate Pride. The rainbow spectrum could be seen from several locations, including the fishing pier in the rest area at the north end of the bridge or on the Causeway leading to Tierre Verde or Fort DeSoto.
Just two days after a potentially demoralizing beating at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Tampa Bay Lightning came home and returned the favor. Returning to the friendly confines of Amalie Arena Monday night, the Bolts put on an offensive display that resulted in the Avalanche benching their goaltender midway through the 6-2 Tampa Bay victory. Anthony Cirelli and Ondrej Palat opened the scoring for the Lightning in the first period, followed by Nick Paul, Steven Stamkos, Pat Maroon and Corey Perry in the middle frame. Andrei Vasilevskiy played solid defense against the high-powered Colorado offense, with the two Avalanche goals coming on powerplays after Tampa Bay penalties. Now down 2-1 in the best-of-seven final, the Lighting will once again look to defend their home ice on Wednesday.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium plans to use $3.5 million in state funding to establish a new manatee research and rehabilitation facility. The money stems from $20 million state leadership recently allocated toward enhancing Florida’s acute care services for manatees and restoring spring access and habitat restoration. The funding follows the state setting a new record for manatee deaths in 2021. Over 1,000 of the gentle marine mammals died last year, and 575 have died through June 3, according to a press release.
