Pinellas County has initiated a cleanup of dead marine life from the county’s beaches as red tide persists. The crews are expected to begin work late today or on Wednesday. Patches of the toxic algae bloom were captured via satellite imagery. Forecasting models show it moving north for the next seven to 10 days, according to the county's news release on Tuesday. Red tide produces a toxin that can harm all forms of marine life and can cause respiratory issues in humans. Although red tide is present off the Pinellas County coast, it is not necessarily present at all beaches, according to the county. People can check beach conditions at www.beachesupdate.com and via the Red Tide Respiratory Forecast Tool.
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg has tied with the UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville for the No. 1 spot for best children’s hospital in Florida on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospital’s list. The hospital ranked in eight specialty areas. U.S. News & World Report also announced new regional rankings, where Johns Hopkins All Children’s tied for fifth place in the Southeast region. As in previous years, Johns Hopkins All Children’s is the only pediatric hospital on Florida’s West Coast to make the list, according to the Tuesday news release. The hospitals are ranked based on certain measures such as patient outcomes, including mortality and infection rates, as well as clinical resources and compliance with best practices. More than 110 pediatric hospitals across the country participated in the 2021-2022 survey
The E.W. Scripps Co. is launching the Florida 24 Network, a statewide news network that will air real-time, enterprise reporting from Scripps' TV stations in the Tampa, Miami, West Palm Beach, Tallahassee and Fort Myers markets. The network will be available to over-the-top viewers, a news release said. Over-the-top television is streamed using the internet rather than the traditional distribution methods of cable or satellite. The Florida 24 Network will be led News Director Nicole Wolfe, based at Scripps' WSFL in Miami, and Senior Director of Digital Matt Borek, based at Scripps' WFTS in Tampa.
Baldwin Krystyn Sherman Partners and Millennial Specialty Insurance have agreed to buy substantially all assets of RogersGray, Breakwater Brokerage, and Monomoy Insurance Group. The three firms, collectively known as RogersGray, are based in South Dennis, Massachusetts and have annual revenue of about $38.8 million, a news release said. They provide commercial lines, personal lines and employee benefits insurance services to large and mid-sized companies and individuals. It's the largest deal so far this year for BRP Group (Nasdaq: BRP), the Tampa-based parent company of Baldwin Krystyn Sherman and Millennial. The deal is expected to close July 1.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is set to receive a $3.3 million allocation of American Rescue Plan funding for the $44 million SunRunner bus rapid transit project. The 10.3-mile route will connect downtown St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach via Central Avenue. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law by President Biden on March 11, provides some $250 million for public transit projects across the country.
Sun Country Airlines announced on Friday that it will offer roundtrip, nonstop charter flights between St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport and Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey. The new route is part of the MGM Direct charter program and will include ground transportation and three nights’ accommodation at MGM Resorts International’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. Travel packages start at $553 per person; to make a reservation, call 1-866-755-7117.
Washington Prime Group has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Washington Prime (NYSE: WPG) is a real estate investment trust with a national portfolio that includes Westshore Plaza in Tampa. The Covid-19 pandemic created significant challenges for many companies, including Washington Prime Group, making a Chapter 11 filing necessary to reduce the company’s outstanding indebtedness, fhe Columbus, Ohio-based company said in a news release. Washington Prime said it has executed a restructuring support agreement with creditors that hold most of its debt. The bankruptcy filing will allow the company to substantially deleverage its balance sheet and strengthen its business and operations going forward, the news release said. Washington Prime Group’s guests, retailers and business partners can expect business as usual at all of the company’s retail town centers throughout the proceeding, the company said.
"Targeted," a 2020 Tampa Bay Times series about grave misdeeds by the Pasco County Sheriff's office, was the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize for local reporting Friday. The award for the investigative series, by reporters Kathleen McGrory and Neil Bedi, brings the newspaper's Pulitzer count up to 13.
Tampa-based Lazydays RV (NASDAQ: LAZY) has agreed to acquire Burlington RV Superstore in Sturtevant, Wis., between Milwaukee and Chicago. Its brands, according to a press release, include Newmar, Grand Design, Thor, Forest River, Jayco and Coachmen. The deal is expected to close within 90 days and will augment Lazydays’ geographical footprint, which already includes dealerships in Florida, Colorado, Arizona, Minnesota, Tennessee and Indiana, as well as a service center in Houston. Lazydays generated $817.11 million in gross revenue in 2020, up from $644.91 million in 2019.
A St. Petersburg man accused in a ticket scam faces federal wire fraud charges. Thomas Coelho, formerly Thomas Jurewicz, recruited investors for a business opportunity but used the investors' money for his own expenses, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. Coelho purportedly told investors he would buy event tickets and resell them to third parties for a profit, using his association with the entertainment industry to give the impression that he would get tickets to high-profile events. But instead of buying tickets, he primarily used the funds for personal expenses, entertainment and cash withdrawals, the news release said, citing a recently unsealed federal indictment. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each county. The Justice Department also is seeking a money judgment of about $1.8 million, the proceeds of the scheme.
A Covid-19 safety precaution could end soon at St. Petersburg City Hall. City Council Chair Ed Montanari has proposed taking down the plexiglass shields that separate Council members sitting on the dais. The shields have been up since September, when Council members returned to in-person meetings after several months of meeting online. Council members did not take a formal vote on the idea, but a handful tentatively agreed with the plan on Thursday. Council members also said the plexiglass shields at the podiums where members of the public address the council should remain in place. The proposal came up at the end of Thursday’s Council meeting, the last one before the Council takes a nearly month-long break. Council members are not scheduled to return until July 8.
After a hiatus in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the City of St. Petersburg’s Fourth of July fireworks display will be returning to the downtown waterfront. According to a news release, the St. Pete Pier will be the locale for a whole weekend of festivities, starting Friday, July 2, to celebrate Independence Day. Highlights include a 4K run, silent disco nights, health expo, food trucks and live music. The celebration will conclude with a fireworks show at 9 p.m. on Sunday, July 4. For more information, visit the St. Pete Pier website.
