Frontier Airlines (NASDAQ: ULCC) will launch the first nonstop service from Tampa International Airport to Punta Cana and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic as well as Montego Bay, Jamaica. Frontier will also begin offering daily nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The new routes, plus the previously announced nonstop service to Cancun, Mexico, will begin this summer, according to Frontier's news release. The introductory fares start at $99.“We are pleased to significantly expand our international service from Tampa,” Daniel Shurz, senior vice president of commercial at Frontier Airlines, said in the release. “We will now offer more nonstop flights from Tampa to destinations in Latin America than any other carrier. The new service to San Juan will provide robust options for those heading to Puerto Rico to visit friends and family or to enjoy the island’s beautiful beaches and warm hospitality.” The service to the destinations will begin on the following dates: San Juan, Puerto Rico service will start June 23 and will be daily; Montego Bay, Jamaica service will start June 24 and will be offered twice weekly; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic service will start June 30 and will be offered twice weekly; and Punta, Cana service will start July 2 and will be offered once per week.
Tampa-based Kforce Inc. (Nasdaq: KFRC), a solutions firm that specializes in technology and other professional staffing services, today (Tuesday) announced it has earned $417 million in the first quarter of 2022. The revenue increased 13% year-over-year, per billing day, according to Kforce's Q1 report. Net income for the quarter, which ended March 31, was $19.2 million, or $0.93 per share. “We delivered another quarter of exceptional performance as both revenue and earnings per share meaningfully exceeded the top end of our guidance. The strength in our financial performance continues to be led by strong growth in our Technology business. It has been widely publicized that the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated many years of technology adoption and advancements," Kforce CEO and President Joseph Liberatore said. "This has resulted in a corresponding acceleration in demand for highly skilled technology talent to assist companies across every industry to rapidly digitize business models. As our business continues to become more highly concentrated in technology, it is also driving significant increases in profitability levels, which meaningfully accelerated and represented a first-quarter firm record.” Despite the crisis in Ukraine and challenges to the supply chain issues, Liberatore said the firm has become resilient as its footprint is 100% domestically focused with more than 85% of revenues concentrated in highly skilled technology talent solutions.
Thirteen Pinellas County artists have been selected after thorough review by a panel made up of artists, curator, and arts leaders to receive grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 from Creative Pinellas. The grants were funded through a $500,000 grant Creative Pinellas received from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), is to both assist artists in recovering from the Covid-19 crisis, and to support them in the creation of projects that bring high quality arts experiences to diverse communities, including those who have often lacked access to all the benefits engagement with the arts has to offer. Artists Mitzi Gordon, Steph Hargrove, Dallas Jackson, Cecilia Lueza, Mickett Stackhouse Studio, Erica Sutherlin and Pamela Trow received $10,000 grants. Jon Didier, John Gascot, Jackie Kaufman and David Manson received $5,000 grants and Robyn Crosa and Linda Nash received $2,500 grants. Projects range from filmmaking, jazz concerts and murals, to arts experiences for the blind and public engagement addressing climate change.
A Pinellas County artist recently partnered with Foot Locker to design t-shirts as part of the sports apparel chain’s Autism Acceptance Month campaign. Dan Capo, 26, was diagnosed with epilepsy and autism as a child. His artwork bearing the succinct slogan of “Be Kind” adorns the shirts, which are available on Footlocker’s website. According to reports, Capo said he wants to spread kindness and show the work that people with autism are hirable.
Former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman has received the 2022 Men and Women of Distinction's Gwen Reese Lifetime Achievement Award. Kriseman, who received the award on Sunday, was selected by the Gathering of Women’s selection committee, Gwendolyn Reese, and peers in the Tampa Bay community to receive the award, given to those who exemplify a long-standing commitment to the community. “Never before has a mayor been so intentional in advancing racial equity in the city,” Gwendolyn Reese said in a news release. “The work of Mayor Kriseman’s Administration has set us on a different trajectory and we finally have hope that we can achieve racial equity.” During his time as mayor, Kriseman's top priority was to provide more opportunities for residents through training, employment, higher wages, grants, and second chances, which helped to reduce St. Petersburg’s African-American poverty rate to an all-time low, according to the release. Kriseman currently is a managing principal at Shumaker Advisors Florida.
A multi-state investigation initiated by the Pinellas County Consumer Protection (PCCP) agency into a local telemarketing business uncovered an extensive real estate scam that defrauded victims in excess of $1 million. The county announced Friday that Marvin Scott of Tampa, Chamera Bowman of St. Petersburg and Tammy Van Wie of Largo were charged on April 19 with a scheme to defraud. Scott was also charged with money laundering. The three operated a series of fraudulent businesses called Nationwide Listings, Elite Property Listings Corp and Worldwide Property Listings LLC. According to a release, investigators said that between October 2017 and November 2020, the three solicited local victims and landowners from 37 states claiming to have buyers ready to purchase their properties. The defendants then charged several upfront fees without selling the property. “Consumers should continue to be cautious whenever they are solicited by telephone from individuals seeking payment for any services,” said Doug Templeton, chief investigator for the PCCP in a statement. To report a scam, call (727) 464-6200.
After trading out of the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to open the second round with the 33rd pick Friday night. World Wrestling Entertainment Global Ambassador, philanthropist and Tampa Bay resident Titus O’Neil will announce the team’s 60th overall pick, although it remains unclear if he will announce the first pick of the second round following last night’s trade. The Bucs swapped the 27th overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a second, fourth and sixth-round pick. While fans had to wait an extra day to see the latest additions to the team, Tampa Bay now has eight picks in this year’s draft. The draft resumes at 7 p.m. Friday.
Poet, author and punk rock legend Patti Smith has become the inaugural artist-in-residence for Sarasota's Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, it was announced following Smith's onstage appearance there Thursday night. Smith, who also spoke, sang and read from her work at Selby in February, will return in 2023 and 2024. According to Selby officials, she will combine public activities such as readings and performances with private time drawing creative inspiration from the gardens' two campuses.
Manta, a data lineage company based Prague, has established its U.S. headquarters in Tampa. "The surge of Tampa's tech scene is a major reason why we decided to build our team in the hub of top talent," Manta founder and CEO Tomas Kratky said in a news release. The firm recently raised $13 million in Series A funding round that was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, SAP.io, Senovo VC and Credo Ventures. The company has roughly 40 employees in a WeWork space in downtown Tampa.
Saturday's "FIESTA: Cinco de Mayo celebration at the St. Pete Pier has been canceled due to inclement weather concerns. Ticket buyers will be contacted individually and offered a full refund.
The University of South Florida St. Petersburg announced four candidates are advancing to the next round of the selection process following Thursday’s interviews. The finalists will now participate in public town hall meetings at the USFSP campus on Monday, May 2, and Tuesday, May 3, from 1 - 3:30 p.m. USF President Rhea Law will select the next leader of the St. Petersburg campus after interviewing the candidates and collecting community feedback from the meetings next week. The four finalists vying to replace outgoing Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock include Kanika Tomalin, former deputy mayor and city administrator of the City of St. Petersburg; Melissa Gruys, dean of the School of Business at Purdue University Fort Wayne; Christian Hardigree, founding dean of the School of Hospitality at Metropolitan State University in Denver; and Bjong Yeigh, former chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell. For more information, visit the regional chancellor search site here.
A federal court in Tampa has ruled that the City of St. Pete Beach must pay over $250,000 in fees to lawyers representing the Pass-a-Grille Beach Community Church. The church, part of the United Church of Christ congregation, allowed beachgoers to use its 70-space parking lot when not holding services. The church accepted donations from patrons, and members of its youth group offered prayers and Christian messaging. A neighbor complained, and the city began fining the church for violating land-use rules. A judge sided with the church and granted an injunction against the city. The city settled with the church for $15,000, and a judge awarded the church’s lawyers over $258,000 in fees and associated costs.
