Tampa-based Peerfit, an exercise technology company, was bought by Los Angeles-based FitOn. FitOn, which describes itself as the No. 1 fitness app and digital fitness platform, announced the acquisition Tuesday and that the firm has also raised $40 million in new funding. "Combining Peerfit with the innovative digital platform we have built at FitOn, will create a first-of-its-kind virtual and in-person wellness experience to engage people both at home and in their communities," Lindsay Cook, co-founder and CEO of FitOn, said in a news release. The company launched in 2019 and has over 10 million members by offering premium fitness workouts with its expert trainers and celebrities. Peerfit's founder, Ed Buckley, will continue his role as CEO. "Bringing FitOn and Peerfit together will make these services available to a broader population, reduce barriers to getting active and healthy, and allow people to more fully engage in their health," said Buckley. "Through Peerfit, benefit and HR coordinators, as well as program managers, can benefit from account management and marketing support through an easy-to-use digital solution, drastically reducing the resources required to run their corporate wellness programs."
Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the first homicide of 2022. The homicide is in regards to the murder of Demond Lamar Perry, 26, who was shot several times before crashing on Tyrone Boulevard on Saturday. Firefighters pulled Perry out of the burning wreckage after the car flipped. He died later from severe burns after being transported to Tampa General Hospital, according to reports. You can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477 or online at Crime Stoppers of Pinellas County.
The City of St. Pete Beach announced Monday information regarding its upcoming municipal election. The election takes place on March 15, and residents can vote for either Terri Finnerty or Christopher Graus as Commissioner of District 1. Voters can cast their ballots from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 15 at the Community Center Gymnasium at 7701 Boca Ciega Drive in St. Pete Beach.
For the first time since 2019, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup soccer tournament returns to Al Lang Stadium. The Tampa Bay Rowdies will host the winner of the Open Cup match between the Villages SC and Orlando FC Wolves. Those teams play on March 22, at the Villages home field. The historic tournament began in 1914 and is open to all U.S. Soccer affiliated professional and amateur teams. The winner receives $300,000 in prize money, a berth in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League and its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy. ESPN + will broadcast the Open Cup, and ESPN will announce the streaming schedule at a later date.
St. Petersburg's Miles Fetherston-Resch, age 9, has been named to Time Magazine's Top 20 Kid of the Year list for his organization, “Kids Saving Oceans,” which sells merchandise (hats, shirts, and stickers) made from plastic that was reclaimed from the ocean and recycled. His online shop has generated over $23,000 in donations to ocean conservation organizations. Each year, Time and Nickelodeon launch a nationwide search across social media and school districts to find children age 8 to 16 who embody five key attributes: determination, passion, kindness, bravery and innovation.
Cities around the country continue to experience high inflation rates, and the Tampa metro area is pacing the pack. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS), Tampa led the nation with a 9.6% inflation rate last month. This means prices in the area were 9.6% higher in January 2022 than they were in January 2021. For comparison, the national rate is up 7.5% - the highest increase in 40 years. Riverside, California had the second-worst inflation rate at 8.6%, followed by San Diego with 8.2%. The USBLS also reported that wages fell by over 3% last year.
After a four-year hiatus, Tampa Bay AirFest returns to MacDill Air Force Base on March 26-27. Due to budget cuts, the Department of Defense limited the once annual event to every other year. Officials canceled AirFest in 2020 due to Covid. Admission and parking are free, and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will again entertain the crowds with their aerial stunts. Over 150,000 attended the last AirFest, held in 2018. This year’s event occurs just six months before the 75th anniversary of the Air Force, and in honor of the occasion, Gen. Mike Minihan will make an appearance. Minihan is a four-star general and oversees the Air Mobility Command. AirFest will also showcase the new KC-46A Pegasus refueling aircraft, along with demonstrations from the F-22 Raptor. The Raptor is the Air Force’s latest stealth tactical fighter and one of the most advanced and powerful fighters in the world.
Pinellas residents will soon have a chance to offer their feedback in the search for a new Pinellas County Schools (PCS) superintendent. During the latest school board meeting, members learned of a series of community town hall meetings scheduled for Feb. 23, 24 and 28 at Pinellas Park, Countryside and St. Petersburg high schools. All three meetings begin at 6 p.m., and residents can participate virtually or in person. The board will advertise the position in March after gathering information from an ongoing survey and the community meetings. The board is searching for outgoing Superintendent Mike Grego’s replacement, who retires in June following a decade with PCS. The board plans to announce the hire at a special meeting on May 17.
The 6th annual SunLit Literary Festival, produced by Keep St. Pete Lit, has been announced for April 1-3. All events are TBA for the organization's "springtime celebration of the written word."
An illness in the cast has forced Tampa Repertory Theatre to cancel its scheduled performances of Shakespeare's King Lear Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the University of South Florida. The production is tentatively scheduled to continue next weekend.
Peloton, the New York-based fitness and technology company known for its bikes, will close its Tampa Bay facility as part of its massive layoff plan. The company announced earlier this week that it was laying off a total of 2,800 people. The company hit its peak during the pandemic as many gyms were closed during the lockdown periods, resulting in people exercising at home. However, as the traditional gyms reopened, Peloton suffered. Peloton Interactive Inc. notified the state that the local closure will result in 58 layoffs at the Lakeland facility at 5725 New Tampa Highway. The layoffs started on Tuesday. The majority of the affected Lakeland employees were working as field specialists. Although the company is laying off thousands, reports indicate Peloton instructors are being spared from the job cuts.
St. Petersburg native Will Packer can soon add another highlight to an already extensive resume as he is producing the upcoming 94th Annual Academy Awards. It is Packer’s first involvement with the Oscars, which airs live on ABC and broadcast outlets around the world on March 27. Before Packer became a movie mogul, he attended Maximo Elementary, Bay Point Middle and St. Pete High. After graduating college at Florida A&M University, Packer went on to become one of Hollywood’s most successful filmmakers. Packer’s production credits include films such as Girls Trip, What Men Want, Think Like a Man and Stomp the Yard. Packer also served as the executive producer for the critically acclaimed Straight Outta Compton. Altogether, Packer’s films have grossed over $1 billion at the box office.
